Just want to fly

[countrygent32084]

I am 35 and just out of the army after 16 wonderful years. I have always had a desire to fly but was never given an oppurtunity till now. I have decided to go with PEA since i live close by and they work with VA. I guess what im asking, and forgive me this is my first post is if i complete their pro 3 program would this be enough to start a career in. Im not looking to get rich,single with no kids,and have no debts. I just want to persue a passion with flying and make enough to eat. This post may sound stupid to many and years from now maybe even to me. But I dont understand what all the certificates mean in this package deal,and dont know if it would be enough to legally work as a pilot with.

 

[BoeingBoy]

countrygent,

I can't be specific without knowing exactly what the program you're considering will provide, but getting qualified to work as a pilot is something of a "building block" process. You have to get this rating/license before you can get this other one, which you have to have before getting the next one, etc.

In general, you'll get your private pilot certificate - that allows flying for pleasure. Then you can get the commercial pilot certificate, which allows you to work as a pilot. Somewhere in there, you'll get both an instrument rating (allowing you to fly by instruments) and the multi-engine rating (allowing you to fly airplanes with more than one engine). While not necessary to work as a pilot, you may get your flight instructor certificate which allows you to teach others to fly - that'll open some employment doors at flight schools and the like. All along the way, there's classroom work and FAA written tests, plus each certificate or rating will entail a FAA flight test.

After all that, you'll probably have somewhere around 250 hours of flight time and can look for a job as a pilot. Of course, most jobs you'll be able to get right out of flight training will be low pay, but the goal is to be paid to fly (building experience and hours) instead of paying to fly.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[cessna057]

The way i understood it is that you have to get you private, which allows you to fly for fun, your intrument, which allows you to fly in most conditions, your comercial, which allows you to fly for hire, but not on scheduled routes, then you ATP which allows you to fly for hire on scheduled routes, and then your CFI.

A good job for you to presue would be cargo anywhere. If you like cold, go fly C-208's for FedEx in Canada. If you like beach, go fly them in the Caribbian. You can also just be an instructor, without having to fly for an airline. Theres always the option of flying around buissnessmen in Gulfstream. Fun, entertaining, and gives good money.

Question for BoeingBoy: I'm 17, have my instrumental, and amd working on my commercial. Will it be hard for me to find a cargo job while I go through college to build up hours? I want to be an airline pilot. I absolutely love flying I got my private in 3 weeks and my instrumental in 3 months and now fly my dad's buisnessworkers around the Northeast for free to build up a little time.

 

[BoeingBoy]

then you ATP which allows you to fly for hire on scheduled routes

The difference between theory and practicality....

The FAA doesn't require an ATP to fly scheduled routes. A commercial license with instrument rating is all they require to be a first officer (copilot), even on a 747 (exceptions for long haul flights when an "augmented crew" is required - there has to be at least 3 pilots with two ATP's rated in the aircraft). That's the theory part.

Practically speaking, no major airline (pax or freight) will likely hire anyone without an ATP - it's a way of weeding out the less qualified from the thousands of applications they get for each available pilot job.

Most people get the CFI before the ATP, BTW. Having the CFI opens a lot of doors job-wise, and can be gotten with a lot less hours (and younger age) than the ATP.

Question for BoeingBoy: I'm 17, have my instrumental, and amd working on my commercial. Will it be hard for me to find a cargo job while I go through college to build up hours?

Just as "passenger airline job" covers a wide range - from bush pilots in Alaska to flying those 747's across the Pacific - "cargo job" also covers a wide range. At the top are the FedEx's, UPS's, DHL's, etc - like any big airline, you'll look a lot better in the applicant pool with a few thousand hours of flight time, preferably turbine or turbojet PIC time, ATP, college degree, etc.

On the other end, there are small cargo companies flying light twins or small corporate type aircraft, such as banks flying cancelled checks to their home offices every weeknight. Those jobs require less experience, etc., but also pay rock bottom wages (think qualifying for food stamps type wages).

The big thing will probably be finding a pilot job near where you go to college with a schedule that'll mesh with your school schedule. Just keep beating the bushes. Unfortunately, right now the big passenger airlines have quite a few pilots furloughed so the competition for available jobs is pretty fierce.

Jim