As a kid, I would travel a lot with my dad and that is where I got my love for flying. I applied to UND, Purdue, and Riddle in addition to OSU. I chose OSU out of the four mainly because it’s close to home and I was eligible for in state tuition. The aviation programs at each school are high ranked throughout the nation so I didn’t really compare them too in depth. I came into OSU as an aerospace engineering major with the aviation engineering minor, but I realized it’s not what I really wanted to do.
I chose aviation engineering as my major because I had hopes of being eligible for restricted airline transport pilot certificate from the OSU flight school. I thought the engineering route would be the easiest of the three paths at OSU. I’ve always been interested in aviation, so I wanted to spend my career doing what I love. After I graduate, I would love to work for a part 135 operator. I think flying for part 135 is better suited for me rather than flying as a certified flight instructor. There’s a seaplane operator in Miami and a Caravan operator in Hawaii that look very fun to fly with. I will keep the option of flight instructing open because they are always in need. Once I hit the 1,500 flight hours, I will transition to the part 121 operators. My goal is to fly for Compass Airlines since their crew bases are attractive. Most of the pay scales at the regional airlines are comparable. Once I fly enough at the regional airlines, I have a couple of options I am considering right now. The most attractive option is to move to Japan to fly with ANA or JAL. I want to move back to Asia for the lifestyle, so that is my number one option. The second option is to move to the major carriers in the US. If I choose to do that, I think I would try to fly with United Airlines since I’ve flown with them all my life. I think there are many paths to get to the major carriers, so I need to look at the big picture and not set myself on one particular course.