airline pilots with civilian and military training

eric6887

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone, I'm 18 and my goal is to someday become an airline pilot.

I'm just currios as to what the ratio is of airline pilots being hired with military training vs civilian training. Are there more former military pilots getting hired at airlines or more with civilian training?

Also are there certain airlines that have different preferences on their pilots training that they hire?
 
There are proportionately less military and more civilian pilots entering the airline industry. I'd still rather go military route if I could. Just to make sure I didn't missunderstand your question, as a former military pilot you have a lot better chances at being hired too.
 
If you're considering joining the military, do so because you have a desire to serve your country and not because it may someday land you an airline job. If you join the military for any other reason, you'll likely be disappointed in the long run.
 
Hi everyone, I'm 18 and my goal is to someday become an airline pilot.

I'm just currios as to what the ratio is of airline pilots being hired with military training vs civilian training. Are there more former military pilots getting hired at airlines or more with civilian training?

Also are there certain airlines that have different preferences on their pilots training that they hire?
The military does not produce the amount of pilots it once did to meet the airlines needs. Add to that now to enter the airlines when your initial obligation is over from the military is a huge pay cut. I am paid now the exact same gross salary as I was when I left the service, but my disposable income has dropped by roughly 20%. So rumor used to be that some airlines really liked to hire almost exclusively ex-Military guys but I think that is moot.

If your goal is to fly part 121 then you will be waiting a long time if you enter military service. That being said, all of us former and current military guys also know that eventually we all have to change careers. I would say the days of the guys who would wear the patch that would state "the Navy, a great place to start... Delta, a great palce to end" are over.:eek:
 
I also heard somewhere that Southwest basicaly hires only former military pilots. Does anyone know if this is true?
 
My bad...I was thinking of northwest. Do you know if northwest mostly hires only military pilots?
 
Are you going to run through every single airline one by one? I don't think any airlines hire mostly military these days as mentioned earlier there are far more civilian verses military trained pilots looking for jobs.
 
FedEx right now is the only place that appears to hire a disproportionaly high number of ex-military guys. The culture there also mirrors the military flying culture in more ways than other places do, and uses a lot of the same terminology.

I'm told that 15-20 years ago, Delta preferred hiring military guys...although that is obviously not the case today.

Other than that, I have not heard of anyplace that gives preferential treatment -- actual or perceived -- to military pilots.

Of course, there will be many who tell you that military fighter guys get preferential treatment everywhere, because they get hired with significantly less hours than most applicants....but that is another story entirely.
 
The problem, as indicated previously, is that the military is not producing as many aviators and many more of them are choosing to remain for 20 years.

Guys are starting to realize they can do 20 and still have the airline flying dream. With that military retirement, TriCare and other benefits, you can go do your airline flying at a Regional and get to the top of the seniority list faster.
 
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