Expert: David A. NewMyer - 3/16/2008

Question
Hi David!
I am very interested in becoming a commercial pilot for a major airline.  I have a 4 year Bachelor of science degree in Biochemistry.  But despite this, I am willing to become a pilot as it has been my dream for a long time.  In order to make the final step towards the pilot career, I need  to know several things. 1) How does the future outcome look for pilots? 2) How stable is the pilot career now and in future? 3) How does the pay scale look like ? 4)Is the demand for traveling and pilots going to stay high despite of increase in oil and fuel?  5)How long does it take for a first officer to be promoted to captain position by a major airliner? 6)  I realize that after flying for one particular airline, if you switch to a different airline, you have start all over again in terms of pay scale and seniority.  SO How stable are these major airlines?

I know I will be changing my career completely if I go for a pilot, but its only because I have so much passion for it!
Thanks


Answer
Hi,

Thanks for your questions.  I will try to assist.

1.  Overall, the future outlook for pilots looks good.  Hiring right now is at an all time high all over the world.  This hiring boom is being driven by record aircraft orders by the world's airlines and general aviation/corporate aviation companies.

2.  Stability:  The airline pilot career has ALWAYS BEEN A CYCLICAL MARKET.  That means that it is a market that has fairly regular ups and downs....for example, there has been a down cycle in airline pilot hiring in the early part of the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and in 2001-2003.  You simply have to be prepared for this cyclical hiring and also work hard to choose the right company so that you are with a surviing airline company in this era of mergers.

3.  The entry level pay scale is low but the career-ending pay scale is excellent.  Here in the USA, starting pay scales for airline pilots can vary from $20,000 to $35,000 a year while ten year captains at major airlines can make $125,000 to $180,000 a year.

4.  Fuel costs have been continually rising since the first Arab Oil Embargo in the 1970s and it is something that the airline industry has had to deal with over time.  This rapidly rising cost this year will have an impact on airline mergers (it will force some mergers)....this will, in turn, slow down some hiring.  So, yes, the oil and fuel cost situation will impact airline hiring.  But, there is still going to be airline growth at a fairly high rate in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and in China.

5.  The timing of a first officer being promoted to Captain at a major airline can be five to ten years, sometimes longer.  The fact is that, first, in most cases, you will have to work for a REGIONAL airline first, getting promoted THERE to Captain, working two to five years and THEN getting hired at the Major airline based on your work as Captain at the Regional.  So, you will ahve to go through the promotion phase at least twice in your career, once at a Regional airline and antoher time at a Major.

6.  See above for my answer on stability.....watch for mergers over the next 18 months or so.

I hope that this helps!

David A. NewMyer