Hello,
My mom’s friends and a couple of other people all have told me that becoming a pilot is risky financially as well as professionally. They all tell me that it is hard to become a pilot, it is hard to make a career as a pilot, and all the retired military pilots get all the good paying aviation jobs. Can someone please tell me why everyone is telling me this?
Surendra,
I cannot tell you for certain why anybody is telling anyone anything BUT I can speculate that your mom’s friends haven’t been paying attention to the aviation industry for maybe the last 30-50yrs.
Yes many MANY years ago the majority of airline pilots came from the military but that hasn’t been the case for decades. There simply weren’t enough military pilots to fill all the slots and that had gotten worse and worse. In fact the military doesn’t have enough pilots let alone enough to staff the airlines.
Next a few years ago there was a perfect storm created by rule changes and delayed retirements that created a worldwide pilot shortage the depth of which has literally never been seen in history. Salaries trippled as did the chances of getting hired which was very difficult.
Long short your mom’s friends couldn’t be more wrong and there’s literally never been a better time to become an airline pilot.
Adam
I suppose on some level there is truth to what these people are telling you. Flight training can be expensive and there is always a chance that you might not be successful. But that is the same with any kind of professional training. There is no guarantee that a doctor will make it through medical school or that a lawyer will pass the bar exam. The same is true of being a pilot. The reality is though that the vast majority of ATP’s students are successful and do become airline pilots.
The part about the retired military pilots getting all the good jobs is absurd and just not true. All five of us on this website are airline pilots and none of us were prior military pilots. The majority of airline pilots come from civilian backgrounds, military pilots are a small percentage of the workforce.
This is an excellent time to become an airline pilot, in fact the timing has never been better.
Chris
Surendra,
Every pilot (unless you’re a pilot prodigy) struggles at some point in their career. Learning to fly isn’t a walk on the beach, there is a lot of background study and skills that have to be built in order for success.
In return for the training and time you’ve put in, regional pilots these days are making approximately $80,000 in Year 1. As Adam mentioned, this is tripled over the decade(s) from when things first started.
I think now is the best time for anyone to become a pilot.
Brady
Surendra,
Yes becoming an airline pilot is risky financially. It always has been, as well as any other job that requires a degree or professional training prior to employment. There are no guarantees and you could take out a big loan and not be successful in training.
However, with hard work and discipline you can also take advantage of all the opportunities that await during this critical pilot shortage and have a comfortable and successful career. It’s up to you and what you’re willing to do to be successful. I’ll tell you one thing, there’s never been a better time to be a pilot. But no great reward comes without great risk.
Hannah