The career of an airline pilot looks super dope so I decided to become an airline pilot if an introflight will still make me want to pursue this career. The problem is that I can‘t figure out what the BEST path will be to become one even though I’m spending hours reading everything on this website, which probably isn’t good. Anyways I can’t make up my mind on whether I should go to ATP straight after getting 78 hours with ppl, or going the “recommended” way of either getting an associates to finish online or bachelors. So I just want to know what you would do if you were a sophomore right now.
Plus how common is it for a normal airline pilot to not be able to fly b/c of a lost medical or failed check-rides. Cause Im wondering if this is common enough to make me get a non aviation degree, which I will have a hard time completing cause I won’t be interested. I don’t know if I made sense since I’m typing this on my phone at 4am with no sleep since spending too much on this website affected my sleep cycle. Well THANK YOU in advance just in case I don’t read it when yall answer. Wait also is the professional flight degree the only degree I can transfer my ratings and all to get college credits? And if I can’t fly anymore and have a degree in professtional flight can I still go to the training dept. of my airlines I was working for to make money? Or do I just devote rest of my life at chickfila making delicious burgers?
Peter,
Yes, being an airline pilot can be “super dope”, but it is also a lot of hard work. Please spend some serious time reading this forum, to include the “Flying The Line” section to help make sure that this is something you really want to do.
The route that you go will be up to you and your parents. We always recommend college first, then flight training, but that is up to you.
I do recommend a non-aviation degree, even if you won’t be interested in it. There will be parts of aviation that you will likely not find interesting as well, it is important to be able to make it through the fun and not fun parts. As for college credit questions, you will need to reach out to the universities in question and ask them.
I am not sure on the statistics of lost medicals or failed check rides, but I do not think it is terribly high. Most airlines require their training department pilots to hold medical certificates and actively fly the line as well as instruct.
Chick Fil A does not sell burgers.
Chris
Peter,
Please accept a few observations as the pilot mentors compose a response to your questions and concerns.
- At your age, there is a fairly good chance that you have not had too many opportunities to commit thousands of dollars and years of your life toward your “future”, which right now is not much more than a hazy concept. Things like retirement savings plans, health insurance, putting money away for your future kids careers, making decisions about buying a new or used car, where to live etc. are all hard to conceive of when you have not been forced (because you can get evicted from your apartment, starve, get sick and not get care, have your car repossessed) to take all those things very seriously. How long have you held a job for, or maybe been a part of a school sport or club? Have you showed up even when you had things you’d rather do, but showed up anyway because it was the right thing to do. Did you do difficult, dirty, hard tasks even when you would rather have quit? ATP requires you to have two years work experience or an Associates Degree because job number one in your young adult life is forming a work ethic; and showing that you can persevere through tough times in pursuit of a goal is how you demonstrate that. Promise yourself you’ll finish a thing/do a job - and then do it.
Unless your family is well-off/rich and can afford to send you to train for a Private Pilot License, then job number one is to get a job and demonstrate to yourself, and all who will judge you in the future, that you can “suck it up” and finish what you start. Hell, take a job at your local airport, doing anything they’ll hire you to do…kill two birds with one stone.
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A related topic: Study habits. If you don’t have them, give up any idea of becoming a pilot now. As a matter of fact, other than day-labor (basic construction, janitorial type work), give up any idea of succeeding at anything. I’m not saying you have to go to college or get a PhD, but if you cannot deal with the long, boring part of learning the basics and building slowly toward mastery of a topic - there is no profession that will admit you to their ranks.
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Another related topic: Self-discipline. Be excited about the future in front of you, but as we say in the military - slow your roll. Pace yourself. Don’t burn out before you give yourself time to build up to your goal and shine. Exercise, eat well, sleep - if anything is job number one…that is it! This current period of COVID-19 unstructured time (no school, just packets of work and occasional online discussion forums) is a great time to develop self-control. You can stay up 23 hours in a row if you want…you can eat junkfood all day long, but is it the responsible thing to do?
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You are told by the mentors to have a “plan B” (degree in something other than aviation) because you can, and will, have periods in your life when flying cannot happen (economic downturns, medical issues) and you should be able to support yourself through those. Getting a couple jobs between now and the time you start your pilot training will help you find things that you like to do other than flying. You’re psyched up right now because you are exploring a new potential life, that will mellow out in a little while. Just focus on building yourself into the kind of person that your future fellow pilots want to work with…and that has almost nothing, right now, to do with actually flying.
GOOD LUCK!
Sooooo you’re asking our recommendation whether you should go the route we “recommend” or not? I’ll leave that there for you to ponder.
As for your other questions. As for transferring credits if they’re for aviation ratings they’re not much use as credit towards an accounting degree so no, they’re generally only counted towards a related field. Further while it’s possible to get an instructor job most airlines like to use current and qualified pilots in their training depts as they have relatable line experience.
Nothing wrong with Chik fil a.
Adam
Chris, Philip, and Adam thank you guys so much for answering all of my questions being a mentor not only as an airline pilot, but as a person who went through the ups and downs of life. Now I truly do understand why you guys want us to go to college, make new experiences, work and all those other important stuff since going through them will make me a better person in general and eventually prepare me for the challenges I will face in life, job, etc. I think I might be too young to understand how it’s really like in the real world since I don’t have any real experiences in it, so I will have to follow the advices yall and my parents give. Like Mr. Boyer said I gotta admit That I’m psyched up so I will need to take things slow. I really appreciated every single PARTS of yalls answers they were so informative and helpful I mean it. I think I should go to a 4 year college to get a non aviation related degree.
Afterall life is long and spending 4 years in college might sound like bs, but there are the not fun parts in life and I just gotta endure that. I learned a lot today. Thank you all.
AND my fault XD ChickFilAs don’t make burgers they make chicken sandwiches and you’re right Adam there nothin’ wrong with chick fil a! I love their spicy chicken sandwich deluxe(TMI)!
The Spicy Chicken Sandwich is the best!
They are but I once almost had to abort takeoff in EWR because of one. At 10,000’ I was out of the cockpit making the RUN of shame! True story.
Adam
Peter,
That was a respectful and pretty well-worded reply. Just take it a year at a time…and at your age, I realize (and remember personally) that it’s asking a lot to take things a year at a time. I’d shoot for a 2 year Associates of Science or Arts (basically just an extra year of English, Chemistry, Math, and a couple other classes). See where you are at that point. If flying still sounds good…get someone to co-sign for the loan…and FLY!
My key piece of advice is that, throughout life, all you really have from one year to the next is your reputation. It’s literally - everything. That loan you need for flight training…you’ll get it based on your rep. Obtaining a clean flight physical…based on yoru rep (abusing booze, drugs, etc. gets you in trouble). When you apply to Delta for a job…your FB, Snapchat, Insta…those follow you. Your rep follows you.
If you get a rep as a liar or are a weak person who bails when things get tough…that’s who you are. If you work hard, are respectful, and put in the hours of work when things are hard…that’s who you are.
Good luck Mr. PC7644 and genuinely hope you find a couple of things to pique your interest and you build a reputation as a hard-working, honest young man. - PB
Yup!
Lmaoo Thats a big oof right there Adam!
I wish I’ll one day become an airline pilot like you and be able to tell my friends and family the fun and silly stories that can only come from an airline pilot!
Yes sirrr!!! Thanks for all the super helpful advices! And The 2 year college then flight training to online bachelor sounds pretty effective and I’ll seriously consider going that route as that will greatly reduce my time!
Did someone say Chick-fil-A ?! I’m game, @Adam that food truck of yours in the future better have some sort of Chick-fil-A in there, even if you have to re-brand somehow to avoid any patents or trademarks (LOL).
@pc7644, I used to work at Chick-fil-A when I was in college…one of the best employers had, great environment, food…you learn how to work with pace and grow as an individual and employee.
Brady I was waiting for you to chime in!
Adam
I’m glad you thought of me Adam! I switched my Chick-fil-A picture to a more ‘Aviation friendly’ picture 
.
I am more of a fan of the Crispy Smokehouse BBQ Bacon Sandwich if we’re going to get a little sidetracked on the Chick-fil-A convo here. 
Brady
Is that new? I’ve never had but it sounds like it’s right up my alley. No CFA in Hawaii (yet?) so and travel so I’ll have live vicariously through you 
And yes Brady, whenever I think of CFA I immediately think of you! 
Adam
Well that scratches Hawaiian off the list 
Adam,
They released here on the East Coast roughly in 2017…it was originally to be on the grilled sandwich, but I liked the crispy, added more flavor. It was sweet peppercorn bacon with a tangy BBQ, with cheddar jack cheese…SO GOOD. Adam, let’s get a business plan going and dive into the CFA business. 
On side note, I still remember the few times I wore the cow costume because I was tall and fitted it right on size…Eat Mor Chikin!
Brady
Wow! You should write for Yelp!
They were actually recently approved for a license here in Oahu so hopefully soon, although this Covid nonsense isn’t helping.
Adam
Maybe that is what I can do when I get up the ranks and can spare a few minutes to put a blurb together.