Originally Posted by Chris728
Im a high school student and going to be starting my senior year soon. Im still searchin for colleges and going to start applying in october. I live in the chicago suberbs and am not planning on going to any out of state college. I just had a few questions..
1. To be a commercial airline pilot, what kind of education do you need and how much would it cost to get training?
2. Would joining the air force help save time and money in the long run?
Any degree. It does not matter. I received a BS in Aeronautical Operations from San Jose State University. If I was going to college today I would get a degree in some other field to fall back on like Computer Science.
Do a search on training and you will find many ways to become a airline pilot. I went into the Air Force after finishing college in 1981. There was a big need for pilots back then. I went to Officer Training School (OTS) then Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). The commitment back then was 6 years after you got your wings. I ended up serving 8 years before I could get out.
Today you would have to go to the AF Academy (USAFA) or through ROTC to get to UPT. OTS is used for filling in when the USAFA and ROTC cannot supply the demand of pilot candidates. The commitment now is 10-12 years? I believe. Another way would be the AF Reserves or Guard.