Military to Civilian
02-22-2017, 11:40 AM
#1
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Joined APC: Feb 2017
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Military to Civilian
Hello all. A little bit about me... I'm 21 and I'm currently active duty in the United States Air Force. My enlistment will be up in a few years and I'm looking to make the switch from military medic to civilian pilot. I've thought about becoming a military pilot, but I'm looking for a new challenge outside of the military realm. Below are a few questions that I have...
1. What is the best route to become a commercial pilot? I'd like to attend a 4-year university with a flight program since I don't have a bachelor’s degree yet (thank goodness for the G.I. Bill). I've heard that it is a good idea to get a degree in something other than aviation just in case something was to happen (i.e. medical). Is that true? And if so, would I have to go to college and then knock out flight school? It just doesn't seem like the best route for me.
2. What schools would you guys prefer? From the research that I've done so far I've decided I'd like to go to Purdue, North Dakota, Eastern Michigan Kent State, Indiana State, or Kansas State. I've considered Embry-Riddle, but I've heard mixed things about their flight program. Also when I'm looking at flight programs at schools, is there anything in particular that I should be looking for?
3. How tough is it to get a job as a pilot? This is what keeps me up at night. I'd hate to blow thousands of dollars and waste my G.I. Bill only to not get hired anywhere. I believe that my military experience and my associate’s degree that I'll have soon on top of my bachelors will put me ahead of my peers. I've heard mixed things about the need for pilots. I've heard there will be a need of roughly 600,000 pilots worldwide in the next 20 years and some airlines will pay your way through flight school. But I've also heard from a 777 pilot that it's tough to get a job in the industry. I understand you can’t go straight to the big boys and you need to work your way up. Maybe he misinterpreted me.
I understand that I'm beating a dead horse here, but I'd just like to hear from the folks in the industry first-hand. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
-Nick
1. What is the best route to become a commercial pilot? I'd like to attend a 4-year university with a flight program since I don't have a bachelor’s degree yet (thank goodness for the G.I. Bill). I've heard that it is a good idea to get a degree in something other than aviation just in case something was to happen (i.e. medical). Is that true? And if so, would I have to go to college and then knock out flight school? It just doesn't seem like the best route for me.
2. What schools would you guys prefer? From the research that I've done so far I've decided I'd like to go to Purdue, North Dakota, Eastern Michigan Kent State, Indiana State, or Kansas State. I've considered Embry-Riddle, but I've heard mixed things about their flight program. Also when I'm looking at flight programs at schools, is there anything in particular that I should be looking for?
3. How tough is it to get a job as a pilot? This is what keeps me up at night. I'd hate to blow thousands of dollars and waste my G.I. Bill only to not get hired anywhere. I believe that my military experience and my associate’s degree that I'll have soon on top of my bachelors will put me ahead of my peers. I've heard mixed things about the need for pilots. I've heard there will be a need of roughly 600,000 pilots worldwide in the next 20 years and some airlines will pay your way through flight school. But I've also heard from a 777 pilot that it's tough to get a job in the industry. I understand you can’t go straight to the big boys and you need to work your way up. Maybe he misinterpreted me.
I understand that I'm beating a dead horse here, but I'd just like to hear from the folks in the industry first-hand. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
-Nick
02-23-2017, 03:59 AM
#3
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
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Originally Posted by nickhartley8
1. What is the best route to become a commercial pilot? I'd like to attend a 4-year university with a flight program since I don't have a bachelor’s degree yet (thank goodness for the G.I. Bill). I've heard that it is a good idea to get a degree in something other than aviation just in case something was to happen (i.e. medical). Is that true? And if so, would I have to go to college and then knock out flight school? It just doesn't seem like the best route for me.
In the past I would have recommended a non-aviation degree. But recent changes to airline pilot certification requirements mean that if you have GI Bill and want to maximize the benefit, that you should major in aviation at an aviation university program which will grant a four year degree and the 1000 hour Restricted ATP allowance (R-ATP). You're going to have to major in aviation to do that.
Originally Posted by nickhartley8
2. What schools would you guys prefer? From the research that I've done so far I've decided I'd like to go to Purdue, North Dakota, Eastern Michigan Kent State, Indiana State, or Kansas State. I've considered Embry-Riddle, but I've heard mixed things about their flight program. Also when I'm looking at flight programs at schools, is there anything in particular that I should be looking for?
Utah Valley University and I think Utah State also have programs. UVU might be less expensive than some of the bigger schools.
Originally Posted by nickhartley8
3. How tough is it to get a job as a pilot? This is what keeps me up at night. I'd hate to blow thousands of dollars and waste my G.I. Bill only to not get hired anywhere.
Easy to get a job at a regional airline, those top out at well over $100K. But you shouldn't plan on staying at a regional, for several reasons.
Major jobs are competitive, but if you have a clean record and punch all the tickets you should have no real problem getting a major job over the next 15 years (due to massive age 65 retirements among the current pilots).
Originally Posted by nickhartley8
I believe that my military experience and my associate’s degree that I'll have soon on top of my bachelors will put me ahead of my peers.
A four-year degree is essentially a minimum requirement for major airline pilots, so you're not going to stand out. There are plenty of military applicants, many of them are MAJ/LCOL fighter pilots with masters degrees and weapons school patches.
That said the military experience will help a tiny little bit because it shows that you can color between the lines, which not all civilians do well.
For airline purposes you'll be a civilian. When you say "military" in the airline world, that means a winged military aviator. You will be a civilian pilot with a non-flying military background.
That said...the best path for you would probably be get the degree + flight training, get a regional job, and then as soon as possible depart on military leave to attend UPT to fly for the air national guard (or USAFR). All the old-hands will tell you that, and there is no better advice. When you get back from military flight training, you'll have some seniority at the regional and also be flying in the guard...best of both worlds, major airlines will like that. That's the fastest, safest route to the majors. Obviously more work than civilian only.
Originally Posted by nickhartley8
I've heard mixed things about the need for pilots. I've heard there will be a need of roughly 600,000 pilots worldwide in the next 20 years and some airlines will pay your way through flight school.
Originally Posted by nickhartley8
But I've also heard from a 777 pilot that it's tough to get a job in the industry. I understand you can’t go straight to the big boys and you need to work your way up. Maybe he misinterpreted me.
02-23-2017, 04:52 AM
#4
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The problem with an aviation program in college is that everything is at a premium. Higher tuition than your home state school, much higher airplane rental cost and instructor cost (though the instructors at the end of the day are probably actually paid less after the school takes its cut).
Your GI bill will not even come close to covering all costs. Personally, I'd recommend knocking out the degree now while you're still in, at a cheap school, or even through the AF's programs. Then use the GI bill for flying (if you can, not sure how that works).
But, you'll hear otherwise here, I'm just very averse to debt, especially for an aviation career. There is significant risk in this career (not risk to your life, but risk to your job).
Your GI bill will not even come close to covering all costs. Personally, I'd recommend knocking out the degree now while you're still in, at a cheap school, or even through the AF's programs. Then use the GI bill for flying (if you can, not sure how that works).
But, you'll hear otherwise here, I'm just very averse to debt, especially for an aviation career. There is significant risk in this career (not risk to your life, but risk to your job).
02-23-2017, 07:14 AM
#5
Get me outta here...
Joined APC: Oct 2008
Position: Boeing right seat
Posts: 1,541
Nick,
You need to spend some time on this site, and peruse the various posts. There is a lot of good info you can use. This answer has been asked hundreds of times, and there are plenty of replies and opinions.
Good luck.
You need to spend some time on this site, and peruse the various posts. There is a lot of good info you can use. This answer has been asked hundreds of times, and there are plenty of replies and opinions.
Good luck.
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