Your path to the flight deck was?

[Cornelius]

Just make sure you know what you're getting into, almost every airline out there is laying people off. Some guys who have less than 2 years in the industry have already been furloughed twice and possibly 3 times. If I had to look at what kind of field I would get into right now, it sure wouldn't be the airlines. I'm lucky I gotta job flying planes for a living as I'm sure everybody else is.

Good Luck

 

[bobbysamd]

College

I find Yip's position on college to be inconsistent with his quals. Yip, with his B.S. in Physics and Masters, makes a lousy case for not needing a degree. You need the degree for many reasons. I will leave the primary reason for last.

I respectfully submit that the pilots without college who make six figures are more the exception than the rule. Read my words again - EXCEPTION. You need a degree to be competitive. Pilots have little control over the credentials that they present to employers. Some people luck out and land a big-time turbine job with 300 hours. Most of the rest of us feel blessed when we land that first instructing job and use it to gain experience for the next job, and so on and so forth. Some people never get that "next job" and stay where they are til they build hours. But there are other credentials over which we have control. Such as earning your ATP at 1500 hours. Or earning a college degree.

Some argue that you need a degree for a fallback plan in case you cannot fly. A valid counter to that argument is the degree won't help much if you don't have experience in your field. Valid argument - but you have more options as a college-educated person than not.

Which brings me to the last point. The degree is not about you the pilot. It is about you the person. Everyone benefits from education. You may never have a need to use what you learned from "Waiting for Godot" in World Lit when battling hard IFR, but having read "Godot" will make you well-rounded. And companies look for well-rounded people.

Get the degree. I'll climb off that soapbox - for now.

 

[wil]

First off you need to relax! You need to focus on college and enjoy the experience! There are people right now who followed their dreams and now can't put food on the table! Great your motivated, but I urge you to tone it down.

BTW, 7 years to a major? Kid, get off the crack pipe! Your posts, while full of enthusiam, really come off immature! Your 18, but sound like a 12 year old at an airshow. My new hire class at ASA in 2000 had an average age of 34! And, that was in the glory days of hiring 60 per month! Majors will be a different world by the time you get anywhere near the hours required. So, go to school, have fun and chill out a bit. Your going to miss the best part of your career- the journey! Wil

 

[717driver]

Give the kid a break!

I believe that out of eleven posts to this guy's question, only two answered it. The rest was the babbling of jaded and washed up people with real issues. Pilotyip, I'll get to you is a minute.

I did the typical stuff: instructing, Part 91 corporate, commuter, Part 135 freight; and now AirTran.
The road to get here sucked. I got hired with AirTran with about 2800 hours and 500 PIC Jet. Today they won't look at a guy like me. That said though, times will change. To predict 14 years is an uneducated guess. Who knows when things will change? In the meantime, GET A DEGREE! You will need it when your chance comes.

Now to Pilotyip. You must have failed out of some training program and got stuck flying car parts in YIP. Life sucks. Study harder! But to now preach your second rate career as the best and only path is pathetic. And to recommend skipping college because a couple guys made it is equally pathetic. You have issues. Seek help!
To the aspiring airline pilot-GOOD LUCK.

 

[bobbysamd]

Hey, Mr. 717:

Good post. And you raise a fair point about some respondents not answering the question squarely, including me .

In my case I started flying twenty-one years ago. I always wanted to learn how to fly and finally had the opportunity. I trained for all my single-engine ratings with an instructor who owned his own airplane. I found that I really enjoyed flying but had no career designs except thinking that one day I'd like to get my CFI. I worked on ratings because I wanted to be the best pilot possible.

I had enough of radio by 1987. I also heard about an impending pilot shortage. I had two friends who became commuter airline pilots, so I thought that if they could do it I could do it. I had my degree already and just needed my multi and MEI. I got them with another instructor who owned a Baron. I then started applying to commuters and freight, and got nowhere. I saw an ad for instructors at ERAU in Prescott, Arizona, in the Air Jobs Digest. I applied and was hired with about 1100 hours total and 50 of multi.

I continued to apply to the commuters. I finally had my first interview, with WestAir/United Express in Fresno, California, in 1990. My interview was two days after the late (?) Mr. Hussein invaded Kuwait. My quals on that day were my ATP, my type, 2800 total and 640 of multi.

Finally, you need to face reality. More likely than not, you won't make the majors in seven years, if the majors even exist in the form we know them in seven years. When times improve, and they will because they always do, it'll take at least a couple of years for the major to recall the furloughees who've hung in. There won't be new hiring at the majors for several years. In other words, if your interest is airline flying, choose the commuter you want carefully because you might be there for a long time. Though, in my 2¢ opinion, it will be more of a case of the commuter choosing you than you choosing it.

Hope this is a better response to the question. Good luck with your plans.

 

[lumax]

All civilian via: first flight lesson in June 1993, fueled part 91 and 135 aircraft while working on ratings. Flight instructed for a year, then part 135 cargo for another year. Landed on the E-120 in Feb. 1998. Flew that for 3 ½ years and then landed with a major in Aug. 2001. Eight years from a C-152 to a B-737. ANYTHING is possible when you set your mind to it. As others have said, enjoy the journey!
Eight years to the majors is probably not possible today but be prepared for the next hiring boom. Just remember that getting hired at a major takes a little luck but it’s mostly “when preparation meets opportunity” (author of quote unknown)

 

[Homer J simpson]

5 years from c-152 to a330

started in '95 in US, got the license, went back to europe to fly for a commuter, got a comand with 1500hrs
3 years on the Emb120 and Atr 42/72. moved to the far east to fly big jets. where I am still today.

H.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Hey there guys!


Well you are close - I'm 17 - just short of 18. Well even if it takes me 15 years to get to a stable major - I'm in for it.
I don't know what will be with this industry in 5-10 yrs down the rd, but I'd still be very happy with a good regional - seems many guys are staying with the regionals to retire - don't have much of a choice now-a-days.

Thanks for all the input guys! I really want to ge there one glorious day!

Keep it coming..........

 

[bobbysamd]

One other idea . . . . .

How about military flying?

Granted, you have to meet some stringent requirements, commit to your country's service, perhaps risk your life, and commit several years of your life, but you can almost write your own ticket as a former military pilot. Moreover, the military pilot system is one of the best airline pilot hiring networks around.

Aside from the first-rate flight training and experience, the miltary provides some the best personal development training around.

Another thing to bear in mind is that military service and not necessarily flying will be your career. Leaving the military for something else will be a career change.

Just more food for thought. Once more, good luck with your plans.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Bobby,

Thanks man - but I am going the GA way.