Have you always dreamed of being an airplane pilot? The glamor and romance of flying big irons to faraway and exciting destinations appeals to many, but becomes a reality for a select few. The road to a career as an airline pilot is long, and it takes years to reap significant financial rewards. Like any professional career, it requires a substantial financial investment, hard work, and dedication.
When you think about flying for an airline, you probably picture yourself as the captain of a jumbo jet. There are some unique things about airline careers that you need to know. First of all, it will take him years to become a captain on a major airline. Depending on his age and fluctuations in the industry, he may never get there before he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 65. Many pilots retire as first officer instead of captain.
Second, life is centered on antiquity. Hours, pay, base location, layoffs (leaves) and return to work after a leave of absence, equipment flown, and the opportunity to move up to a captain position are generally based entirely on seniority rather than on merit.
The third is the usual route to fly for one of the major airlines. His first paid flight job will most likely be as a flight instructor, then as a first officer on a regional (commuter) airline, then rising to captain on the same regional. Once you log the required number of hours as a pilot in command (PIC), you can get your first job with a major airline, either as a flight engineer or second or first officer, depending on the aircraft.
Requirements
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that all certified US pilots be able to read, speak and understand the English language. In addition, all pilots must have a valid and current medical certificate. Since an airline captain must have a first-class medical certificate, he must ensure that he meets those standards early in his piloting career.
Most major airlines require a four-year college degree, while regional airlines require at least a two-year degree (some regionals want to see a four-year degree). Your education does not need to be related to aviation. Completing your pilot training means that you have learned (theoretically, at least) all the aviation knowledge necessary for the job. An unrelated degree gives you a broader range of job possibilities should you encounter a medical disqualification at some point in your career.
where to start
There are several types of flight schools, ranging from Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at your local airport to a degree program at a college or university. Regardless of your final training choice, it may be wise to take your first few lessons at a local FBO. The advantages are many, the biggest being that you can find out if you really like flying before investing your life savings. You may find that you become violently dizzy or simply lack the ability to fly. Once you obtain your flight instructor certificate, you may seek employment at the local flight school; Your chances of getting hired will be much better if the owner and staff know you.
I encourage interested travelers to at least get their private pilot’s license close to home. If you need to keep your current day job while taking flight training, most, if not all, of your training can be completed at your local flight school. If you think you would benefit from a full-time program, find a school that is right for you and your budget. Most of the great flight schools are in sunny places like Arizona and Florida, where it’s easy to spend time in the air. Visit several before choosing one. Interview instructors, students, and alumni, if possible, to get their opinion on the quality of the training provided.
Step by Step
You’ll accumulate a number of licenses and ratings along the way to your first airline job, starting with a private license, followed by an instrument rating, commercial license, multi-engine rating, and at least one basic and instrument flight instructor certificate. . Training from zero hour to multi-engine instructor can take as little as a year if you jump in with both feet and make flight training a full-time endeavor. On the other hand, it can take several years if you can only commit to a few hours a month.
the first job
A flying career is a Catch 22 – you have to have experience before you can get a job, but it’s hard to get said experience without a job. Unless you’re independently wealthy, your first job after completing training will likely be as a flight instructor. There are other options: banner towing, glider towing, high-flying skydivers, and the occasional but rare corporate or charter job that requires very little experience. But teaching others to fly is the most available avenue, and airlines view flight instruction as quality flight time. While some of the other jobs allow you to log time, instructing adds knowledge and skill to your arsenal, as well as the number of hours required.
The number of hours required to land your first job with a regional airline varies greatly, both by airline and by the economy and industry cycle. When there is demand for pilots, airlines lower their minimum requirements; when the pilots are in excess, the standards go up. When deciding which airlines to apply to, you should consider the airlines’ domiciles or bases, pay and benefits, work rules, and time to upgrade. You may not care where you live or how little you’ll earn if you can become a captain in six months, get your time and move on. Or, if you have a family to support, you may care more about where he’ll work, starting salary, and insurance benefits.
Going up
Some pilots make a career of flying for a regional airline. Many regionals fly jets and pay quite well towards the higher end of the scale. But many pilots dream of flying the “big iron” on long domestic or international flights. If this is your goal, by now you will have thought about which airline you want to fly. Remember that seniority is everything, so changing jobs is not a viable option. Where you start you will likely end up, so do your research. Considerations include addresses, wages, benefits, hours, work rules, and equipment, among other things. While commutes are common among airline pilots, you want to make sure your commute is manageable for you. Your options may be limited by the state of the industry and which airlines are currently hiring.
After years of hard work, diligence, patience, and luck, he finally achieved his goal of flying the friendly skies on a major airline. Ultimately, he benefits from a comfortable salary, flexible hours, and extensive travel benefits to share with his family and friends.