Hi everyone. I am currently a senior in high school and will be attending the University of Virginia in the fall of 2018. I have been interested in becoming an airline pilot for awhile and have recently taken demo flights with family friends who are pilots and loved it. I am currently planning on pursuing a career in aviation to become an airline pilot. But, I am undecided on the path I should take. I have spoken with my parents and they are willing to help me out with any costs associated with learning to fly, which I am very grateful for. I have been researching ATP and it seems like a good option once I graduate college in four years. However, if I could start some flight training in my long summers between college years at a local flight school, would that be beneficial? I live in a metropolitan area that has many local flight school options. If I could start getting my ratings does it make sense to wait until I graduate college to go to ATP? I am eager to get started, but want to take the best path. For example, I could get my PPL this summer or next, and my instrument rating in the succeeding summer, and then my CFI, etc. I know I would need to find a way to fly during the school year sometimes to stay current. Or another option could be to just get my PPL one summer, and then enroll in ATP once I graduate, where it would take a shorter amount of time to graduate since I would already be holding a PPL. Thanks for any information, all the help is appreciated. -Jack
Jack,
While it’s obviously your choice I honestly see little benefit to starting your training early. The reason the military, the airlines AND ATP all train daily is because flying skills are built on upon another. Without consistency (which is very difficult to maintain flying part-time) you end up taking one step forward and two steps back. The result is often ALOT of frustration and ALOT of wasted time. The other aspect is ATP trains you AS A PROFESSIONAL from day 1. There’s something called the law of primacy which means what we learn first stays with us. The ATP program works and while many pilots do start the program, and are successful, starting with their Private, it’s better to start training the ATP starts and learn proper habits from the beginning. Further if you ask most ATP students who started with their Private’s the consensus is the wish they hadn’t (myself included). I appreciate you’re anxious but I believe you be best served to work hard, focus and do well in your college and then dive in head first with your flight training. But as always the decision is yours.
Adam
Jack,
I understand the desire to want to get up in the air, get flying and get ahead, but I would caution against this. I got my private while I was in college at a local flight school, it was a nightmare. The school was supposedly the best in the area, but my experience was fraught with delays due to a small airplane fleet, waiting for stage checks and flaky instructors. What should have taken three months took more than twelve and cost far more money than I thought it would. Also, I found myself studying for flying when I should have been studying for my college classes.
I would urge you to just wait and do all of your flight training at one, it really is the most efficient way to do it.
Chris
Jake,
My favorite part of the job is that, for the most part, it doesn’t feel like a job. We have annual recurrent training, among other training to keep our skills and knowledge sharp, but for the most part we fly from A to B and have a fun time doing it.
With the job also comes the quality of life. I get a minimum of 15 days off. When I’m home I’m home which allows me to be present.
Most memorable event so far? That’s a hard one. I’ll name a few.
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First solo
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First passenger as a private pilot
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First check ride pass as a CFI
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First landing in the ERJ (more like an arrival haha)
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The day I flew from PDX to SEA with my sim partner as captain, our sim instructor and my mom in the back
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A SAN layover as a First Officer. My flight attendant, former professional singer/songwriter, crushed a spontaneous open mic night at a pub downtown. Before the show we found a rooftop patio with views of the bay and Petco Park. She received a standing ovation after her performance.
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Last night when I offered a flight deck tour for all the kids while we waited for our flow time for SEA. The kids had a blast. The parents were grateful. The passengers were appreciative.
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When my gf and I non-rev’d to Vancouver, BC to see the Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Incredible light displays and great company
Tory
Jake,
I have to second what Tory said. By far the best part of this job is I get paid to do something I would gladly pay to do. I often tell the story when I was a new FO at ExpressJet many years ago. My family was away and I had the day off. It was a beautiful day and I thought it’s a great day to fly but I was no longer current GA wise (and frankly I was broke on first year pay). I took a look at open trips and there was a JAX turn (flight from EWR-JAX and back). I called scheduling and picked it up. So instead of dropping a few hundred I was getting paid that to go fly a really cool jet and enjoy the day. It was at that moment I realized I have the greatest job on the planet.
As for favorite moments you’ll have to read my book after I write it. There’s simply too many to post 
Adam
I’m 35 and I’d be thrilled with a flight deck tour 
It all sounds like fun, thanks Tory!