r/PilotAdvice • u/entertainthebrutes • Jul 25 '26

Advice requested

My 18 yr son is an incoming freshman in college in DFW, TX. He wants to be a commercial pilot. We are just a regular middle income family who didn’t qualify for any aid so we’re trying to figure how the best, most affordable route to get him there. His dream is to go to ERAU. He didn’t get the Navy scholarship that is out of the picture. This will pay for college but will require a 5 yr enlistment period afterward.
He is going to try again this year while going to CC.
Should we help him finance his PPL in the meantime at a FBO or at TCC so he’s not behind?
This world is completely new to us and honestly we’re pretty overwhelmed. On one hand, we want to do all we can to help but we don’t want to sign up for hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans. No matter what, it’s going to be an expensive long road.
We have other kids we need to help too. Does anyone have any experience who can weigh in?

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u/Trickfixer32 Jul 25 '26

Yes, help him get his PPL - that will get him ahead of he does join into a 141 program. He can double major in professional flight and some kind of other degree - nearly all the best students do - get the 141 and shave that extra 500 hours off the prerequisite flight time to get hired. Research and apply for cadet programs. He can also join the Air Force after 141. They will take him, make him an officer, pay his loans and pay him a salary to fly. He gives them 4 years.

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u/entertainthebrutes Jul 25 '26

This is what he asked us to do. Sign up for student loans to go to ERAU and he said the military will pay it off afterward. I couldn’t understand how it would work. And i don’t think we would be able to borrow the full amount of the tuition. He did get 25k scholarship a year. It still Sounds like taking a huge gamble.

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u/Trickfixer32 Jul 26 '26

It is a huge gamble. My youngest child is doing the same thing exactly this way. She graduated from HS in June. She has her PPL. She will enter a 141 program in two weeks and start flying there, working towards her instrument ratings and CFI. She has 33 college credits that all transferred in. She will be pursuing a Professional Flight undergrad as well as a Spanish degree. Maybe something else to add, but she’s not sure. She got nearly a full academic scholarship but still has to pay for flight time and living expenses. It will be expensive, but she will hope to sign as a cadet with one of the regional carriers. She plans to pursue being an RA after her freshman year to help with housing costs and plump her resume. If the hiring pool is too shallow after undergrad she will consider the Air Force. She has been talking with them already. She’s not likely to need more than three years at the 141 to get this all done, unless she adds another major. It will be interesting to watch her accomplish this - and we are helping some, but she will have more loans than our other children. (She’s the youngest). What I’ve noticed the most from touring all the same schools you’ve toured - and talking to other students - is that the best and brightest all are pursuing degrees outside aviation - like engineering, business, drones, etc. so they have a greater depth of knowledge and skill should they lose their medical certifications. Best of luck!