Currently 16 wanting to become a career airline pilot

Hi everyone! I am currently 16 years old, and a senior in high school. If you are wondering how I am a senior and only 16, my state only requires 3 years worth of credits to graduate high school. I am looking to become an ATP pilot flying eventually for Delta (Although I am open to any carrier). My plan is after I graduate high school this upcoming May, to go to a tech school until I am 18 years old and eligible to attend ATP Flight School. During that time before I turn 18, I will be earning my PPL in a family owned aircraft. This means that I will be coming into the program with credit for PPL. After the 6 months is up and I am starting to be a flight instructor, I will be finishing my 4 year degree online through Liberty University. Do y’all have any suggestions as what to do to build hours? Should I stick to the guaranteed flight instructor job (and how guaranteed is it), or should I go and build hours doing work for a prop charter? Also what is the realistic pay for regional airlines and then for the move up to the majors? What is the pilot life like? Do you have any headset you recommend that would last me all the way from my PPL into my airline career?

Cooper,

Welcome to the forums. I have to ask, why go to a tech school instead of a regular college? While your plan seems pretty good, the issue I see is going to college online while flight instructing. Being an ATP instructor is absolutely a full time job, I do not see how you would be able to balance both instructing and college without something suffering. I would suggest waiting on the college until you have been hired at a regional airline.

I suggest being a flight instructor to build your hours. It is the tried and true path to the airlines and the one that people seem to have the most success at. The CFI job at ATP is guaranteed provided that you do not fail more than two check rides while in the program. What is not guaranteed is your location of choice, you will be able to chose from a list of available locations.

As for your other questions, please check out the FAQ and the Flying the Line section as they are all addressed there.

Chris

Hello, My name is Andrew and Im new to the forums. I want to become a pilot. I am 18 right now and a freshman in college working on a general 2 year transferable degree. I was looking at the ATP website and it said you can be a private pilot to start or have a 2 year degree. What is the better option? Would it be better if I stayed in school finished my degree and get my private pilots license while in school then go to ATP? Or drop out of school get my license and go to ATP, or lastly finish my degree then go to ATP and get it all at once (the private pilots license as well)? I really want to become an airline pilot but Ive heard so many different routes. Which one would be the best? Ive heard yes college no college and a bunch of other things. I would just like a clear honest answer. Any other suggestions from anyone?

Andrew,

We always recommend staying in school first. You’ll eventually need a 4yr degree and it’s always a good idea to get that out of the way. As for your training I only suggest getting your Private first if you’re unsure you if flying is really for you. This would allow you to get your feet wet without a diving in with both feet. If however you’re certain then why wouldn’t you want to do all your training at the flight school you’ve chosen to do start your career? Starting out on the right foot and continuity is always a good thing.

Adam

Wow super quick response! Thank you Adam! So get a 4yr degree instead of just a 2yr. I like that idea to get the private first, just to see if I like it. Does it matter what the degree is in? Does it have to be aviation based or anything?

No it definitely doesn’t have to be aviation based in fact, and I’m sure the other will choke in as well, they don’t like aviation degrees because what if something happens and you are unable to be in the aviation field? You don’t have some sort of backup plan

Great! Thank you for such a quick response. This is just a thought. Would it be better to just get the bachelors out of the way? Or get my 2yr and start/finish ATP and the CFI part of working and then go back and get my bachelor’s while I’m at the Regional level? Just a thought, I obvisously dont know much about all of this, thats why Im aksing :grinning:

I think most of it has to do with that your still young and in the school mentality/mindset. Not saying this applies to you but a few years ago I was considering going to ATP or any flight school for that matter but I decided to finish college because I was still in that mindset and looking back in personally glad I finish because I felt I grew a lot in the few years at college and now i feel I’m a lot more mature and taking this investment more seriously than I may have years ago

Andrew,

That’s a decision that you need to make for yourself. Both options will achieve the same goal on paper. You have to decide which option is more realistic based on how well you know yourself. Are you really the type of person that will hold themselves accountable and get their degree online while at a regional? Or would you rather finish all of your college now?

Tory

Thank you! Knowing myself I just need to do it now! I’ve been in school the past 12 years what’s 4 more gonna hurt. It’s going towards something I love so it will definitely be worth it! Thank you guys!

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Andrew,

Totally your call. First I always recommend a degree in something other than aviation. The airlines don’t care and it’s always good to have a back up. As for the rest here’s the deal. Getting your 2yr, going to ATP building your time, getting hired by a Regional and then finishing your 4yr online while at a Regional will get you flying and more important on an airline seniority list faster. The caveat is finishing your degree online takes a fair amount of discipline and frankly not everyone is successful.

You need to be honest with yourself and know what works best for you. If you know you can buckle down and get it done then sure take the short cut bit of you have doubts then I’d just stay in school till completion.

Adam

Ok awesome, I will see how these next two years go and then I will know more. Seniority is everything so the regionals seem like a good way to go and get the 4yr online, like I said I will know more within these next two years to see how it goes. If you dont mind me asking, what did you personally do?

Andrew,

I finished my 4-yr degree before flight training.

Tory

Andrew,

I finished college decades before I started flying and there was any of this internet online nonsense :wink:

Adam

Andrew,

While I know you want to get up in the air and go flying, I also recommend finishing your four year degree, then going to flight school. I find that it is just easier for people to stay in school mode and finish their degrees. Often when people intend to finish a degree later, life can get in the way and make it harder than you might think.

I would also not advise getting your private license outside of ATP. I got mine at a local school and it was a disaster. The planes were constantly broken, there was limited instructor availability and part 141 schools are a red tape nightmare. The whole thing took much longer than it should have and cost much more.

Finish your four year degree, then go to flight training.

Chris

Hello everyone!
I haven’t been on the forum in a long time. I just finished my first year in college and it feels great to have a break. How are you guys doing with all of the COVID19 stuff? I have a question, would it be the same if I had two associates degrees? Or do I need a bachelor degree in something? I was just curious. The degree I am working on now is just a general degree, but I was curious if I could get another associate’s degree in business for example at the same school im at now and that would still work for the airline’s requirements.

Thank you,
Andrew

Andrew,

Very easy question to answer. The Majors will ask do you have a 4yr Bachelors degree? There are only 2 answers. YES which means you have a 4yr Bachelors degree or EVERY OTHER POSSIBLE ANSWER which means you don’t. If the answer is I have 2, 2yr degrees than the answer is no. If you have 3.5yrs of college and ALMOST have a Bachelors degree than the answer is no. If you have 6yrs of college but still no degree the answer is no. If you went to college for a year 27yrs ago but never finished the answer is no. If you plan on getting your 4yr degree at some point in the future…

Adam

Adam,

Great! Thank you!! I was just curious. What is your degree in? Im just trying to get an idea of what degree I want to get.

Thank you again,
Andrew

Mine is Liberal Arts. Chris is in Business I believe. I know pilots with degrees in everything from engineering to music to chemical science to art to communication, you name it. The airlines want the degree but care little as to the field of study. Pick something you have interest in and could possibly serve as a back up should flying not work out.

Adam

Andrew,

As Adam mentioned, my degree is in business administration. I have found there to be some relevance in regards to flying, but not much. That being said, it checked the necessary box and enabled me to get hired at a major.

I would say study whatever interests you, but it will need to be a four year degree.

Chris