There is great competition in the industry so you need to be the best you can. Because of this, you need to make sure you, and your resume, stand out from the rest of the crowd. The airline industry can be challenging, even if you have the qualification to be hired in another industry, piloting may still challenge you.
Being a pilot requires a lot of qualification and certification, much like being a doctor that must be completed before you can apply for jobs. If you are missing any qualification of expect experience level can make it next to impossible to get an interview, not to speak about a job offer.
To become a professional pilot you need to have at a minimum a commercial pilot’s certificate and instrument license. You start with a private pilot license, which requires about 50 hours of flight time plus additional ground training. This is the first step to becoming a professional pilot; you can now fly for enjoyment, just not for pay.
The instrument rating gives you the flying skills to fly in the clouds without visual reference. The commercial pilot’s license is required to fly for hire and requires at least 200 hours of flight time and additional training. This is the minimum you need to become an airline pilot. With this, you now can what is required to be paid as a professional pilot.
In addition to the training requirement to become a pilot you also need to be in good health, not perfect but good. Most airlines expect applicants to have a four-year college degree, the exact degree is less of a concern. If possible it help to attend a professional flight school when you train, these programs are best suited to providing you the skills you need. However, you should have a background about the industry where you would like to work at so that you would become a productive member of the industry. To begin flight training you will need to get an FAA medical certificate to show you are in good enough health to fly. In addition to medical certificate, you also have to pass a required airline physical examination, and pass regular FAA medical exams, every six months for captains, once a year for everyone else.
To work in the industry you need to be able to meet these standards and qualifications. Failing to meet any of them might lessen the possibility of you being hired by a company. Also, keep in mind, flying is a very challenging profession so to do well you need to have a positive work attitude on top of the required skills. This includes good interpersonal skills so that you could easily deal with and handle people of different characteristics. This industry is always changing so you need to able to handle the change and find ways to take advantage of what is happening. Becoming an airline pilot is easier than many think, you just need to follow a good, quality plan.
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