Pilot Finds His Way to Unexpected Classroom

Decades of aviator experience began not in a sim, but with a book, a mentor, and a high school job.

Les Abend

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

One of the author’s weathered ID badges from American Airlines. [Credit: Les Abend]

Key Takeaways:

The author's path to becoming an airline pilot began at age 15 with self-study from aviation handbooks and parental support, well before any formal airline employment.
Training evolved through a diverse range of experiences, from informal flight lessons and university pilot programs to on-the-job learning at commuter and freight airlines.
Formal airline training, especially at major carriers like American Airlines, introduced sophisticated facilities, simulator-based instruction, and the essential requirement of adapting to company culture and professional standards.

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When us airline types are asked, “when and where did you first begin training?” we usually respond with day one of company basic indoctrination at our respective training centers. But in retrospect we forget that training began much before our airline employment, with many of us experiencing the gamut from casual to highly structured.

For me, training began with the Private Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, at age 15, which was about the time I committed to becoming an airline pilot, specifically for American Airlines. Lacking any firm strategy on just how to finance my budding addiction, I determined it was best to start reading the handbook from cover to cover despite minimal comprehension.