How To Become Airline Pilot

[Ty Webb]

I recommend you go to http://www.jet-jobs.com. The company is called Air, Inc. Their primary service is helping pilot to become more aware and more qualified for the jobs they are looking for.
Good luck.

Good grief, the LAST think I would ever do is point someone to Kit Darby's "Come, be a Pilot!" money-grubbing company. Get it straight. It's not a "service", it's a money-machine that has sent far too many people into this industry for all the wrong reasons.

To the AF guy with 4000 who is touting Darby's service- you didn;t need to do all that to find a job. At 4000tt Milspec time, unless you were a complete chowderhead, you should have been able to land a job with a minimum amount of dilligence.


To Ray-

My best advice to you is to get a four-year degree in something that you would like to do other than flying. FLight instruct on the side, or minor in aviation, and major in something else, and flight instruct on the side.

Becoming employed in this industry is often more a matter of timing than anything else. More times than not, guys end up entering the industry at the wrong time in the cycle, and either find themselves unable to get "in" or find themselves furloughed from their job, at a time when there are thousands of other pilots also looking for a few hundred jobs. That's when that other degree comes in handy.

When I graduated (Aviation Management) in 1990, it was a down time in the cycle, and it would be several years before I found a paying flying job. Thankfully, I had another license in another industry I could work under until hiring picked up again in 1995-1996.

Good luck. Enjoy college. Enjoy flying low and slow. The time will come in due course.

 

[BigFlyr]

Hi, my name is Ray Wilkens, and I am a freshman in college. I have some questions on becoming an airline pilot, and I would like to know, how do i become one. I am currently majoring in business, and would like to know, whats the best thing to be majoring in, if i want to become an airline pilot. What avaition school would you recommend in the California area, and if so, would you happen to know any websites, or pilots emails, that may be able to help me out! Thank You!!

Ray, when you find out what works then maybe you can post it for the rest of us.

 

[FlyinBrian]

I think we've definitely taught Ray rule numero uno:

Opinions are like @$$holes; everybody has one. (pardon the vulgarity)

When I cautioned you against Air Inc, I said "for now" Their magazine is pretty good, and they do sell good interview prep materials. But when you are a fresh information sponge, their pilot shortage rheotic is not what you need to be absorbing. You need to take a good hard look at the facts presented by folks who aren's selling you anything. When you're starting to think about interviews, consider borrowing a friend's Air Inc. Materials.

You may also want to do a search for "would you do it again" There have been some excellent conversations about whether or not people would have decided differently about getting into aviation after-the-fact. Those threads really present the good and the bad.

 

[Purple Haze]

Thanks bobbysamd: You da man

Ray, I have to agree with bobbysamd, FlyinBrian, and even Ty Webb. Air Inc is not the magic path to a flying career. I urge you to focus on school and if you have excess funds, buy flying time, not Air Inc publications. Borrowing a friend's Air Inc stuff was a great suggestion, but only for the sake of curiosity -- again: This will not tell you the secret to "making it," (there isn't one).

Just to pour gasoline on Ty's flame, if you cannot find a copy of Airline Pilot Careers Magazine anyplace else, go to http://www.jet-jobs.com/publications/alpc_mag.html

...unless you were a complete chowderhead, you should have been able to land a job with a minimum amount of dilligence.

Good luck Ray,
Purple Haze
A minimally diligent complete chowderhead (with a sweet job)

 

[350DRIVER]

I tend to agree with the above regarding Kit's little money maker and in my opinion these are not the best of times to be using deceptive marketing techniques to take advantage of the up and coming next generation of pilots... I do think however that the magazine that they publish can be somewhat informative to certain pilots who are done with training and who are employed as commercial pilots. A fellow co-worker is a member and I have looked at the magazine on a few occasions and found some of the articles regarding certain flight departments to be informative & gave "outsiders" an inside view on what the airlines are looking for in applicants. I however do not think that these magazines would be much help to lower time pilots currently in training. I would much rather suggest that you invest in AOPA since their magazine is tailored to pilots in training and they are fighting for our rights to fly. (just my $.02) Plane & Pilot and Flying are just a couple of other magazines that I found to be beneficial during my early training days.

If I was in your position I would look at the small picture (training) prior to getting lost in the "hope" of what Kit is attempting to sell. You will have plenty of time down the line to be concerned with the "airlines" but you must crawl before you attempt to walk in this industry. Once again I have absolutely nothing but praise for AOPA and would suggest that you join since this organization will probably be alot of help for you.



G O O D L U C K

3 5 0

 

[Clownpilot]

Re: Air Inc

Not trying to be funny but what major still flies the 727?

Northwest?

Package carrier?

I can't think of one.

I hate to disagree with bobbysamd -- I usally agree with everything he says (really), however...

For me, I was a 4000 hour Air Force pilot with very little insight into the industry. Between Air Inc's Airline Pilot Career Development System, their magazine, and a job fair, I was informed enough to get hired by a major.

RayRay is not ready for interview prep, but for around $30, the Air Inc mag has some fairly interesting articles, and I must recommend it -- not because it will get you a job, but because it is fun to read.

Many of the folks here have great disdain for Kit Darby and his company -- I had a very good experience and do not feel that I wasted one nickel. Note: It is true -- there is no pilot shortage.

Okay now, I'm back on bobbysamd's team!

 

[BoDEAN]

727 -- American

American Airlines has a few 727's.
One route is DTW-DFW and another route I know of is DFW-ORD.


But let's not sway off the topic =)


Hope this helps, we got a good topic going here

 

[Purple Haze]

Re: Re: Air Inc

...what major still flies the 727?

FedEx has about 140 727s

 

[Timebuilder]

Let's revisit Square One for a moment.

The vast majority of us are pilots because we love to fly. Let's proceed from the assumption that you, too, have been bitten by the aviation bug.

Ask yourself: "If I am unable to work as a pilot, what elese do I love to do?"

Now, can you get a degree and do this second thing, and make a good career out of it? Good.

Now, get that degree. If you are able to qualify (Naval and Airforce quals are high) do a couple of tours as a military aviator. You'll save a bundle. Talk to a recruiter. If you meet the requirements, you might get your college education for almost no cost.

By the time you are 30, you will be in an excellent position for an aviation career. This isn't the ONLY way. However, if I had Mr Peabody's "wayback machine", this is what I would do.

Good luck.

 

[Clownpilot]

Re: 727 -- American

Well, thanks for the help but if you read my profile you would know that I work for American. If they're still flying 727's they're doing a great job of hiding it from me. I see from another poster that Fedex flies them.

BTW, we retired our last 727 about 6 months ago. Keep pluggin.

DFW-ORD is flown by the S-80.

American Airlines has a few 727's.
One route is DTW-DFW and another route I know of is DFW-ORD.


But let's not sway off the topic =)


Hope this helps, we got a good topic going here

 

[BoDEAN]

My apologies

A year and a half ago I was an intern for American in Chicago. Last time I flew American was last winter, so I guess I need to revist O'Hare and Detroit Metro

Thanks for correcting me though

 

[p3jacobs]

Professional Pilot offers a good deal of information about small companies, and have tons of good articles...not just the "who's hiring" that airapps focuses on.

Try them at www.propilotmag.com

 

[BoDEAN]

Thanks. I'll check it out

 

[pilotmentornet]

Check this out...

Check out the PILOT MENTOR NETWORK ... we'll hook you up with a mentor that'll help you through your path to becomming a professional pilot. You can take a look at over sixty pilot profiles... the life stories of airline, corporate, and military pilots from the time that they first took interest in aviation to where they're at today.

Most people really like it.... check it out at http://www.pilotmentornetwork.com .

Alex Feher
Founder
Pilot Mentor Network
[email protected]

 

[macdaddy]

The BEST way is to go through the National Guard. You get the best training, free. Your military commitment is much shorter (the active duty commitment). Get on with a unit that flys freight or tankers. College major should be something that is a good backup career; business, engineering. Don't blow off college- get good grades and take some math and science.

Networking is important too, but once you get through military flight school it is all downhill.

Don't waste your (or your parent's) money going through some big name rip-off school like embry-riddle. The colllege degree is not worth the paper it's printed on.

Military multi-engine jet time is GOLDEN. This will allow you to jump over the regionals.

Good luck.