Pilot

“Yes, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) loves certificates… You’ll need 4 (5 if an instructor too) for your career”

Certificates/Licenses:

After a student certificate only four licenses (see below) stand between you and the captain’s seat… It’s doable and you can work (part-time) while doing.

1. Student Pilot Certificate

   Cost: Free (lets you fly solo)

2. Private Pilot License (“PPL”)

   Cost: $11K-$18K
   Need: 40-60 Hours Flight Time (Lets you fly for fun – not for money)

   • Pay for Ground school
   • Books, Materials
   • Flight Instructors ($100-$125/hour)
   • Plane Rental ($125-$15/hour)

3. Instrument Rating (“IR”)

   Cost: $8K-$12K
   Need: 40-50 Hours (Lets you fly through clouds & around them)

4. Commercial Pilot License (“CPL”)

   Cost: $20K-$30K
   Need: 250 Hours total: (This is “Golden Ticket” – Now you get paid)

5. Commercial Flight Instructor (“CFI”)

   Cost: $6K-$11K (only if desire to be private Flight Instructor…if not, not needed)

   • Have a “CPL”

   • Get:

     • Right-seat training
     • Spin training awarenesss
     • Oral exam, checkride

6. Multi-Engine Rating

   Cost: $3K-$6K
   Need: 10-15 hours (Fly twins; impress passengers & paychecks)

7. Airline Transport Pilot

   “Congratulations! Welcome to the Friendly Skies… This is “the Big Boy/Big Girl” license to fly United & American passengers and Amazon & Fedex freight”

   Cost: $5K-$7K
   Need: 1,500 hours (Total from all certificates and flights)
   This is Big Boy/Big Girl

Independent or Union:

For early career: Usually “NO” for you’ll fly independent for:

• Flight Schools
• Charter Companies
• Corporate Operators
• Banner Towers
• Crop Dusters

For later career: Usually “YES” for once you hit the airlines, you’ll join a union (like it or not).

• Major Airlines Assciation: ALPA (Airline Pilots Assn, 888-359-2572, ALPA.org)
• Major Airline Unions: see each carrier (all ALPA members).
  • United Airlines (UnitedPilots.org, 847-292-1700)
  • Delta Airlines (contact ALPA, or 703-689-2270)
  • American Airlines (contact ALPA, or 817-963-1234)

Tools and equipment needed to be a pilot, even a commercial airline pillot, after obtaining your licenses, is $930-$2,650.

• Headset ($300-$1,200)
• Flight Bag ($80-$250)
• iPad ($350-$800)
• Flight Software ($200-$400/yr)
• Charts (mostly digital today)
• Uniform (later)

The true cost lies in Training Instructions and Flight Time (hours) to obtain your Licenses which can be subsidized during Year-1, while learning, by…

• Airport or side jobs
• Military Veteran Benefits
• Airline-Sponsored Cadet programs

What it tuly takes:

• Discipline (airplanes don’t care about your feelings)
• Consistency (fly often, get hours, study often)
• Professionalism (airlines hire adults, not sky cowboys)
• No ego (the sky always punishes ego)
• Patience (400-1,500 fight hours takes time)
• Health (FAA medical exams are unforgiving)

MAKING MONEY: PILOT

(3 Stages: 3-5 Years)

Until licensed you’re an employee (airline or airport) not incurring any college debt.

Once licensed, and airline-ready, here’s how the dollars stack up.

The key, the secret, for the first two years is to accrue flight time (1,500 hours) to obtain your “ATP”.

“First earn 1,500 hours; then the jets, prestige, and paychecks all taxi to your gate.”

STAGE 1: $50K-$100K (1-2 Years)

Most pilots do not start at major airlines.

First flight jobs usually are…

1. Flight Instructor

   • 800-1,200 flight (billable) hs ($40-$75/hr)

   Plus:

   • Private Instructing
   • Flight Gigs (Banners/Photos/Crop Dusting, etc)

   Pay: $45,000-$84,000

2. Charter Pilot

   For openings google/search…

   • Part 135 Charter Operators (air taxis)
   • Fixed Base Operators (FBO)
   • Corporate Flight Departments

   Pay: $60,000-$90,000

3. Small Cargo Operator

   For openings google/search…

   • Part 135 Cargo Operators
   • Air Cargo Charter Companies
   • Air Freight Operators

   Pay: $60,000-$90,000

4. Regional Airline First Officer (Co-Pilot)

   Assuming you’ve approximate 900-1,100 hours accrued.

   You now qualify for a First Officer (Co-Pilot) interview with a Regional Flight carrier (Skywest Airlines, Envoy Air, Republic Airways, PSA Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Horizon Air, Commute Air, etc)

   • Hours (70-80/month)
   • Schedule (15-18 workdays)

   Pay: $80,000-$120,000 (includes Bonuses, Location, Schedule)

STAGE 2: $100K-$200K (2-3 Years)

After building flight hours pilots become a Captain…

1. Regional Airline Captain

   • Hours (70-90/month)
   • Schedule (14-18 workdays)

   Pay: $120,000-$180,000 (includes Bonuses, Location, Schedule)

2. Corporate Jet Pilot (Captain)

   Pay: $120,000-$200,000

3. Cargo Operations (Captain)

   Pay: $120,000-$190,000

4. NetJets/Fractional Operations (Captain)

   Pay: $120,000-$220,000

5. First Officer (FO), a step-up, onto a larger jet (A320, B737, B757), possibly a Major Airline.

   • Base Salary: $90K-$150K
   • International Trips: $10K-$20K
   • Holiday Pay: $5K-$10K
   • Profit Sharing: $5K-$20K

   Pay: $120,000-$200,000

STAGE 3: $300K-$500K (3-5 Years “or slightly more”)

Reality check! Reaching $300,000-$500,000/year for most pilots does not happen within 3-5 years. It requires signifigant flight hours, seniority and often upgading to Captain at a  major airline or Captain at a large corporate aircraft.

“Remember… Cargo Pilots earn as much or more than Passenger Pilots ‘cause boxes don’t complain, cry or demand peanuts.”

Jobs:

• Major Airline Captain (United, Delta, Alaska, etc)
• Cargo Captain (Amazon Air, DHL, Fedex, etc)
• Widebody FO (B777, A350, etc)

Pay:

• Major Airline Captain… $300,000-$500,000/yr
• Major Cargo Captain… $300,000-$500,000/yr
• Large Corporate Jet Captain… $250,000-$450,000/yr

Plus: Don’t forget about

• Overtime?
• Bonus?
• Profit Sharing?

Work Schedule:

• 12-16 workdays/month
• 70-85 flight hours/month

“Fly a big jet, make excellent money, and call turbulence your office comedian”