Sit in a cubicle or be a glorified bus driver (pilot)?

[MoeMag]

[magman007]

Well, i am studying to be a pilot, and i will say, flying the comercial birds, is essentially a glorified, highly paid, highly trained bus driver, but there is so much more than just commercial aviation, there is corporate, military, charter, acrobatic, fire bombing, and many other career paths that you can take.

if you have always wanted to be a pilot, then why not go for it?. why not chase your dream? serriously, what do you have to loose? if you go a semester, and you dont like it, then go the mechanic route, or engineering. its up to you.

[bleachit]

Moe.. I was in your exact position about 2 years ago..

sorta..

I went to community college, got a degree in math and science, then went to a state university for Aerospace Engineering... what a mistake. wasted 2 years at that school then left without a degree..


2 years later I am at FIT in Aeronautical Science, will probably switch to Aviation Management (more career opportunities). Best decision I made. Aerospace Engineering is a pain in the rear.

if you can, try to get a flight at a flight school... you should be able to get up in a lil plane for around $50, see if you actually like flying. Then make a decision. Flying is fun! I wouldnt necessarily call it a glorified bus driver... its much more complicated than that. If you can, find a commercial pilot and ask him about his job.

Also, be prepared to shell out a TON of cash for flight training...

[Rocp15126]

What I found was amusing at most of the airlines is that most engineers are not aerospace. In fact, most were mechanical and electrical. Most non-standard structural repairs are forwarded to the manufacturer by the airline engineer for approval. If you really want to work as an engineer in an airline, you might want to consider another type of engineering other than aerospace. Not to mention if you have trouble finding a job, you can market yourself in another industry. I started out as an AE major, got sick of the course work and transferred into Aircraft Maintenance. I got to work on aircraft, interface with engineers and learn to fly. Good luck!

[neppo1345]

I'm in that situation now.

I'm a freshman Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Cincinnati.

You don't decide to be an engineer, The numbers decide for you.

[MoeMag]

/\ /\ /\ Explain?

[SCpoloRicker]

/\ /\ /\ Explain?

Getting a degree in pretty much any Engineering field is extremely difficult. I had several housemates (one mech, one industrial, one aero) and they all worked their butts off.

In terms of difficulty I roughly put the programs:

1. Engineering
2. Science
3. Architecture
4. Business
5. Communications
6. Life sciences

So; you can go ahead and try to get the Engineering degree. But realize its probably the toughest undergraduate program.

/discaimer: Business major
//cube warrior

[neppo1345]

I'm in that situation now.

I'm a freshman Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Cincinnati.

You don't decide to be an engineer, The numbers decide for you.

Basically...you don't decide weather or not to be an engineer, you can decide to TRY, but in the end the only thing that can make that decision are the numbers (Calculus, Physics, Diff, Eq.)

[Thordic]

fire bombing

Are we hitting Dresden again? Damn Krauts!

[MoeMag]

Are we hitting Dresden again? Damn Krauts!

[Pacifist_Farmer]

Sounds like you should be an EE. Electrical engineers get to play with the higher lvl maths much more than us ME's.

I got one of those R&D jobs right out of school, and it's great, while I do spend a good amount of time using CAD, I get to play around quite a bit also.

And yes we do work our butts off getting our degrees, at least at a good school you do.

[SCpoloRicker]

Are we hitting Dresden again? Damn Krauts!

Listen:

Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time.
Billy has gone to sleep a senile widower and awakened on his wedding day. He has walked through a door in 1955 and come out through one in 1941. He has gone back through that door to find himself in 1963. He has seen his birth and his death many times, he says, and pays random visits to all the events in between.
He says.
Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he is going next, and the trips aren't neccessarily fun. He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, becuase he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next.

...

K. Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five

/what do I win?

[Vex]

/what do I win?

A trip to Minsk.

The women will love you.

[MoeMag]

Well here I am. I am Mr. Aerospace eng now. Pilot stuff... well yeah, the numbers decided that one for me. Maybe that can be my weekend thing.

So I made it thru... well I actually have another semester, but its only two classes.

But thankfully I am a long way away from aerospace engineering.

I just finished my first week working at Dillon Precision in the engineering department. Its a real job! not an internship! hahaha I get health/life/dental/vacation... and my horse is even covered under their pet plan!


I love it. Its a "smallish" company and there isn't a cubicle in sight! If im not on the computer working on designs / part prints and what not, im up and out, checking parts making everything fits up, and works.

Funny how things work out.

[Hilltop Customs]

congrats!

I'm in the same boat, 1 semester to go(3 classes).....December cant come fast enough.