Yes, having a job and a house payment may make it more difficult to get flying but you can do it. Being a homeowner there are two things you can consider to fund your training: rent out a room or take out an equity loan and use the money to fund your flight training. Then your only problem will be finding the time. You will have to reprioritize OR take a vacation and do your PPL in the most condensed amount of time. That is how you will do it for the least cost!

Since you have no flying experience, you should really get several lessons under your belt to see if this is really what you want. There are so many people who have "always dreamt about becoming an airline pilot", yet the reality is often not what they thought it would be! Seriously. A pal of mine who was a mid-life career changer at 40 who invested 5 years and tens of thousand of dollars in flight training to become an airline pilot. Three years after they were hired, they quit as the job took all the fun out of flying for them. The low pay was also a factor as they had left a pretty comfortable living to pursue their "dream job". By the same token, there are others who did the same and are now very happy (if poor) first officers.

Perhaps a weekend at the Airline Training Orientation Program might be something you are interested in taking. The cost is about $500. ATOP offers any FAA certificated U.S. pilot with an interest in the airlines, especially those looking toward an airline career, a rare opportunity to experience the Continental Airlines Pilot Training Center and the FAR 121 training environment. Each participant learns the operation of all major systems on the B-737/800. One hour of B-737/800 "sim" time is log-able including two ILS approaches and two landings. Multi-engine and Instrument Ratings are not required! Student and Private Pilots are welcome. Read a student experience with the program here


Don't look at the Air Force as an option to become an airline pilot! Do it if you want to serve your country but don't think of it simply as a way to get "free flight training" so you can become an airline pilot. In all reality, it's not truly "free" and the openings for military aviators are fewer and more competitive than they have ever been! Even if you somehow manage to get accepted into the service as a pilot candidate, then you have to pass flight school you will be committed for a decade or more. You could also get killed in the line of duty.

In years past, the major airlines drew almost exclusively from former military pilots but that is not the case today. For several years now the airlines have been increasingly hiring pilots from a civilian background. According to statistics compiled from Air Inc, about 65% of new hires are civilian trained. This is partly the result of a smaller pool of military pilots (due to reduced pilot slots and increased commitment times) available to the airlines than in decades past, plus the increase in the number of civilian trained pilots with previous jet and airline experience. Almost all the regionals now fly jets, many that go higher or are more advanced than mainline aircraft. Additionally, most pilots looking to move onto a major carrier will have several times over the amount of flight experience as a military aviator because of their regional job.


The no BS version: If you decide to press ahead, you are just going to have to suck it up and plan on dropping at least $35-45K on this endeavor. I also wanted to do it the 'cheapest way' possible. Doing so cost me several years of airline seniority. I started flying at age 23 and didn't get hired until age 30 because I paid as I went. If I had to do it over again I would take out a loan and get it done! The sooner you have a seniority number, the sooner you progress in your career and the sooner you can get on with a major. The less time you have at the end of your career the less money you will make for retirement as the end of your career is when your pay scale is topped out. Don't penny pinch about $10-15K now when making the investment will earn you $150-190K/yr as a major airline captain at the top of the pay scale.

I suggest you visit the Career Changer forum at http://forums.jetcareers.com for more input on the determining "best" route for you.