How do you train to become a commercial airline pilot?

Question

Do you require an undergraduate degree in tougher subjects such as Mathematics of Physics? Are most credible candidates ex air force pilots? Do you need a pilots licence prior to applying to airlines, are there any airlines that opporate training schemes?

Thanks for any advice.

Answer 1

You do not necesarilly need a degree, however it is helpful with the airlines. In the US you need to have completed the following 1. Private Pilots License, usually done in about 3 months, depending on how much time you put in to flying. 2. Instrument Rating, 3. Commercial License. 4. Multi- engine rating. At this point you will have about 300 flight hours completed. In foreign countries where the government owns the airline they would put you into one of their training programs at this time. When I was a flight instructor, most of my students were foreigners(indian, p**i, or other Middle Eastern nationality) and they were related to someone in the Government. In those countries it is who you know First. Here, you will need to build hours, ususally by becoming a flight instructor and counting training hours as your flight time, and being paid for by the flight student. Most airlines require about 1200 hours or your ATP rating (at 1500 hours)in order to hire. Ex military does gets some breaks on those rules, and yes they are competeing for the same positions. Expect to start on a regional commuter and work your way up, pay starts out smaller than most think, so be prepared for the first several years.One hint, hang around FBO's and Hangers with older men/women many of them like to have company when they fly and you can count the hours on their dime. Good Luck

Answer 2

The question of whether you absolutely have to have a college degree or not is a contentious subject, and people will disagree with me.  Fine--go find out.

According to the hiring executives of several major airlines, it is no longer uncertain: in the current job market, you will not get a job flying for a major airline without a 4-year degree.  Period--end of discussion.

The degree does not have to be in math, science, or engineering.  Airlines like applicants with degrees in business admin., accounting, law enforcement, computers and information systems, and the like.

Of course all military pilots except a few Army helicopter pilots are college graduates before they are commissioned.  And the military flight officers do get first crack at the better entry tracks.

Answer 3

I have a son and a nephew who both simply majored in commercial aviation in college and did some time as IP to get their hours. That seemed the simplest route for them, and they're doing their time now in "puddle-jumpers," but still get all around the country. The nephew even got to do some right-seat time hauling Jeff Foxworthy and got to socialize with him afterwards. He was thrilled.

Keep in mind that flying ain't cheap. My boy came to me, hand outstretched, when he got to multi-engine, and explained that they don't go twice as high, and they don't go twice as fast, but they sure as heck cost twice as much!