What is the requirement to become an airline pilot? ( 747 -400 pilot )?

Question

What is the requirement to become an 747 - 400 pilot such as height , weight , apperel , level of education , etc

Answer 1

First and foremost, it requires a sense of humor, lots of patience, and a certain measure of spiritual fortitude in the gonads, boy or girl.

It absolutely requires a 4-year college degree nowadays.  There are people who will answer on here that it does not, but they are behind the times or engaging in wishful thinking.  The hiring executives in the major airlines will not take up their time or yours if you do not have that 4-year degree or higher.

And there's a good reason for it, too.  The complexity of the airplane systems and flight procedures increases steadily from year to year.  The Crew Executive wants to be sure you have the kind of learning skills needed to keep up.

So get the degree.  If you want to try the military route, you need the degree to qualify as a flight officer.  In the civilian world, it will be needed to get the kind of airline job that will lead to the up-front monkey cage in one of the big heavy flying machines.

There are numerous flying jobs that don't require the highest qualifications, but they are not in the big kites like the 747-400.  Or any 747 or equivalent.

Anywhere in the normal height range will do.  I have known professional pilots anywhere from 5'1" to 6'5".  You need to be in good shape.  You will see overweight pilots in airline uniforms, but they weren't that way when they first got the job.

Cultivate a conventional appearance.  Funky hairdos and colors, body piercing, or tattoos are very much out of the question.  Get used to wearing a tie.

Then you need the flight training and 15-20 years of experience.  There is lots of information available on that subject.  Check with your school guidance counselor, and also your Air Force and Navy recruiters.

Answer 2

A lot of training, a lot of flying, and assuming you are short because you mention height, some good luck. A lot of money.

The most effective approach to become an airline pilot is to join the Air Force, train with them and specialise in heavy transport, and when you've done your time and hours, apply to the airlines. Most likely, you still won't be Captain, until THEY say.

Even the Air Force will demand a good education level.

On the subject of your physical build again, I had a friend of small stature and skinny build who flies Hercules transports for the Australian air force. A most unlikely looking combination. He has tried for years to get into civil aviation, has passed with "flying colours" in his interviews, theory checks and simulator testing. I suspect it's his appearance if placed in a public position has hindered him. He's still in the airforce.

I've never seen him sitting in a Herc., always wondered if he used a bolster seat.

Answer 3

First the education.  Many pilots still out there with nothing more than highschool grad papers.  It is the pilot training they have and the ability to learn and retain that training.  Although some airlines do prefer a post secondary education of some type.

Next is certification for aircraft type.  So multi-engine jet aircraft.  Next is getting the hours as the 747 is a large aircraft so hours must be gained prior to any airline just giving you one to pilot.  So first lower level aircraft such as 737, 727 etc or even smaller to start with an airline such as CRJ (regional jet airliners).  Many airlines prefer pilots to do many hours in a cargo plane prior to taking one with passengers.

Height was not so much a concern except too tall (so 5'7" upto 6'2") and weight was relative to height so average weight for height.  Apparel well most provide a uniform but to get the job look good (business like).

So you first need to get a pilots lic and a certification for jets even if you are going to start in a turbo prop plane.  Then you spend years working your way upto the bigger aircraft.

Answer 4

Mostly training and experience (hour) building.  If you go the civilian route you begin by working on your Private Pilot Certificate.  It requires a minimum of 35-40 hours of flight experience plus ground training/tests and passing a practical test (like a driver's test).  Most people take about 60 hours to get it though.  

Next a person works on their Commercial Certificate and Instrument Rating.  This requires a person achieve 190 to 250 hours of flight experience (includes you Private experience) depending on the regulations you are trained under.

All of this is usually done in a single-engine airplane such as a Piper or a Cessna.  The Multi-engine rating is usually pursued next which only takes about 15 hours of addtional flight experience gained in multi engine airplanes.

After getting a Commercial license time building begins so you can get your first 'real' job.  Many get their Flight Instructor Certificates and build time that way by teaching others to fly.  This requires a lot of ground training to get prepared for you CFI checkride with the FAA.  It basically is a PHD of flying and takes most people a couple of months at least to prepare for.

The hardest thing to get is mult-engine time so most people get a multi-engine instructor rating and build their time that way.  

It used to be that you had to have about 1200 hours to get hired at a regional airline flying turboprops and small regional jets but now some people are hired with as little as 300 hours of total flight experience.  That is because the regional pay is terrible for First Officers (Co-pilots).  Typically starting pay is less than $20,000/year.

As a copilot you log flight hours and basically wait for your chance to upgrade via seniority.  Then, when you transition to the left seat you build what is called Pilot-in-Command time.  This is valuable time and develops the type of time necessary to get an interview at the major airlines and large freight carriers.  Most of  these companies require at least 1000 hours of PIC time in multi-engine turbine airplanes before they will grant you an interview.  It also is nearly a must to have a four-year degree (major doesn't matter) from an accredited institution.

As far as the type of equipment goes...once you make the majors you typically don't care what equipment your on except for one thing...pay.  Typically the larger equipment the larger the pay.  But, the schedule on big equipment could suck so you have to factor that in.  Once you're in a jet you're in a jet and very few people care what they are flying.  Also, the larger equipment goes senior so you'll be at the company quite a while before you see it.  An exception is Continental recently...they were hiring First Officers straight into the 777 out of Newark cuz no one wanted to be based there.  A lot of new hire UPS drivers go to the 747 classic in Anchorage for similar reasons.

All said, depending on the motivation of the individual it can take 10 to 20 years to get your 'dream' job.  But pay has gone down significantly in the airline industry since 9/11 and since all of the airlines are struggling.  Southwest used to pay the worst in the industry now their near the top....and they have decent pay for first officers.  The last I saw their Captains top out at about $180,000/year.  The freight airlines like UPS and Fedex pay the best; their Captains still top out around $300,000/year.  That's what the major airline Captains used to make.  Big pay cuts.



Hope this helps.