Flight Training - January 2013 - 46

CAREER PILOT»

UNITED EMPLOYEES EARN BONUSES FOR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE
United Airlines exceeded its 80-percent on-time domestic performance goal recently and is rewarding eligible employees with a $50 on-time bonus. The airline ended the month of September 2012 with an 82 percent on-time arrival rate. United employs more than 85,000 people and operates an average of 5,574 flights a day.

percent of the commercial-service airports depend on regional airline service. But a recent trend shows that their major airline partners are causing companies to park their baby jets in droves. Why? Cost! Mike Boyd, one of the industry’s most ardent observers, says, “Airlines are finding these smaller jets just don’t make them any money.” These 50-seaters have been providing service to many low-traffic

destinations along unprofitable routes. As a result, it is expected that a sizeable number of smaller communities may lose commercial air service altogether. William Swelbar, a research engineer for MIT’s International Center for Air Transportation, says, “The highway is going to be the connection to the air network system.” Even larger cities are being affected by the disappearance of the 50-seat regional jet. Cincinnati, once a beehive of activity, is a virtual ghost town with its large, quite spiffy commuter terminal now dark. Memphis is just a shadow of its former self when regional jets were scurrying around its ramps. A decade ago, Comair was one of the premier regional airlines and young, entry-level airline pilots

coveted a position with that carrier. Today, Comair is gone. It closed its doors September 29, 2012. Delta spokeswoman Kristin Bauer has said, “With the size of its fleet and higher unit costs of flying, Comair’s operations are no longer sustainable in this environment.” Further, Delta expects that those smaller 50-seat RJs serving the company through other regional carriers will drop from nearly 350 to 125 or less in the next few years. Pinnacle Airlines, flying for United, Delta, and US Airways, filed for bankruptcy last spring. Even American Eagle, a solid airline years ago that served as an entry point for hundreds of new airline pilots in its heyday, filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2011.

CAREER ADVISOR

But how to pay for it?
» By Wayne Phillips

IN LOVE WITH FLYING…
Not knowing the specifics of your situation such as age, location, and so forth, it is impossible to prescribe a plan of action, but I have a few thoughts. My initial suggestion is to talk with your school counselors, who may have some options for you to pursue. There are hundreds of aviation scholarships

» Q I recently enrolled in a local college’s
aviation program. I immediately fell in love with flying and am now absolutely certain that I want no other career. I am three semesters in with most of my general education requirements out of the way, including private ground. I am working on my private flight and instrument ground school, but I’ve run out of grants and government loans. I’ve applied for private loans, but with no credit and no co-signer, I have had no luck. I am so close to earning my private certificate. I would do absolutely anything to be able to finish college and pursue my dream job. Any advice on how to pay for school and flight?—Josh

expenses through painting, lawn care, and odd jobs? With some backing, could you purchase an airplane and enter into a leaseback arrangement with a flight school? Check with the local Civil Air Patrol squadron for a possible flight training path through that organization. If you are mentally and physically qualified, have you considered a career as a military pilot? Explore the ROTC if one is based on campus. Thousands have been

CAN YOU WORK OFF YOUR FLIGHT TRAINING EXPENSES THROUGH PAINTING, LAWN CARE, AND ODD JOBS?
available. Simply enter “aviation scholarships” into any search engine. But these are not easy to obtain. Generally, there are rigid requirements such as age, financial background, scholastic excellence, and even gender. Nonetheless, there may be one that applies to your situation. Is there something you can sell? Motorcycle? Property? Are your parents or relatives a possible source of funding? Can you work off your flight training in your situation and have found a way to make it all work out. You may need to generate income through another career path and parlay any discretionary leftover cash into completing flight training. It will take some time, but you may remain solvent, which is a very good thing.
Send your career questions to careers@aopa.org and we’ll publish the best ones here.

» A: You are not alone in yearning for

the sky but not knowing how to get there financially. It takes more than Bernoulli to get aloft: It takes cash, and lots of it. Cost is a major contributor to the decline in both student starts and retention.

46 /

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Flight Training - January 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - January 2013