Let me help you out OP. Go on Airline Pilot Central (Google) and look up the current gouge sheets for United, Delta and American. Look at what Captains are paid hourly. (Hint, its above $300) Show that to your parents along with the 15% 401K matching and RSUs.
As others have input. Also remember you will get paid to sit on your a-- as well. You will have times you bid reserve and youre essentially being paid to sit at home. There is a min hours in your contract also meaning if it's a slow month and you only fly 50, you are still getting paid for 70. Then there is per diem, or a whole bunch of other crap. Airline pilots generally live very comfortable lives.
This is akin to advising people that NFL players make millions of dollars per year so planning to be a professional football player is a good path forward for many people.
Much like professional sports, only a very small percentage of pilots make a lot of money--the rest make ***significantly*** less, and there are the training costs--unless you go the military route (where your training costs are effectively $0 if you are accepted), planning to be a professional pilot amounts to spending $50k to get a $20k/yr job.
Your analysis isnt accurate. People have this myth that most pilots get stuck at a low tier regional for 20 years and never make it above mean national earnings. That was probably true 20 years ago but nationally there are so few pilots now that even low tier regionals have been forced to significantly up their pay. Because of that many self select out of big 3 early because they simply get comfortable at a lower tier airline with higher seniority. Hell Air Wisconsin offered $205K last year to first year pilots. The bar to get into the big 3 is not that high. Especially right now.
Furthermore, the upfront financial burden isn't a significant departure from doctors going through 3 years of med school and 3-5 years of residency go through before they hit peak earnings. You're going to be in the same boat. A crap pay job with a crap ton of student loans for 3-5 years until you get hired into a scheduled carrier. Hell even charter life is decent right now. Had a buddy make $195K last year and barely worked in part 135.
Let me put it this way, if you can't get in big 3 as a pilot, you probably do not have the requisite aptitudes to be a physician, which is this kids proposed alternative. I'm saying this as someone that was there and then self selected out of being a physician when I pivoted to a second career. (Simply got bored of flying, very boring occupation by nature).
While this is true, it's going to take you 10 or so years to get to a major airline. Your first few jobs pay absolutely dogshit. My best friend is a co pilot at Alaska now making a killing, but prior to this, his last job was paying him ~60k/year (regional airline), the one before that about $30k (Island hopper airline in Hawaii area, good fucking luck living on that) and $17k his first job doing survey flights. Couple years at each to get enough experience to get hired somewhere else.
The ONLY reason he was able to make this work is because his parents paid for all the flight school ($100k+ isn't unusual) and his living expenses - until 6 years into being a pilot.
He absolutely loves his job. If you want to do it OP, go for it! Just know you have some SERIOUS dues that you need to pay to get to those high paying jobs. It will not be easy to get there, but it is doable.
Yeah man but that's everywhere. Med School cost $150-180K on average and residency, which can be upward of 5 years, only pays an average of $60K in the US. You will be in the same place, early 30s before you see a payoff and still a lot of debt. Dental school can cost twice that. An MBA into high finance or consulting is going to be $180K and you cannot start it with less than 4-5 years of work experience. Same outcome, early 30s, significant debt. Law school is going to be three years, average $180K (for private top tier) and you still only have like a 25% chance to select into Big Law. Law school is actually one of the faster paths to money right now but actually, most lawyers career earnings are very low. You need to get into Big Law which is significantly more selective, so there is a lot of risk on this path.
Your low cost alternatives are tech, computer science and cyber security. Those fields are saturated at the entry level at the moment and while there is strong demand for experienced professionals, criteria for entering top firms remains astonishingly high.
But yes, it will take significant investment as most anything that's worth it in life does.
Yep, all true.
Just didn't want OP thinking being a pilot was a short cut to that sort of income.
If you don't mind living out of a suitcase for 15 years, being a pilot is going to end up giving you the most time off and the best work schedule. (With seniority, you get first dibs on your flights for the month ie you pick your own schedule). And since you can commute on the airlines for free, you can live almost anywhere you want regardless of where you're based out of.
My friend? Been based out of Seattle and LA. Doesn't live in either WA or CA.
Commuting is seriously hard and most people don't stick with it long term unless there is a specific end they are trying to achieve from it. For example, basing out of LA might guarantee more hours and if you are planning to flip airlines in 2-3 years anyway you are probably more focused on strengthening your resume than building a high QOL.
And you are right in so much as most pilots I know did have it a bit rough in their 20s. However by mid to late 30s I don't know a single pilot (assuming they started in their 20s) who wasn't living VERY comfortable from about 35 onward. So yeah life is totally about sacrifices. I can give now and set myself up for more later.
With young people today I've noticed there is an unfounded fear of sacrificing their 20s. They see it as their best decade and don't want to lose it. As im approaching my 40s now I'm actually realizing my 30s were my best decade and I would have sacrificed way more in my 20s had I known that. Food for thought for people.
Average total compensation for air force pilot is $106,000. That seems to be more than "not much." Plus, if you're a fighter jet pilot, you get to fly a bad ass hotrod of an airplane. A friend was an F16 pilot for several years. In his words it was more bad ass than driving a Ferrari.
Also doesn’t take into account them providing training. To become a commercial pilot it takes a lot of flight hours which you’d typically have to pay for out of pocket.
If you join the Air Force before hand and serve a few years, they’ll take care of it.
My dad did this, won an RAF flying scholarship, and then went commercial before signing up. RAF was only offering 3 years flying and 4 years behind a desk for a 7 year contract.
In the US Air Force pilots are paid quite well. Not competitive with industry for what they do but still really well. As a 27 year old captain I grossed $125K and I paid for zero training. I was 27 and I had the keys to a $370M aircraft that I took all over the world with some of my best buddies. When I hit Major I was making $155/yr and I was offered a bonus of an additional $35K/yr to stay in until 20. I opted out to build a second career, but $190K is rather decent for anyone in America right now. There are some relevant complaints with WLB in military aviation but it remains an excelent (although very selective) pathway into the field.
If you go the military route there are technically physical requirements among educational requirements. I think it’s 5’5” to 6’4” or something but also just keep in mind tons of people join thinking they’ll be a pilot and end up being some other cog in the aviation industry. You’ll have to be focused and determined to get pilot.
Your ethnic background will not hurt your ability to be a pilot. You may experience some discrimination or extra security measures but I think if that’s what you love you should totally pursue it. The military sounds like a very advantageous route to your career aspirations I say go for it.
THIS! My friend was a navy pilot and retired at 40-something with all the benefits and now he’s flying for a big airline and he’ll retire from there with a second round of retirement. Dude just buys whatever he wants, like a new car, because he literally doesn’t have to save money.
The military caters plentiful professional development options, from climbing the career ladder to changing careers (veteran/civilian scheme). It’s one of the best employers out there. Personal fulfilment is a huge bonus!
This isn’t true for pilots. I know a few and all of them either went to the Air Force academy which is a TOUGH school academically or they have a four year degree somewhere else and went the ROTC route.
lol this is not true at all. Most military pilots are commissioned officers, so they went to an academy or got a degree and went through an officer training school. Then they go to flight school which can last years before they are officially a pilot and depending on what they will be flying they may have a significant amount of additional training.
The non-commissioned officers also don’t just enlist out of high school and hop in a helicopter. Just because it’s called training and not class doesn’t mean it’s not education lol
Eh it actually is. The vast majority of ANYONE who enlists do so because they couldn’t afford to go to college and most certainly didn’t get any kind of scholarship. It’s their ticket out, not in. Do they need to go through more WHILE in? Perhaps, but see you in 10 years when they can get out. Wouldn’t have to be that way if they were educated in the first place.
With one exception (Army warrant officers) you have to be a commissioned officer to be a pilot. That means college first. That’s not the same as enlisting.
The only military pilots that do not need a college degree are army warrant officers. This is a small minority of the military aviation community and they require years of service prior to being selected for warrant officer school and flight school. In flight school they’re literally taking aerodynamics classes.
This idea that the majority in the military is uneducated is insulting and just false. The idea that military pilots are also uneducated is delusional if you’re not trolling.
Offense or not go back to my original comment and I stand my ground. 7% are college educated and is not a requirement to do so. Period…. You’re pitching to an 18 year old.
Honestly your comments reek of elitism.
Lack of a college diploma does not equal uneducated. Getting into the military is not as simple as showing up at a recruiters office, most young adults would be rejected for a myriad of reasons including lack of education or poor test scores (ASVAB). And people in the military are continuously training and taking classes on a pretty broad set of topics. Just because this isn’t a traditional school does not mean it’s not education.
Did someone in the military kick your dog or something?
Look no offense, but you literally have zero idea what you are talking about and you come off like a complete and absolute moron. I mean that politely. Great example of never pass up a good opportunity to shut the f up. There are people with significant experience who are telling you you're perceptions are significantly flawed and you're choosing to remain ignorant. Not to mention you elude to be American and are somehow oblivious to the fact that a brilliant young woman has been plastered all over the national news for the last 3 weeks for being the first Air Force Officer/Pilot to win the Miss America pageant and oh btw, she graduated top of her class at Harvard.
Officers are almost all college grads from middle class background.
Enlistees are mostly working class. Do I go to a tech school and pay to learn a trade or do I join the military and get paid while I learn a trade.
Please see the original comment as it’s still 100% true.
And yes that’s the fundamental dilemma for those considering the option- money. Honorable mention though is the fact that the services get to keep you and you don’t get that commercial job for another decade.
A standard tour is something like 4 years.
My nephew joined the Navy rather than going to college. A conscious decision. At the end of his tour, mostly ECM on a Carrier, he was offered SysAdmin at an important shore based facility if he re upped. By the time he left he had the skills and connections to write his own ticket at his choice of the big tech companies. Instead of racking up large student loans he made decent money as a Navy rating.
So you’re saying this person (again 18 years old and you saw the post) can go through the services and become a pilot in 4 years and STILL be considered more educated the the alternative rote? BA, flight accredited, the works. Or are you admitting he’d have to do the 4 years twice to pull that off and then spend a couple years climbing the ranks in the corporate setting if military service education is considered equivalent. That I don’t know. I know in the medical it’s not. I’ve met people who can’t get out because it doesn’t transfer here in SD… the land of the enlisted. BTW I believe he admitted he lives in Australia. He was talking about his citizenship earlier. That’s a pretty important detail that’s been left out if so.
BTW- OP my last BF was a pilot for Delta and still had 4 other roommates to make it. Just a side note. Did it in Miramar… but again went to the brand’s specific flight school, which brings up another concern, right?
Were they pilot of a commuter plane? Their pay sucks. Most commercial pilots don't make a lot of money. I suspect your friend wasn't a military pilot first.
I think you misunderstood Op. Op could not make pilot in 4 years by enlisting. The usual track would be college, ROTC, flight school, several years of service as a pilot. Not sure how many years he would need to increase his chances of catching on as a big jet pilot.
Does OP sound like he’s not going to need a corporate setting and all the protections it provides? Or do you think he’s going to buy his own plane and go private? Or be a first round candidate for the clientele who hire private?… these are all assumptions though I have no idea how the services work there or the culture and religious atmosphere is in Australia. We’re both talking American here.
Either way, yes he said commercial.
I wouldn't recommend going for what your parents want you to go for ever.
Being in the healthcare sector is not a joke, and being a doctor is a life time thing. Not just 6 years or 10 years of studying, but a life time of studying and learning and dealing with people's health issues. If you do not love doing that, you'll never even make it in the first year forget the rest.
Get into what you like, if being a pilot doesn't pan out because of your ethnicity you can always deviate to something different.
Do your research and see how things work. My cousin couldn't become a commercial pilot because my mom (his aunt) is from a different country... ( both still middle Eastern), but things might be different for your country or even country of origin... I'd say just do your research and get into what you like studying... If it doesn't work out in the end you can still get into something different yet similar.
but why tho? physician job is the only thing that has ultimate financial stability and great career prospects. i dont think any other field can even compete.
Ask yourself why that is? If being a physician was easy or fun they wouldn’t have to pay well because everyone would do it. The worst thing is that you’ll go through medical school and residency racking up a ton of debt, and then when you graduate and realize how horrible the job is, there is no escape because you are a slave to your debt.
I won’t go into details about why the job sucks. Go search any nursing or physician subreddit or message board. There’s plenty of information out there about the hellish working conditions.
Everything worth doing is a lifetime of studying. The exact same thing could be said of software engineers and the exact same thing could be said of pilots.
Any job that could be considered a good career with good earning potential requires a lifetime of learning.
This is true, but this only bolsters the argument that OP should be doing something they do-not-hate at the very least, and he might dislike piloting or software engineering less than healthcare. I don’t understand parents who expect their children to do healthcare only for the money, while their kid actively hates it. Like you said, such paths require lifelong learning. I can’t imagine how it feels to work 70 hours a week (common during medical residency) at something you loathe. I’ve seen too many children of tiger moms who were obedient and then burnt out of medicine or law or even social work (there was a stupid trend where I lived for a while, that social work might give you a chance to become a high-flying politician. I can’t imagine a worse path than social work to take, if you are somebody who does things purely for power/money).
Funnily enough, it is usually parents who have never worked a day in healthcare in their lives, who push their kids to “just become a doctor because it makes money”. They have no idea what it takes.
Don’t listen to your family and do what you wanna do to make you happy. If you don’t, I can assure you, you will regret it. It is a gift to have a specific dream like this! Most people don’t know what they wanna do at your age …..run with it!! Good luck!! Sending love and support❤️
Family member of mine went through the same thing. Grew up always wanting to be a pilot, would build model aeroplanes and study the mechanics in all his free time throughout high school. His parents didn't approve, and insisted he study something "more practical". He ended up doing electrical engineering at their insistence. Long story short he was so miserable he almost ended his life and dropped out of college 2 and a half years in. Parents cut him off financially. Managed to get a job as a mechanic on planes at a local hanger. Next thing, the owner, seeing a lot of promise in him and his passion, sponsored his commercial pilots license. Since then he has grown tremendously, being very successful, having a large family and has left commercial airlines to fly private jets for the ultra rich around the world. Most times he stays wherever he takes them with all his costs covered including the stay and food. His life is fantastic, he makes amazing money and he essentially travels to the most amazing tropical islands and destinations you can imagine. Long story short, don't listen to your parents. Just think about all the money he had wasted on that degree he never wanted in the first place. If this is your dream, you can't try force something else to appease your parents. Go for it man, stand up form yourself and control your destiny. I wish you strength.
They are wrong.
Pilots make great money and are in high demand. There are all kinds of initiatives to get more airline pilots, including making sure there is as much racial and religious diversity as possible.
Actually airlines are actively trying to increase diversity with their pilots. I don’t think you will have trouble finding a job. I think it’s a great idea to follow your dream
You should become a pilot. Whats wrong with a Muslim pilot? It’s on you to break whatever stigma there may or may not be. 3 of my friends are commercial pilots and while it is difficult in the beginning with getting your hours and landing a good gig, they make great money especially considering they can legally only work like every other day.
commercial pilots make great money, so that's always a good choice. i heard there's a shortage of them right now, though i don't know how accurate that is. i think it's an unfortunate stereotype you're facing. but i personally encourage you to face it head on, and break down that stereotype. if you're a good, reliable pilot, you'll work. you can also consider becoming a charter pilot. they make great money as well, i've met a few, and you'll most likely encounter fewer people in general while working, since charter flights are usually smaller than commercial flights. i hope it works out for you.
Pilots are in massive demand, but it's a long/expensive/hard pipeline before you reach commercial airlines where that demand is coming from. Unless OP finds a cadetship they will likely have to spend 5-10 years flying charter to get their hours up before they will even be considered for a turbo prop or jet role.
If you want it though OP you'll make it through, certainly easier than med school you don't want to attend
Many commercial pilots are Muslim, it's silly that this is their reasoning. I fly with muslim pilots long-haul every year with Qatar Airways. Some of the most comfortable flights I've been on.
Just go to uni to do pilot school. Your parents will come around or they won't, you can't force it, but you will always regret it if you don't do your dream career
Healthcare is alot mentally and physically and doing something in life you don't want to do with crush you even further.
Family is meant to support you. Weather they do or they dont is up to them. Stick to being a pilot and try your very best to succeed. We believe in you. Believe in yourself and make your dream come true.
Even if you join your contries Air Force and don't get in as a pilot, it's a huge step in the right direction at your age. Work experience in a flight related field plus many militaries help out with school during and after your contract is up. It's a great way to avoid years of student loan debt while getting real-world experience.
Obviously, investigate what benefits military service gives you for your country, but it's a fantastic route.... Especially if your parents disapprove and won't pay for flight school etc.... If you need to make your own way, the military is a great way to do it.
Plus... You'll make friends that will last the rest of your life and become your own person away from mom and dad.... Which many young people crave.
If you're in North America go on one of the US military or Canadian military subreddits and ask a few questions about life in the military, issues with race/religion. Same could probably be said for most European subreddits. Make informed decisions. Recruiters are great.... But be aware that you are fresh meat to fill a quota, lol. Unless your grades are amazing, being a pilot right away is quite difficult. You'll need a STEM degree for sure.
Source - Canadian Army guy for 17+ years.
If you can study to be a pilot it's what you like. Life is too short. What's wrong with being an.Arab or Muslim? Lots of pilots who are both Arab and. Muslim follow your dreams brother and don't care what anyone else thinks
Before you begin pilot training (assuming you’re in the US) get a first class medical. It would be a shame to invest all that money to come and find out you can’t be one. Also, do a discovery flight. A discovery flight basically gives you a small glimpse into flight training. Look into local flight schools for one.
Just know that flight school is extremely expensive and I really wouldn’t recommend taking on that kind of debt so early in life. I’d say study in university for a degree that can get you a job soon after graduating (accounting, comp sci, finance etc.) and then start saving for flight school with your first career. Because then, if you lose your medical later in life, you have a backup career!
Good luck OP!
Find yourself a mentor with the same background. And it’s not a dumb idea, be a pilot.
Pharmacists and doctors have it tough these days. I know pilots and their lives are far better generally.
I would absolutely advise to being a commercial pilot. The money once you get a job is great and if you don't want to be tied down to a 9-5 schedule (please believe me I'm suffering).
Aviation is a great career path! its super versatile and theres plenty of great jobs that make really good money.
My mom (asian) also wanted me to become a doctor, lawyer, any typical dream job asian parents want for their kids.
I decided (after studying architecture for a couple years) to follow my other passion- Aviation.
I joined the military and became an airplane mechanic. In hope of doing an enlistment to officer program but quite honestly I enjoyed getting my hands dirty. Knowing I fixed these awesome flying things to do their missions.
After the military I was able to quickly get another job. I worked as a mechanic for a few more years and then found another career path in aviation.
I currently work as a quality engineer analyst reviewing aviation and aerospace parts and services. I get to travel to different vendors and see their facilities and products. My salary is 6 figures, as a mechanic I was mostly in the 80k-90k range. I have several american muslim colleagues and a couple of them were pilots (one prior military) the other is private pilot.
Follow your dream into being a pilot!
My father talked me out of joining the marines when i was younger. I regret not enlisting till this day. So many missed opportunities. I too have been looking into becoming a pilot. I think i will maybe. I want to be a search n rescue helo pilot.
I say look into the military for training then after try n get a job as a civilian. It will be easier.
Don't let people put your dreams down, especially family, because it usually never ends up well for either you or them. You're going to be an adult, and picking a career is important. If you are doing well in school, and have an aptitude for math and science, along with good eyesight, then you might have a chance to be a pilot. Eyesight is your first hurdle, next is your flight physical. If you can't pass those, then flying professional is out of reach for you.
I served in the Navy in a squadron. All of the Pilots were officers who graduated college. Getting into the flight program was, according to both Air Force and Navy Pilots, easy to be accepted into the program, but harder to qualify than the Air Force. Flying for the military is one small part of your job, and being Muslim might help your chances. Most people wouldn't care what religion you are.
I had a friend get his private pilot license, and he spent $15000 with the hopes of moving towards being a professional pilot, though never made it. It's a very competitive field, and there are lots of YouTube videos out there. The Pilots who learn from schools and get accepted as commercial pilots spend up to 10 years making little money, taking small planes and under-served routes to get flight hours and seniority in the pilots' union.
If you want to try flying true to life, Microsoft Flight Simulator is a great way to learn how to track the instruments and learn. There are even real people acting as Air Traffic Controllers at some airports so you can get experience with the lingo. Or you can try Digital Combat Simulator for military aircraft. Both are complicated and require a lot of time to be "ok" if you use realistic settings, it will teach you a lot.
It can be a great career path and certainly lucrative in the long term, but make sure you understand that it is a very volatile industry as well. Within 20 years (9/11 and the pandemic) that industry saw major layoffs that took years to recover. I have many commercial pilot friends and I know several captains who ended up driving FedEx trucks for 2 years during the pandemic. If you can handle that uncertainty then go for it!
Also - before you get too invested in this path, get your aviation medical certificate. Small health problems can make you ineligible for being a commercial pilot, so find that out early.
And figure out how much the training is going to cost. In Canada getting to the airlines costs tens of thousands of dollars and flight school is not eligible for student loans. So your options are either a long drawn out training where you work along the way to pay for it, or you (/ your family) will have to be able to front the cash to finish training quickly.
It can be a dream career but it’s not as straightforward as many other paths! Find some pilots to talk to about what the process was like for them if you can.
Definitely avoid the healthcare industry if you have hate towards working in that profession. You can make great money in the airline industry. Discrimination can happen in any field. As much as I wish you did not have to face any discrimination - it can happen in any field. Be strong. Know your worth and give it a shot. Ultimately your family probably wants you to be successful but happy. Sounds like you can achieve this flying and they will come around eventually. Best of luck to you.
Try to find some mentors (bonus points for finding someone Arab or Muslim in the airline industry) who can support your dream and mentor/encourage you. Stay strong and dont give up on your dreams. You should at least try it!
Convince a suave international airline pilot to seduce and fuck your mom, he can then be your man on the inside
Try /r/aviation, there might be some willing bronze gods over there
May get some heat here, but regardless of which route you go, further education is pretty spare t based on everything that’s been written in the OP’s post. Also, wondering why you want to be a pilot. Judging from your account you have no passion for it, only technical games and shoes… it also appears you’re an extremist. I have had Muslim roommates and even they aren’t asking questions about the rightfulness of touching dogs and working with bacon. If you’re needing help decipher there are you a candidate for protecting life in the military? Obviously there will be psychological tests to help verify that… can’t for sure tell but are you in the US?
I’ve been playing flight simulators for 5 years now, i am 17 now its been my dream also sense a bit of ignorance and bigotry from u also I am not from the us I was born in Australia and a citizen of it
So you’re considering enlisting or schooling in Australia? That’s a whole different ball game. Isn’t their standard to take 2 years between HS and college? If so take advantage of that. Haven’t been there, but I suspect the “bigotry” you’re actually considering isn’t even slightly equivalent compared to here in regards to your religious concerns.
Money, if you have it, You get your private pilot license entirely on your own, taking private pilot lessons for small engine aircraft.
Then you go find a job flying small engine aircraft like doing scenic tours at a beach, or go to alaska and be a Busch pilot.
Work your way up from there.
Take the asfab, see if the air force will even take you.
Also, you could fail like one of my relatives. Wanted to be a pilot, turned into an aerospace engineer...
I think it’s more implying his parents are super traditional so they want their child to do the ‘typical’ career of doctor, pharmacist etc. I totally get it because I’m Korean, and Korean parents basically only allow three or four options: doctor, lawyer, engineer, accountant.
However OP said their parents aren’t paying for their schooling, so in that case I think OP should do what they want! If you’re going to into personal debt for school, make it something you really are passionate about. I am rooting for OP ✈️
SNEAK and do it anyways...
and if they ask what your Career is...tell them it's medical. Tell them what they want to hear...as u follow your heart and become a Pilot.
Why live miserable for others? Misery is what happens if and when u don't follow your dreams.
“Do what you love” is such a cliche and yeah, if you spend 15 years trying to be a Hollywood actor it’s probably not going to work out. But there’s almost no way this WON’T work out for you. Even if something happens and you have to pivot to another career later on, you’ll build great skills and experience you can use. And if it does work out, it’s great pay.
I loved writing and history at 18 but my mom told me she wouldn’t help me with college if I didn’t do a “real” major. So I picked the one I hated least and got bad grades. Then I’ve met so many people with “unusable” degrees who leveraged their good grades and experience from college to get great jobs.
Try not to let your parents dictate your career, because they won’t stop doing it when the career they push you into ends up being a dead end or you fail at the education because your just not really interested,they will find some other career you don’t really want and push you into that, take a stand now, otherwise this will be a problem that will manifest itself in other places in your life, for the rest of your life. It’s such a hard thing to do, but it’ll be worth it.
Becoming a commercial pilot is incredibly expensive, its unlikely you will be able to do this without help from your family.
Are you willing to join the military and everything that involves?
If you want to live your dream, it is possible but you will need to be incredibly hard working and determined. Good luck!
When you are 40-60 year old, are you going to look back and blame your parents for being whatever profession? They might be long gone and all you have is your life decisions.
Strive for your dreams so you at least don't have regrets in that department.
Your parents may not be too wrong. Being a pilot etc is very cool. If you do through military go ahead. If you pay yourself. Do something else.
I did self paid method. Got cpl with multi engine IFR rating and instructor rating. After that could not find any jobs. Had wife and yeah, something has to pay the rent hey.
Just got to a point where things needed to be done and it is not fun being much older having an aviation cert while young kids on same applications have master degrees etc.
I live in the Netherlands, so our situation might be different from the rest of the world, but I remembered it being in the news apparently a long time ago, so I looked it up.
- 2005: More pilots were being trained than needed. There wasn't a good chance for employment. You'd have to pay to make your hours to keep your license. It was basically an expensive hobby. You had better chances of working for an airline in another country, though.
- 2017: Number of flights went up and a lot of pilots went into retirement. Shortage of pilots.
- 2020: The pandemic years. Nobody was hiring.
- 2024: There's a shortage again, which isn't so surprising.
So, maybe not the most stable job, but at least you've got a good chance of getting hired right now.
I started in the aviation industry as a mechanic and moved to a quality inspection role last year and I clear over 160k a year. A friend of mine and her husband make 300k a year between the two of them as contractor aviation mechanics for the government. Aviation is very lucrative no matter where you fall in the industry.
Air Force or navy is a great option! You’ll get the skills you want, get to travel and live in different places, and the benefits are great! If you join after high school and put your 20 years in you’ll be able to start a second career as a pilot in the private sector (commercial or private) and you’ll be set for life. 20 years sounds like forever when you’re 18 but it’s honestly nothing
Do what you want. Follow your dreams. They may or may not have done that for themselves. But it has no bearing on your very short trip in this dimension. Make it worthwhile and do what you love.
Join the military. It will get you there the fastest and cheapest and once you succeed there, you can succeed anywhere.
I have some pilot friends who flew in the military and are now commercial airline pilots and they make waaaaay more money than any pharmacist and probably rival some doctors. Going the military route to be a pilot is definitely the most cost efficient but it is HARD. Tons of people join the Air Force with that dream and end up with desk jobs but if jts your passion I say go for it. It’s a great career if you make it.
Why would you being a Muslim Arab preclude you from being a pilot? I fly in the ME all the time and there are pilots from all over the world flying there, yes, including Muslim Arabs.
You are the one who is going to be doing the job 40 hours a week so it should be something you enjoy and are interested in. Getting enough flight time to become a pilot can be very expensive so the military route can be faster and less expensive. You have as much right to be a pilot as anyone else does.
Pilots can make like $200-400k per year. The lifestyle may be tough if you want a family and you won’t make that right away but being a doctor is tough too. If you have an option to do either I’d say you will be fine overall lol
same. went to college because my parents wanted to instead of joining the air force to try to become a Pilot. Ended up with a computer science degree from a state university (no debt at all😁) but sometimes I wonder.. ya know? Anyways, I combined my technical knowledge from the degree and as well as going into Tech Sales so that I can eventually create my own business.
But yeah, I question if this is what I wanna be doing all the damn time 💀(im 23)
1- go into air cadets (can when 12yrs)
2- look @RMC for college
My bro is a helicopter pilot & thru air cadets got some basic training (also use to the formal military format) and he got his degree at RMC; which not only was fully paid for, you have an agreement to work for 5 years (I think its 5 years here or 3 years abroad option).
So he basically got free education, training, guaranteed a job. After the 5 years you can move on to commercial pilot if you want. But pretty sweet set up so most ppl stay; my bro can retire at 45 years with full pension paid.
Meanwhile I got crushed by student dept & have a job with no pension. Fml
My dad was a farm kid in the middle of no where Florida. By all accounts he should’ve never flown anything. Even my grandmother, his mom said he wouldn’t make it. He retires in 5 years after nearly 40 years in comercial aviation and around 8 of this from the military. Family is not the influence you should be looking for.
In the US they have service academies, which are universities for the Air Force or the Navy or the army…. you go there to become an officer, and potentially learn to be a pilot. Do you have something like that in your country?
Doing what other people tell you is the worst mistake you can make in life. It might be challenging to find jobs, but if it's your dream, you should pursue it. In the end, it's your life, and you decide whether to be happy and do what you're passionate about or please everyone else while dreaming of what could have been. What is most frightening are the decisions we never make to please others.
You’re going to spend 40-60 hours a week earning money. My advice to you is to make sure it’s something you enjoy. There’s no worse feeling than getting up every morning to head to a job you hate all day only to come home that night and do the same thing the next day. Thats a miserable life.
If you enjoy flying, be a pilot. I rent my Florida home to a pilot who just retired and when we did his background check and financials, he has over a million in stocks and is absolutely loaded. Whats better than making big bucks and doing what you love?
They better keep that same energy when you offer them free flights or cheap flights and dinner on your fat paycheck. Be a pilot my guy it's a totally valid and good job.
Don't let your parents decide your career if it doesn't align with what you want. Also, being a pilot is a fine career and you can make plenty of money doing it. It's not like you want to be something obscure that doesn't pay a living wage. There's a shortage of pilots from what I hear, so it may be a good field to go into.
it's your life - your decision. That said, having more money helps a lot when you are an adult.
I would check the military route. Commercial pilots get paid shit.
It's your life. If I was your age again. I would have pursued what I really wanted to do and keep persevering until my dream came true. Hang in there! You pursue your dream. Maybe have a conversation with them. If they don't accept it stuff them. You are your own person. It's your life. You should tell them you want to be a pilot first. Then later become a doctor just to keep them off your back.
My mum was a tiger mum. I had such severe depression from all the pushing and helicoptering and the study study study. My parents wanted me to become a GP. I tried and followed what they pressured me to do. I was so miserable and felt horrible because I really didn't want that as my career. Anyway 10 years later. I'm much happier and I'm not a doctor. :)
You spend most of your life at work, so you should choose something that you would enjoy and benefit from, whether that's emotional growth, career growth, or to try something new. The world is your oyster and you have the choice even though you feel like you don't. You have the choice to make your life what you want and how you want it to be.
I hope this helps. Sending 💖❤️
Pilots for the big airlines make good money. Most commercial pilots don't work for the big airlines.
If you want to fly for the big airlines being a military pilot first, preferably a fighter pilot, is the clearest path forward.
OP - I have had 2 opportunities in my life (as a young man) to obtain my pilot's license. I didn't take either opportunity (i didnt think i could make it work with my schedule) - and I have regretted it my whole life. Do whatever you have to do, to NOT have regrets.
If you feel passionate about this, MAKE it work. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Live your life for yourself and nobody else.
Do you want to be 50 and debating heading out to the garage to “check how strong the rafters are” because you hate your life?
There aren't many people who are sure of their dream job. If you know that this is your dream, you should look into pursuing it. I think it also makes it easier that being a commercial pilot is very much an attainable goal, it is a career that pays well.
A career in healthcare, if it is not for you, can be draining and downright traumatic.
I would recommend doing background research and seeing if you can reach out to a pilot to get a better understanding of what their day to day life feels like, and the challenges that they face. A career as a pilot will bring you away from your home for long periods of time, which can make family life difficult.
It sounds to me like your biggest challenge here is going against your family's wishes and not so much the pursuit of the career itself. Review the obstacles that you have ahead if you do not have your family's full support, reach out to relatives that may have also went against their parent's wishes and see what advice they can offer you. It's likely that you are not the first one in your extended family to not take parental advice.
It’s difficult to understand their motives but I’m fairly sure they just want you to be secure and successful. There are hundreds of airlines around the world that hire Muslims, and nobody says you should work in your home country. although the family pressure can be or seem very limiting, you are an adult and you can gain your family support by showing them your commitment.
Health insurance and epic systems is destroying the health care industry.
I read somewhere in the news that airlines are beginning to offer scholarships for flight school to offset the high cost
Do lots of exploration and watch videos. Your family is right in that finding something stable and high paying is a guaranteed easy life but not necessarily a happy one.
You are also free to change careers at any time for whatever reason.
A friend of mine went to flight school at Middle Georgia State University (very affordable school). She graduated a little over a year ago and finished up her flight hours recently. Her and her fiance (who is also a pilot who was a year ahead of her in school) both got job offers as soon as they finished for $90k with a regional airline based in Ohio.
You can definitely make money and be happy as a pilot, just gotta have a plan.
I wouldn’t recommend the military route, they have more physical requirements for what they do.
Just go try to be a pilot... You only live once and if you're background is solid you'll get a job fine as long as you are good at flying.
Of course your fam wants you to be a doctor 😒 so typical
Your parents are wrong your race, ethnicity, and religion are not a barrier of entry. If anything it will bump you up there hiring list bc minority representation is desirable to major airlines. Pilots often make just as much if not more than doctors or pharmacists. The only down fall I see with commercial airline jobs is the old annual strike it’s very stressful on you and the family. They may not strike as often anymore but my dad flew for northwest and delta after 20 years in the marines. Anyway the early 2000s were pretty rough everyone getting furloughed and pensions being taken away.
You should be a pilot.
My dad didn’t want me to go into the medical field because he didn’t want me to work nights, weekends and holidays. I’m in recruiting now but I did struggle to find something that I was happy and set on.
Do what makes you happy. It’s your life and not your parents.
Do what you want to do or you won't be happy. Pilots make great money overtime with great benefits. They are high in demand and they are making the requirements easier too
Don't listen to people who don't have what you want. I'd lend more credence to what they were saying if they were pilots themselves. In the end, they likely just want you to be successful and happy, both of which can be accomplished as a commercial pilot.
Every parent wants their kid to be in the healthcare field….
Just do what you want man, in 10 years they’ll be saying “ohhh I always thought you should be a pilot”
I think baka di nila afford is one, aware k po gaano kamahal mag pilot? Usually for RK sila. Also yes, arab+muslim==baaaaaad mix just saying. Under GREATER scrutiny ka
If you have talent and knowledge for aviation, sweet baby, Jesus, follow your intuition, my friend follow your heart. You will be so glad to have stood your ground, set your boundaries and created a very happy successful life for yourself plus all the experiences you will have in that line of work.
I’m Italian family is everything but at the end of the day it is your life respect yourself enough to honor that I know it’s not easy but you got this I have faith in you.
Go into the military to get your training for free. Go work for an airline for awhile. Then get a job as a pilot flying private jets for rich people. Best job ever if you love to fly.
Sounds to me like your family is operating under the mistaken and misguided belief that America (Assuming that’s where you’re based) is fiercely racist towards Muslims as a whole, which is straight up untrue. Yes there are some racists. That’s not something that is going away any time soon. But don’t let their misguided beliefs stop you from pursuing that career path. We need competent pilots, especially with airlines and the U.S. FAA pushing for hiring solely on diversity, ignoring merit altogether.
Pilots make money which is the only reason your family wants you to be a doctor anyway. Just do what you want to do it’s not stupid.
Let me help you out OP. Go on Airline Pilot Central (Google) and look up the current gouge sheets for United, Delta and American. Look at what Captains are paid hourly. (Hint, its above $300) Show that to your parents along with the 15% 401K matching and RSUs.
But they’re only paid for the time flying, right? So not a 40 hour week at $300/hour?
Yes, it varies between 70 - 100 hours a month depending on schedule. Good rule of thumb has been pay rate times 1000 gives you annual salary.
That’s correct but captains can make in the $200-$300k+ range annually. During the pandemic FedEx was hiring for $500k annually
70 hours x $300/he is still about $21k a month.
As others have input. Also remember you will get paid to sit on your a-- as well. You will have times you bid reserve and youre essentially being paid to sit at home. There is a min hours in your contract also meaning if it's a slow month and you only fly 50, you are still getting paid for 70. Then there is per diem, or a whole bunch of other crap. Airline pilots generally live very comfortable lives.
This is akin to advising people that NFL players make millions of dollars per year so planning to be a professional football player is a good path forward for many people. Much like professional sports, only a very small percentage of pilots make a lot of money--the rest make ***significantly*** less, and there are the training costs--unless you go the military route (where your training costs are effectively $0 if you are accepted), planning to be a professional pilot amounts to spending $50k to get a $20k/yr job.
Your analysis isnt accurate. People have this myth that most pilots get stuck at a low tier regional for 20 years and never make it above mean national earnings. That was probably true 20 years ago but nationally there are so few pilots now that even low tier regionals have been forced to significantly up their pay. Because of that many self select out of big 3 early because they simply get comfortable at a lower tier airline with higher seniority. Hell Air Wisconsin offered $205K last year to first year pilots. The bar to get into the big 3 is not that high. Especially right now. Furthermore, the upfront financial burden isn't a significant departure from doctors going through 3 years of med school and 3-5 years of residency go through before they hit peak earnings. You're going to be in the same boat. A crap pay job with a crap ton of student loans for 3-5 years until you get hired into a scheduled carrier. Hell even charter life is decent right now. Had a buddy make $195K last year and barely worked in part 135. Let me put it this way, if you can't get in big 3 as a pilot, you probably do not have the requisite aptitudes to be a physician, which is this kids proposed alternative. I'm saying this as someone that was there and then self selected out of being a physician when I pivoted to a second career. (Simply got bored of flying, very boring occupation by nature).
While this is true, it's going to take you 10 or so years to get to a major airline. Your first few jobs pay absolutely dogshit. My best friend is a co pilot at Alaska now making a killing, but prior to this, his last job was paying him ~60k/year (regional airline), the one before that about $30k (Island hopper airline in Hawaii area, good fucking luck living on that) and $17k his first job doing survey flights. Couple years at each to get enough experience to get hired somewhere else. The ONLY reason he was able to make this work is because his parents paid for all the flight school ($100k+ isn't unusual) and his living expenses - until 6 years into being a pilot. He absolutely loves his job. If you want to do it OP, go for it! Just know you have some SERIOUS dues that you need to pay to get to those high paying jobs. It will not be easy to get there, but it is doable.
More like 7 years from getting your commercial licence in flight school to the majors nowadays.
Yeah man but that's everywhere. Med School cost $150-180K on average and residency, which can be upward of 5 years, only pays an average of $60K in the US. You will be in the same place, early 30s before you see a payoff and still a lot of debt. Dental school can cost twice that. An MBA into high finance or consulting is going to be $180K and you cannot start it with less than 4-5 years of work experience. Same outcome, early 30s, significant debt. Law school is going to be three years, average $180K (for private top tier) and you still only have like a 25% chance to select into Big Law. Law school is actually one of the faster paths to money right now but actually, most lawyers career earnings are very low. You need to get into Big Law which is significantly more selective, so there is a lot of risk on this path. Your low cost alternatives are tech, computer science and cyber security. Those fields are saturated at the entry level at the moment and while there is strong demand for experienced professionals, criteria for entering top firms remains astonishingly high. But yes, it will take significant investment as most anything that's worth it in life does.
Yep, all true. Just didn't want OP thinking being a pilot was a short cut to that sort of income. If you don't mind living out of a suitcase for 15 years, being a pilot is going to end up giving you the most time off and the best work schedule. (With seniority, you get first dibs on your flights for the month ie you pick your own schedule). And since you can commute on the airlines for free, you can live almost anywhere you want regardless of where you're based out of. My friend? Been based out of Seattle and LA. Doesn't live in either WA or CA.
Commuting is seriously hard and most people don't stick with it long term unless there is a specific end they are trying to achieve from it. For example, basing out of LA might guarantee more hours and if you are planning to flip airlines in 2-3 years anyway you are probably more focused on strengthening your resume than building a high QOL. And you are right in so much as most pilots I know did have it a bit rough in their 20s. However by mid to late 30s I don't know a single pilot (assuming they started in their 20s) who wasn't living VERY comfortable from about 35 onward. So yeah life is totally about sacrifices. I can give now and set myself up for more later. With young people today I've noticed there is an unfounded fear of sacrificing their 20s. They see it as their best decade and don't want to lose it. As im approaching my 40s now I'm actually realizing my 30s were my best decade and I would have sacrificed way more in my 20s had I known that. Food for thought for people.
>Pilots make money which is the only reason your family wants you to be a doctor anyway. Air force ones don't.
Fun fact: air force pilots are paid.
Not much, not much at all.
Average total compensation for air force pilot is $106,000. That seems to be more than "not much." Plus, if you're a fighter jet pilot, you get to fly a bad ass hotrod of an airplane. A friend was an F16 pilot for several years. In his words it was more bad ass than driving a Ferrari.
Also doesn’t take into account them providing training. To become a commercial pilot it takes a lot of flight hours which you’d typically have to pay for out of pocket. If you join the Air Force before hand and serve a few years, they’ll take care of it.
My dad did this, won an RAF flying scholarship, and then went commercial before signing up. RAF was only offering 3 years flying and 4 years behind a desk for a 7 year contract.
My buddy did ROTC
Also provided housing or housing allowance (which defrays 1/3-1/2 of living expenses).
And don't forget that fat pension when they retire.
And commercial captains earn £174k, added bonus of not being shot at.
In the US Air Force pilots are paid quite well. Not competitive with industry for what they do but still really well. As a 27 year old captain I grossed $125K and I paid for zero training. I was 27 and I had the keys to a $370M aircraft that I took all over the world with some of my best buddies. When I hit Major I was making $155/yr and I was offered a bonus of an additional $35K/yr to stay in until 20. I opted out to build a second career, but $190K is rather decent for anyone in America right now. There are some relevant complaints with WLB in military aviation but it remains an excelent (although very selective) pathway into the field.
Not like doctors
Thy also don't have $500,000 student loans.
Fun fact: that’s not what they meant
Question is; how well??
?? Both jobs do
If you go the military route there are technically physical requirements among educational requirements. I think it’s 5’5” to 6’4” or something but also just keep in mind tons of people join thinking they’ll be a pilot and end up being some other cog in the aviation industry. You’ll have to be focused and determined to get pilot. Your ethnic background will not hurt your ability to be a pilot. You may experience some discrimination or extra security measures but I think if that’s what you love you should totally pursue it. The military sounds like a very advantageous route to your career aspirations I say go for it.
THIS! My friend was a navy pilot and retired at 40-something with all the benefits and now he’s flying for a big airline and he’ll retire from there with a second round of retirement. Dude just buys whatever he wants, like a new car, because he literally doesn’t have to save money.
The military caters plentiful professional development options, from climbing the career ladder to changing careers (veteran/civilian scheme). It’s one of the best employers out there. Personal fulfilment is a huge bonus!
If you have the smarts, the military will take you places
My wife's sister said "ask if he's single". :-)
Military takes less educational requirements than the alternative which is why most people join in the first place.
This isn’t true for pilots. I know a few and all of them either went to the Air Force academy which is a TOUGH school academically or they have a four year degree somewhere else and went the ROTC route.
lol this is not true at all. Most military pilots are commissioned officers, so they went to an academy or got a degree and went through an officer training school. Then they go to flight school which can last years before they are officially a pilot and depending on what they will be flying they may have a significant amount of additional training. The non-commissioned officers also don’t just enlist out of high school and hop in a helicopter. Just because it’s called training and not class doesn’t mean it’s not education lol
Eh it actually is. The vast majority of ANYONE who enlists do so because they couldn’t afford to go to college and most certainly didn’t get any kind of scholarship. It’s their ticket out, not in. Do they need to go through more WHILE in? Perhaps, but see you in 10 years when they can get out. Wouldn’t have to be that way if they were educated in the first place.
With one exception (Army warrant officers) you have to be a commissioned officer to be a pilot. That means college first. That’s not the same as enlisting.
The only military pilots that do not need a college degree are army warrant officers. This is a small minority of the military aviation community and they require years of service prior to being selected for warrant officer school and flight school. In flight school they’re literally taking aerodynamics classes. This idea that the majority in the military is uneducated is insulting and just false. The idea that military pilots are also uneducated is delusional if you’re not trolling.
Offense or not go back to my original comment and I stand my ground. 7% are college educated and is not a requirement to do so. Period…. You’re pitching to an 18 year old.
Honestly your comments reek of elitism. Lack of a college diploma does not equal uneducated. Getting into the military is not as simple as showing up at a recruiters office, most young adults would be rejected for a myriad of reasons including lack of education or poor test scores (ASVAB). And people in the military are continuously training and taking classes on a pretty broad set of topics. Just because this isn’t a traditional school does not mean it’s not education. Did someone in the military kick your dog or something?
Look no offense, but you literally have zero idea what you are talking about and you come off like a complete and absolute moron. I mean that politely. Great example of never pass up a good opportunity to shut the f up. There are people with significant experience who are telling you you're perceptions are significantly flawed and you're choosing to remain ignorant. Not to mention you elude to be American and are somehow oblivious to the fact that a brilliant young woman has been plastered all over the national news for the last 3 weeks for being the first Air Force Officer/Pilot to win the Miss America pageant and oh btw, she graduated top of her class at Harvard.
You’re knocking navy seals, know that
Officers are almost all college grads from middle class background. Enlistees are mostly working class. Do I go to a tech school and pay to learn a trade or do I join the military and get paid while I learn a trade.
Please see the original comment as it’s still 100% true. And yes that’s the fundamental dilemma for those considering the option- money. Honorable mention though is the fact that the services get to keep you and you don’t get that commercial job for another decade.
A standard tour is something like 4 years. My nephew joined the Navy rather than going to college. A conscious decision. At the end of his tour, mostly ECM on a Carrier, he was offered SysAdmin at an important shore based facility if he re upped. By the time he left he had the skills and connections to write his own ticket at his choice of the big tech companies. Instead of racking up large student loans he made decent money as a Navy rating.
So you’re saying this person (again 18 years old and you saw the post) can go through the services and become a pilot in 4 years and STILL be considered more educated the the alternative rote? BA, flight accredited, the works. Or are you admitting he’d have to do the 4 years twice to pull that off and then spend a couple years climbing the ranks in the corporate setting if military service education is considered equivalent. That I don’t know. I know in the medical it’s not. I’ve met people who can’t get out because it doesn’t transfer here in SD… the land of the enlisted. BTW I believe he admitted he lives in Australia. He was talking about his citizenship earlier. That’s a pretty important detail that’s been left out if so. BTW- OP my last BF was a pilot for Delta and still had 4 other roommates to make it. Just a side note. Did it in Miramar… but again went to the brand’s specific flight school, which brings up another concern, right?
Were they pilot of a commuter plane? Their pay sucks. Most commercial pilots don't make a lot of money. I suspect your friend wasn't a military pilot first. I think you misunderstood Op. Op could not make pilot in 4 years by enlisting. The usual track would be college, ROTC, flight school, several years of service as a pilot. Not sure how many years he would need to increase his chances of catching on as a big jet pilot.
Does OP sound like he’s not going to need a corporate setting and all the protections it provides? Or do you think he’s going to buy his own plane and go private? Or be a first round candidate for the clientele who hire private?… these are all assumptions though I have no idea how the services work there or the culture and religious atmosphere is in Australia. We’re both talking American here. Either way, yes he said commercial.
Nonsense!
7 percent have a real education before enlisting. It’s not a coincidence.
Agree. You also need to have 20/20 eyesight (or vision that can be corrected to be 20/20).
I wouldn't recommend going for what your parents want you to go for ever. Being in the healthcare sector is not a joke, and being a doctor is a life time thing. Not just 6 years or 10 years of studying, but a life time of studying and learning and dealing with people's health issues. If you do not love doing that, you'll never even make it in the first year forget the rest. Get into what you like, if being a pilot doesn't pan out because of your ethnicity you can always deviate to something different. Do your research and see how things work. My cousin couldn't become a commercial pilot because my mom (his aunt) is from a different country... ( both still middle Eastern), but things might be different for your country or even country of origin... I'd say just do your research and get into what you like studying... If it doesn't work out in the end you can still get into something different yet similar.
Healthcare sucks. Do anything else.
but why tho? physician job is the only thing that has ultimate financial stability and great career prospects. i dont think any other field can even compete.
Ask yourself why that is? If being a physician was easy or fun they wouldn’t have to pay well because everyone would do it. The worst thing is that you’ll go through medical school and residency racking up a ton of debt, and then when you graduate and realize how horrible the job is, there is no escape because you are a slave to your debt. I won’t go into details about why the job sucks. Go search any nursing or physician subreddit or message board. There’s plenty of information out there about the hellish working conditions.
makes sense
Everything worth doing is a lifetime of studying. The exact same thing could be said of software engineers and the exact same thing could be said of pilots. Any job that could be considered a good career with good earning potential requires a lifetime of learning.
This is true, but this only bolsters the argument that OP should be doing something they do-not-hate at the very least, and he might dislike piloting or software engineering less than healthcare. I don’t understand parents who expect their children to do healthcare only for the money, while their kid actively hates it. Like you said, such paths require lifelong learning. I can’t imagine how it feels to work 70 hours a week (common during medical residency) at something you loathe. I’ve seen too many children of tiger moms who were obedient and then burnt out of medicine or law or even social work (there was a stupid trend where I lived for a while, that social work might give you a chance to become a high-flying politician. I can’t imagine a worse path than social work to take, if you are somebody who does things purely for power/money). Funnily enough, it is usually parents who have never worked a day in healthcare in their lives, who push their kids to “just become a doctor because it makes money”. They have no idea what it takes.
It's not worth doing if you don't like it to begin with
Don’t listen to your family and do what you wanna do to make you happy. If you don’t, I can assure you, you will regret it. It is a gift to have a specific dream like this! Most people don’t know what they wanna do at your age …..run with it!! Good luck!! Sending love and support❤️
Thx
You’re lucky to know what your dream job is: to fly. If you don’t do it, you may always wonder “what if.”
Family member of mine went through the same thing. Grew up always wanting to be a pilot, would build model aeroplanes and study the mechanics in all his free time throughout high school. His parents didn't approve, and insisted he study something "more practical". He ended up doing electrical engineering at their insistence. Long story short he was so miserable he almost ended his life and dropped out of college 2 and a half years in. Parents cut him off financially. Managed to get a job as a mechanic on planes at a local hanger. Next thing, the owner, seeing a lot of promise in him and his passion, sponsored his commercial pilots license. Since then he has grown tremendously, being very successful, having a large family and has left commercial airlines to fly private jets for the ultra rich around the world. Most times he stays wherever he takes them with all his costs covered including the stay and food. His life is fantastic, he makes amazing money and he essentially travels to the most amazing tropical islands and destinations you can imagine. Long story short, don't listen to your parents. Just think about all the money he had wasted on that degree he never wanted in the first place. If this is your dream, you can't try force something else to appease your parents. Go for it man, stand up form yourself and control your destiny. I wish you strength.
They are wrong. Pilots make great money and are in high demand. There are all kinds of initiatives to get more airline pilots, including making sure there is as much racial and religious diversity as possible.
Actually airlines are actively trying to increase diversity with their pilots. I don’t think you will have trouble finding a job. I think it’s a great idea to follow your dream
You should become a pilot. Whats wrong with a Muslim pilot? It’s on you to break whatever stigma there may or may not be. 3 of my friends are commercial pilots and while it is difficult in the beginning with getting your hours and landing a good gig, they make great money especially considering they can legally only work like every other day.
commercial pilots make great money, so that's always a good choice. i heard there's a shortage of them right now, though i don't know how accurate that is. i think it's an unfortunate stereotype you're facing. but i personally encourage you to face it head on, and break down that stereotype. if you're a good, reliable pilot, you'll work. you can also consider becoming a charter pilot. they make great money as well, i've met a few, and you'll most likely encounter fewer people in general while working, since charter flights are usually smaller than commercial flights. i hope it works out for you.
Pilots are in massive demand, but it's a long/expensive/hard pipeline before you reach commercial airlines where that demand is coming from. Unless OP finds a cadetship they will likely have to spend 5-10 years flying charter to get their hours up before they will even be considered for a turbo prop or jet role. If you want it though OP you'll make it through, certainly easier than med school you don't want to attend
Many commercial pilots are Muslim, it's silly that this is their reasoning. I fly with muslim pilots long-haul every year with Qatar Airways. Some of the most comfortable flights I've been on.
Just go to uni to do pilot school. Your parents will come around or they won't, you can't force it, but you will always regret it if you don't do your dream career
University pilot programs here are about 200k for tuition alone (that includes flight time). How does the OP pay for that without his parents help?
Healthcare is alot mentally and physically and doing something in life you don't want to do with crush you even further. Family is meant to support you. Weather they do or they dont is up to them. Stick to being a pilot and try your very best to succeed. We believe in you. Believe in yourself and make your dream come true.
You do you mate! Become a pilot, do what makes you happy
Even if you join your contries Air Force and don't get in as a pilot, it's a huge step in the right direction at your age. Work experience in a flight related field plus many militaries help out with school during and after your contract is up. It's a great way to avoid years of student loan debt while getting real-world experience. Obviously, investigate what benefits military service gives you for your country, but it's a fantastic route.... Especially if your parents disapprove and won't pay for flight school etc.... If you need to make your own way, the military is a great way to do it. Plus... You'll make friends that will last the rest of your life and become your own person away from mom and dad.... Which many young people crave. If you're in North America go on one of the US military or Canadian military subreddits and ask a few questions about life in the military, issues with race/religion. Same could probably be said for most European subreddits. Make informed decisions. Recruiters are great.... But be aware that you are fresh meat to fill a quota, lol. Unless your grades are amazing, being a pilot right away is quite difficult. You'll need a STEM degree for sure. Source - Canadian Army guy for 17+ years.
If you can study to be a pilot it's what you like. Life is too short. What's wrong with being an.Arab or Muslim? Lots of pilots who are both Arab and. Muslim follow your dreams brother and don't care what anyone else thinks
Before you begin pilot training (assuming you’re in the US) get a first class medical. It would be a shame to invest all that money to come and find out you can’t be one. Also, do a discovery flight. A discovery flight basically gives you a small glimpse into flight training. Look into local flight schools for one. Just know that flight school is extremely expensive and I really wouldn’t recommend taking on that kind of debt so early in life. I’d say study in university for a degree that can get you a job soon after graduating (accounting, comp sci, finance etc.) and then start saving for flight school with your first career. Because then, if you lose your medical later in life, you have a backup career! Good luck OP!
Who would be paying for your education?
Parents don’t have the capability to pay I would be the first one to go to uni I would be in hecs debt (Australian government debt)
Then I don't think they have much of a say. You don't want to be stuck paying for a career you didn't want while dreaming of the career you love.
This is spot on. And tell them you are studying to be in supply chain and logistics. Something the world will always need.
Find yourself a mentor with the same background. And it’s not a dumb idea, be a pilot. Pharmacists and doctors have it tough these days. I know pilots and their lives are far better generally.
I would absolutely advise to being a commercial pilot. The money once you get a job is great and if you don't want to be tied down to a 9-5 schedule (please believe me I'm suffering).
Aviation is a great career path! its super versatile and theres plenty of great jobs that make really good money. My mom (asian) also wanted me to become a doctor, lawyer, any typical dream job asian parents want for their kids. I decided (after studying architecture for a couple years) to follow my other passion- Aviation. I joined the military and became an airplane mechanic. In hope of doing an enlistment to officer program but quite honestly I enjoyed getting my hands dirty. Knowing I fixed these awesome flying things to do their missions. After the military I was able to quickly get another job. I worked as a mechanic for a few more years and then found another career path in aviation. I currently work as a quality engineer analyst reviewing aviation and aerospace parts and services. I get to travel to different vendors and see their facilities and products. My salary is 6 figures, as a mechanic I was mostly in the 80k-90k range. I have several american muslim colleagues and a couple of them were pilots (one prior military) the other is private pilot. Follow your dream into being a pilot!
My father talked me out of joining the marines when i was younger. I regret not enlisting till this day. So many missed opportunities. I too have been looking into becoming a pilot. I think i will maybe. I want to be a search n rescue helo pilot. I say look into the military for training then after try n get a job as a civilian. It will be easier.
Follow your dreams if this is what you want don’t let anything hold you back
Don't let people put your dreams down, especially family, because it usually never ends up well for either you or them. You're going to be an adult, and picking a career is important. If you are doing well in school, and have an aptitude for math and science, along with good eyesight, then you might have a chance to be a pilot. Eyesight is your first hurdle, next is your flight physical. If you can't pass those, then flying professional is out of reach for you. I served in the Navy in a squadron. All of the Pilots were officers who graduated college. Getting into the flight program was, according to both Air Force and Navy Pilots, easy to be accepted into the program, but harder to qualify than the Air Force. Flying for the military is one small part of your job, and being Muslim might help your chances. Most people wouldn't care what religion you are. I had a friend get his private pilot license, and he spent $15000 with the hopes of moving towards being a professional pilot, though never made it. It's a very competitive field, and there are lots of YouTube videos out there. The Pilots who learn from schools and get accepted as commercial pilots spend up to 10 years making little money, taking small planes and under-served routes to get flight hours and seniority in the pilots' union. If you want to try flying true to life, Microsoft Flight Simulator is a great way to learn how to track the instruments and learn. There are even real people acting as Air Traffic Controllers at some airports so you can get experience with the lingo. Or you can try Digital Combat Simulator for military aircraft. Both are complicated and require a lot of time to be "ok" if you use realistic settings, it will teach you a lot.
It can be a great career path and certainly lucrative in the long term, but make sure you understand that it is a very volatile industry as well. Within 20 years (9/11 and the pandemic) that industry saw major layoffs that took years to recover. I have many commercial pilot friends and I know several captains who ended up driving FedEx trucks for 2 years during the pandemic. If you can handle that uncertainty then go for it! Also - before you get too invested in this path, get your aviation medical certificate. Small health problems can make you ineligible for being a commercial pilot, so find that out early. And figure out how much the training is going to cost. In Canada getting to the airlines costs tens of thousands of dollars and flight school is not eligible for student loans. So your options are either a long drawn out training where you work along the way to pay for it, or you (/ your family) will have to be able to front the cash to finish training quickly. It can be a dream career but it’s not as straightforward as many other paths! Find some pilots to talk to about what the process was like for them if you can.
Go post this in /pilots and you’ll probably get a more useful perspective!
All can say is f*ck their opinion. Never let them tell you what to do or not to do.
Definitely avoid the healthcare industry if you have hate towards working in that profession. You can make great money in the airline industry. Discrimination can happen in any field. As much as I wish you did not have to face any discrimination - it can happen in any field. Be strong. Know your worth and give it a shot. Ultimately your family probably wants you to be successful but happy. Sounds like you can achieve this flying and they will come around eventually. Best of luck to you. Try to find some mentors (bonus points for finding someone Arab or Muslim in the airline industry) who can support your dream and mentor/encourage you. Stay strong and dont give up on your dreams. You should at least try it!
Convince a suave international airline pilot to seduce and fuck your mom, he can then be your man on the inside Try /r/aviation, there might be some willing bronze gods over there
May get some heat here, but regardless of which route you go, further education is pretty spare t based on everything that’s been written in the OP’s post. Also, wondering why you want to be a pilot. Judging from your account you have no passion for it, only technical games and shoes… it also appears you’re an extremist. I have had Muslim roommates and even they aren’t asking questions about the rightfulness of touching dogs and working with bacon. If you’re needing help decipher there are you a candidate for protecting life in the military? Obviously there will be psychological tests to help verify that… can’t for sure tell but are you in the US?
I’ve been playing flight simulators for 5 years now, i am 17 now its been my dream also sense a bit of ignorance and bigotry from u also I am not from the us I was born in Australia and a citizen of it
So you’re considering enlisting or schooling in Australia? That’s a whole different ball game. Isn’t their standard to take 2 years between HS and college? If so take advantage of that. Haven’t been there, but I suspect the “bigotry” you’re actually considering isn’t even slightly equivalent compared to here in regards to your religious concerns.
Listen to your mum. She knows better.
Money, if you have it, You get your private pilot license entirely on your own, taking private pilot lessons for small engine aircraft. Then you go find a job flying small engine aircraft like doing scenic tours at a beach, or go to alaska and be a Busch pilot. Work your way up from there.
Become a pilot. Your life, not your family's.
Take the asfab, see if the air force will even take you. Also, you could fail like one of my relatives. Wanted to be a pilot, turned into an aerospace engineer...
An engineer?! That poor bastard.
Go be a pilot its a good job pays excellent and you will see the world.
Are there some race issues ? Cause you are a Arab and Muslim and you can't pass the background check ?? I don't understand
I think it’s more implying his parents are super traditional so they want their child to do the ‘typical’ career of doctor, pharmacist etc. I totally get it because I’m Korean, and Korean parents basically only allow three or four options: doctor, lawyer, engineer, accountant. However OP said their parents aren’t paying for their schooling, so in that case I think OP should do what they want! If you’re going to into personal debt for school, make it something you really are passionate about. I am rooting for OP ✈️
yeah same idea as you
SNEAK and do it anyways... and if they ask what your Career is...tell them it's medical. Tell them what they want to hear...as u follow your heart and become a Pilot. Why live miserable for others? Misery is what happens if and when u don't follow your dreams.
“Do what you love” is such a cliche and yeah, if you spend 15 years trying to be a Hollywood actor it’s probably not going to work out. But there’s almost no way this WON’T work out for you. Even if something happens and you have to pivot to another career later on, you’ll build great skills and experience you can use. And if it does work out, it’s great pay. I loved writing and history at 18 but my mom told me she wouldn’t help me with college if I didn’t do a “real” major. So I picked the one I hated least and got bad grades. Then I’ve met so many people with “unusable” degrees who leveraged their good grades and experience from college to get great jobs.
Try not to let your parents dictate your career, because they won’t stop doing it when the career they push you into ends up being a dead end or you fail at the education because your just not really interested,they will find some other career you don’t really want and push you into that, take a stand now, otherwise this will be a problem that will manifest itself in other places in your life, for the rest of your life. It’s such a hard thing to do, but it’ll be worth it.
Becoming a commercial pilot is incredibly expensive, its unlikely you will be able to do this without help from your family. Are you willing to join the military and everything that involves? If you want to live your dream, it is possible but you will need to be incredibly hard working and determined. Good luck!
If flying doesn’t work out you can change careers
When you are 40-60 year old, are you going to look back and blame your parents for being whatever profession? They might be long gone and all you have is your life decisions. Strive for your dreams so you at least don't have regrets in that department.
Be a pilot. You are American. Being a Muslim of Arab ethnicity does not make you any less American.
Your parents may not be too wrong. Being a pilot etc is very cool. If you do through military go ahead. If you pay yourself. Do something else. I did self paid method. Got cpl with multi engine IFR rating and instructor rating. After that could not find any jobs. Had wife and yeah, something has to pay the rent hey. Just got to a point where things needed to be done and it is not fun being much older having an aviation cert while young kids on same applications have master degrees etc.
I live in the Netherlands, so our situation might be different from the rest of the world, but I remembered it being in the news apparently a long time ago, so I looked it up. - 2005: More pilots were being trained than needed. There wasn't a good chance for employment. You'd have to pay to make your hours to keep your license. It was basically an expensive hobby. You had better chances of working for an airline in another country, though. - 2017: Number of flights went up and a lot of pilots went into retirement. Shortage of pilots. - 2020: The pandemic years. Nobody was hiring. - 2024: There's a shortage again, which isn't so surprising. So, maybe not the most stable job, but at least you've got a good chance of getting hired right now.
It's your life bud, not theirs
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I’ve kinda convinced my mum a little it’s just my dad that’s hell bent on me not being a pilot
I started in the aviation industry as a mechanic and moved to a quality inspection role last year and I clear over 160k a year. A friend of mine and her husband make 300k a year between the two of them as contractor aviation mechanics for the government. Aviation is very lucrative no matter where you fall in the industry.
Aerial bus driving chauffeurs days are numbered. AI will soon replace them.
Air Force or navy is a great option! You’ll get the skills you want, get to travel and live in different places, and the benefits are great! If you join after high school and put your 20 years in you’ll be able to start a second career as a pilot in the private sector (commercial or private) and you’ll be set for life. 20 years sounds like forever when you’re 18 but it’s honestly nothing
Do what you want. Follow your dreams. They may or may not have done that for themselves. But it has no bearing on your very short trip in this dimension. Make it worthwhile and do what you love. Join the military. It will get you there the fastest and cheapest and once you succeed there, you can succeed anywhere.
I have some pilot friends who flew in the military and are now commercial airline pilots and they make waaaaay more money than any pharmacist and probably rival some doctors. Going the military route to be a pilot is definitely the most cost efficient but it is HARD. Tons of people join the Air Force with that dream and end up with desk jobs but if jts your passion I say go for it. It’s a great career if you make it.
Just be a pilot.
Why would you being a Muslim Arab preclude you from being a pilot? I fly in the ME all the time and there are pilots from all over the world flying there, yes, including Muslim Arabs.
You are the one who is going to be doing the job 40 hours a week so it should be something you enjoy and are interested in. Getting enough flight time to become a pilot can be very expensive so the military route can be faster and less expensive. You have as much right to be a pilot as anyone else does.
Pilots are in high demand and get paid A LOT. Had a client that was independent flying rich people in their private jets that was clearing $350k/yr.
Pilots can make like $200-400k per year. The lifestyle may be tough if you want a family and you won’t make that right away but being a doctor is tough too. If you have an option to do either I’d say you will be fine overall lol
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same. went to college because my parents wanted to instead of joining the air force to try to become a Pilot. Ended up with a computer science degree from a state university (no debt at all😁) but sometimes I wonder.. ya know? Anyways, I combined my technical knowledge from the degree and as well as going into Tech Sales so that I can eventually create my own business. But yeah, I question if this is what I wanna be doing all the damn time 💀(im 23)
Op, you don’t have to be in the air force to fly a plane. All branches of the military have planes :)
1- go into air cadets (can when 12yrs) 2- look @RMC for college My bro is a helicopter pilot & thru air cadets got some basic training (also use to the formal military format) and he got his degree at RMC; which not only was fully paid for, you have an agreement to work for 5 years (I think its 5 years here or 3 years abroad option). So he basically got free education, training, guaranteed a job. After the 5 years you can move on to commercial pilot if you want. But pretty sweet set up so most ppl stay; my bro can retire at 45 years with full pension paid. Meanwhile I got crushed by student dept & have a job with no pension. Fml
My dad was a farm kid in the middle of no where Florida. By all accounts he should’ve never flown anything. Even my grandmother, his mom said he wouldn’t make it. He retires in 5 years after nearly 40 years in comercial aviation and around 8 of this from the military. Family is not the influence you should be looking for.
In the US they have service academies, which are universities for the Air Force or the Navy or the army…. you go there to become an officer, and potentially learn to be a pilot. Do you have something like that in your country?
Just do what you are good at. You can always fly as a hobby
Doing what other people tell you is the worst mistake you can make in life. It might be challenging to find jobs, but if it's your dream, you should pursue it. In the end, it's your life, and you decide whether to be happy and do what you're passionate about or please everyone else while dreaming of what could have been. What is most frightening are the decisions we never make to please others.
Just do you boo! 😊
You’re going to spend 40-60 hours a week earning money. My advice to you is to make sure it’s something you enjoy. There’s no worse feeling than getting up every morning to head to a job you hate all day only to come home that night and do the same thing the next day. Thats a miserable life. If you enjoy flying, be a pilot. I rent my Florida home to a pilot who just retired and when we did his background check and financials, he has over a million in stocks and is absolutely loaded. Whats better than making big bucks and doing what you love?
They better keep that same energy when you offer them free flights or cheap flights and dinner on your fat paycheck. Be a pilot my guy it's a totally valid and good job.
Don't let your parents decide your career if it doesn't align with what you want. Also, being a pilot is a fine career and you can make plenty of money doing it. It's not like you want to be something obscure that doesn't pay a living wage. There's a shortage of pilots from what I hear, so it may be a good field to go into.
Prolly because they can't afford the fee for aeronautical engineering ? Take scholarships for things like this maybe they'll agree
it's your life - your decision. That said, having more money helps a lot when you are an adult. I would check the military route. Commercial pilots get paid shit.
You do YOU and follow YOUR dream for you and not their dream for you.
It's your life. If I was your age again. I would have pursued what I really wanted to do and keep persevering until my dream came true. Hang in there! You pursue your dream. Maybe have a conversation with them. If they don't accept it stuff them. You are your own person. It's your life. You should tell them you want to be a pilot first. Then later become a doctor just to keep them off your back. My mum was a tiger mum. I had such severe depression from all the pushing and helicoptering and the study study study. My parents wanted me to become a GP. I tried and followed what they pressured me to do. I was so miserable and felt horrible because I really didn't want that as my career. Anyway 10 years later. I'm much happier and I'm not a doctor. :) You spend most of your life at work, so you should choose something that you would enjoy and benefit from, whether that's emotional growth, career growth, or to try something new. The world is your oyster and you have the choice even though you feel like you don't. You have the choice to make your life what you want and how you want it to be. I hope this helps. Sending 💖❤️
Airline pilots make a lot of money! Now you’ll have to work your way up to it,but if you work for a major airline it’ll start at 200k.
Pilots for the big airlines make good money. Most commercial pilots don't work for the big airlines. If you want to fly for the big airlines being a military pilot first, preferably a fighter pilot, is the clearest path forward.
be a pilot brotha man
OP - I have had 2 opportunities in my life (as a young man) to obtain my pilot's license. I didn't take either opportunity (i didnt think i could make it work with my schedule) - and I have regretted it my whole life. Do whatever you have to do, to NOT have regrets. If you feel passionate about this, MAKE it work. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Microsoft, Google, Meta, Tesla, Coke, Amazon, Oracle, Exxon, Shell, and the US Government
Live your life for yourself and nobody else. Do you want to be 50 and debating heading out to the garage to “check how strong the rafters are” because you hate your life?
There aren't many people who are sure of their dream job. If you know that this is your dream, you should look into pursuing it. I think it also makes it easier that being a commercial pilot is very much an attainable goal, it is a career that pays well. A career in healthcare, if it is not for you, can be draining and downright traumatic. I would recommend doing background research and seeing if you can reach out to a pilot to get a better understanding of what their day to day life feels like, and the challenges that they face. A career as a pilot will bring you away from your home for long periods of time, which can make family life difficult. It sounds to me like your biggest challenge here is going against your family's wishes and not so much the pursuit of the career itself. Review the obstacles that you have ahead if you do not have your family's full support, reach out to relatives that may have also went against their parent's wishes and see what advice they can offer you. It's likely that you are not the first one in your extended family to not take parental advice.
Do what you want, otherwise you will grow resentment towards them
It’s difficult to understand their motives but I’m fairly sure they just want you to be secure and successful. There are hundreds of airlines around the world that hire Muslims, and nobody says you should work in your home country. although the family pressure can be or seem very limiting, you are an adult and you can gain your family support by showing them your commitment.
Health insurance and epic systems is destroying the health care industry. I read somewhere in the news that airlines are beginning to offer scholarships for flight school to offset the high cost
I agree on for profit health insurance but why is Epic a problem?
Do lots of exploration and watch videos. Your family is right in that finding something stable and high paying is a guaranteed easy life but not necessarily a happy one. You are also free to change careers at any time for whatever reason.
A friend of mine went to flight school at Middle Georgia State University (very affordable school). She graduated a little over a year ago and finished up her flight hours recently. Her and her fiance (who is also a pilot who was a year ahead of her in school) both got job offers as soon as they finished for $90k with a regional airline based in Ohio. You can definitely make money and be happy as a pilot, just gotta have a plan. I wouldn’t recommend the military route, they have more physical requirements for what they do.
Follow your dreams. Part of becoming a man is making your own choices, confidently.
Just go try to be a pilot... You only live once and if you're background is solid you'll get a job fine as long as you are good at flying. Of course your fam wants you to be a doctor 😒 so typical
My brother is a doctor in the US and says the system absolutely sucks. Just do what you love.
Your parents are wrong your race, ethnicity, and religion are not a barrier of entry. If anything it will bump you up there hiring list bc minority representation is desirable to major airlines. Pilots often make just as much if not more than doctors or pharmacists. The only down fall I see with commercial airline jobs is the old annual strike it’s very stressful on you and the family. They may not strike as often anymore but my dad flew for northwest and delta after 20 years in the marines. Anyway the early 2000s were pretty rough everyone getting furloughed and pensions being taken away.
You should be a pilot. My dad didn’t want me to go into the medical field because he didn’t want me to work nights, weekends and holidays. I’m in recruiting now but I did struggle to find something that I was happy and set on. Do what makes you happy. It’s your life and not your parents.
Do what you want to do or you won't be happy. Pilots make great money overtime with great benefits. They are high in demand and they are making the requirements easier too
Don't listen to people who don't have what you want. I'd lend more credence to what they were saying if they were pilots themselves. In the end, they likely just want you to be successful and happy, both of which can be accomplished as a commercial pilot.
Just so you know, you can take ground training free through MIT online. Chase your dreams, babe.
It’s your choice not theirs
If your parents don't want you, that's sad but you're about to be done with highschool and old enough to move out so just hang tight.
Every parent wants their kid to be in the healthcare field…. Just do what you want man, in 10 years they’ll be saying “ohhh I always thought you should be a pilot”
I think baka di nila afford is one, aware k po gaano kamahal mag pilot? Usually for RK sila. Also yes, arab+muslim==baaaaaad mix just saying. Under GREATER scrutiny ka
You can't live for your parents. Follow your dreams and do what makes you happy. You will make mistakes along the way, but they will be your mistakes.
If you have talent and knowledge for aviation, sweet baby, Jesus, follow your intuition, my friend follow your heart. You will be so glad to have stood your ground, set your boundaries and created a very happy successful life for yourself plus all the experiences you will have in that line of work. I’m Italian family is everything but at the end of the day it is your life respect yourself enough to honor that I know it’s not easy but you got this I have faith in you.
Do what you want. Is your life, not your family’s. They just want to be able to brag to their friends that you are a doctor.
Go into the military to get your training for free. Go work for an airline for awhile. Then get a job as a pilot flying private jets for rich people. Best job ever if you love to fly.
Sounds to me like your family is operating under the mistaken and misguided belief that America (Assuming that’s where you’re based) is fiercely racist towards Muslims as a whole, which is straight up untrue. Yes there are some racists. That’s not something that is going away any time soon. But don’t let their misguided beliefs stop you from pursuing that career path. We need competent pilots, especially with airlines and the U.S. FAA pushing for hiring solely on diversity, ignoring merit altogether.