How to become a Pilot...

Welcome!  As you know, I am a pilot in the US Air Force, currently serving as an Aircraft Commander on the C-17 airlifter.  I have been flying for the USAF since 2002, and have over 2200 hours in these aircraft: C-17, RQ-4A/B.  I also have student time from pilot training on these: T-37 (now replaced by the sweet T-6) and the T-1.  I can tell you that being a pilot is a demanding, high paced profession, but among the most fun and rewarding I could imagine doing.  You will see places and events (sun rises over the Pacific, the northern lights over Greenland) that are inspirational and amazing.  You also may, if you are thinking of becoming a pilot in the next decade or so, may find yourself in the midst of a hiring boon: the FAA, that's Federal Aviation Administration, the governmental organization that regulates the industry, set new retiring guidelines that may produce many openings across the aviation industry.  I'm writing this article to give my own experiences, and also to shed some light on the many options that you have for pursuing this career path. 

C-17 sim...  this is where you learn what all those buttons do!

Before we get too in-depth, I want to point out that there are thousands of ways to become a pilot, these are simply the most popular!  If you have a rich relative who's willing to teach you, pay for your lessons and build up your hours--that's awesome!  For the rest of us, read on!


The quest to become a pilot begins well before the flightline.  You're going to need a high school diploma (with pretty decent GPA) and, if you go the USAF/Navy route, a college education.  THERE ARE OTHER WAYS, so if college isn't your cup of tea, don't despair--the Army does have flying programs for enlisted members--both in unmanned systems, but also in rotary wing (that's helicopter for non-pilots!) 

Vision is important, but don't worry if you have glasses.  For the Air Force, as long as your vision is 20/70 or better, correctable to 20/20 aided, you're good to go.  For civil aviation, the FAA has requirements here: http://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/

So, that handles the pre-reqs... now on to the training itself.  There are 3 main routes: private lessons, civilian training school, and military.  Private lessons are good for seeing if you like it, as being in the air can be overwhelming at first.  The good part is that you aren't committed for a ton of cash, and if you don't like it you can opt out.  Civilian training school would be like the Embry Riddle Aviation, or University of North Dakota flight school programs.  What's great about these programs is that all of the guess work is out of it, you show up, they have the curriculum, you choose what license or level you want to attain and after a few years you have it in hand.  The con is that it's pricy...  Aviation is expensive, in both the equipment (planes are not cheap.  Otherwise I'd have one in my garage!) and maintenance/operation.  But if you can swing the cost, it's a decent route, as many schools also may help place you into a corporate pilot or airline job at the end. 

C-17 about to get gas from a KC-135 tanker

That leaves military.  Now hear me out, because I know that the military is not for everyone...  but the thing is, it's a fantastic deal.  If you qualify and get selected, you will be sent to world-class training for about a year (training bases in Texas, Oklahoma or Mississippi if you're Air Force).  About half-way through pilot training you will find out if you go to "heavies" (cargo, refueling tanker) or fighters (most go heavies, fighters are generally more competitive to get).  After graduation you'll go on to one last school for your assigned aircraft.  For me it was C-17s, in Oklahoma.  Once you're done with that you go to your new base, and begin flying missions as a copilot.  You spend a few years doing that, then upgrade to pilot in command.  Not only do you get all that training--free--but you also get a very decent salary in the mean time, as well as experience that you can not get anywhere else.  Details are available here: http://www.csus.edu/afrotc/pilot.html  ROTC is a commissioning source to become an officer, which you must do to be a pilot in the USAF.

Life as a pilot depends on the type of mission and plane you're flying.  There are crop dusters working in agriculture, Aero ambulances, aerial fire fighters, airlifters, air taxis...  the list goes on and on.  But if you're looking for an exciting career path, I'd encourage you to look at your options! 

Have a pilot question?  Leave a comment and I'll be glad to share what I know. 

The certainties of life...

Cynics tell us that death and taxes are the only two certainties in life...  Now, I don't (usually) hold that pessimistic of a view, but can't discount the realities of taxes.  Unfortunately.

I found this article to be intriguing, regarding Greece's looming economic crisis, as measured against the average Greek citizen's view of taxation.


http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2011/07/11/110711ta_talk_surowiecki

Attack from the tax gulls... or should I say: A tax from the attack gulls?

I'm curious to hear your opinion...  Are your taxes are going to areas/programs that you feel are worthy?  I know many people would certainly wish to pay fewer taxes, but what would you cut?  How do you best see your (hard earned) dollars at work?  Please, keep it friendly : )

Musing...

My crew and I are currently deployed, ferrying troops and supplies in and out of the Afghan theater.  The flying is beautiful--these lands that we see daily are majestic, vibrant and ancient.  I won't get into the threats in detail, but visibility in this area can drop dramatically from the blowing sand.  Our base has seen massive sandstorms, that tower thousands of feet and block out the sun.  I remember getting here, standing on the tarmac in 114 degree heat and realizing that we had found the heat equivalent of a Siberian winter...

I wrote this after returning from one of our combat sorties...  Visibility that day had been around 1 mile.


"The sands of time"

You turn south out of Afghanistan and switch controllers, leaving the static and dust of the Kandahar plains, its dry oceans of sand
drifting and surging in a heat of existence that speaks of time lost.

You punch in Karachi's frequency, hear his clipped quick speech, and listen as though it's a late summer's eve, on your neighbor's porch listening to the game. There's more traffic now, and you keep an eye
outside, watching as snow capped mountains fade to soft green, delicate and blurred like the fringe of the putting course.

Twilight now, rays reaching out and scaring away the shadows, black
evolving to gray, then to dirty white.  Overhead the last few stars blink
slowly, fading to their places of rest to recharge and return when darkness
again wins.  Someone speaks your call sign, and you strain over the
complaints of your shoulder straps to see the jumbo jet streak by, its
red semaphore blinking like a man in a dust storm.

Over the water now, cleared to climb to cruising altitude, cleared to
switch by the sleepy voice on a ship you'll never see, but whose job
it is to listen to a plane they'll in turn never see.  Hard right
turn, not too hard or you'll enter Iran and turn a normal, anonymous
day into the shitstorm that ended Obama.  Small nation states slide by
on the left, tiny potentates that ceased their potential centuries
ago, though no one's told them.

Bright blue, muted red, angry white, the colors shifting and fading,
beach giving way to land to flats and water.  A new voice now, time to
start down.  Copilot's approach, eye on him, eye on the mileage
readout, eye yet reserved for the colors....  the colors of time.  The
readout continues its quick march lower and lower, strain to find an
airfield.  Closer now, briefings complete, eye on the readout.
Cleared the approach, full procedure, contact tower at 8 miles.
Outside is a roar of sand, great billowing clouds that look like dusty
men o'war, disgorged and irritable.  Turning final now, slowing to
approach speed, landing gear down.  Field not in sight.

Closer and closer, through the timeless sands...

Readout says five; controller says land.

Readout says three.  Controller says naught.

Readout says two.  one point nine.  one point eight.

Nothing ahead. one point six. 

Sands begin to part, giving way to thin porcelain crack shapes.

Field in sight, deep breath, double check earlier work.  Auto pilot
clicks off. one point four.

Hands at the ready.  one point one.  one.

Winds are high, watch your aimpoint.  point eight.  Little more
speedbrake.  point six.

Watch your aimpoint... dump the nose.  point four...

Showing you long, what do you see.  point three.


point two.  Pilot's aircraft.  point one.  point zero.

Metallic voice says fifty, power up, contract complete...  soft chirp from the mains.

Welcome to Kuwait.

Taxi to park...

(Undisclosed location, Kuwait.  July 2011)

Flight 227

“Can you believe it? No hot water—and that was twice on that layover. And that breakfast bar…I’m telling you, Gladys—what’s that? You can hear me over the PA?—Oh! Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning—can you hear…Yes?—Ok, good morning. I’m Linda, your chief purser for Flight 227. On behalf of your Washington-based flight crew I welcome you aboard this Soviet-era Ilyushin jet. We hope to provide you with an on-time takeoff, so please do find your space as soon as possible. Today’s flight is expected to be as smooth as metal hurtling through air can be, and we are happy to offer a number of fee-based amenities during our international service today. Benches and seatbelts are available for purchase—which may also be used on subsequent flights—provided your Ilyushin is of Ukrainian origin out of the Dnipr-Petrovsk assembly station. Full details are available in the ship’s schematic. Translation is available for a small fee.

Federal Aviation regulations do not allow smoking during flight, and tampering with smoke detectors is prohibited. Please note that the Supreme Court has roundly rejected spontaneous combustion as a smoking defense, even when directly caused by airline inadequacies.

Our flight time to Budapest is approximately 17 hours.

Oh—I’ve just been handed a note—we wish to offer a very special welcome to the dozen or so teething toddler models flying with us this morning. Welcome aboard.

Several security protocols remain in effect—please refrain from leaving your baggage unattended, traveling with prohibited items or attempting logic when accused by transportation security agents. A prompt confession is encouraged.

Because of the inordinately large number of babies flying with us today—hey, that’s you!!—special measures will be observed. The lavatory in the aft of the hold will be reserved for pregnant mothers, mothers traveling with a child, and our corporate elite members. The forward slop pail is available for cash purchase, and as always—correct change is appreciated.

Due to the engineering limitations of this airframe, you may be pressed into service in the event an emergency egress becomes necessary. If the forward door—that’s the one you came through sir, yes, that one. The handle to your left…other left. There you go—is not available please do the following if you are seated in an exit row. Actually, any row. Using the crash axes that will be distributed just prior to impact, cut through the thin aluminum of the hull. Then close your eyes, and finally, leap.

In the event of mass hysterics from our infants, you may be conscripted to provide entertainment. Time will be of the essence, as the shifting harmonics of wailing youth can affect beverage service, the psychological well-being of your captain and the structural integrity of the aircraft.

Today’s emergency entertainment option is PANDEMONIUM!, a bold and adaptive work in the style of OKLAHOMA! Parts may be assigned randomly—but also available for purchase. Please note: if reduced oxygen levels are experienced within the hold, Act III, Scene II: “Life Among the Clouds” will be omitted due to its strenuous vocals. Instead, Act I, Scene III: “Man-made Metallic Meteor” will be presented again, with the option of also being presented via encore to rescue personnel. Furthermore, Act III, Scene IV will be changed as follows: the part of Louisa will be played by a male; parachutes will not be distributed; and the finale will be a cappella and fortissimo, not forte as it reads currently.

Part of today’s routing will take us over water. In the unlikely event of a water landing, we will launch into Act III, Scene II: “Life Among the Clouds” regardless of oxygen levels within the hold and continue until the termination of flight.

Thank you for your kind attention, and don’t hesitate to shout for attention once power and heat have been removed from the hold at altitude. Good day.”