I have been interested in becoming a pilot for the last several years, and am just now in a position to pursue this dream of mine. With that being said, I have no experience in this field yet, and have a question for the experienced aviators. My question is in regard to the time spent preparing for flight school. If you could go back in time what would you have done differently to prepare for your first year training to become a pilot? Any specific books or information online that you think would have made the adjustment into a new industry a bit smoother? Or maybe there are things you wish you knew about this career path prior to beginning your journey?
Joshua,
The number one thing you must do is take an intro flight or lesson. Many believe they want to fly but until you actually do you won’t know for certain.
Adam
Joshua,
As Adam mentioned, introductory flight or few lessons is the key importance right now in your position. In order to decide whether this is something you can fully do/handle, you must figure it out within. This is a reason we recommend those that are unsure to obtain the PPL outside of ATP and then enter Credit Private.
If I could go back in time, I would have started a few years earlier which could have put me in a spot with covid if I was junior and brand new to airline that furloughed people; For now, I can say I entered at the right time.
Brady
Joshua,
Once you have confirmed a start date, you should work on your FAA written exams. Keep in mind that the results are valid for 24 months, so do not get too ahead of yourself.
Chris
Joshua,
I grew up around airline pilots and knew what the life entailed. Most people don’t, take the time to do your research. Talk to pilots, read through the forum, make sure you really have a realistic picture of what it will look like. Then make sure you enjoy flying. One day you could be an airline pilot making good money and flying around the globe but there is a ton of work and hard times that isn’t advertised.
Hannah