Pro Track: Finding Your Way to an Airline Pilot Career

If you can picture yourself in the left seat of an Airbus, or Embraer, then you have the first step necessary to becoming a professional pilot.

Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 08:34 AM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

With diligence, preparation, and making connections, Pia Bergqvist says the path to the left seat at a major airline opens up to you. [Courtesy: Pia Bergqvist]

Key Takeaways:

The journey to becoming an airline pilot demands more than just flying skills; it requires developing leadership, professionalism, and strategic networking to secure positions and advance through regional to major airlines.
Airline training, particularly at the regional level, is rigorous and high-pressure, necessitating intense preparation through constant repetition, "chair flying," and mastering all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Pilot requirements have evolved, with the FAA mandating 1,500 hours (or approved alternatives) and major airlines now hiring with less prior turbine PIC time, potentially allowing for faster career progression than in the past.
Success at every stage, from initial interviews to upgrading to captain, hinges on meticulous preparation, professional coaching, continuous learning, observing experienced pilots, and cultivating a professional demeanor.

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If you can picture yourself in the left seat of an Airbus, Boeing, or Embraer—or whatever transport category jet technology comes up with next—then you have the first necessary step complete on your way to becoming a professional pilot. However, the path you take—as we noted in the first feature in this section—requires more of you than simply obtaining a pilot certificate. While many focus on that narrow goal at first, it soon becomes clear that in order to successfully secure an airline pilot position with a regional, and then a major, you need to develop other skills to complement the fact you’re a decent stick.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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