Expert: D. Norkus - 4/10/2005

Question
First off, how long have you been a U.S. Regional airline pilot?

What was your first job involving aviation or beening a pilot?

What type of schooling did you go through to become a U.S. Regional airline pilot?

What type of schooling does one have to go through to become a commercial pilot?

What are the requirements for the amount of hours needed; with an instructor in the plane, solo, at night, in simulators, and flying under the hood?

What do the writing test consist of?

What form of commercial flying is considered the hardest to get into; a large commercial airline (united) a small commercial airline (Net-Jet) or like a FedEx type company?

What is the average commercial pilot salary?

What is the average weeks work consists of?

Just do your best on the questions.

Thanks for all your help.  

Answer
-First off, how long have you been a U.S. Regional airline pilot?
I was hired in 2001.

-What was your first job involving aviation or beening a pilot?
Flying skydivers. I was hired with about 300 hours.

-What type of schooling did you go through to become a U.S. Regional airline pilot?
I did no formal flight school. I worked with freelance flight instructors and rented aircraft via a non-profit flying club to get my licenses & ratings.

What type of schooling does one have to go through to become a commercial pilot? There are several ways to go about flight training. You can do it via an aviation university program while you get your degree, a flying school or academy program or take private lessons with a CFI via a club or Fixed Base Operator/FBO. Read more at my link below.

Airline also require a degree, and you can get that in any subject at any university. Aeronautcial universities often appeal to aspiring pilots as they can fly and go to school for aviation.

-What are the requirements for the amount of hours needed; with an instructor in the plane, solo, at night, in simulators, and flying under the hood?

The PPL flight experience requirements are-
Have 40 hours of flight time, 10 solo and at least 20 dual.
- At approximately 10 to 15 hours of dual flight instruction, a student pilot can solo (fly by themselves). Before this can take place, the flight instructor will go over many maneuvers and procedures.
- During the solo period of 10 hours, you must have 5 hours of solo time doing maneuvers on your own and 5 hours of cross country flying. These cross countries consists of approximately 3 flights; two 1 hour flights and one three hour flight with a landing of 150nm from the departure airport. A cross country is a flight that has a landing 50 nautical miles from the departure point.
- Before you go for your checkride (flight test) you will need a minimum of 40 hours; 10 solo and 20 dual. Included in the dual time there must be 3 hours of night flying with a 100nm X-C, and a minimum of 10 takeoffs and landings.  You will also need 3 hours must be hood time, within your 40 hours of dual

-What [does] the [written] test consist of?

The areas of knowledge on the airman written exam cover:
1. Airplanes and Aerodynamics
2. Airplane systems
3. Federal Aviation Regulations
4. Airports and airspace
5. Airplane performance
6. Aeromedical factors
7. Weather
8. Navigation
9. Cross-country flying

-What form of commercial flying is considered the hardest to get into; a large commercial airline (united) a small commercial airline (Net-Jet) or like a FedEx type company? Fed EX & the major carriers are on the same level.
The carriers most desired to get hired with presently are Southwest, Fed Ex & UPS. All are extremely diffcult to get on with and literally have tens of thousands of applications on file. They are also the best paying companies in the USA for pilots. In that respect, the large carrier & cargo are the same. The other large majors aren't hiring, so until they begin to do so, (which will happen only after they recall all their furloughed pilots) it will be imossible to get a job there. For more info on airline interviews visit www.aviationinterviews.com or the interview section of the http://forums.flightinfo.com website.   

-What is the average commercial pilot salary?
There are too many variables that come into play to take an 'average'. Pay is not the same at each company and within each it varies by length of service, aircraft flown and Captain vs First Officer. See an explaination about pay at my site below.

-What is the average weeks work consists of?
Weekly schedules & trips vary wildly by airline. You an see an example of one at my site below and on the www.jetcareers.com website, on the lefthand toolbar.

MY SITE- www.geocities.com/av8trxx99/FAQ.html

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need something more specific on a topic.

Dottie