In article ,
says...

I doubt that he plans to give up his day job. I think he has been
reading the writing on the wall. Software jobs have been evaporating
faster than a raindrop in the desert.

Your are right on target. I like developing software. It's just that it
is getting harder and harder to find a job. Also job security is non-
existent. However, I still want to pursue doing something that I love to
do. Going to a job I hate everyday is a quick way to become bitter and
resentful and my wife and children don't need that.

The way I look at it is, I have a private pilot ticket so I could
apply my hours towards getting a Commercial license. Yes it is
expensive, hence why I am wondering if there would be any job
opportunities, but if there is a potential to make a living at it in the
end, then I think it is worth it.

Why helicopters? Well a few reasons. 1) Because every time I see one of
those amazing machines I am awestruck. I remember times in my flight
training at my local airfield where I would become distracted watching
the national guard helicopters training on the same field. My instructor
had to chew me out to pay attention to my own approach and forget about
the choppers. 2) Helicopters are more of a utility aircraft. From being
able to lift timber up to a mountain construction spot to searching for
and retrieving lost hikers. It just seems to me that there would be many
opportunities for a helo to make money for a business as opposed to a
plane. 3) Time at home. I have known a few airline pilots and they are
away for 1-2 weeks at a time. Not something I want to do.

You have all brought up very good points. Let me address a few..

"it might be more practical to go back to biotech. Biotech/medical is
one of the few industries that are still hiring."

Good point! The problem for me is that without a Ph.D., I would be a
lab rat. Stuck performing the experiments that other researchers came up
with. I knew many friends in graduate school who got their Masters
Degree in Biochem or Microbiology and most of them are frustrated
because they spent all this time learning how to be researchers but
because the do not have their doctorate the can never advance beyond
"lab rat". I should also say that one of the reasons I left grad school
before obtaining my Ph.D. was the rampant corruption I saw within
research. The dollar drives everything, from the awarding of grants and
research dollars to the appointment of researchers to faculty positions.
Principal researchers are pressured to churn out published articles,
regardless of their efficacy and validity, because grants are not
awarded to those who do not publish. I could go on and on, but I think
you all get the point.

"Now as they are starting to tell you - Don't expect to be flying a
copper chopper, medical chopper, TV chopper, or oilrig chopper
anytime soon."

Your right. This is where I am wondering if I will ever be able to get
enough time and experience for someone to hire me. I mean is someone
ever going to trust me to fly a multi-million dollar helicopter?
Especially when there are ex-military pilots out there with tons of
turbine engine time.

Let me close with another question. If one has a commercial ticket,
what does it take to get to a CFI level? Can one make decent money doing
this while gaining hours to convince a company they are good enough to
hire? Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

- Derek (Mr. Monkey)