I am just starting my pilot career. I am confused about the college. I am 17 and a junior in highschool. I am working on just getting my private pilots license right now. My question was if you need college to be able to fly for major airlines like United, Delta, American and Southwest? I know you don’t need it for regional arlines. Can you just go to a school like ATP or Aviate and be able to fly for the majors? Is there a limit on the types of aircraft you can upgrade your ratings to by just going to one of the part 41 schools?
The type of school (61 vs 141) has no bearing on what airplanes you can fly or other opportunities. It’s simply a different route and training philosophy.
As for a degree, while you can fly for a Major without one, there’s no question the Majors prefer one and that’s the reason we always recommend people continue their education. You want to be as competitive as you can.
I recommend taking a look at the FAQ section as the college degree question is addressed in depth there. The short answer is that the regionals do not require one and while the majors say they do not require one, they highly prefer it and the vast majority of pilots at the majors have degrees.
There is no real difference between part 61 and part 141 schools. The difference lies in the restrictions placed on the instructor. A 141 school does nothing to further your career and nobody will ever ask, or care, which type of school you went to.
Just to add, the big difference in 141 and 61 schools lies in the training curriculum, timeline and the type of ATP you’re eligible for. 141 schools are much longer programs, sometimes tied to University programs. If so, you could qualify for a R-ATP at 1000 hours. Don’t be fooled though, qualifying for the lower hour college credit R-ATP doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get there faster.
To clarify, part 141 schools are not necessarily tied to university programs. Many part 141 schools exist completely independently, these schools would not make one eligible for a R-ATP at 1,000 hours, only an approved university flight training program can do that.