AboutDottie Norkus Expertise I can address questions concerning: airline pilot employment & entry level airline careers in the Unites States, women pilots, flight training, pilot certification, flight scholarships (mostly for women), aviation & airline safety topics, aviation accident investigation, air carrier accidents and airline operations.
***Please note, I cannot address flight training or career queries from outside the United States. If you are not in the USA, please direct your question to the message boards at www.PPRUNE.org as you can surely find an answer there. For those in India try http://www.indianpilots.com
Also, I cannot address questions about aero engineering degree programs/careers or aviation management careers.
Experience U.S. Regional Airline Pilot. I have also had 15 years previous experience in airline ground operations, as well as a part 91 commercial skydive pilot and ferry pilot.
Organizations I belong to I am a charter member of Women In Aviation International as well as the International Organization of Women Pilots: the Ninety Nines. I keep a database of flight scholarships for women (mostly SW USA) and mentor student pilots.
Education/Credentials Embry Riddle Aeronautical University certificate in Aviation Safety/Accident investigation.
Question Hello,
I am currently graduating from high school and I want to become a
commercial airline pilot. I wanted to see what you thought of my plan for
after college. I have applied for San Jose State University with a major of
Aviation. I know that this will help me get my license but it will not help with
all of the hours I need to build. Would joining the U.S. Air Force be the best
way to build up my hours? Or is there a better way to build up my hours
without going to flight school?
Answer Richard
San Jose State is a fine choice. If you want to major in aviation great, and if you can get scholarships to attend even better, but know that an aviation degree is not necessary to become a pilot. Many major in aviation as that is their main interest but if you were ever to become furloughed during your career an aviation degree is pretty useless. (I know, I have one!) A two year in aviation with another major might also be an idea. Pilots do not start out making much, so the amount of debt you go into this career with can profoundly affect your lifestyle after you get hired. Bottom line: major in what you really want as your grades will be better and that will help you the most later on when applying for a job.
Regarding joining the Air Force:
No, it is not the "best way to build hours" for an airline career but either way you must go to "flight school". If you simply want to become airline pilot, do not consider joining the military simply as a means to that end. You should do it if you want to serve your country but don't think of it simply as a way to get "free flight training" so you can become an airline pilot.
In all reality, it's not truly "free" and the openings for military aviators are fewer and more competitive than they have ever been. If you somehow manage to even get accepted into the service as a pilot candidate and make it through flight school, you will be committed for a decade or more. You could also get killed in the line of duty.
In years past, the major airlines drew almost exclusively from former military pilots. Former military pilots either dominated the hiring boards or they would recommend their friends who were getting out of the service and looking into airline careers. This big "squadron buddy" network was how the majority of pilots got hired.
That is not the case today. For several years now the airlines have been increasingly hiring pilots from a civilian background. According to statistics compiled from Air Inc, about 65% of new hires are civilian. This is partly the result of a smaller pool of military pilots available to the airlines than in decades past and the increase in the number of civilian trained pilots with previous airline jet experience. Almost all the regional airlines now fly jets, many that go higher or are more advanced than mainline aircraft. Additionally, most pilots looking to move onto a major carrier will have several times over the amount of flight experience as a military aviator because of their regional job. So, if you are simply looking to build experience to get hired at a major, the civilian training route (be it a flight school, flying club or airline oriented flight academy) will be a much faster path to a career at a major airline than the military. I have met a few pilots who trained, went to a regional and were hired at majors all by age 27. If you joined the military, you'd have several more years beyond that age to fulfill your military commitment.
I suggest these links for getting informed with what you need to know to help you make your career decisions:
