here in the us long ago after getting tired of seating there overnite in the FS98 days i went up to a small school in CT and got my ppl after that i went to PA and little by little i got my intrument and also did some community college that helped at first .i also did some of my final training in florida . i did it in a sheap way because i did not have all the money that flight safety wanted but at the end i was stock with a big loan that till about 2 years back i was paying for ... my first job up in the air was partime only and i was only making 11K a year flying a private cessna 208. and i can go on but lets just keep it that way . Today i flight for southwest and also have a parttime for a private charter company that has a lease of 2 738s . next year if thing go my way im planing on moving my office to a 777 . i hope you can finish your training at times it may look like you wont ever finish but trust me you will get there . and always remember that in aviation you are never done with training .....

Some very interesting things here! I'm also a wannabe pilot and this is really helpful. To those going after ATPLs I recommend getting a frozen ATPL. Im with those flight instructing or pipeline patrol to build up some hours. Anyway can someone tell me how to apply for an airline? And what they test you on in the test? I've heard lufthansa has a really hard one

here in the us long ago after getting tired of seating there overnite in the FS98 days i went up to a small school in CT and got my ppl after that i went to PA and little by little i got my intrument and also did some community college that helped at first .i also did some of my final training in florida . i did it in a sheap way because i did not have all the money that flight safety wanted but at the end i was stock with a big loan that till about 2 years back i was paying for ... my first job up in the air was partime only and i was only making 11K a year flying a private cessna 208. and i can go on but lets just keep it that way . Today i flight for southwest and also have a parttime for a private charter company that has a lease of 2 738s . next year if thing go my way im planing on moving my office to a 777 . i hope you can finish your training at times it may look like you wont ever finish but trust me you will get there . and always remember that in aviation you are never done with training .....

Wow..

As far as instructing, I know that most people see it as a right of passage as Zach mentions, however having had a couple == I am an idiot! == instructors who were there just to hours build and not help me out, I feel that the best instructors were the ones who had dedicated themselves to instructing after spending a career flying.

I agree with that. Being a CFI isn't something to do just to build time. Some of the worst instructors I know were like that. They frustrated themselves and wasted the student's time and money. In my opinion, however, you don't need to spend a lifetime flying before being a great instructor.Paul

I agree with that. Being a CFI isn't something to do just to build time. Some of the worst instructors I know were like that. They frustrated themselves and wasted the student's time and money. In my opinion, however, you don't need to spend a lifetime flying before being a great instructor. Paul

Absolutely agree, my post was poorly worded. I was talking about the instructors at my flight school, where the best ones just happened to be the ones with a great career behind them.My opinion is as long as they dedicate themselves to the instructing at hand, I have no problem with time-builders; I do feel that full-time, dedicated instructors have the best to offer a student pilot. They've seen the mistakes a beginner makes a thousand times and they are confident enough in their own ability to allow a student pilot to make mistakes. Scaring yourself and then figuring out why it happened is the best experience, yet most hour-building CFI's will want to avoid that for a variety of reasons and pilots simply miss out on that experience. We're talking non-life threatening mistakes here, of course.;)

at some points when i was near the final part of my ATP and during some earlier training i notice alot of young instructors that were having trouble with their students and the main reason in all cases was the lock of avility to interact with difirent indivisuals and must of the time i saw instructor /students miss understandings and often students will quick training because of the young instructors.im not saying young intructors are all bad im just letting you know just to offer you some help when you get to that time of training where you have to pick your intructor.i want to add also i my case every single instructor i pick back in the days were all veterans and till today im happy with what my experience was during training .

I agree with that. Being a CFI isn't something to do just to build time. Some of the worst instructors I know were like that. They frustrated themselves and wasted the student's time and money. In my opinion, however, you don't need to spend a lifetime flying before being a great instructor.Paul

But notice I said this, and I'll bold and italics the important part:

I decided flight instructing and pipeline patrol was the most enjoyable route for me.

By "most enjoyable", I mean I absolutely love it. I am doing it to build time, but guess what?! I love teaching! Though I know the types of CFIs who would leave you high and dry in a minute. They are easy to spot if one isn't wet behind the ears, which is unfortunate because most initial students are.

I was just looking around on google at large airlines flight academies. Im just going to ask if you sign up for them does that mean your applying for an airline? So if I apply to a flight academy once Im done I fly for the airlines? Say if I signed up for the British airways flight academy

Step 1 - Get your college degree. You don't need a college degree to make a living as a pilot but if your aim is to fly for the airlines then a college degree is a must.Step 2 - Get your private pilots license. This will get you started and everything you'll need to know to becoming an airline pilot you can get from the school and the people around you.Step 2a - Make every every flight a training flight. You will tested, checked, quizzed and graded for the rest of you flying career.Step 3 ( the most important step) - Persevere.I was standing outside a hotel lobby waiting for my shuttle to take me to the airport when an old gentleman in a wheelchair rolled next to me. He was wearing a beat up red TWA hat so I thought I would engage him in a conversation. In our talk I found out that he was a retired TWA pilot. I told him how hard it was to get a job in the airlines these days and that I might have to face getting laid off soon. He looked at me in the eyes and said "Young man, it was never easy to be an airline pilot." This conversation took place in 1993.

Which degree would you recommend to me? I was thinking about physics but would aeronautical engineering be better? Is it studying the physics of aeronuaticals or just engineering?

Which degree would you recommend to me? I was thinking about physics but would aeronautical engineering be better? Is it studying the physics of aeronuaticals or just engineering?

How would you know how to make stuff right if you didn't know the physics of flying things

Aeronautical Engineering will aid you in becoming a more competent pilot, in my opinion (although competency varies from person to person for many reasons, not just education). The subject matter will give you an advantage over others, as it allows you to fully understand subjects that aren't touched in great depth during any flight school, except test pilot school perhaps. It also shows you have interest in Aviation and have the ability to understand Aeronautical subjects, which may be a plus during an interview.

Aeronautical Engineering will aid you in becoming a more competent pilot, in my opinion (although competency varies from person to person for many reasons, not just education). The subject matter will give you an advantage over others, as it allows you to fully understand subjects that aren't touched in great depth during any flight school, except test pilot school perhaps. It also shows you have interest in Aviation and have the ability to understand Aeronautical subjects, which may be a plus during an interview.

Personally I think that an engineering program is wasted on a wannabe airline pilot. Business admin, [general] aeronautics, and meteorology are a few that come to mind for me that are a bit more applicable to a career pilot. Engineering programs are generally extremely competitive, and I personally would have a hard time focusing on the flying (the important part) while busting my butt in that program. Riddle's BS in Aviation Business Administration is a nice combination for me. Any Bachelor's is a plus in interviews at the regionals these days. At the majors, it's required in most cases. Having a Bachelor's or greater in any aviation program could be the difference in you and the guy from culinary school being hired. At least that's my theory.At Riddle's Florida campus, flight instruction plus tuition is approximately $46,000 per year (not counting room and board[~$8,000-$11,000 per year]). Tuition for a Riddle degree in the worldwide program is $9,000 per year. On top of that, my flight training, private to my current ratings, has been approximately $30,000 all together!!!! I've gotten the same degree and ratings for a fraction of the Daytona Campuses cost! Just food for thought.

Zach just a question, are you an airline pilot? I would most certainly take your advice. Anyway can you just tell me what kind of things they ask you at the airline interviews? They talk about your personality, your background and experience and why you are good for the job. What else do they ask you at airlines and is there a way to be prepared for those questions?

You don't have to get a degree in anything aviation related and most people advise against it so you are a more rounded individual. My degree is in geography and specifically GIS and has nothing to do with aviation.