pavefe Posted October 21, 2007 Posted October 21, 2007 hello, new to forum here as well. I am just over 40 years of age but am very seriously considering a career change. I am fully employed now and sole source of income for family. Are there schools in upstate NY? I have searched around and found a couple but they are 1.5 to 2 hours from my home. Working full time presents scheduling problems such as only training on weekends or an occasional weekday when I can "dissappear". Financing the career change is also a question. I can't afford to pay as I go. So I would have to finance the $60-$80K somehow. Will banks consider financing my training if not through a large school or can I find a CFI locally and still get my training financed? Remember, I am the sole provider for my family with limited days to train. Am I just pipe dreaming? Quote
rotordudech53 Posted October 22, 2007 Posted October 22, 2007 hello, new to forum here as well. I am just over 40 years of age but am very seriously considering a career change. I am fully employed now and sole source of income for family. Are there schools in upstate NY? I have searched around and found a couple but they are 1.5 to 2 hours from my home. Working full time presents scheduling problems such as only training on weekends or an occasional weekday when I can "dissappear". Financing the career change is also a question. I can't afford to pay as I go. So I would have to finance the $60-$80K somehow. Will banks consider financing my training if not through a large school or can I find a CFI locally and still get my training financed? Remember, I am the sole provider for my family with limited days to train. Am I just pipe dreaming?Hello, My name is Craig and Ive been where you are sitting now a couple of years ago. Im 42 now and active duty in the Marines with about 17 years of helicopter flight and maintence experiance behind me. Piloting is a lucritive career and not very profitable starting out until you have a conciderable amount of hours behind you. In my opinion, at your starting point and the amount of time and money its going to take along with the responsibility of taking care of a family its probably not a wise move. Plus it sounds like youre having to get too creative with your job now and alloting time, creative financing. Good luck if you wish to persue it. Quote
rotordudech53 Posted October 22, 2007 Posted October 22, 2007 I think you are pipe dreaming which Ive done myself. The reality of it all is that being the sole provider for your family and considering such a drastic career change this late in life in a career field that takes at least 100% of your time and money. Plus an additional factor is flight time. An employer is going to require at least 1000hrs or more to fly their aircraft. Ive personally been in the military for over 15 years now with about 2000+ hrs as aircrew and I cant even afford to get the required training and support my family sooooo, if you choose to go for it then good luck but make sure your family dosent suffer for the decision. Quote
deanathpc Posted October 22, 2007 Posted October 22, 2007 hello, new to forum here as well. I am just over 40 years of age but am very seriously considering a career change. I am fully employed now and sole source of income for family. Are there schools in upstate NY? I have searched around and found a couple but they are 1.5 to 2 hours from my home. Working full time presents scheduling problems such as only training on weekends or an occasional weekday when I can "dissappear". Financing the career change is also a question. I can't afford to pay as I go. So I would have to finance the $60-$80K somehow. Will banks consider financing my training if not through a large school or can I find a CFI locally and still get my training financed? Remember, I am the sole provider for my family with limited days to train. Am I just pipe dreaming? Hey I can finally chime in here and help someone.. I too am in WNY and have found many places after an exhaustive research. Where city / town you in and I can go from there and share! But be forewarned that the 1.5 to 2 hours isn't far off. My closest is about 40 mins. away since I live between Buffalo and Rochester. But we do have options out here! Let me know! Quote
pavefe Posted October 22, 2007 Author Posted October 22, 2007 Hey I can finally chime in here and help someone.. I too am in WNY and have found many places after an exhaustive research. Where city / town you in and I can go from there and share! But be forewarned that the 1.5 to 2 hours isn't far off. My closest is about 40 mins. away since I live between Buffalo and Rochester. But we do have options out here! Let me know! Dean,Thanks! I am in/near Albany NY. Quote
deanathpc Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 Dean,Thanks! I am in/near Albany NY. Ahhh the opposite side of the state.... There are probably more out there than here. One in Rome and one in Syracuse. I haven't seen anymore east of Syracuse but haven't looked. See what I can come up with. Quote
Nuke Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 Hey Pave FE,I really don't thnk you have what it takes to Fly helicopters! Maybe you should sell insurance or something like that!Please feel free to ask for anymore advice if you like!!! See you in the pattern! Quote
slick1537 Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 (edited) I am from the Glens Falls Area, you will be happy to know that there is a new flight school at the Schenectady airport. http://www.yankeehelicopters.com/ However I would take be wary of new operations (which they are). Schools are a high risk business that could be here today, gone tomorrow, and if they did happen to go, they could go with your money. Personally I moved to CT from Glens Falls to pursue training. EDIT: If you are the sole provider for your family it will probably be hard. You can get a private loan but you will probably have a 8-12% interest rate on it. Edited October 23, 2007 by slick1537 Quote
HelliBoy Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 Pave- There used to be one in Schenectady but I'm not sure if she's still solvent..www.yankeehelicopters.com Theres a couple closer to the City, one in Fonda which I dont have any info for, and me in Rome www.highpeaksheli.com I can tell you right off the bat that you're going to have a rough go of it with your circumstances, but dont let anyone on here convince you that you should give up the dream. That being said let me give you an idea of what to expect. Providing for a family while repaying flight training loans on a CFI's pay is going to be difficult to say the least...most full time CFI's make less than $30k a year. Its not impossible though; keeping your job and flying part time is one option if you can find someone to hire you, which will mean relocating your family most likely. Or you can keep your job and open a small flight school if you've got a bit of an entrepeneur spirit, there are days I wish I was in the Albany market. I have a student who works full time and is taking his career change with a long view...kind of a five year plan to become a pilot- he studies continuously and saves money and takes out home equity or personal loans when he's ready to bang out a chunk of a rating. There are no easy ways to break into a career in heli's and everyone pays their dues when they are probably least able to...its kind of a Natural Selection for pilots. Quote
v15x Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 I think you're better off driving down to ellington from Albany. I got about 25hrs with yankee and then switched to northeast helicopters ... should have just went that route right off the bat. Quote
pavefe Posted October 25, 2007 Author Posted October 25, 2007 Hey Pave FE,I really don't thnk you have what it takes to Fly helicopters! Maybe you should sell insurance or something like that!Please feel free to ask for anymore advice if you like!!! See you in the pattern! Now that I am done crying! Nuke... you big meanie. You probably are a bully or a washed up semi-pro hockey goon! I found an instructor about an hour from me. $220 an hour. Now to pull off the financing... Quote
Nuke Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 Now that I am done crying! Nuke... you big meanie. You probably are a bully or a washed up semi-pro hockey goon! I found an instructor about an hour from me. $220 an hour. Now to pull off the financing...7-11's, thats the way to go! Just get a good Wheel Man!Good luck and let me know if you need anything! Quote
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