How do you become an Airline Pilot?

You won't get all the answers here, as someone would need to write an essay. What I will tell you is don't get an aviation diploma, as you would be putting all your eggs in one basket. If you want a degree or diploma, get it in something else that might interest you then get your private licence, and go from there. You can have all your ratings and licences in 6-12 months if you can train 5 days a week. Just google flight schools in your area. The hardest part of aviation isn't the education you need, but actually finding work when you're finished. You'll have 200 or so hours and be heavily in debt, hoping for a ramp job that pays minimum wage. Depending on where you live there may be outside factors that limit a companies ability to hire low time pilots, such as insurance or local industry standards from oil companies etc. If I were giving advice to my son or daughter it would be to just do it, and take it day by day. Don't listen to people who are negative about it, as negativity is always easier than support. I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm a pilot, and yeah it was hard to get the ball rolling but definitley worth it. P.S. Instructing is probably the most common way people start building hours, but it's an extra $9000.00 or so for the rating to instruct. Cheers!

This has been asked thousands of times here. Do a search in this category for "commercial pilot". And seriously, the military wouldn't want you to be a part of it, either.

Check out this website http://www.clearedtodream.org/Home/tabid/1264/Default.aspx Go to Become an Airline Pilot

1. Yes. Your degree can be in anything you want. An aviation degree puts you at a disadvantage because you don't have something to fall back on. Airlines don't care what you majored in. 2. Time, luck and money 3. You sort of answered your own question. Going to college for aviation is a waste of time. You take semester long courses learning about things that you can easily teach yourself by reading a book over a weekend (e.g. reading weather reports). Yes, you do get your pilot ratings at aviation universities. 4. Depends on the route you take. My suggestion is to go to college for a good backup career. Don't worry about flying until you graduate. Once you graduate, go to any flight school you want and work on your ratings. Get your flight instructor certificate and get a job doing that to start building your hours. You'll know what to do next by that time. 5. Luck. It's pretty much all done online now. Jobs at places like Delta airlines only go to pilots who have very good contacts with pilots who already work there. Don't know anybody? You'll never get an interview at Delta. Sorry but that's the way it is. Getting a job at a major airline is very hard. Most pilots won't make it. It takes years of working your way through instructing and regional airlines before you even have a chance. Even then, the jobs really only go to people with good contacts. It's a tough industry. Have a backup plan. Flying planes is great but the job sucks.

I assume you are a high school senior. So here goes #1 a college degree You will be competing with many other qualified pilots both civilian and military with vast experience. You may never get the airline job you want so you should make the most of college. If you are serious start at your local airport find out the cost per hour of flight instruction . Build time 36 hours min for a private pilots license.You dont start at a DELTA .An aviation college FIT ,PERDUE, and others train you thru private ,instrument , commercial ,instructor ,multiengine certification. As an instructor you build time at someone elses expense. Any flying job available check the safety record of the company ,the manitenance log of the owners logbook. Its a very long haul at dam near minimum wage . Why you would want to cross off the military is beyond me.It the best training in the world and uncle sam is paying for it.The commitment is for at least 6 years and you might find you actually like it. Find out what they offer. The airline industry goes thru feast and famine cycles ,many qualified pilots are on furlough right now looking for jobs outside of the industry.You have to have a college degree,or perhaps a background or trade to fall back on. A pilot freind of mine makes a good livieng while also flying for a major cargo airline as an electrician,another as an accountant .another as a financial planner.Im a retired airline pilot it a great career but it takes a lot of luck .Out of the military i had a choice of eastern,twa or American .American paid $25 more per month than the other two so a choose American. See what i mean both twa & eastern are gone luck !! I d give my email but its already overloaded with input best of luck.