What does it take to be an airline pilot.
First it takes a good bit of money to be an airline pilot.
To get started all you have to do is go to the local airports and ask about learning to fly. Most airports with flight training can take you through all you pilot ratings.
The ratings start with your private pilot license. After that you will work on your instrument rating, then single engine commercial and then multi engine commercial.
After that you will only have a few hundred hours depending on how long it took you to do your ratings. It is still not enough to get an airline job. Next, most pilots will get your flight instructor ratings and start flight instructing to build flight time.
With your commercial rating you can fly for hire but there are not a lot of good jobs out there to build time fast. That is why most pilots choose flight instructing. I also believe you learn a lot by teaching others to fly.
After logging more flight time you can start thinking about applying to the airlines. Some airlines have minimums of 600 total time and 100 multiengine. Most are around 1200 total time and 200 multiengine.
If you instruct at a descent flight school, you can fly a lot and meet the minimums fast. Especially if you get you MEI (multiengine instructor rating) and get some multi engine time.
Some pilots will fly cargo in small single or multi engine airplanes for a little while to build some more time and then apply to the airlines.
The total cost to do this at a local airport varies but it is probably at least $25,000. If you have to charge all this on credit then you should figure in the interest.
If you go to a big training flight school like Embry Riddle or Flight Safety you will pay a lot more. I know some young pilots who went to Embry Riddle for a 4 year degree with flight training and now are over $100,000 in debt. Are they better pilots then others who did not go, NO!
It all comes down to the person and how good they want to be, how hard they work, along with some natural factors and personality.
Look at how much a regional airline pilot makes there first year about $20,000. Yes any passenger reading this, about $20,000 dollars. And as you noticed flight training cost at a minimum of about $25,000 dollars. How safe do you feel now.
Your copilot has a lot of money worries. How does a pilot support a family on this.
I know a airline pilot that is a First Officer who went to a big flight school and are now over $100,000 in debt with a wife and kid. Do you think he comes to work worry free and able to give his best to fly passengers safely in all kinds of weather, uhh NO!
So back to what is takes to be an airline pilot. It takes a lot of money, time and motivation. There are a few ways to do it local flight training, large flight school at a university or expensive quick flight training.
I would go local flight training and then flight instruct. This is the cheapest way to go because as you can see, the airlines don't want to pay so why risk going in debt a lot. This way if times are though you are not trying to pay $100,000 in school debt.
The industry just does not deserve a big commitment at this time. When the pay and job security comes up, then it might be worth more risk.
Of course the military is usually a very good option for the few that get selected.
To get started all you have to do is go to the local airports and ask about learning to fly. Most airports with flight training can take you through all you pilot ratings.
The ratings start with your private pilot license. After that you will work on your instrument rating, then single engine commercial and then multi engine commercial.
After that you will only have a few hundred hours depending on how long it took you to do your ratings. It is still not enough to get an airline job. Next, most pilots will get your flight instructor ratings and start flight instructing to build flight time.
With your commercial rating you can fly for hire but there are not a lot of good jobs out there to build time fast. That is why most pilots choose flight instructing. I also believe you learn a lot by teaching others to fly.
After logging more flight time you can start thinking about applying to the airlines. Some airlines have minimums of 600 total time and 100 multiengine. Most are around 1200 total time and 200 multiengine.
If you instruct at a descent flight school, you can fly a lot and meet the minimums fast. Especially if you get you MEI (multiengine instructor rating) and get some multi engine time.
Some pilots will fly cargo in small single or multi engine airplanes for a little while to build some more time and then apply to the airlines.
The total cost to do this at a local airport varies but it is probably at least $25,000. If you have to charge all this on credit then you should figure in the interest.
If you go to a big training flight school like Embry Riddle or Flight Safety you will pay a lot more. I know some young pilots who went to Embry Riddle for a 4 year degree with flight training and now are over $100,000 in debt. Are they better pilots then others who did not go, NO!
It all comes down to the person and how good they want to be, how hard they work, along with some natural factors and personality.
Look at how much a regional airline pilot makes there first year about $20,000. Yes any passenger reading this, about $20,000 dollars. And as you noticed flight training cost at a minimum of about $25,000 dollars. How safe do you feel now.
Your copilot has a lot of money worries. How does a pilot support a family on this.
I know a airline pilot that is a First Officer who went to a big flight school and are now over $100,000 in debt with a wife and kid. Do you think he comes to work worry free and able to give his best to fly passengers safely in all kinds of weather, uhh NO!
So back to what is takes to be an airline pilot. It takes a lot of money, time and motivation. There are a few ways to do it local flight training, large flight school at a university or expensive quick flight training.
I would go local flight training and then flight instruct. This is the cheapest way to go because as you can see, the airlines don't want to pay so why risk going in debt a lot. This way if times are though you are not trying to pay $100,000 in school debt.
The industry just does not deserve a big commitment at this time. When the pay and job security comes up, then it might be worth more risk.
Of course the military is usually a very good option for the few that get selected.
posted by Jet Airline Pilot at 6:57 PM
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