AboutColin Woehrle Expertise Answer questions regarding FARs, VFR and IFR flight operations, the national
airspace system (NAS), communications with ATC, physiology, etc. I answer sincere questions
for aviation enthusiasts and flight students. If I can`t answer your question, I`ll try
my best to point you in the right direction.
(I do not answer questions asking how much it costs to fly from one place to another).
Experience Pilot for a leading west-coast regional airline. Ratings and certificates include: Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII), Commercial Pilot, Instrument, Single Engine Land/Multi-engine Land Airplane
Question When i was still a kid, i remember seeing all those big birds flying across the sky. As a senior in high school i finally decided what i am going to do later and what my career is going to be. i've been researching for flight school and everything, but i really don't know what i should do, or where to go.
my question is what should i do after this year? university? a 4 year degree or flight school ? i really don't know
please tell me what to do and what would you recommand
thanks a lot colin
Answer Hey Nick,
Great question. While you didn't directly say it, I take it that you decided you want to become a commercial airline pilot for your career. The best place to start and to make sure you really want to become a pilot is at your local airport flight school. Schedule an introductory/discovery flight lesson and express your interest in eventually becoming an airline pilot. (Search yellow pages and/or online for phone numbers). These usually last between a half hour to an hour. You might want to do this before you graduate high school.
To get an airline job you will need to have a 4-year college degree from an accredited college, appropriate pilot ratings and certificates, and finally, flight EXPERIENCE.
I went to a 4-year college with a flight program so I was able to hit two birds with one stone. I went to the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Aerospace Sciences and majored in Commercial Aviation. Embry Riddle is another flight school, a little more expensive I believe, but a good school (equal to UND). There are others as well, just search for them online. I should state that your degree can be in ANYTHING (even underwater basket weaving!!!) so you can obtain your pilot certificates while going to college for Business Administration or whatever interests you. Obtaining totally unrelated degree is very smart because if for some reason you can no longer fly (i.e. medical condition), you'll have something else to fall back on. If I could go back in time, I would have gotten a degree in something other than Commercial Aviation, if that says anything.
I can't tell you what you should and should not do, but if you feel strongly about a career in aviation, you should first go on an introductory flight to get a "feel" for flying. If you're still interested, work on getting your private pilot certificate and, if after you obtain that, you still want to make a career out of flying, go all in and get your commercial pilot's certificate (including all other ratings). Work on a 4-year degree simultaneously. It would probably be easiest to go to a school like UND and majoring in something like Air Traffic Control or Airport Management just because it would fit better with your flight courses and you could stay in aviation if you ever stopped flying.
