Voyages of Discovery Can Be Money Well Spent

An introductory or discovery flight can offer a great experience for the student to assess whether flying is for them, and what training program will make the best fit.

Sam Weigel

Friday, November 03, 2023 at 02:54 PM ET

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Olufemi Haynes, a flight attendant at the author's airline, flies the author's Stinson 108 on a discovery flight. [Sam Weigel]

Key Takeaways:

The article highlights a growing trend of airline flight attendants pursuing pilot careers, often supported by company programs, which is welcomed for increasing diversity and fostering better inter-group relations.
It strongly advises anyone considering a professional flying career to first obtain a private pilot certificate or, at minimum, take thorough introductory "discovery flights" to ensure flying is the right path before making significant commitments.
Prospective students should avoid short, cheap discovery flights, instead requesting longer sessions across multiple schools and treating them as an "extended interview" to critically evaluate the instructor's teaching style, patience, and the school's overall atmosphere.

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One of the personally interesting aspects of this historic pilot hiring wave has been that, in my day job as a Boeing 737 captain, nearly every single week I encounter flight attendants who are commercial pilots, or are in flight training, or are considering taking the plunge.

This is a very welcome development that will do wonders to increase the diversity of our pilot corps, as well as help tear down lingering barriers between our pilot and flight attendant groups, an unfortunate aspect of our company culture. Management apparently agrees: Several years ago they created two accelerated hiring paths to the flight deck for our flight attendants, which has stirred immense interest among our cabin crew. The early participants are now at the qualification level where I’ll be flying with them soon, and I’m really looking forward to it.