Careers

How is the B-1 like investing? Let’s start with the backstory. The B-1A was an awesome jet designed to fly at Mach 2+ at high altitude before dropping its nukes. President Carter killed the program in the 1970s, but President Regan brought it back in the ‘80s as the B-1B. In the intervening years, Soviet […]

In a previous column, I asserted that all pilots need to maximize contributions to a Roth IRA each year. In this column, we’ll see why by examining three ways to invest $6,000: A taxable brokerage account. A Traditional IRA A Roth IRA We’ll assume all three cases invest these funds the same way: in a […]

Whether it’s mandatory retirement at age 65 for an airline pilot, or just that day when you can’t get a medical certificate any more, at some point, you’ll have to walk away from your high-paying aviation job. Ideally, that part of your life is a time for relaxation and family. However, you only get to […]

There are plenty of tax rules that a pilot can use to reduce their overall tax bill. But it helps greatly if you know the rulebook. Consider this column an introduction to that rulebook. Deductions & Credits In my last column, we looked at how US federal income tax rates are applied in a graduated […]

I know what you’re thinking: “Um, dude, we’re here for Flying. Why are you talking about taxes?” Sadly, taxes affect far more of our lives than we’d like to admit. Companies run the way they do because of taxes. Everything about personal finance from savings, to retirement accounts, to how we structure aircraft ownership is […]

Fellow aviators, I’m truly honored to have this opportunity to write about finances for Flying—things like retirement, taxes, and ways that you can keep more of your money. But before we dive in, I want you to know where I’m coming from. I started flying in Cessna 172s and Piper Cherokees out of Loveland, Colorado […]

Since 2014, Women in Aviation International has made a significant outreach to girls ages 8 to 17 with Girls in Aviation Day—established as an in-person gathering for young ladies. More than 120 events were hosted in roughly 20 countries by 2019, with about 20,000 attendees. In 2020, WAI pivoted Girls in Aviation Day to a […]

Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology has announced the creation of the Purdue University National Aviation Symposium: Emerging Critical Shortages of Pilots and Maintenance Technicians. This three-day symposium, scheduled for April 6 to 8, 2022, will unite the aviation community— including airlines, manufacturers, industry associations, labor unions, government agencies, and academic institutions—to identify […]

Delta Air Lines has reached an agreement with Southeastern Oklahoma State for the school to become part of the company’s Propel Collegiate Pilot Career Path Program The program, designed to supplement Delta’s need for qualified pilots, provides students with an accelerated path to a career with Delta. With Thursday’s announcement, Southeastern Oklahoma State becomes the […]

SkyWest Airlines has announced that it is reinstating their rotor transition program, aimed at military aviators. The program, paused by COVID-19, provides military rotary wing pilots a direct path to become a SkyWest Pilot. SkyWest offers up to $17,500 in tuition reimbursement for fixed-wing transition training and a $7,500 bonus for military aviators. Pilots can […]