My wife is a private (instrument) pilot and a geologist. We have a few friends and aquaintences (sp?) who are professional pilots.

Its an interesting path, with a potentially huge income that does not require a college education, although it is increasingly common as pilots try to accelerate their careers by going straight through the series of necessary ratings - private, instrument, commercial, instructor, instrum. instructor, Multi engine, Airline Transport Pilot, specific typerating - e.g. turboprop, king air, Boeing 727, 737....

Professional pilots working for the majors make six figures, work relatively light schedules and endure hours of monotony, broken up by the occasional 0/0 (no visibility, no cloud ceiling) landing in a storm. It also takes a number of years and pure seniority to move up to the major airlines and then to the "best routes." At which point our friends complain they are more systems managers than pilots.

But the traditional route is to fly, fly, fly many hours. Most do it as an instructor to build up 1000+. Along the way the get their multi-engine and try to build up a few hundred hours of twin engine time so they have the minimum to apply for a job at a "step-up" airline, like Comair which flys short feeder routes for Delta.

Go out, take a $30 intro flight and if you like it and can afford it, get your private pilots license ($4000 or so), less if you do it full time since you "forget" less between lessons. A lot of people work part time and fly as much as they can until they become instructors and are paid to fly. See if you not only love flying, but if it is something you can do for hours at a time. It is fun, terrifying and exhilirating at the same time.

Good luck,

Chris Kenedi

• off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? Curious.., Ian Whelan, Thu, 22 Mar 2001 16:55:25
  • University of North Dakota has a 4 year Commercial Pilot Degree, Pete , Sat, 24 Mar 2001 14:06:37
  • Re: off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? Curious.., 94 Aero, Fri, 23 Mar 2001 19:53:39
  • Re: off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? Curious.., Ed S., Fri, 23 Mar 2001 09:48:00
  • Re: off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? Curious.., Ed S., Fri, 23 Mar 2001 09:47:27
    • Ed S where do you operate out of?, Chris K, Sat, 24 Mar 2001 23:58:01
      • Re: Ed S where do you operate out of?, Ed S., Wed, 28 Mar 2001 00:47:24
  • Re: off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? (long), Chris K, Fri, 23 Mar 2001 00:02:07 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? Curious.., EGD , Thu, 22 Mar 2001 20:06:39
  • Re: off-topic/ Anyone know commercial pilots? Curious.., Terry Meitz, Thu, 22 Mar 2001 19:36:13

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