Hi there, I’ve been looking into flight schools to get up into the airline industry. But I have a concern because a friend who is already working toward his commercial told me that airlines aren’t even hiring right now, so is it wise for me to spend a lot of money and go through this school for 9 months, plus more with flight time requirements for a career that’s not even hiring for maybe even another three years? Asking advice and for a fact check on the airlines hiring part. Thank you
It is worth it since you probably will spend two-plus years getting the 1500 hours. By then, hopefully, the aviation industry would be a lot better.
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It’s going to take you a couple years to finish all training AND reach ATP hiring minimums (1500 hours total time). From zero time to being eligible for a First Office job at a regional takes a pretty long time. Nine months is for training and then you must fly another 1250 hours to reach ATP mins. The industry will be very different two or three years from now. Doesn’t it make sense to be in a position where you can be hired when the airlines are ready? The alternative would be to begin your training when the airlines begin hiring again. By the time you reach ATP hiring minimums, however, you will be well behind the pack. A shortage will return and you will want to be in a position to take advantage of this shortage.
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Austin,
Your friend is 100% correct, the majority of the airlines are not hiring right now. This time last year they couldn’t hire enough people and were hiring everyone in sight. Things change and if you’re looking for a career with guarantees flying isn’t it. If you had completed all your training, spent 2yrs building your flight time and were planning on getting hired at an airline TODAY things would be somewhat disappointing. But you’re not. You haven’t even started on the path.
If YOU’RE correct that airlines won’t be hiring for 3yrs then if you started training today you’d be properly poised for the next hiring wave. The alternative is wait until everything is warm and fuzzy again, then start your training, eventually get hired on the back side of the wave and forfeit years of seniority and over a million in potential earnings. The choice is yours as to what’s wise and what isn’t.
Adam
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Austin,
There are airlines that are hiring now, FedEx, UPS, Sun Country and CommutAir all come to mind. Granted, this is not as many as normal, but it is hiring and it shows that there is still a need for pilots. If you started today, it will take at least two years for you to have the 1,500 hours required for the airlines. There is a very real possibility that things will have turned around, or will be turning around by then. You, with your 1,500 hours will be in a good position to apply for the airlines and get in on the beginning of a potential hiring wave. If you wait until things are rosy, you will be on the back end of the hiring waive and will be flying First Officer for the Captains that trained during the downturn.
I understand your friend’s point, but I feel that is a short sighted view of things and is really not taking the long term perspective into account.
Chris
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