AboutDottie Norkus Expertise I can address questions concerning: airline pilot employment & entry level airline careers in the Unites States, women pilots, flight training, pilot certification, flight scholarships (mostly for women), aviation & airline safety topics, aviation accident investigation, air carrier accidents and airline operations.
***Please note, I cannot address flight training or career queries from outside the United States. If you are not in the USA, please direct your question to the message boards at www.PPRUNE.org as you can surely find an answer there. For those in India try http://www.indianpilots.com
Also, I cannot address questions about aero engineering degree programs/careers or aviation management careers.
Experience U.S. Regional Airline Pilot. I have also had 15 years previous experience in airline ground operations, as well as a part 91 commercial skydive pilot and ferry pilot.
Organizations I belong to I am a charter member of Women In Aviation International as well as the International Organization of Women Pilots: the Ninety Nines. I keep a database of flight scholarships for women (mostly SW USA) and mentor student pilots.
Education/Credentials Embry Riddle Aeronautical University certificate in Aviation Safety/Accident investigation.
Question Dottie,
As I have read, regional pilots make very little money starting out. Being a pilot, would you have time to work a side job in order to meet financial needs, and still get some time off? Or would I have to sacrifice my house and live like I was back in college again? Thanks, Dan
Answer Dan
As a new regional F/O, with minimal days off and the worst schedules, you would be very hard pressed to work two jobs to make additional income. Typically you will have from 8-11 days off per month on the most junior schedules. When I was a new hire I did have a ground based job I worked on my days off. For over two months straight I didn't have a day off! It was simply too much to keep up so I had to quit.
While you may be able to pull it off with some very flexible jobs (i.e. work from home or via the internet), a traditional hourly ground based job will be very hard.
Once you get some seniority and can bid better schedules you will then be better able to have a second job. I do know several more senior pilots, with great schedules and lots of days off (15-18/mo) who moonlight in flexible second jobs like real estate or mortgage broking, even dry wall and construction.
If you are worried about keeping your house, do all you can to rework your finances and trim expenses. You will need to plan on a starting salary of less than $20K. Heck, after almost 4 years, I am hoping to break the $30K mark! If getting roomate or refinancing will help, do so. You also can't count on being able to be based near your home or have an easy commute to work, so you may have to rent it out entirely. When I was a new hire, I had zero debt but my home. It helped immensely! I don't know how I would have made it if I had credit card & car payments. Do what ever you can to eliminate and reduce your debt now.
