Looking for a critique on my aviation career plan.
I’m 24 and in the very beginning stages of trying to make aviation my career. My ultimate goal is to get to the point where I’m being paid to fly.
Right now, I’m still in the process of securing my medical. Assuming that goes well, my plan is to continue working and saving up until I have enough money to pay for my PPL entirely out of pocket.
After getting my PPL, the current plan is to quit my job and pursue the rest of my ratings full time. I’m considering an accelerated program similar to ATP for instrument through commercial/CFI, and I would likely need to take out a loan to finance that portion of training.
I’m fortunate to have a couple things working in my favor. I receive a monthly VA disability payment, and based on the loan payments I’ve been estimating, that should cover a significant portion—potentially all—of the monthly payment on the flight-training loan. I’ve also made an agreement with my parents that when I start training full time, I can move back in with them rent-free. That should allow me to keep my living expenses as low as possible while I’m training and during the early part of my flying career.
I understand that the road from PPL to actually making decent money flying can be long, and that taking out a large loan for flight training carries risk. That’s really why I’m posting here.
For those of you who have actually gone through this process, especially anyone who went the accelerated-training/loan route: does this sound like a reasonable plan, or am I overlooking something that could seriously screw me financially or professionally?