dainelthegreat asked: Did you join the airforce? How much did you pilot career cost? How long did it take you?

No, I went the civilian route, meaning that my education cost me WAAAY more than is practical given how much (or should I say little) pilots in this country make to start out. My private through CFII/MEI ratings probably ran me in the ballpark of $50,000, some of which was covered by scholarships and grants, the rest of which in student loans I’ll be paying off for quite awhile. My first year as an airline pilot I grossed well under half what it cost to acquire my ratings (something to think about for anyone aspiring to do what I do). I gave thought to the Air Force but I’m too tall to fly fighters and I wear glasses so my options were limited. Had I went the way of the military I would have trained for free but I’d also owe Uncle Sam 10 years of my life. I’m fascinated by military aviation and I enjoy learning about it, but that’s not to say I think I’d necessarily enjoy being IN the military…if that makes sense. 

I started flight training in June 2004, started flying professionally as an instructor in May 2008, and started at my first airline in January of last year. There are ways to do it faster certainly but I went through a part 141 university training program and got my degree along with it.