Expert: Ismar Avdic, Eng. - 10/14/2009

Question
Dear Ismar Avdic,

my name is David and I'm 17 years old  (18 soon).  As I'm in my senior year now I am starting to look at different careers and thinking about what I'd want to do with my life.  And the one thing that  keeps on coming to my mind is that I'd love to be a commercial pilot.  I have always been fascinated  with airplanes, and this is something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid.  But, the problem is I can not afford to pay for an pilot education.  My parents aren't poor, but they've got a house to pay off.

So my question is, is there any possibility of me becoming a pilot?  Are there any scholarships out there? What do you suggest me to do?

Thank you for your support!

P.S. - some additional info, my GPA is 3.85 and I have places to live in both california and texas.  Also, I am really not fond about the idea of my going into the military due to the 10 year enlistment.

Answer
Hi David,
Thanks for question I was been in same shoes when I was first come in USA, about 14 years ago.
I had to take paying for each of my flight hours either through cash or through CC and that become to be very expensive after few years.
But If I am 17 again here what I would do:
You would apply for Embry Riddle aeronautical University for applying on college for an advanced aviation degrees like BS in Aviation Science or Professional Aeronautics. Those are known as pilot aviation degrees. Also inside Embry Riddle (ERAU) there is flight department who actually posses close to 35 airplanes for training of college students for pilot licenses. So actually flight department of ERAU do extremelly lot training for all interested college students within ERAU. Here is the sweet part" Now as part of ERAU student facility all students are encouraged to take flight training but flight training is in addition to your faculty education so price will be added to your complete faculty and flight training, GOOD THING IT WILL BE ADDED THROUGH STUDENT LOANS OR SCHOLARSHIP" So if you apply for FAFSA and be qualified you may ended paying small amount or maybe fraction of amount for flight training AFTER YOU COMPLETE COLLEGE through paying to student loans (MAYBE) So now you will be able to finish all training, get BS with same institution all that financed through FAFSA (you do not have to return money back, as long as you are enrolled in school and taking classes). Now tell me isn't that sweet? I wish I knew that 14 years before..:-) But in either case that is win-win situation regarding your education plus flight training and licenses, and finally once completed training and education at ERAU your degree and flight expeirience will be highly regarded as ERAU is the most famous aviation college through the world. Your GPA is OK do not worry about that much. Sometimes to enroll in Embry Riddle could be little bih hard, but you can always do enroll on Community College and just do transfer to ERAU at Florida or Arizona where are the huge college building and most important flight training facilities encompasses ERAU college.
More info abour ERAU
www.erau.gov

Regards
Ismar



P.S. Be advised that in order to use FAFSA application you have to be resident alien or citizen of USA. Also I moved from Europe too.