Is it bad to be a flight attendent before becoming a pilot?

gay_pilot18

New Member
Okay I have a serious question? I want to be a flight attendent for none other then Delta Airlines, big suprise huh?

I want to do this as soon as they start there next training class as I have already put in my request.

I started with Delta as a ramp agent (CVG) thought it would be cool working outside under the planes.

Well it was for awhile then it got hot in the summer (sweltering) and freezing during the winter I mean like freakin cold. I can't stand the heat as I'm waaaay too pretty to sweat and hate being dirty.

So I moved upstairs (ticketing agent/gate agent) I love being up here the only real complaint that I have is that I'm still not close enough to the planes.

So I'd love to actually work on the planes as an F/A before working in the cockpit. Also the higher hrly. wage doesn't hurt either.

But one of my friends says that it's prolly looked badly upon by an airline if there pilots started out as flight attendents and then try to make the move up to the cockpit.

Also I'm afraid I might lose my focus of trying to build hours and learning to fly if I become a flight attendent. Because my friend is always tired after his trips and just usually sleeps on his days off from flying. And I'd need to be flying at least maybe once a week .

So like could that like really happen where I'm too tired all the time when I'm home from flying and sleep instead of learning to fly. And also do the airline frown on flight attendents applying for pilot positions if there qualified?

Does anyone know any pilots out there employed with an airline that started out as a flight attendent?
 
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But one of my friends says that it's prolly looked badly upon by an airline if there pilots started out as flight attendents and then try to make the move up to the cockpit.

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Do you mind explaining that?
 
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Also I'm afraid I might lose my focus of trying to build hours and learning to fly if I become a flight attendent. Because my friend is always tired after his trips and just usually sleeps on his days off from flying. And I'd need to be flying at least maybe once a week .

So like could that like really happen where I'm too tired all the time when I'm home from flying and sleep instead of learning to fly. And also do the airline frown on flight attendents applying for pilot positions if there qualified?

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I can imagine it all depends on the person. Seems like a flight attendant's schedule would be rather busy because you will be away from home many days.

I think it would be more practical to keep a day job and work on your ratings... but I don't see how it can harm you. It all comes down to: what do you want to do?
 
I knew one F/A that went on to become a Captain at Polar Air Cargo on the 747 & then went to Southwest, wonder if he is a Captain now. When I was in the jumpseat the guys were teasing him and told the Captain to go in the back & mix up a couple of drinks.
 
I don't think it's looked down upon, but it is tough. Your schedule makes it sometimes difficult to get in the requisite flying hours. We have a woman who works part time as an FA with a shared line, and I haven't seen her in over a month. Too bad, since she's in the middle of her CFI course.
 
"But one of my friends says that it's prolly looked badly upon by an airline if there pilots started out as flight attendents and then try to make the move up to the cockpit."


Well I don't know what he meant by the above comment. But he often tells me that the male pilots are very mean to him becaues he his flamboyantly gay so maybe that might have something to do with it.

But not trying to open that can of worms.....
 
Well, yeah...if you're a huge flamer, I can see that being a problem. If you hit on the Captain, I can see it not going over too well. I don't mind gay dudes at all, but when they start running around being loud and all femmy...it gets old really quick. Piloting is a conservative profession and the public wants it that way. You stray too far outside the line of what is considered "normal" or "acceptable" and you'll have problems. I don't think being gay crosses the line but cross dressing does....but that's just me.
 
Being a flight attendant turned pilot is not looked badly upon in any way. I myself am a flight attendant/pilot, my first CFI was our chief pilot's son. With a crazy commuter schedule I was not able to fly more than about 10 hours with this CFI, and I ended up really learning to fly when I was furloughed after 9/11 as a 'full-time' student. I flew 4 days a week, and I finished in 4 weeks, start to finish. Going through your ratings while flying full time is tricky but it can be done. Especially if you're training at a flight school/airport that's very close to where you live. Also you have to be commited to learning, take your books with you on trips, read, review and study on overnights. I finished my college degree that way. The textbooks make your suitcase heavy, but it's a great way to kill down time on trips.
 
I just finished six days of flying with a great captain who worked for us for six years before being hired as a pilot. He started out working the ramp, but later worked in operations and customer service.

During one of our trips, we were joined by a company mechanic who rode on the jumpseat - turned out, he'd just gotten his CFI and commercial multi. He and the captain spent a long time discussing some of the issues involved with moving from a non-flying job to a flying job with the company. Although it's possible, the company gives very little preference to "hiring from within" (at least for pilot positions) and internal applicants are expected to meet the same requirements as other applicants.

Although our captain has 20 years of company-wide seniority, he's only got 14 years of seniority AS A PILOT. He had to start on the bottom of the pilot list, just like everyone else. The company-wide seniority is useful for stuff like travel benefits and 401(k)s, but doesn't help for bidding on equipment or lines.

The biggest problem with flight training (while working as a flight attendant) will probably be financial. Pay for first-year flight attendants is poor, and doesn't really improve until you've been with the company for a few years. The scheduling and studying will work out if you exersize a little creativity (books and CD's/DVD's can be hauled around on overnights).

Incidently, several of our former flight attendants are now pilots. One is working for SkyWest, another for Northwest.

FFFI
 
I don't think being an FA will be a roadblock to becoming a pilot. Occasionally, some of the other pilots may joke around with you about it, but overall I don't think it would be a huge issue.

Your biggest problem right now might be actually becoming an FA at DL. DL is still furloughing FA's, so it may be a while if you want to be an FA at DL.
 
The job is more difficult than a lot of people think. I just got back from LAX on the redeye and spent pretty much the whole flight shooting the you know what with the crew because I was stuck next to someone who kept on tossing and turning and waking me up. So I got up and decided to talk to the crew.

It's a difficult job and since you would be on the road a lot (they pretty much were all working for six days and then had two days off) it would be pretty difficult to build up your time and ratings. Plus, they said when they got home, they were pretty exhausted so that might also factor into your thinking.

But the thing is, for all the complaining that they did, they all said they liked their job.
 
I know several FAs who fly. Several of them want to fly professionally. For several of them, the main reason that they became flight attendants was to get an "in" with the company for when they meet flight requirements.

I also know one furloughed line pilot who became an FA until he is recalled. (He is kidded unmercifully.)

I've never seen pilots give pilot/FAs a bad time, and would probably attribute your friend's problems to his flamboyance. On the contrary, most pilots are happy to talk to FAs about flying and airplanes and assist them in their training.

BTW ACA is always hiring FAs. Of course, there is no guarantee that you would get the Delta Connection side. See www.atlanticcoast.com for more information.
 
When my mum was an FA - she worked 4 days and had 3 off. She did fly mostly long haul including the longest flight at that time JFK - Tehran in the brand new 747SP.
 
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