Expert: David A. NewMyer - 10/17/2010

Question
Hello Mr. NewMyer, I am currently a junior attending a public high school and i have an interest in aviation-related fields and would love to pursue an aviation-related career. However, i am just not sure where to begin. I currently have no experience flying whatsoever, but I would love to get more involved in aviation to make sure i have a real interest in an aviation-related career. What would be the steps to get more involved and to begin my aviation-related career?

Answer
Hi, Collin:

Thank you for your question, I will try to assist!

There are a number of ways you can check into an aviation career, here are a few:

1.  Check out www.aviationexploring.com to see if there is an Aviation Explorer post anywhere near you....that is one way to find out about aviation careers.

2.  Similarly, the Experimental Aircraft Association or EAA has a "Young Eagles" program and a local EAA Chapter might be near you that supports such programs.  Go to www.eaa.org for more information.

3.  Aviation-oriented universities such as the one that I work for, Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), offer Summer Wings or summer camps devoted to aviation.  To check out the opportunities for Summer Wings at SIUC, go to www.aviation.siuc.edu/summerwings for more information.  For similar programs elsewhere, check out the website of the university that you are interested in and do a search from there....or, just do a Google Search for aviation summer campus for high school age students.

4.  Some aviation-oriented universities also offer Aviation Career Days. The university where I work, SIUC, offers three such programs a year.  We just finished one of those two Saturdays ago, the American Airlines Aviation Career Day, which offers participants a free flight on American Airlines from Chicago-O'Hare International Airport to the airport where our program is based, Southern Illinois Airport (MDH).  Our next such program will be on Saturday, April 30, 2011 and will be a similar program with United Airlines (flight to So. IL. Airport from O'Hare, tour SIUC Aviation, free flight on one of our aircraft while here so you can see if you like flying in small aircraft, etc).  Go to www.aviation.siuc.edu/careerdays for more information.  Again, check with any other aviation-oriented universities that you are interested in for information about similar programs at those schools.

5.  A number of websites have aviation career information.  A couple of them are:

www.faa.gov/education/careers

www.aopa.org/careerpilot/index.html/
Note:  While at the AOPA website, you might check on their link on LEARN TO FLY.  It has suggestions on how to choose a flight school and also where some flight schools offer an introductory flight at a reduced price.  This might help you get started by taking a flight in a small aircraft to see if you like it!

Do a Google or other search to find more....

I wish you the very best in your search for aviation career information.  If there is something else that you have questions about along this line, please let me know.

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siuc.edu