Is commercial pilot training a good option?

Career as a Pilot. Is training through the RCAF the best option?

• I'm considering a career as a pilot and I know you need your CPL, but I've heard it can be expensive to go through the training schools. So I'm considering going through ...show more

• Answer:

  (1) You will not obtain any civilian pilots licenses in the military, but you will be able to easily obtain them at low cost based upon military flying experience. (2) All said and done, flight school will very likely cost far more than $40,000 for civilian raining if you decide to go that route instead of the military, or if you cannot qualify to be a military pilot.. (3) Your realistic chances of becoming a military pilot are very low. Thousands of qualified candidates apply every year and only a few hundred are selected. You'll have to be among the "best of the best" to succeed. If you are selected, the minimum time you will have to serve is about 12 years including training. this is in addition to obtaining a 4 year college degree, so you will not be eligible for civilian life again until about age 33-34. (4) On the positive side, ex military pilots have about 90% chance of being hired by an airline after they are released from military service. As a civilian-trained pilot, your chances of getting hired by a major airline are about 50/50 and it will still take you about 10 years to gain a competitive amount of experience.