Becoming a Pilot

arizona984

arizona984

Filing Flight Plan
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Jan 1, 2022
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Kiersten
Hello everyone,

Thank you for coming to my thread! I have wanted to fly planes since I was a little girl, and now, I am finally able to begin training to become an airline pilot. I was hoping to get some advice regarding this.

I do not have any knowledge about aviation/becoming a pilot outside of the internet. I do not know of anyone personally who has chosen this as a career path. Therefore, I am struggling to figure out exactly how to begin and what to do. Over the next few paragraphs, I have listed out some questions/concerns that I have. I would be more than happy to receive any advice that you are able to give.

I was thinking about becoming a pilot for United Airlines. I read that they have planned to “train over 5,000 pilots (half of whom they hope to be women or people of color) over the next decade.” They state that they “will be guaranteed a job with United, after they complete the requirements of the Aviate program.”

The reasons I have tentatively chose United Airlines are, from what I have learned, they are in support of and have a particular interest in people of color and women. They fly to the most destinations and give a very competitive pay. The final point to mention is that they offer their own training program. Do you have any reasons why you believe one airline to be better than the another?

What should my first step be? Should I begin my bachelor’s degree before starting the pilot program or after? If so, what university do you recommend? While at University, what degree in aviation do you recommend that I acquire?

Do you recommend United Airline’s Aviate program? If not, what pilot program would you recommend? Being that Aviate claims to “guarantee a job with United upon completion of their requirements,” would this be the saftest route to take? Or is it fairly easy to acquire a job with United Airlines with any program you chose?

Before discovering United Airline’s Aviate program, I was originally considering ATP. However, after reading the reviews for ATP, I became discouraged as they were not very positive. I do not have much knowledge of any other programs outside of the two I just mentioned so any advice would be very much appreciated.

Regarding the financial portion of school, do you have any recommendations regarding tuition reimbursement opportunities, financial assistance, and scholarships?

What advice and or tips can you give regarding interviewing for an airline?

What was the most difficult part of pilot school for you and how did you overcome it?

What is the most difficult part about being a pilot and how do you overcome it?

What do you like most about aviation/being a pilot?

What advice can you give on getting to be an international pilot? Do you know if it’s on a first come first serve bases or is it by seniority, etc.? Are you able to remain an international pilot or does it rotate?

What are the responsibilities that captains hold versus the other ranking officers?

What is considered full time as a pilot? (How many hours per week)? Are you limited to the number of hours that you can work?

Are there any other tips, tricks, advice and/or knowledge that you’d be willing to share?

I very much appreciate your time and am looking forward to your responses.


Thank you,

Kiersten
 
Welcome Kiersten,

Do get a degree. Not necessarily anything aviation related. Something else that interests you and can work as a backup in case your plans to fly are crushed.

Go take an orientation flight to see if it really something you want to do.
 
Mason said:
Welcome Kiersten,

Do get a degree. Not necessarily anything aviation related. Something else that interests you and can work as a backup in case your plans to fly are crushed.

Go take an orientation flight to see if it really something you want to do.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your response. I actually already have a career in real estate. This is my second career goal. I will defiantly look into taking an orientation flight. What are the reasons as to why you think my plans to fly could be crushed?
 
There are uncountable reasons why a planned career as a pilot can be delayed, postponed, or derailed. Medical issues, training failures, economic downturns, airline perfidy, financial hardship, to list just a few.
 
Have a consultation with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) before you apply for a medical. There are many things that can trip you and result in a denial. You really want to know what you're facing and have your ducks in a row first. Most issues can be overcome but some require a lot of time and money. Spend some time perusing the medical subforum on this site and you'll see aht I mean.
 
Welcome Kiersten!

There are airline pilots on this board who I hope can chime in to answer some of your questions... But there are also a lot of other sorts of pilots besides just "airline". There are pilots that fly small jets for corporations, or fly Cessnas between small villages in Alaska, or spray fields of crops, or tow or fly gliders, or do aerobatics, or give flight instruction... There are a lot of pilots that just fly for fun -- taking their spouses/kids/friends out to grab a "hundred dollar hamburger" at a nearby small airport, or go sightseeing from the air on a beautiful sunny day -- this is what a lot of us do, on this board, and what we mostly talk about. Some of us own small planes. Some rent them. If you know for sure you want to aim for the airlines, that's awesome; I mention this only because a lot of people don't realize that there are other kinds of "pilot" besides "airline", a lot of different kinds of flying. All different!

The Private Pilot Certificate is the first one you'll have to work toward to fly professionally, and you do not need a fancy university or fast-track-to-ATP program to earn one. Your local flight school at an airport near you (what city or part of the country are you in?) can get you started. I would recommend NOT locking yourself into ANY program that takes a bunch of money up front, even if they promise a "zero to airline" kind of thing. Such programs have an unfortunate tendency to close (after taking all your money). Pay as you go. I would recommend NOT going into debt for this, again, because career-wise it is a risky move that may or may not pay for itself later. A lot of people earn their Private license and then stop -- and fly for fun, rather than a career. With a Private (or Sport) license, you'll still have an awesome skill that you can enjoy for life!

You'll also have to get an FAA Medical Certificate to fly for an airline, or get a Private license -- do a little research about this. There's a "Medical Topics" forum here where you can read all kinds of stories about people whose path towards becoming a pilot got tangled up or derailed completely by the medical process. Use of SSRI's for anxiety or depression, past diagnoses of OCD or ADHD, previous DUI's: these are all common "gotchas" that can catch people by surprise. If you think you might have one of these gotchas, it is not a reason to give up on aviation entirely; there are other options (including one called "Sport Pilot", for recreational flying) which don't require a medical certificate at all. Or you can consult with a Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) "unofficially" about the process, before "submitting" your medical application officially.

Just about any flight school will offer a "Discovery Flight" which is a short introductory lesson -- no obligation! Go take one! Super fun,
good luck!
 
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I wouldn’t limit your goals to United, the airline industry is inclusive in hiring practices today.
 
Where in Arizona are you Kiersten? If you don't know anything about flying other than the internet, you may not like it. I'm sure one of us Arizona pilots would be willing to take you up for a discovery flight.
 
First thing you need to get a first class medical cert. Make sure you can get one before investing in flying if your only goal is commercial airlines. You can check the questions on the medical and if you have any medical issues you should meet with a doc for a consultation. Once you get a rejection on record it’s a pain and you’ll spend more money getting your medical than your flight training.

Have you flown a small plane before as that’s what you’ll be training in. You definitely “feel” it a lot more. You can take a discovery lesson and start lessons right away. You need your medical before you solo.

You can find a lot of schools charging top dollar and may have a better organization or you can go at it yourself, you can do it pretty quickly just depends if you have the time and money to pay as you can go.

I wouldn’t buy the guarantees, if they go out of business what good does that for you? Many airlines may want a degree.

Flying for career means you have to fly in all conditions, bad weather, etc. Whereas flying for hobby you can decide when to fly.
 
Mason said:
There are uncountable reasons why a planned career as a pilot can be delayed, postponed, or derailed. Medical issues, training failures, economic downturns, airline perfidy, financial hardship, to list just a few.
Click to expand...

Most pilots are one dr visit, or ekg from from losing their medical.
 
Good luck, Kiersten. Flying is a great career. Embry-Riddle University would be a good place to start.
 
Good on you. Check Nancy Bradshaw’s YouTube

After your orientation flight, if you decide flying is for you, then you need to work on your 1st Class Medical before you get too far into training or invest too much money toward advanced ratings. You don’t have to be a marathoner, but your career is going to controlled by your ability to maintain the strict physical & medical standards of a 1st class.
 
Flying is a "calling" not a destination. Where and what you fly is totally irrelevant. Yes you may have preferences, but you fly because its who you are, not what you want your paycheck to look like or who it's from. You really NEED to pay your appropriate dues to appreciate your career and what you have become capable of. It takes experience to learn how to be a pilot and not just be a computer operator. The difference, just look at all the carnage. Start with the B777 in KSFO a couple years ago. There are plenty of others. If you really want to pay the dues, and put in the effort of years of learning, then you can EARN right to wear the stripes of a professional pilot. No matter if its with a major airline, or keeping the life major mover or shaker of the human race safe. When someone brings their children up to you, and says take them to see Grandma. You have the most precious cargo anyone can ever have. The dedication to that responsibility is what is required AND nothing less. It's not about who signs your paycheck.
 
I don't want to discourage you, just go in with your eyes wide open. The glamour goes away quickly. The only way to find out is to give it a try. Like most things, you have to get some exposure and past the thrill of it to know if you have a passion for it. There are many ways to make a living in aviation besides being a pilot. It's good to know who fills the oil, and who fills the seats and makes the coffee. All big parts of trying to make a living in aviation.
 
arizona984 said:
Hello everyone,

Thank you for coming to my thread! I have wanted to fly planes since I was a little girl, and now, I am finally able to begin training to become an airline pilot. I was hoping to get some advice regarding this.

I do not have any knowledge about aviation/becoming a pilot outside of the internet. I do not know of anyone personally who has chosen this as a career path. Therefore, I am struggling to figure out exactly how to begin and what to do. Over the next few paragraphs, I have listed out some questions/concerns that I have. I would be more than happy to receive any advice that you are able to give.

I was thinking about becoming a pilot for United Airlines. I read that they have planned to “train over 5,000 pilots (half of whom they hope to be women or people of color) over the next decade.” They state that they “will be guaranteed a job with United, after they complete the requirements of the Aviate program.”

The reasons I have tentatively chose United Airlines are, from what I have learned, they are in support of and have a particular interest in people of color and women. They fly to the most destinations and give a very competitive pay. The final point to mention is that they offer their own training program. Do you have any reasons why you believe one airline to be better than the another?

What should my first step be? Should I begin my bachelor’s degree before starting the pilot program or after? If so, what university do you recommend? While at University, what degree in aviation do you recommend that I acquire?

Do you recommend United Airline’s Aviate program? If not, what pilot program would you recommend? Being that Aviate claims to “guarantee a job with United upon completion of their requirements,” would this be the saftest route to take? Or is it fairly easy to acquire a job with United Airlines with any program you chose?

Before discovering United Airline’s Aviate program, I was originally considering ATP. However, after reading the reviews for ATP, I became discouraged as they were not very positive. I do not have much knowledge of any other programs outside of the two I just mentioned so any advice would be very much appreciated.

Regarding the financial portion of school, do you have any recommendations regarding tuition reimbursement opportunities, financial assistance, and scholarships?

What advice and or tips can you give regarding interviewing for an airline?

What was the most difficult part of pilot school for you and how did you overcome it?

What is the most difficult part about being a pilot and how do you overcome it?

What do you like most about aviation/being a pilot?

What advice can you give on getting to be an international pilot? Do you know if it’s on a first come first serve bases or is it by seniority, etc.? Are you able to remain an international pilot or does it rotate?

What are the responsibilities that captains hold versus the other ranking officers?

What is considered full time as a pilot? (How many hours per week)? Are you limited to the number of hours that you can work?

Are there any other tips, tricks, advice and/or knowledge that you’d be willing to share?

I very much appreciate your time and am looking forward to your responses.


Thank you,

Kiersten
Click to expand...

I am not an airline pilot, so take this with a grain of salt.

I took a quick look at the United Aviate program. $18k for private training sounds rather excessive, and the fact that it will be "free" tells me there are hooks that are not fully transparent.

I have many airline pilot friends, and most of them have grown to dislike their jobs. The common thing I hear is that it was great for a while but it was time to move on. Most of them had a second career.
 
sarangan said:
I have many airline pilot friends, and most of them have grown to dislike their jobs.
Click to expand...

The same can be said for about any job. Most people I meet think my job is cool. It was until I had to become responsible for a whole crew and/or facility and not just for myself - which was a lot of years ago. We're constantly training and it is very frustrating when we put all that time and effort into someone and they decide that the job just isn't for them.

That and the first question people always ask is: Is it as stressful as they say? The job isn't stressful, its the people you're forced to work with and train is what causes the most stress.
 
Check out Sisters of the Sky.
They have good information and also offer some scholarships too.
(1) Sisters of the Skies | Facebook
Their website seems to be down now, so the Facebook contact is a good start.
 
sarangan said:
I am not an airline pilot, so take this with a grain of salt.

I took a quick look at the United Aviate program. $18k for private training sounds rather excessive, and the fact that it will be "free" tells me there are hooks that are not fully transparent.

I have many airline pilot friends, and most of them have grown to dislike their jobs. The common thing I hear is that it was great for a while but it was time to move on. Most of them had a second career.
Click to expand...
I’ve been flying for over twenty years. I know some that have moved on. I tried myself. I came back. @Oldmanb777 is correct. If this is the right fit nothing else will be good enough to replace flying.
 
Welcome! First, take a discovery flight to make sure you actually kind of like this thing. Second, make sure you can pass a first class medical. I wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Lots of good airlines out there with programs similar to the Aviatw program. Go with the one that hires you! It’s honestly the best job ever. I spent only 6 nights away from home in December and have only been with my airline for a little under 2 years, most of which was just sitting and waiting for training, while Covid panned out. Plan for the worst, hope for the best. It’s a great job with fantastic earning potential and you can get some pretty decent time off.
 
The pilot shortage is leading major airlines to suspend the required bachelors degree. But you definitely still need at least an associates degree.
 
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