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