Hi I’m Ritika, currently studying Aerospace Engineering. I’m in my third year right now and I’m thinking if getting into a pilot training school after the completion of my course. I’m 20 years old right now.
I looked into some schools and found out the fees required for the training is really high. And some schools don’t offer scholarships. So I was thinking of getting into a job( aviation related) for around two years, saving money and then getting into some school.
Is it a good idea? Would my age be a problem when I’ll be applying for training academies?
Ritika,
At 25 your age is certainly not a problem. Some start sooner, others later but regardless you’re far from “old”. What you do need to understand is that a) EVERYTHING at the airlines is based on seniority, so the sooner you start the better, and b) you have a finite amount of years you can fly so again sooner is always better.
I recommend you take a look at our FAQ section. There’s tons of great info and we answer many questions like yours.
Adam
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Okay, thank you for helping out.
Are there companies that will pay for you to go become a pilot once you are an employee for them. For example, if I became an employee for FedEx or UPS and wanted to fly for them and I expressed that, would they consider sending me to school as long as I was under contract to fly for them?
Thomas,
I’ve never heard of a single airline ever doing anything like that. FedEx and UPS are Major airlines and they hire pilots who meet their requirements with tons of hours and experience.
Adam
Thomas,
No, I am not aware of any airline that does this.
Chris
There are several ‘companies’ who will pay for your training, house you, and even give you full medical/dental, and additional education benefits! GREAT NEWS - WHAT A BARGAIN! They are (in my personal order of preference): the US Navy, the US Marine Corps, the US Air Force, and the US Army.
If you are in good shape and are willing to commit to being in the military for six or more years, it might be worth considering.
Phillip,
While I have nothing but respect to those who serve, everyone I know who’s former military (and that’s prob half the pilots I know) all say learning to fly is a bad reason to enlist. Now if a person has the desire to serve and defend their country then by all means, but if it’s simply for cheap/free flight instruction I’m not so sure. There’s also the opportunity to get shot at while flying which often also doesn’t make it into the conversation.
Adam
Adam, no arguments. My response was a bit tongue in cheek (not intended as sarcastic though). Just wanted to point out that looking for a Golden Ticket into aviation just doesn’t exist. Just because there is a national shortage of Family Practice doctors, it still isn’t free to become one…you can find loan repayment and tuition forgiveness in exchange for long contracts of underpaid public service, but if you do the calculus - it is far from free.
Nothing good in life is free.
My daughter is considering aviation and using the Navy to get there…they currently want EIGHT years commitment. What I’m hammering into her pretty hard is that there are faster, less painful ways into a career of aviation if that is the end goal. Being a military officer has all kinds of reindeer games you need to endure in exchange for that “free flight school”…and dodging bullets is only one of them. Did I mention the contract is EIGHT YEARS?
Anyway, sorry if it sounded like I was making light of it. It is definitely a pathway to flying, and I think sometimes people glamorize it to the point of thinking it’s unattainable or “rarified”. However, if one is patriotically inclined and doing the ATP, instructor, and re-locating for low-wages of a regional are too tough to pull off - the military is a fully-funded way to get into the cockpit. Subsidized childcare, housing allowances, full medical and dental, relocation is fully paid for and the honor to wear our country’s cloth. Anyway - I’m a big fan of folks giving a thought to military service but it is NOT for everyone!
Cheers Adam, and I do appreciate your input to the forum. The conversation here has really helped me flesh things out. I tend to “nuke” any decision, looking for things that can go wrong and living vicariously through all the posters’ experiences (including the moderators) is invaluable.
Don’t forget the Coast Guard.
Okay, we’ll include them. 
Not sure how their service commitments work.
If we’re just throwing out all the different military flight training programs, might as well add WOFT. I don’t know much more about it than what anyone can read online. Regardless, I always stand behind the same statement that Adam mentioned. Enlist to serve, first and foremost.
Tory
The Army does a great job training rotor wing pilots. Those people earn their paychecks. We mentioned “getting shot at” as a hazard of the job…their roles are heavy in Close Air Support. They earn every dollar and cent of their pay and training. Much respect. I served closely with two “DUSTOFF” units (MEDEVAC) in Afghanistan and they would fly into the gates of Hell to pull out wounded servicemen and women.
Agreed…sign up to serve and enrich yourself, not as a way to get rich.
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