Expert: David A. NewMyer - 4/11/2003

Question
Hi Mr.NewMyer -
My name is Mike Sacra and my son,Dusty,a 17 year old junior in high school, is interested in getting his pilots license and possible career in flying. Could you tell me what opportunities
are there and the schooling involved?

                       thanks-
                          Mike  

Answer
Hi, Mike:

Thanks for your question.  I will try to assist.

A career in flying involves the following steps:

1.  Get a BS or BA degree....it can be in aviation or not depending on the interests of the student.  If it is in aviation, then, there are some "economies of scale and time" that accrue in that you are "killing two birds with one stone" by getting a degree AND obtaining flight certification and ratings at the same time.  For a copy of a "Collegiate Aviation Directory" listing college and university aviation programs, email the University Aviation Association at uaa@auburn.edu or call them at 334-844-2434 to order it....cost is around $15.

UAA also has a Collegiate Aviation Scholarship listing available...ask them if you are interested in ordering that, too.  Also, check out the following website for some good information on aviation scholarships:

www.avscholars.com



2.  Get pilot certification and ratings.  The certificates and ratings needed are:

A.  Federal Aviation Administration Private Pilot Certificate...allows the holder to operate small aircraft.  You can carry passengers with you, but, not for hire.

B.  Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument and Multi Engine Ratings...allows the holder to fly for hire (make money while flying)

C.  Federal Aviation Administration Flight Instructor Airplane Certificate with at least the Instrument rating (and, some times, a multi engine instructor rating is also helpful).  This cerficate allows you to teach others to fly and also to build your flight time while doing so.  This type of flying is, many times, the first job that a pilot can get.

3.  Build flight experience:  Both quantity (total flight time, also called "pilot in command time")....in terms of quantity, a minimum of 500 hours of flight time is needed to fly cargo for a small company that operates single engine piston aircraft..... all the way up to 3000 to 4000 hours to qualify to interview with a major airline.....And in terms of quality:  turbine pilot in command time is time built while flying in the captain's seat (or left pilot's seat) of a jet-powered aircraft.  Usually 500 to 1000 hours of turbine pilot in command flight time is required to even think about interviewing for an entry-level job with a large airline or corporate flight department.

As far as opportunities are concerned, the aviation industry is in a slump right now, as it has been in the early part of every decade since the early 1960s.  The aviation industry "cycles" with the national and global economy, neither of which are doing too well right now.  We all expect a rebound in the economy, followed by a rebound in aviation, by 2005.....

Overall, the aviation industry acccounts for about 8% of the gross domestic product of the USA and employs right at 2.0 million people:

Aviation/aerospace manufacturing:  800,000 employees

Airlines (major, national, regional, cargo):  610,000

General aviation (all flying other than airlines and the military to include flight training, charter, corporate flight departments, agricultural aviation, etc)  330.000

Government Aviation including the FAA, TSA, states, local airports, etc'                                 125,000

Other, misc                                    200,000

Of the above, there are about 250,000 who work as pilots in the USA....give or take a few thousand.  Half of those work for airlines and the rest work in general aviation.  That does not account for military pilots.  There are over 600,000 certificated, active pilots in the USA....so, about half of them work.

For some addition aviation career information, please check out these websites:

www.aviation.siu.edu  (the website of my university's aviation degree program....as one example of a college aviation program.  Also, go to the resources link for more informational links to the aviation industry)

www.findapilot.com

www.aeps.com

www.aviationinterviews.com

I hope that this answer helps.  If you have more questions, please ask a follow up question.

Sincerely,

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