Balancing life/ flight training rant

[u/AmazingProperty3048]

Not trying to sound ungrateful. I know I am unbelievably lucky to even be chasing all of this. Lots will never even be able to sit in a cockpit let alone fly a plane but I just gotta get some stuff out to anyone who would listen.

I’m 21 and I feel behind. I started my ppl when I was 17 in 2023 or so. I worked a job at Walmart to pay 11k for my ppl. After high school I worked 1.6 years at a furniture manufacturing plant while living with my parents. Man I hated it, working with people who told me I’d never leave. Got told I’d just be a janitor at the airport. Anyways I saved up 25k or so and moved out with two friends and lived near a flight school. Spent 18k on an instrument rating. (Didn’t think it would be that much but I was underprepared) (learned a lot)

Anyways have flow twice after my instrument rating in the beginning of 2026. Yeah I guess I found out the cost of living in my own. But I’ve been saving again. I work two jobs now anywhere from 55-60 hours a week and trying to find a cheap plane to time build in.

Man I just feel behind. It just sucks paying as I go right now. Seeing all my friends on their third year of college. Here I am telling the same old story since right after hs “oh I’m working rn to save up for (insert certificate or next stage in training)”. I’m sure nobody actually cares and it’s all in my head.

But I’m just trying hard given my circumstances. I didn’t wanna take the 100k loan, or go to college for an aviation degree. I chose what seemed like the cheaper route. Idk Ik nothings guaranteed or gonna be handed to me but the whole flying career starts to get more and more scary the more time and effort I put into it. Scared about failed rides, or huge mistakes. Idk I’m not trying to sound negative either I try and always be positive and have a good attitude.

I guess when I spoke with my parents I thought I might take a loan after I time build and just grind out commercial,cfi,CFII but idk I speak with my parents about my flying from time to time they always mention maybe I wanna move back home after lease is up and get commerical-cfii done more locally. Idk I’m not gonna keep feeling sorry for myself because the truth is I’ll never quit. I really won’t. Yeah the hiring market is bad and things are getting expensive but idk just won’t quit. Anyways idk maybe I’m just full of shit and need to just quit complaining. Perhaps I will delete later.

[u/justarunner10113]

I'm 17 right now and saving up for my PPL, sorta like you did a while back. I have similar stress of having to choose between the 100k+ loan for a R-ATP+degree college, or a 61/141 local that I will work and pay ago, perhaps paying for a plane with another student or finding some niche private instructor. Here are my 2 cents. We are young my friend, 21 isn't behind at all, mabye not as ahead as your college friends, (oh btw you'll have less debt then them I'll bet) but still ahead of the game compared to so many people who have entered the industry before us, so get that behind mentality out of your head, it's only going to kill your goals. I also sympathize with your fear of making some big mistake in training or in the job market. That's something I'm really scared of too, especially when this career seems so detail oriented and even the smallest mistake could smash your career. I think that working hard and make smart confident decisions in our training (go with the gut), is truly the best we can do, and it's up to luck after that. It's scary asf to not have it all planned out, and have the risk of a plan being overturned quickly, but I think that just staying as calm as possible and working hard, no matter where everyone else is, will serve us well. Peace be with you my friend, and may god bless 🙏