High School to Cockpit

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gettinghimready

New Member
My son has aspirations to make his career a commercial airline pilot. I've had the recommendation that he investigate American Flyers as a better route than a traditional university education in aviation science. Can the pro's out here give the young man (who just turned 18 - 1 year of HS left) some tips as to what they believe is the ideal process? I'm also wondering if the local aviation school would be a good start as well since it's close to home. (Aces Flight Training). Downstate Michigan resident here.

Cheers!
Proud Dad wanting his kid off the books lol.
 
There really is no "correct" path as there are many different routes that all end in the same place. Some work better for others, but it mostly depends on timing.

Personally I went the 141 University route. It worked well and got me where I wanted to be. Seeing as it was a state school that just happened to have a flight program I was able to get in state tuition and it really wasn't that much more expensive than the non university route. While I have few regrets, I think if I had it to do over again I'd try to get as many of my ratings ahead of time so that I could work part time as a flight instructor while I was in college.

Lots of people on here are quick to frown on bigger flight schools, but with today's ATP requirements to join the airline industry I think that might be the best route forward. Just look at as many options as you can. and do your research on the school's reputation. Flight training is only one portion of it as right now if he wants to have any kind of career progression he'll need a four year degree as well.
 
Have him start out at the local flight school and see how he likes it, see how he does. Maybe let him get his private and by that time he should have a more comfortable feel for what he wants and a better understanding of the process to get to the airlines. There are a lot of ways to get to the airlines and right now the regionals are hiring anyone who meets the minimum requirements and has a pulse, but it won't stay that way forever, thats why I highly recommend a college degree. As for flight schools, there are thousands out there big and small, If I were you find a school that has competitive pricing and a good reputation and have him go out and meet the instructor and fly around a time or two, maybe the school does intro flights, see if he likes the instructor and the school, that right there can make a massive difference in the process.
 
I went straight from high school to finish my ratings and on to the airlines. I was flying airliners at 18 years old. But that was two decades ago, so I'm not sure if regionals are more picky about college degrees nowadays. But even back then, it was virtually impossible to move on from a regional to a major without a college degree. I managed to do it, but I had tons of internal recommendations. Some airlines flat out won't take you without a degree, such as FedEx and Delta, no matter how well connected you are. So I'd recommend he go to college first.
 
I would recommend getting a college degree first. If he ever wants to fly for Delta, United, or any major airline he will need a college degree. I am currently working through a civil engineering degree and working on my ratings while in school. My progress may have been slowed down by college but I would never in a million years trade the college experience for a slight head start. Plus in the end I will have a nice back up career in engineering if the whole flying thing doesn't work out. There are colleges that offer degrees in "flying" but unless there is an instate program the degree can be fairly expensive. American Flyers and most pilot mill programs are ridiculously overpriced but can work for some people. Like others have said there is no perfect path and timing plays a big role in career outcomes.
 
gettinghimready said:
My son has aspirations to make his career a commercial airline pilot. I've had the recommendation that he investigate American Flyers as a better route than a traditional university education in aviation science. Can the pro's out here give the young man (who just turned 18 - 1 year of HS left) some tips as to what they believe is the ideal process? I'm also wondering if the local aviation school would be a good start as well since it's close to home. (Aces Flight Training). Downstate Michigan resident here.

Cheers!
Proud Dad wanting his kid off the books lol.
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Tell your kid to study whatever they want, but go to and finish collehe. I have a BA from Western Michigan in philosophy, and did my training where ever it was cheap.
 
Getting a first class medical definitely would be one of the first things I’d do. Without it you can’t work for a 121 Air carrier.
It would be disheartening to you and him to invest in flight training only to learn afterwards he can’t hold a first class medical. At least then aviation would be a good hobby / leisure activity.

Then a college degree and figure out the flight training.

Get the first class with the EKG. When I did my baseline EKG at 35 after flying for an airline for 4 years, the medical examiner told me he couldn’t give me a first class medical based on my EKG. The only thing that saved my bacon was that I had an EKG from when I went into the military at 18. He looked at my EKG from 17 years ago and compared it to the one at 35 and it was the same and then said oh you have a normal aberration. And issued me my first class. I was going to have a real heart condition if he hadn’t issued me the first class that day.
 
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gettinghimready said:
My son has aspirations to make his career a commercial airline pilot. I've had the recommendation that he investigate American Flyers as a better route than a traditional university education in aviation science. Can the pro's out here give the young man (who just turned 18 - 1 year of HS left) some tips as to what they believe is the ideal process? I'm also wondering if the local aviation school would be a good start as well since it's close to home. (Aces Flight Training). Downstate Michigan resident here.

Cheers!
Proud Dad wanting his kid off the books lol.
Click to expand...

I would heavily heavily suggest attending a university. It doesn’t have to be a university aviation program or even flight-related at all, but your son needs at least a bachelors degree.

Career-oriented pilots with ratings and nothing more than a high school diploma are a dime a dozen and will have far fewer opportunities than pilots with a secondary education. Looking at the trends in recruitment and various recruitment programs the airlines are considering, it’s not going to change in the near future.
 
I know Western Michigan just signed a pathway program deal with Delta Air Lines. He will qualify for in-state tuition and have a defined path to a Legacy.
 
thanks very much again, for the all tips. Keep em coming. I think he's on the cusp of being accepted or rejected to Eastern or Western at this point, perhaps his senior year will be the deciding factor. If starting out at a 4 year isn't realistic, I plan to encourage him to start out at a 2 year and possibly get his private pilot license at a local airfield close by (see link in original post). Then transfer in and go from there.

I'll certainly have him look into the first class medical before he decides what to do with his career goals.

cheers!
 
gettinghimready said:
thanks very much again, for the all tips. Keep em coming. I think he's on the cusp of being accepted or rejected to Eastern or Western at this point, perhaps his senior year will be the deciding factor. If starting out at a 4 year isn't realistic, I plan to encourage him to start out at a 2 year and possibly get his private pilot license at a local airfield close by (see link in original post). Then transfer in and go from there.

I'll certainly have him look into the first class medical before he decides what to do with his career goals.

cheers!
Click to expand...

Going to Western or eastern doesn't matter. Really, having a degree in aviation isn't a requirement. If going to Oakland because it's close to home gets the degree done, that's all that matters.
 
Have him go to an Aeromedical Examiner and get a 1st class physical to make sure he can pass one before investing all the money because if he cant pass a 1st class medical he cant be an airline pilot then join the local flight school, in the meanwhile while flying have him go to Community College and take the business credits or engineering credits or what ever his 4 year degree will be in. Do that for 2 years then once he is finished with Community college have him go transfer to a 4 year College one that is compatible with his community college (SUNY to SUNY or CUNY to CUNY) they will take all his credits and while finishing up his 4 years in the 2 years he has left of concentrated studies because he already completed Community College General credits. At this point he should be up to his commercial training or even CFI training. Have him take a loan out if you cant pay for it. Staying at a nearby college will save him lots of money. This route should end him up with no more than 50k loan debt with his CFI-A ticket.
 
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