Chris,
The major airlines simply want to see a four year degree, the field of study does not matter. So no need for further degrees for you.
Could you be a captain at a major? Maybe, but maybe not, there is just no definitive way of knowing how quickly you will progress through the regional airlines. Take a look at our FAQ section as there is a detailed post there that deals with age and expectations at the airlines.
Chris
Thanks Chris, any chance you could link me to that post ?
Chris,
Here you go: Am I too old to be an Airline pilot?
It’s important that you’re realistic about your goals. Chances are you won’t be a wide body Capt at a Major. Narrow body? Maybe and in reality you may not want to. You could have a very nice career as a senior Capt at a Regional. While the money’s def better at the Majors you’d be starting again at the bottom of a very long seniority list and that’s if you ever get the offer.
Adam
Thanks very much for that input Adam.
Thats a solid opportunity as well.
Any input on flying corporate (netjets et al) versus being a regional Captain etc? Do those opportunities exist? Or is it typically for those who have experience with the majors? What would you say is the more likely option , if any?
Thanks
Chris
Chris,
The term “corporate” flying covers a huge range of airplanes and flying. There’s flying stone guy’s Baron to business meeting across the state to flying Globals across the planet. It’s a different animal, some love it, some don’t. They also are suffering from a pilot shortage so that could be an option. The thing is there are far less opportunities as they obviously have much smaller fleets. Definitely worth looking into particularly early on. Most pilots wait till the airlines are done with them and then they’re competing with others in the same boat. If it’s something that intrigues you by all means it’s worth looking into.
Adam
Chris,
These questions all depend on what quality of life you want and how quickly you will be able to progress through your career.
Your lifestyle will depend on the company you work for, your seniority, your base, aircraft, route structure, schedule…
Starting pay for corporate is good. Corporate jobs are vastly different from one another. Really hard to describe an overall picture. Some people claim to be suited more for the corporate world. Others prefer more structure and better job security. Those are your airline pilots.
I’ve known people that have gone both ways. Some start with corporate and decide it’s not for them and move to a regional. Others go the opposite direction.
One thing to keep in mind is life usually gets better with the more seniority you have. If you’re unsure of what kind of flying you want to do, those years spent figuring out if corporate is right for you could be years of seniority lost at a regional. That’s also just one perspective. Some people just want the variety of flying before they commit themselves to the airline world.
Others can’t stand the airline structure and take jobs flying smaller private jets. Think about what you want your life to look like and find the job that fits you.
Tory
The problem with corporate is that it does not offer the same stability as the airlines do. Three examples come to mind:
Philip Morris is a well established company in Richmond, VA and had a flight department for decades. One day, without any warning at all, the pilots show up to find that they have been laid off and the company has hired NetJets to do their flying.
Norfolk Southern has had a flight department based in Norfolk for decades as well. They are moving their corporate headquarters to Atlanta and the pilots can either move or give up their jobs. Some of these guys went the corporate route and knowingly made less money than airline pilots thinking that they could live in Norfolk forever. Not the case.
The Sandlers were a wealthy family in the Virginia Beach area. They had their own flight department and had a pilot, we will call him Frank, that had worked for them for decades. In addition to being their chief pilot, Frank was also their general gopher, washing their cars, handling their travel, etc. Frank thought he was somebody special and that his position was secure in the family company. When the economy tanked in 2008, the family sold the airplanes and let Frank go. No loyalty was shown to him.
Remember when the economy goes south, rich people always shed extra assets in ABC order: 1. Airplanes, 2. Boats, 3. Cars