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How to become an airline pilot

Old 12-24-2018, 10:26 AM
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Default How to become an airline pilot

I will try to answer the question, "How do I become an airline pilot?" from the perspective of somebody who is <30 years old. Past that age some of the military paths will close; the only age limitation for the civilian pathway is that you cannot exercise an airline transport pilot certificate past age 65.

Background: I answered a similar question here. One of the commenters said I should post this to help folks looking to answer the same question, so here I go. I'm a retired US Navy pilot and current A320 first officer. My goal here is to describe the most common career paths in a way that will allow you learn more about the paths that interest you most. I will not cover every step in any process.

The basics: To be an airline pilot in the US you MUST have an airline transport pilot rating (ATP) and almost always will be required to have a bachelor's degree. The bachelor's degree comes from a university of some sort and I won't belabor the options there. The ATP requires either 1500 hours of flying time or military flight training and 750 hours of flying time. I assume you do not have the funding available to pay for 1500 hours of flying out of pocket, so you'll need to find a way to fly professionally (i.e for pay) before you earn your ATP. There are two options to do this:

You can build time as a civilian or you can go to military flight training.

The civilian path: You will need to earn a private pilot rating and a commercial pilot rating in order to legally get paid to fly. An instrument rating will likely be necessary. One option is to build time by teaching student pilots and this is a commonly used option; being a flight instructor will require that you also earn a certified flight instructor rating. If you don't instruct, there are small cargo operations, pipeline survey companys, corporate flight departments, fractionals like NetJets and a host of other options. Each has it's pros and cons, but achieving your commercial rating is the first hurdle to being paid to fly and that's no small task by itself. There are flight schools large and small that can get you there, from single-instructor hometown airport operations to university programs that confer a bachelor's degree while moving you toward your ratings. The mom-and-pop operations operate under Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) part 61, which contains the minimum standards for flight instruction. FAR part 141 allows a flight training program (university or other flight school) to achieve FAA curriculum approval for their course of instruction and offer lower minima for ratings. Generally a part 61 program is not required to be as tightly run as a part 141 program but you will be required to have more hours to achieve various ratings at a part 61 program. Your goal in either a part 61 or part 141 program is to get rated as a commercial pilot. You would then look for a way to build flight hours to the point where you meet the 1500 hour minimum for an ATP. I didn't discuss the multi-engine rating or the certified flight instrument instructor (CFII), but you find them useful in your early career as well. My point here is you would choose a flight training program and pay them to train you to the point where you are employable as a professional pilot.
Pros: With sufficient funding, this could be the shortest route to being an airline pilot. There are no deployments and no uniforms. You will have the greatest flexibility in your training program.
Cons: This route will require the greatest outlay of cash. It will require the greatest personal discipline because you will manage your flight training yourself. If you don't wake up and go to class they will still take your money. If you quit nobody will knock on your door. Your first few aviation jobs will primarily pay you in flight hours not dollars; you'll get paid but you won't be buying any champagne.

The military paths: The common thread among these paths is that some branch of the military service sends you to military flight school. In the US Navy and US Marine Corps they call it flight school, in the USAF and it's cousins it is called Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). I know very little of US Army aviation, other than it exists and is a less common path than the Department of the Navy and the USAF. I'm flying with a former US Army aviator next trip, so it clearly can be done.

If military flight training is something you'd consider, you can think of the services on a continuum from largest required commitment to least commitment. Alternatively, you could think of them as being listed from largest detour on your path to the airlines to least. Here's the continuum:

USMC-USN-USAF-USAFR-Air National Guard

The left end of that continuum requires the most commitment, the right side the least (as a generalization; exceptions exist). Each of these options requires a bachelor's degree to even apply to be an officer.

Each of these options will involve dealing with a recruiter, and your interaction with a military recruiter deserves a few words. Military recruiters have the hard job of filling the ranks of their respective services and particularly the hard-to-fill jobs. Their hours are long and their quotas ("missions" in the recruiter parlance) are difficult to meet. They work toward those quotas; they do no work for you. Think of them as salesmen; their goal is to get you to sign up for something difficult to fill, not to fulfill your goals in life. In most services pilot positions are not hard to fill; examples of hard-to-fill positions are nuclear-trained enlisted sailors, space and missile officers, IT positions, etc. Pilot candidates tend to walk in their door without a sales pitch. The fastest route to an airline career is a contract that explicitly states that you are going to officer candidate school as a student pilot. Anything that is not a "flight contract" in whatever service parlance applies carries a much greater risk that you'll end up in the military but not as an aviator. There are officer candidate school positions where you can compete for a flight school spot; there are enlisted to officer programs available; ROTC programs in college exist as well. My point is that if your contract doesn't include an explicit student pilot agreement you are agreeing to be a military commitment regardless of how the competitive process for aviation turns out. The recruiter may tell you about the possibilities ("nukes get picked up for officer programs in a snap") but unless you see the agreement in writing the military service is not bound by the recruiters words at all. One helpful approach is to find somebody in your service of choice and get that individual's take on your recruiter's discussions.

Below are some specifics about the various military options.

USMC: The Corps is not a route to an airline career, it is a life of it's own. If you want to be a Marine then go do it, but I recommend selecting something else if your priority is to be an airline pilot. The USMC has the most challenging officer candidate program that is followed by six month of The Basic School, where 2LTs learn to be rifle platoon leaders.

USN: Like the USMC, naval aviation is a destination and commitment of it's own, but smaller. With a degree you can go to Officer Candidate School, then flight school. 50% of naval aviators are helicopter pilots. Historically helicopter pilots had a long road to the major airlines, but today's pilot shortage has prompted the creation of rotary transition programs by regional airlines. You'll incur an 8-year commitment after the completion of flight school. Your training will be well structured, well resourced and done in high-performance aircraft.
Pros: Outstanding training, managed and paid for by the US Navy. You'll be paid after officer candidate school better than you'd be paid working a low-time commercial pilot job. Much of the US Navy flying is interesting, regardless of platform, with mission sets that include blowing things up to landing on aircraft carriers to moving passengers and cargo around the world. Most squadrons have a fraternal culture that makes the work even more enjoyable. Leading motivated Sailors to do the US Navy's missions in the world can be very rewarding.
Cons: The navy has ships and expects you to serve on them. Deployments will be six months long or longer. You'll be competing for good. flying jobs from the day you step into flight school. Flight school and your :winging" commitment means you won't be an airline pilot for a decade or longer from the day you sign the contract with your officer recruiter. You'll move every 2-3 years.

Active USAF: You'll need a bachelor's degree to be accepted into Officer Candidate School, after which you will go to undergraduate pilot training (UPT). This will also come with an 8-year commitment.
Pros: Military pilot training like the Navy, see above. More structured flight training than the USN. You'll deploy and spend time away from home, but your deployments will not involve ships and many times will be less than 90 days long.
Cons: You'll move every 2-3 years. You'll compete in UPT to select the airplane you want; fighters tend to be competitive. You'll spend at least 10 years getting to the airlines.

USAF Reserve: I'm not as familiar with this route as the others, but like the other options it will require a bachelor's degree and officer candidate school. After USAF UPT and a short period of time getting qualified, you will be a part time USAF pilot, free to pursue a career in the regional airlines and, before long, the majors. I understand that you apply to specific USAFR units (say, the C-17 reserve unit at McGuire AFB for instance). Units vary in their need for pilots, so if you are flexible in where you live it will enable you to find a USAFR unit in need of pilots. That is, the fastest way to the airlines may be to find a USAFR unit flying a non-sexy airplane in an unpopular location that needs pilots and apply. They may hire you off the street assuming you meet the requirements, which will include a bachelor's degree.
Pros: Military flight training. Part time military service will allow you to get an airline job relatively quickly, which equates to better seniority. Better seniority yields better aircraft selection, better schedule control and more pay as an airline pilot. I believe that USAFR street hires know what USAF aircraft they will be flying, so there is no need to compete in UPT. Non-competitive UPT is huge; UPT is much lower stress without competition and arguably more effective training as it allows the student to focus on being a better pilot rather than scoring a "5."
Cons: You can still be deployed as a reservist to fun desert locations. Many of the USAF cons apply, but in a diluted fashion.

Air National Guard: The Air National Guard will allow you to live and serve in the same location for basically as long as you'd like as a part time ANG pilot. Consequently, most ANG units have many more applicants for their pilot spots than they need. Therefore most ANG street hires enlist in their local unit and serve in that unit for 2-5 years before being selected for a UPT spot. You can think of this period as a lengthy job interview.
Pros: No PCSing; you'll be able to stay and fly with your selected unit for a long time as a part timer. Non-competitive UPT (see above). You can serve in the same unit, flying the same airplane, for a long time. One Airbus captain with whom I flew has been with his unit for 32 years, including his 5 years of enlisted "job interview."
Cons: These positions are competitive, so you could enlist in your local unit and never get selected for UPT. The unit could change or stop needing pilots for any number of reasons.

The common part of each of these paths is that they involve years or decades of dedication and consistent hard work. Whichever one you choose will require you to wake up every day and work toward your goal of being an airline pilot. Your family will make sacrifices for your career sufficient to merit enormous jewelry and ridiculous designer purses.

It is worth it. Once you get to the major airlines you'll be able to buy that jewelry and those handbags for your spouse.

I hope this has helped somebody and and those that can correct or add to my words do so.
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Old 12-26-2018, 07:05 PM
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Self reply: commenters in another forum have pointed out that fighter ANG unit street hires to UPT happen. Street UPT hires also happen to heavy ANG units. So pursue those as you like; they can be FANTASTIC deals.


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Old 12-27-2018, 03:51 AM
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You forgot to add, avoid the DWI conviction while in college. There seem to be ways to overcome today, but still hampers the effort.
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Old 12-29-2018, 09:51 AM
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Default Dwi/dui

I second the DWI/DUI comment. I have known many pilots who have overcome a DUI but before one is hired, this will cost you serious respect. A family member got a DUI just before his first interview. We were able to get him certified but the damage to his career was done.

I would also add that medical records are a big deal. Don't let your doctor have unsupervised control over what is said or done with those documents.
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Old 01-01-2019, 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by rated View Post
I would also add that medical records are a big deal. Don't let your doctor have unsupervised control over what is said or done with those documents.
Do you have any recommendations on how to keep your doctor from having unsupervised control over what is said or done?
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Old 01-01-2019, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by ItnStln View Post
Do you have any recommendations on how to keep your doctor from having unsupervised control over what is said or done?
Tough. Docs will be understandably leery of not covering the arse in paper, for both liability reasons, and to protect their license.

You may be able to get one to agree to thoroughly evaluate before committing to a diagnosis. A paper trail of precautionary testing and evaluation is not really going to be a problem for the FAA.
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Old 01-07-2019, 03:28 AM
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Default Excellent post SparkySmith

Very well written post on how to become an airline pilot. I would add one additional item. Hire a professional company to walk you down the airline application and interview road. I recently retired from a major airline after 35 years and decided to keep flying. I am working a Gulfstream corporate pilot. My transition to the corporate world was made easy by hiring https://ravencareers.com/ Their professional advisors were invaluable in my transition to the next flying phase of my career.
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Old 01-07-2019, 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
Tough. Docs will be understandably leery of not covering the arse in paper, for both liability reasons, and to protect their license.

You may be able to get one to agree to thoroughly evaluate before committing to a diagnosis. A paper trail of precautionary testing and evaluation is not really going to be a problem for the FAA.
Thanks, I figured it would be tough.
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