Becoming a (US) commercial airline pilot....

[VVingLess]

Well, i'm just about to graduate highschool here in a couple weeks. I've been hooked on flying since i was little (yes long romantic story from my childhood that i wont bother to bore you with) :D

Anyways my question is where should i start. I realize you can do college training or just go out and do the courses with your instructor or join the military.

I would prefer not to join the military but if i had to do it i can. Only thing is if ya go to the military you might not get he position you want if you aren't qualified. Perhaps getting a pilots license first would give me edge? If i had to join military to get my experience or what not, what would give me an edge where they wouldn't turn me down for pilots position. ( not talkin fighter pilot, could be cargo transport or whatever.)

Do airlines prefer guys with degrees or military experience? Right now im basically trying to find all my options before i get myself into any trouble
:O

--Thanks in advance

[AIRWAY]

Hi VVingLess

Welcome to PPRuNe.

Use the search function and you will find heaps and i mean heaps of threads regarding your doughts.

Happy Hunting

Regards
AW

[GrkPilot]

Hello VVingLess,

I see you live in the United States so your question is quite easy to answer. In the United States to fly for the big airlines like Delta America etc. you need atleast a 4 Year Degree. Even if the airlines don't specify it they do prefer it. There are many ways you can train..
1. Go to Flight School get all your ratings (CFI aswell), when you are done attend a college and instruct on your free time.
2. Go to a College with a Proff Pilot Program and get a degree at the same time.
3. Go to College, get a degree in a non aviation field and then attend a Full time Flight School.

The First one I think is the best because you will get your foot into the business early. Its up to you...
Any questions feel free to private message me.

Good Luck!!!

[scroggs]

I would prefer not to join the military but if i had to do it i can. Only thing is if ya go to the military you might not get he position you want if you aren't qualified. Perhaps getting a pilots license first would give me edge? If i had to join military to get my experience or what not, what would give me an edge where they wouldn't turn me down for pilots position. ( not talkin fighter pilot, could be cargo transport or whatever.)

I doubt the American military would acept you based on your comments above - professional (as opposed to conscription) militaries require people with commitment and determination to become one of their elite personnel; you show neither. Nor is the USAF likely to give you your choice of aeroplane (sorry - airplane); you will be sent where they most need you and where they think your talents would be best used. They will not entertain you if they feel that you are simply there to get trained before going to the airlines.

So, you want an edge to get into the military? You have to want to get into the military for its own sake. 'Preferring not to' is not the way to impress them!

Scroggs

[VVingLess]

Mmm, dont care what plane i fly (if they would choose me.) I look at the military as a "you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours" I dont mind putting my years in for them to get the best training in the world. I dont mind doing my duty. But if i joined I wouldn't want a career that couldn't be applicable to a civilian career.
I wouldnt mind putting in 10-15 years or whatever for the military but i'd think after that long military life what get rough on you. ( all the moving around, would i have a family? Would it be rough on them?)

Maybe what i just typed was selfish? Naive? Stupid? Unpatriotic?

To me (maybe im being dumb, keep in mind im young) it seems fairly sensible.

Thoughts?

[redsnail]

VVingless,
Believe me mate, you'll be doing a lot of shifting around as a civvy pilot and you won't get moving allowances or any other assistance.
Good luck what you decide.

[scroggs]

I'm not an expert on the US military, but I did do 22 years in the Royal Air Force, so I've got a pretty good handle on how military people think! They won't go for your 'you scratch my back...' approach; they want (and can get) people who want nothing else but to fly for Uncle Sam - with all the BS that that implies. If you want to consider going this route, take the time to learn as much as you can about the USAF, its recruiting methods and requirements, and life in the military generally. You'll find lots of info on the web.

As for moving around, as Reddo says, you'll get lots of that as a junior pilot working your way up the civilian ladder - and, unlike the military, your employer(s) won't pay for the moves! And life as a pilot is rough on the family whichever way you go about it; you have to get yourself a partner who understands these things. I'd hazard a guess that the divorce rate in the air force is lower than it is in the airlines, simply because the military tries to look after the whole family even when the breadwinner is away - no civilian employer gives a toss about your family.

Make no mistake, life as a pilot is no easy way out, civilian or military. The rewards can be great, but it's a long, slippery ladder to the flight deck of a heavy airliner in a major airline.

Scroggs

[jau]

Have you been to www.jetcareers.com ? They are similar to PPRUNE but are more relevent to the US aviation scene. take care,
jau

[MacGriffyn]

V-less,

I am presently a pilot working at a flight school and trying to acheive the same thing that you are. I also am a 12 year veteran of the U.S. Army. I was injured last year in the fighting in the desert and have been medically separated. I also grew up loving the feeling of freedom and excitement that came from flying.

Before I say what I will, I'm not angry at the military or the government...they took very good care of me and my family for 12 years. My father was in the Air Force for 24 years. The military paid for my college. I was able to live in Asia and Europe and see sights that most people only see in books. I loved what I did and I am glad that I served...I wear my wings and tab with pride. But you need to have a perspective that you will not get by watching tv or movies. These are decisions that you should not take lightly.

Flying any aircraft for the military would certainly be a great thing. But you must have a degree...that's about all there is to it. Some Army warrent officers fly helicopters and they are not graduates...but they were enlisted for several years and got their positions after going through a rigorous selection and training process. And they do not, as a rule, fly airplanes.

If you are interested in flying jets for the Navy/Air Force, you need to go to a military academy, or be the smartest, fastest, strongest guy in the Air Force/Navy ROTC...then be lucky enough to get a flight spot which are few and far between for non-academy guys. THEN, you have to make it through the flight school. Then you have to get branched to the aircraft that you will be flying. Having a pilot's license beforehand means little, if anything, to the military...unless you have a license for an F/A-18...which I don't believe the FAA has checkrides for.

There is no...NO..."scratch my/your back" philosophy in the military. It is "Do your freaking job" and that is that. You will sign a contract and you WILL fulfill that contract in full. They will feed, clothe, house, and train you...and for that, you will go where they want, when they want, and do what they want for as long as they want you there. They do not owe you anything. The only way that they will owe you is if you get injured like I did. Then they will repair you as best they can and try to put you back into service. They are actually very considerate of what you are able to do...they will work very hard to get you up and running again. But you are a soldier/sailor/airman/marine and not a buddy that they feel that they owe. And if you get injured, you will not be flying for the military.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I've got about 12 years on you. If you want to join, do it. It's an exciting and rewarding life. I've lived in 3 different countries, been to over 20 different countries, learned 2 new languages, jumped out of 53 airplanes, and had a helluva time doing it all. Now I'm a disabled veteran living in the sunshine with the VA paying for most of my flight training. You will never see me speaking ill of the military or anything that I've done. But I will tell you, if you want to fly...REALLY want to fly...if there is anyway you can do it without joining the service, I think that you will be happier. It's flying you want, not the service...then fly.

If you are hell bent, like I was, to serve your country, there is no better place to find dedicated people like in the military. You may not be flying, but you can serve. And then when you get out in 4,6,8, or 20 years, you can contact the VA and they will help you pay for flight school, college, or whatever else. Or you may get married, have kids, and forget all about flying... yeah, right.

Take some time and really think about what's happening in the world today, weigh your options, and think about the rest of your life. To quote an old t.v. ad, "It's a great place to start"...but it's not the only place.

Good luck,

MG
SSG USA