The airplane, manufactured in 1960, had been updated with, among other things, a couple of flight data recorders. Their memory cards survived the crash and allowed National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators to trace in minute detail the events that led to it.

The 1,765-hour, instrument-rated commercial pilot, 43, an insurance agent and entrepreneur, had earlier flown a longtime friend from Fayetteville to Stuttgart, Arkansas. The trip took an hour. The friend, who had previously co-owned a Cirrus with the accident pilot and knew him well, reported that the flight was uneventful and that the pilot took off to return to Drake Field in Fayetteville (KFYV) 15 minutes after landing. He said that the pilot had told him that the airplane was fully fueled before they left Fayetteville. 

It was late dusk and a full moon had just risen when the Bonanza, cruising at 4,500 feet, approached Drake Field. Eighteen miles out, it began a gradual descent at about 425 feet per minute. At 10 miles, the pilot called the tower and was cleared to land. 

• READ MORE: Nothing Short of a Fatal Mismatch

When the Bonanza was around 3 miles from Drake, its speed decreased and its rate of descent increased. Six hundred feet above the ground, it started a left turn toward an open field, but before it reached the field its left wing struck a tree and it fell, out of control, to the ground. The airplane came to rest upright but fragmented. There was no fire.

NTSB investigators found nothing wrong with the engine, and there was ample fuel in the main tanks. The auxiliary tanks were empty. The fuel selector was set to the left main.

A decade or two ago an accident like this would have fallen into the “for unknown reasons” category. The electronic data recording devices, however, led the NTSB straight to the probable cause—”the pilot’s mismanagement of the airplane’s fuel system.” 

In order to understand how a man described by his old friend as a “really good” pilot who was “knowledgeable” and “particular” about how he operated an airplane, one must first understand the fuel system of the M35.

The airplane had two main fuel tanks of 25 gallons each and two optional auxiliary tanks of 10 gallons each for a total capacity of 70 gallons. Its 260 hp engine burned around 14 gph in cruise. The fuel injection system of the IO-470, like all Continental fuel injection systems, pumped more fuel than the engine needed and sent the unused portion back to a tank. According to the airplane handbook, the vapor return amounted to 10 gph. If a main tank was selected, the vapor return went to it. If the aux tanks were selected, which fed simultaneously, the vapor fuel went to the left main. 

This arrangement had several implications. One was that even though the engine was burning only 13 or 14 gph, the 20 gallons of auxiliary fuel would be gone in less than 50 minutes. Another was that if the aux tanks were selected before there was space for the return fuel in the left main, the return fuel would be vented overboard. The POH discouraged switching to the auxiliary tanks before the left main was half empty.

• READ MORE: A Cautionary Tale About Pilot Freelancing

 The POH instructed the pilot to take off on the left main (and, without explanation, not to take off with less than 13 gallons in each main). On the trip to Stuttgart, the pilot actually appears to have taken off on the right main and switched to the left six minutes later. After 26 minutes, he selected the aux tanks and continued to feed from them for the remainder of the flight, presumably returning to a main tank shortly before landing. At Stuttgart he had about 54 or 55 gallons of fuel remaining, of which around 8 were in the aux tanks and 24 in the left main.

On the return flight, he burned fuel from the right tank for the first 49 minutes. He then made a fateful decision: He selected the aux tanks. 

Seven minutes later, return fuel from the aux tanks had filled the left main and presumably begun to run out the vent. After another six minutes the fuel pressure began to fluctuate, and then it disappeared entirely. The Bonanza was now 1,400 feet above the runway elevation and several miles out. The remaining 40 seconds of electronic data showed no restoration of fuel pressure.

Evidentally the pilot had selected the left main and was attempting a restart when time and altitude ran out. The NTSB did not speculate about why the engine failed to restart. Presumably there was quite a bit of air in the lines. The pilot did maintain control of the airplane, and although he slowed it to minimum speed before impact, he did not stall it.

The NTSB report credits the pilot with 377 hours in “this make and model,” but it is silent on an important question: Was the fuel system on his previous Bonanza differently configured from that on this one? In an online post, one of the pilot’s associates stated that the Bonanza he was flying “was a new one to him” and “an unfamiliar airplane” but does not say in what way it was unfamiliar.

If the Bonanza he had previously owned lacked the optional auxiliary tanks, it’s possible that the pilot had not yet developed a set of habitual operating procedures for them. If he had, he might not have made the mistake of switching to the aux tanks, which contained only a few gallons of fuel, with little time remaining in the flight and with almost no room for return fuel in the left main. Nor, perhaps—assuming that he had not forgotten how little fuel was left in the aux tanks—would he have placed reliance on the ancient float-type fuel quantity senders, which were prone to drop out entirely at the seldom-visited, near-empty ends of their potentiometers, to keep him from running a tank dry. 

• READ MORE: Two Fatal Cases of the Simply Inexperienced

Maybe, because switching to the fuller main is part of the airplane’s prelanding checklist, he performed a mental calculation—8 gallons in the aux tanks, 10 minutes to landing, reduced flow in the descent—and concluded that there would still be fuel in the aux tanks when he ran his prelanding checks. But in that case he may have forgotten that fuel was being drawn from the aux tanks at nearly double the rate that the engine was using it.

All airplanes have quirks. The Bonanza POH provided an accurate and concise description of the fuel system but did not trace every hypothetical path from a feature to a problem. It’s up to the pilot—especially one becoming acquainted with an unfamiliar airplane—to ensure that a quirk doesn’t turn into a pitfall.

Note: This article is based on the National Transportation Safety Board’s report of the accident and is intended to bring the issues raised to our readers’ attention. It is not intended to judge or reach any definitive conclusions about the ability or capacity of any person, living or dead, or any aircraft or accessory.

This column first appeared in the September Issue 950 of the FLYING print edition.

The post It’s Up to Pilot to Ensure Quirk Doesn’t Turn Into Pitfall appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Learning to fly requires the acquisition of physical skills as well as the absorption of reams of newfound knowledge, theories, and terms unique to flight. All of those who’ve gone before have faced the same challenges. Yet, today’s environment calls for preparing newcomers for some hurdles that are shaped a little differently than the ones seen earlier.

“If this were easy, everybody would be doing it,” as the saying goes. When it comes to flying, truer words were never spoken.

If flying were as simple as driving, it would lose much of its attraction. The challenge of tackling a difficult, even potentially hazardous, endeavor is a reward in itself. And aviation never ceases to present challenges, making it a lifestyle, not a simple course of study.

There’s room for pilots of every stripe—those after a career, the ones needing an adjunct to a business, the seekers of pure recreation, and those wanting another personal travel option. There are challenges in pursuing each of these tracks.

Where Do I Go?

To a beginner, the atmosphere of an airport requires some discernment.

Two distinct sets of airport accommodations have evolved in recent years—the sanitized, secure world of business aviation terminals, with a lobby of polished marble and chrome that carries all the warmth of a dental office, and the semi-abandoned rumpled ambiance of a recreational airport, looking for all the world like a weekend hunting lodge. In both cases, inquiring student pilots may wonder if they are in the right place. Everyone is so taken up with their own tasks that a disoriented stranger may be tempted to look for a bell to ring just to get someone’s attention.

The business terminal probably has an efficient, overworked receptionist, required by security paranoia to guard the doorway to the parking ramp against errant individuals. Somewhere, off in one of the lesser-used rooms, is a flight training desk, to which you will be ushered for your appointment. And sure enough, behind the sterile facade, you will find a break room where pilots can mingle to talk flying around worn chairs.

By comparison, a sport-flying airport’s office may be camouflaged as a lean-to shed on the side of a hangar, where an unmarked door with peeling paint opens onto a disheveled world of abandoned Styrofoam cups and well-thumbed magazines. Strangers are viewed with as much distrust as at the bizjet terminal counter, requiring a proper visa to be shown for admittance. Fear not. Once inducted you’ll be able to claim this homey, lived-in place as your own.

A private club atmosphere in aviation is part of its mystique, but it often leads to misunderstanding by the general public happening to make casual contact. An impression may be given that only those on official business are welcome. As I stress to visitors I escort around our airfield, this is a public facility—treat it as your own, but don’t abuse it. Feel free to park and watch the planes come and go, and walk around all you like.

If we in general aviation don’t make the non-aviator feel welcome, we may find our airport paved over for a strip mall someday.

There’s No Right or Wrong Way

Another source of confusion for learners is the oft-heard objection, “We don’t do it like that,” usually given by a self-appointed, expert old-timer. Pilots who learned to fly 20, 30, or 40 years ago are constantly carping about how the world has gone to hell, how aviation sure isn’t what it used to be, and how much more fun it was back then. This can lead a new pilot to wonder if this diminishing business is worth all the time and treasure they’re putting into it.

And the fact is, things are different today, just as things were different when today’s chronic griper learned to fly two decades ago under conditions then far removed from the world of old-timers of that era. We have more rules now, there’s more traffic around some airports, and everything costs more—but it’s all relative. Today’s learners will naturally adjust to the conditions of this age and will probably tell their kids how cheap flying used to be.

Pilots learning to fly now should ignore doom-and-gloom types and dedicate themselves to the preservation of our freedoms.

Eternal Unpredictability

We live in a time of instant-redo fixes for everything, so it comes as a shock to beginner pilots that things don’t always work out as planned in aviation. There are limitations imposed by weather, airplanes may be down for inspection longer than predicted, and sharing access to an airplane depends on the other person’s success at keeping a schedule. Airplanes are not cars, and we have to learn that they can’t be operated like automobiles.

The risks of aviation must be managed with flexibility. When a preflight inspection turns up a frayed tire, it’s imperative that it be fixed before the airplane flies, even if that means scrubbing today’s mission. It’s not likely that the repair shop will have someone standing by to yank it off while you wait, even if there’s an FBO at the airport with the right tire in stock. Student pilots have to adjust to the reality of being able to fly only if everything works out.

The very day a dual cross-country flight is scheduled as the next lesson on the syllabus, a weather front will stall out across the route. So that carefully plotted learning experience is deferred, and another hour of touch-and-goes is substituted for it. Part of flight training is learning when not to attempt a particular task.

How to Pay for It

Can’t afford to learn to fly? Nothing much has changed in the 63 years since I earned my private license. I finished up $200 in debt, and that represented one-third of the cost of my training. But I knew I should finish the course and then pay off the debt with the certificate earned. My menial job paid but $1 per hour, and I could afford one lesson a week—most weeks.

The point is, as far back as I remember, airplanes have always been expensive luxuries, and if we wanted to fly them, we always had to give up some other part of our life. Saving up a portion of the cost or adding debt to learn to fly is about acquiring discipline, as much a part of aviation as life itself. I wish I could hand out free scholarships to every deserving learner, but the fact is, nobody makes a big profit from light aviation. Your flight school is probably already in negative cash flow, so don’t expect freebies unless you trade out work for air time.

As daunting as the financial hurdle appears, it can be cleared with sacrifice and extra work. Take on a second or third job, keep the old car running, and dedicate yourself to achieving something unique—your pilot’s certificate.

You’re Not All That Different

You may think you can’t fly because you don’t see a lot of pilots like you.

Look beyond the classification you think you’re in. Airplanes don’t see your differences—they are going to treat you the same as anyone else when you grab hold of the controls. You are becoming a pilot—period. Not a hyphenated, first-of-your-kind, special pilot, but a pilot like all the others you see in the break room.

More than most aspects of society, aviation has been a great equalizer. If you prove yourself by earning wings, you’ll be accepted as what you are, a pilot like all the rest. That’s not to say you can’t run into a thick-skulled, bigoted idiot in your flying journey, but they are rarer than you’ll find in less demanding activities.

Don’t ask for your flaws to be overlooked, just expect to be given the same training as all the other learners and become the pilot you want to be.

Terminology

Aviation’s lexicon can be perplexing because it’s new and strange.

Wading through the myriad acronyms, terms, and phraseology is one of the biggest obstacles I see learners struggling against. Even longtime aviators sometimes call the FAA “the FFA” when they get their mouth in front of their brains. V-speeds can be arcane because they have two meanings—a number to fly and a statement of purpose. Radio use has both an official distinctness, as set forth by the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), and a broader application in everyday use, when one seldom hears the term “over.”

The cure for becoming lost in the jargon is to study and listen. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification when a term leaves you baffled. When you took up golf, you probably didn’t know a mulligan from a bogey, but you learned. Two of the least-used features of training texts are the glossary and index, supplanted by Google-ization. The publishers went to considerable trouble to include them, so use them to look up a term that baffles you.

Should ATC throw you a string of gobbledygook instead of a preconceived response, fall back on basic English to ask for clarification. Better to be thought a fool than to proceed blindly and remove all doubt. 

I can’t remove all your training obstacles, but I can assure you that you’ll have plenty of company as you climb over them. Knowing that you’re not the first to deal with them makes the job less challenging.  

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Plane & Pilot.

The post Negotiating the Flight Training Obstacle Course appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Greg Robbins, president of Aviation Supplies & Academics, has been recognized for his efforts by the University Aviation Association as this year’s recipient of the W.W. Estridge Award.

The award was created to recognize industry representatives who have made significant contributions to collegiate aviation education while being actively involved in the UAA. To be nominated, a person must be working in aviation and have distinguished themselves as a strong supporter of aviation education.

Robbins has been with ASA for 16 years, first as a salesman and then in 2022 became the owner of the company. In addition to overseeing one of the larger aviation education suppliers in the country, he also holds a commercial pilot certificate with multiengine, instrument, and seaplane ratings.

About the Award

The award is named for former American Airlines Captain Walter W. Estridge Jr., described as a distinguished aviator and advocate for collegiate aviation education.

Estridge flew in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, the Berlin Airlift, and Korean War. After separating from the military he went to work at American Airlines, working with the air carrier for 31 years as a pilot  and instructor. He accumulated approximately 25,000 flight hours.

Outside of the cockpit, Estridge worked with the Air Transport Association (ATA) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) training committees. He was recognized for this with the IATA’s Brevet Award, as Estridge predicted that colleges and universities would soon play a vital role in the creation of airline pilots. That award was created to honor those who continue to forge the link between aviation education and industry leaders who rely on the learners coming out of colleges and universities.

The post ASA President Earns W.W. Estridge Award appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Redbird director of STEM education Greg Roark wants to get students thinking about what they want to do after high school—the earlier, the better. For kids interested in aviation, the future career options are vast, including everything from aircraft maintenance and air traffic control to flying 

When school districts partner with Redbird, its students have the opportunity to explore  these options and more. The company offers simulation options ranging from desktop products to FAA-approved flight training devices (FTDs), colloquially known as simulators. 

“[Schools] can do everything from experiential types of things through aviation with our simulators all the way up to producing pilots with various levels of certification,” Roark said.

With the help of Redbird, high school students can gain relevant, real-world experience and have the opportunity to achieve industry certifications from the FAA before graduation. This provides them with a wealth of knowledge when they finally take to the skies.

“When they get on the flight deck, they’ve already been there,” Roark said.

Roark, a former classroom teacher, is still motivated by helping kids learn and watching them develop a growing passion for aviation. Now he impacts classrooms across the entire country. 

“I was a classroom teacher for a long time before I came to Redbird,” Roark said. “Many times, we sort of forget how kids learn. When you create opportunities for them and let them show you what is possible, it’s humbling.”

Roark has experienced that humbling sensation with multiple kids, including past students who have gone on to pursue full-time careers in aviation. 

“You have these people that come into your classroom and you know instantly that there is something special,” Roark said.

As Roark works to make simulation-fueled education accessible to more kids in more places, he urges educators and other school leaders to consider how they can best serve the students in their schools—whether that means bringing aviation education to elementary students or building full scale high school programs. 

“It is all about what is right for your school, your stakeholders and your communities,” Roark said. “What does success look like for you, for your students?”

Once a school district decides to integrate simulation into their aeronautics programs, it often becomes a question of how. Funds are not always readily available, but Roark encourages school leaders to explore potential grants. He also urges school districts to consider local fundraising as a viable option.

Ultimately, he is dedicated to helping schools and parents find ways to engage children in the future of aviation.

“We will find a pathway,” Roark said.

School districts and parents interested in learning more about aviation education options can contact Roark at groark@redbirdflight.com.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY Redbird Flight Simulations

Click here to learn more about Redbird Flight Simulations.

The post Simulators Encourage Students to Pursue Careers in Aviation appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

• Best of Florida: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Best of Georgia: Aero Atlanta Flight Center
• Best of South Carolina: Stratos Aviation
• Best of North Carolina: Blue Line Aviation
• Best of other Southeastern states: ATP Flight School

5 Flight Schools in the Southeast U.S.

The Southeast U.S. is a prime location for flight training due to its great weather, abundance of airports, and high aviation industry presence.

As a result, the Southeast offers a diverse range of top-tier flight schools catering to various pilot aspirations.

Whether your dream is to obtain a private pilot certificate or to get into the cockpit of a major airline jet, there is a flight school for everyone.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Best of: Florida

Florida is home to many high-quality flight schools. With its great weather year-round and wealth of airports, many aspiring pilots come to this state in pursuit of their flying dreams.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), for example, is renowned for its aviation programs. ERAU is an accredited and FAA Part 141-certified institution, meaning it offers structured, syllabus-led programs that produce professional-level pilots with bachelor’s degrees.

Check out other top flight schools and reasons to choose to conduct flight training in Florida.

Location: Daytona Beach

Tuition and Fees: $65,738 per academic year (fall/spring) plus $23,000-$33,000 per year for flight fees for the first two years and $10,000-$15,000 for the third year of flight training

• Private Pilot ASEL: $33,503
• Instrument: $16,924
• Commercial Pilot ASEL: $23,468
• Commercial Pilot AMEL Add-On: $15,137
• Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL: $16,508
• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII): $8,299
• Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI): $7,390

Financial Assistance: Yes; private loans and financial aid are available.

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length: 3-4 years

Endorsements: Private Pilot ASEL, Instrument, Commercial Pilot ASEL, Commercial Pilot AMEL Add-On, Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL, Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII), Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI), ATP-CTP

Fleet: Cessna 172, Diamond DA42-VI

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: No

Aero Atlanta Flight Center

Best of: Georgia

With more than 800 aviation and aerospace companies based in Georgia, the state is one of the largest hubs for the industry.

As a result, companies such as Aero Atlanta Flight Center are based here, boasting state-of-the-art facilities and a modern fleet of aircraft. As one of the fastest-growing Platinum Cirrus Training Centers nationwide, Aero Atlanta Flight Center trains confident pilots capable of operating high-performance and technically advanced aircraft.

Check out other top flight schools and reasons to choose to conduct flight training in the state of Georgia.

Location: Atlanta and Kennesaw, Georgia

Tuition and Fees:

• Private Pilot ASEL: $31,604-$42,575
• Instrument: $28,000-$36,850

Financial Assistance: No

Accreditation: No

Program Length: 3-4 months per rating

Endorsements: Private Pilot ASEL, Instrument

Fleet: Cirrus SR-20, Cessna 172

Job Placement: No

Virtual Learning: Yes, for certain portions of ground school offered by companies such as Pilot Institute

Stratos Aviation

Best of: South Carolina

Most of the flight training in South Carolina is conducted by experienced instructors in modern aircraft.

 One of those flight schools, Stratos Aviation, offers comprehensive flight training programs in a safe and modern learning environment. It focuses on equipping new pilots with the skills needed for confidence, proficiency, and safety in aviation. It also instills a deep sense of respect for flight and risk management in their students.

Location: Greenville and West Columbia

Tuition and Fees: Catered to each student’s needs. Call the Greenville location at 864-272-6268 or the Columbia location at 803-998-2200.

Financial Assistance: No

Accreditation: No

Program Length: 3-4 months per rating

Endorsements: Private Pilot ASEL, Instrument, Commercial Pilot ASEL, Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL, Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII)

Fleet: Cirrus SR-20, Cessna 172, Piper PA-28

Job Placement: No

Virtual Learning: Yes, for certain portions of ground school offered by companies such as Sporty’s

Blue Line Aviation

Best of: North Carolina

FLYING’s Flight School Guide is a tool to help students find a flight school, aviation college, or university that’s right for them.

Per the guide, Blue Line Aviation is considered to be one of the top flight schools in the country. It is the perfect fit for student pilots looking to be immersed in training from day one.

Its short, accelerated training schedule gives life to a new career in months. The flight school’s Career Pilot Program takes students from zero time to a MEI in just five and a half months for $115,000.

Location: Smithfield

Tuition and Fees:

• Private Pilot ASEL: $17,500
• Instrument: $16,000
• Commercial Pilot ASEL: $45,500
• Commercial Pilot AMEL Add-On: $7,500- $20,500
• Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL: $16,000
• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII): $8,000
• Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI): $18,000

Financial Assistance: Yes

Accreditation: No

Program Length:

• Private Pilot ASEL: 6 weeks
• Instrument: 4 weeks
• Commercial Pilot ASEL: 6 weeks
• Commercial Pilot AMEL Add-On: 3-10 days
• Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL: 10 days
• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII): 5 days
• Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI): 1-2 weeks

Endorsements: Private Pilot ASEL, Instrument, Commercial Pilot ASEL, Commercial Pilot AMEL Add-On, Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL, Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII), Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI)

Fleet: Diamond DA42-VI, Diamond DA40, Diamond DA20, Piper Archer

Job Placement: No

Virtual Learning: Yes, for certain portions of ground school offered by companies such as Gold Seal

ATP Flight School

Best of: Other Southeastern states

ATP Flight School is the largest flight training establishment in the U.S.. Its nationwide network of 78 training centers located in 33 states allows for more efficient scheduling and instructor/examiner availability.

ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program is one of the fastest professional pilot programs in the country, with a completion time of as little as nine months. If a student is considering becoming a professional airline pilot, this may be the most efficient path to reach that goal.

Locations: Birmingham, Alabama; Little Rock, Arkansas; Louisville, Kentucky; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Memphis, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; Leesburg, Virginia; Manassas, Virginia;, Norfolk, Virginia;; and Richmond, Virginia

Tuition and Fees:

• Airline Direct Track: $185,000
• Airline Career Pilot Program: $86,995- $108,995 (depending on previous experience)
• ATP-CTP: $4,295

Financial Assistance: Yes

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

• Airline Direct Track: 11 months
• Airline Career Pilot Program: 6-9 months (depending on previous experience)
• ATP-CTP: 7 days

Endorsements: Private Pilot ASEL, Instrument, Commercial Pilot ASEL, Commercial Pilot AMEL, Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ASEL, Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII), Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI), ATP-CTP

Fleet: Cessna 172, Piper Archer, Piper Seminole

Job Placement: Yes, pathways to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and more with ATP’s 38 airline partnerships

Virtual Learning: Yes, for certain portions of ground school offered by companies such as Angle of Attack

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Flight School

There are several factors that should be a requirement to consider before committing to a flight school. Let’s explore some of the most important ones.

Location and Weather Conditions

Flight training locations with good weather year-round allow for more flight time, resulting in accelerated training. Choosing a flight school in the Southeast U.S. allows pilots to take advantage of flight training regardless of the season.

Curriculum and Certification Programs

Understanding the curriculum and certification programs offered by the different flight schools allows students to stay focused on their goals as they progress through flight training. Some schools specialize in specific areas, such as obtaining a private pilot certificate and instrument rating, while others are in business to train and develop commercial pilots.

Aircraft Fleet and Maintenance

Learning about each school’s aircraft fleet (i.e., age, size, type) and maintenance program allows students to understand fleet availability. Larger fleets, modern airplanes, and in-house maintenance programs provide for better fleet availability, resulting in accelerated flight training.

Flight Instructor Qualifications and Experience

The quality of flight instructors significantly impacts a student’s learning progress and their ability to complete flight training on schedule. Researching the reputation and qualifications of the instructors at each flight school can provide valuable insights into the learning environment a student can expect.

Cost and Financial Aid Options

The overall cost of flight training, including tuition, flight hours, and additional fees is steep and should be thoroughly considered before choosing a flight school. Students should also investigate which financial aid options, scholarships, and payment plans are available to relieve some of the stress of paying for flight training.

Job Placement Assistance

A strong network and partnership programs can help students connect with career opportunities soon after graduation. Promptly finding a job after completing flight training can help alleviate the stress of accrued flight training costs.

Kick-Start Your Flight Training Today

If your dream is to fly, one of the first steps any aspiring pilot must take is to choose the flight school that will guide them on the path to achieving this dream. Whether it is to obtain a private pilot license (PPL) or become an airline pilot, there is a flight school for everyone.

We hope you enjoyed this curated list of the best flight schools in the Southeast U.S.. We encourage you to apply for an exploration flight and discover for yourself what each flight school has to offer.

FAQ

Which state in the Southeast has the best flight schools?

Florida is home to many high-quality flight schools. With its great weather year-round and abundance of airports, many aspiring pilots come to this state in pursuit of their flying dreams.

What is the best school of aviation in the Southeastern U.S.?

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is renowned for its school of aviation in the U.S.

Where is Florida Flyers Flight Academy ranked?

Florida Flyers Flight Academy is ranked No. 1 among the best flight schools in the Southeast U.S.

The post Best Flight Schools in the Southeastern U.S. appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Meanwhile, many airlines are actively hiring for one particular behind-the-scenes job. Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) are in high demand throughout the United States and around the world.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates four percent growth for aircraft and avionics mechanics through 2032. Aviation training company CAE projects a need for 138,000 AMTs by 2033. While only two out of the five largest U.S. airlines are currently hiring pilots, all of them are hiring AMTs.

• READ MORE: AMT Day Offers Opportunity to Inspire Next Generation

AMTs play a critical role in the world of aviation and becoming one opens the door to a challenging and rewarding career. Here is what you need to know about being an Aviation Maintenance Technician:

What Is an AMT?

AMT is the term for a licensed aircraft mechanic in the United States. There are two ratings under the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification for AMTs: airframe and powerplant. Most jobs require applicants to have both, with the term “A&P” (airframe and powerplant) often being used interchangeably with AMT.

What Do They Do?

The role of an AMT is wide-ranging. AMTs can work on any type of aircraft, ranging from small general aviation planes to widebody jumbo jets. Similarly, AMTs can perform maintenance of all parts of an aircraft. An AMT’s work can consist of anything from making a small pre-departure repair to an airliner at an airport gate to working on an engine overhaul in a hangar.

As a result, there are diverse career prospects for AMTs. While many choose to work for airlines, there are also opportunities to work for other employers like business and charter companies, government bodies, and maintenance contractors.

How Much Do They Make? 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for aircraft mechanics in 2023 was $75,400. The median annual pay for those working at airlines was $101,500

How Do I Become One?

The FAA requires AMTs to meet a set of basic requirements before they can be licensed. Prospective AMTs must be at least 18 years of age and be fluent in English. In addition, they must meet either a training or experience requirement.

AMTs can meet the training requirement by graduating from an FAA-approved Aviation Maintenance Technician school or by completing the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council training course for military personnel.

Alternatively, they can demonstrate that they have had 18 months of practical work experience with airframes or powerplants or 30 months of experience with both systems.

After meeting these requirements, an AMT must pass three FAA exams (written, oral, and practical) before they can be licensed.

How Long Is AMT School?

Most AMT training programs are designed to be completed between 14 and 24 months. The exact length can depend on the program and student.

Students learn about a wide variety of topics to prepare them for their future careers. Upon completing AMT school, graduates can apply for the FAA AMT certification.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post AMT Jobs Could Be Part of Aviation’s Next Hiring Boom appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Over 2,000 simulator enthusiasts, a new attendance record, gathered in the comfort of the air conditioning inside the Rio Las Vegas Hotel & Convention Center while near-record heat scorched the city’s world-famous strip and surrounding desert.

Here are the news highlights from FlightSimExpo 2024:

Flight Simulation Software

Development teams from the two most popular flight simulator software titles provided updates on their current and future development schedules, outlining new features:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS2024): MSFS2024 will be a new, stand-alone, flight simulator—not an update to the current MSFS software, with a planned launch date of November 19. Jorg Neumann and Sebastian Wloch, who together head up the development of the MSFS software titles and represent a worldwide workforce of 800 employees, took the stage on Saturday afternoon and shared some key highlights about the upcoming 2024 release:

• Airliner news was the main focus of the new aircraft updates, with the development team confirming that the Airbus A330, Boeing 737 Max, A400M, Twin Otter and Stemme S12 glider will be new aircraft expected at launch. Also announced were real airline liveries, adding to the overall realism and immersion in-sim. 
• Approximately 30 different types of ground vegetation will enhance the ground scenery and the changes of season, a new feature in MSFS 2024.
• Improved and more accurate flight dynamics, including aircraft wake turbulence, which will disperse in-sim after six minutes. New to MSFS 2024, the improved CFD model will cause trees and vegetation to bend and move in reaction to jet wash.
• Improved cloud modeling, which will include cirrus clouds and improved cloud lighting
• A working replay function, allowing users to capture video replays from in-sim will make its debut in MSFS2024, a sorely missed function of the current MSFS software
• A team from Microsoft will be back at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2025. The company has attended the last few years of the show, exposing real-world pilots and aviation enthusiasts to the flight simulation experience. They will miss Oshkosh 2024 due to its proximity to the MSFS2024 launch.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020): The team recapped a few highlights about MSFS 2020. In four years, the development team issued 48 updates, had over 15 million unique members, and over 1 billion total flight sessions—all since the August 2020 launch. Community developers and members have built over 5,000 add-ons, including aircraft, features, challenges/events, airports, and other scenery. These items have helped to enrich the experience and speak to the dedication and passion in the flight simulation community supporting MSFS. Calming the flight sim community’s concerns that MSFS 2020 would not be supported after the launch of MSFS 2024,  Neumann confirmed that MSFS 2020 will continue to be updated monthly until 2028.  Watch the full update video here. 

• READ MORE: Taking Risks at a Trio of Mount Rainier Airstrips, Virtually

X-Plane 12 (XP-12): Sim pilots of the popular flight sim title can expect performance updates as early as Q3/Q4 of 2024. These will be driven by structural updates to the software, allowing XP12 to utilize multicore CPU processing, providing better overall sim performance. The development team at X-Plane is also working on a user-tunable visual improvement to the light exposure in the cockpit, allowing a greater degree of detail in the cockpit in sunny conditions. The X-Plane store is being updated to be fully integrated into the XP12 software. It has always been a separate marketplace, found on the web, and will now offer the X-Plane developers greater control over the quality of third-party add-ons and will benefit developers with increased digital rights management controls.

Artificial Intelligence

AI was a main theme of the expo presenters, as software developers were keen on incorporating the technology’s advanced learning capabilities into new applications for use in flight simulation. Falling costs for premium AI services allowed some developers of AI-driven software products to lower their monthly subscription fees, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience. 

Development in the flight simulator industry occurs at an extremely rapid pace as evidenced by a new category of software add-ons providing AI-powered air traffic control services to flight sim pilots looking to replace the “stock” ATC that comes with popular flight simulation software titles.

• SayIntentions.AI is a service that works for both MSFS and X-Plane 11/12, offering full VFR and IFR AI-powered ATC services and new functions, including a flight instructor whom users are encouraged to have a conversation with while flying. Other new features include a tour guide for sightseeing and three versions of AI cabin crews for sim pilots flying airliners. With a touch of showmanship, the chief technology officer of the company happily announced a new lower monthly subscription price of $19.95, down from an earlier price of $29.95.
• FlyShirley.com is an AI service paired with X-Plane 12 that was described as an AI-powered coach, copilot, and guide for all of your flight simulator adventures. Interestingly, you can ask “Shirley” to tell you the weather ahead or recommend a nearby airport with favorable winds. See if this AI companion is for you with a free trial available at the company’s website.

Hardware

Hardware updates were the second most popular category of announcements at FlightSimExpo 2024:

WinWing: It drew big applause from the crowd by announcing new and lower priced EFIS and CDU controls to be paired with popular A320 and 737 aircraft in both MSFS and X-Plane 11/12. The company also teased a full set of fighter jet controls, avionics, throttles, and switch panels in an impressive launch video. Check out the WinWing hardware on a new flight simulator chassis called Dogfight Dynamics—also new to Flight Sim Expo 2024 (see photo below).

FliteSim.com: The new entrant to the flight sim hardware market announced the successful completion of its recent Indiegogo campaign and the shipping dates for its first production run of a competitively priced force feedback yoke. Two models are available, offering different strengths of resistance.

The base CLS-60 comes with a yoke design modeled after the C172, with a 737 yoke available for purchase as a do-it-yourself upgrade. Also available is a stronger 120N motor that can also be replaced if the user wants more force feedback offered by the stock 60N unit.

• READ MORE: Remembering the Most Successful Carrier-Based WWII Fighter

The CLS-60 offers a maximum pitch force of 13.5 pounds, and the CLS-120 offers a maximum pitch force of 27 pounds, which company founder Fabian Lim, an accomplished real-world pilot, equated to “a real workout.”

Both the CLS-60 and 120 yokes offer tunable behavior for all envelopes of flight, so the user can dial in the realism for the aircraft they fly. Units are available to order now (see photo below).

New Aircraft

No flight simulator expo would be complete without a quick update from flight sim development studios announcing new aircraft launching into MSFS and X-Plane.

Building airliner-sized aircraft can be a multiyear undertaking involving small teams dedicated to getting the flight model and all the complex systems right. Many developers work with real-world pilots of these aircraft to make sure they are authentic representations of the real-world machines. Thousands of hours of software development and thousands of photographs combine into models that are highly accurate.

• Bluebird Simulations announced a new Boeing 757 model coming to MSFS later this year, with a Boeing 767 and 787 to follow. It shared photos of measurements being taken on the flight deck of a real aircraft and that laser scanning was done to increase rhetorical accuracy. Committed to unparalleled visual and systems accuracy, the yoke is modeled to be accurate down to a few millimeters in size. 
• For those pilots wishing to experience the golden age of jet airliners, Nimbus Simulations announced the Boeing 707 being developed for X-Plane 12, complete with full working systems and modeling.

The team here at FLYING will continue to bring you updates from the world of flight simulation, including news and flight sim hardware reviews. 

The post Highlights From FlightSimExpo 2024 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

If this happens, you may want to consider going up for an hour of dual instruction with a CFI who specializes in the area you had difficulty in—like crosswinds or short field landings.

Provided the mistake wasn’t something egregious, resulting in bent metal or broken FARs, go out and practice that particular maneuver on your own—and hold yourself accountable to assigned metrics.

Anatomy of a Proficiency Flight

A proficiency flight should always begin with a pre-brief. If you are on your own, it can be self-talk with “this is what I want to accomplish on this flight; these are the metrics I seek to achieve.” And then hold yourself accountable to those metrics, and if they are not met, determine what changes need to happen to fix the situation.

For example, “I want to land on the first third of the runway with full flaps, but I keep landing long and slightly fast. I need to pay more attention to achieving a stabilized approach. I can do this by calling out my airspeeds on each leg of the pattern as I adjust the configuration of the aircraft.”

If you are flying with a CFI, the pre-brief can be the most important part of the flight. Describe the challenge you had in detail. Saying you “had a bad landing” doesn’t really help because there are so many variables that can result in that. Were you too fast? Behind the airplane?

• READ MORE: Separation Anxiety: When Your Instructor Moves on, Your Logbook Tells the Story

Was your pattern altitude all over the place? The CFI can’t help you fix it unless we know what it is we’re fixing.

Insist the CFI verbalize the procedure to correct the problem before you get in the airplane. Airplanes are terrible classrooms, and that can add to the frustration. If it’s the pattern and landings that are the issue, for example, try diagramming the pattern on a whiteboard, paying special attention to the required airspeeds, altitude, and aircraft configuration. Using a model aircraft to fly a tabletop pattern while reciting these metrics can also be helpful.

Let the instructor know what you expect of them during the flight. If you want them to be quiet and simply be there as a safety measure just in case things start to go sideways, let them know. If you want the instructor to offer real-time suggestions, say so, and be ready to accept their input.

Are You Knowledge Proficient?

You have to remember so many things as a pilot that it is easy for your knowledge to get a little soft. When was the last time you reviewed something in the FAR/AIM or read a chapter from the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge or Airplane Flying Handbook—without it being part of a check ride or flight review?

Just as we make time to fly those takeoffs and landings in excess of the three within 90 days for currency, a good pilot should make the time to review the knowledge required to hold their certificate.

Normalization of Deviance

Pilots sometimes make excuses for soft spots that can result in greater issues known as normalization of deviance, a psychological term for deviation from proper behavior or a rule becoming culturally normalized. In aviation these can be shortcuts or avoidance that pilots rationalize—and they can come back to bite you. We’ve all read those accident reports where the pilot was significantly out of currency, and therefore proficiency, but went ahead with the technically challenging flight with disastrous results.

• READ MORE: Make Flight Reviews for CFIs Worthwhile

Rationalization is dangerous in aviation. For example, some pilots fall into a pattern of avoidance of airspace, flying elaborate zigzag routing because they don’t want to ask for a clearance through controlled airspace. They rationalize it by saying, “I don’t go into Class D airspace because I don’t want to talk to the tower” or “The tower is too busy.” The request to transition the airspace is often a less than 10-second conversation.

Another example is the pilot who avoids nontowered airports because “it is too much work to see and avoid and self-announce at the same time.” This is very limiting, because the majority of airports in the U.S. are nontowered, and that is not likely to change.

Commit to Proficiency: The CFI Perspective

One of the challenges of the normalization of deviance is trying to determine what was lost in translation: Where did the pilot pick up this bad habit? Was it from a CFI? Flying with a buddy? Something they read online? “My instructor told me…” is the aviation version of “they said” and definitely should signal the need to find another source of that information, preferably FAA-approved material such as the FAR/AIM.

When a pilot comes to a CFI seeking a proficiency flight, that doesn’t mean the instructor should look for opportunities to shred them. I say this because I’ve seen very skilled and experienced pilots walk out of a business because of the attitude of the CFI tasked with the proficiency flight. The CFI was almost hostile, as if flying with an already-certificated pilot was beneath them. Granted, the one or two hours of proficiency flying are not as lucrative as teaching an entire certificate or rating, but you’re being paid to teach, and it is adding hours to your logbook.

• READ MORE: Who Is Teaching? Low Time and Social Media Make for a Bad Combo

Listen to what the pilot seeking training wants. It can be very frustrating to the pilot needing dual instruction when paired with a CFI who has their own agenda. The pilot says, “I want to regain my multiengine currency and proficiency,” and the CFI or flight school desk person hears, “I want to get my multiengine rating.”

Study for Proficiency

Online ground schools, such as King Schools, Sporty’s, and Gold Seal to name a few, are also very helpful in maintaining knowledge proficiency. CFIs may find it useful to “test fly them” before being recommended to clients.

Have you ever heard of someone retaking a ground school for the sake of proficiency? I have and I applaud them for it. In one of the face-to-face courses I taught, there was a father who held a CFI certificate in the class because he wanted to teach his children to fly. But it had been so long since he exercised the privileges of his certificate, he wanted the refresher. He was an airline pilot and had been taking online flight instructor refresher clinics to keep his CFI active but realized that wasn’t enough to maintain his teaching proficiency.

It is incumbent on all instructors and pilots to embrace a culture that encourages proficiency training. Remember this warning: Be humble in aviation, or aviation will humble you.

This column first appeared in the May 2024/Issue 948 of FLYING’s print edition.

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For some, a good internal compass—not the literal kind but the figurative one—makes it easy for you to identify the moves to make to set you on course. For others, pursuing the dream of learning to fly may feel too abstract to turn into reality.

First off, what does “learn to fly” mean for you? Is it the ability to fly for yourself, with friends and family, for a business, or to own an airplane? Or is it the first stage in an aviation career?

Either way, you start with an initial pilot certification—either a light sport or private pilot certificate—as your first goal. That will give you the ability to fly a light airplane with one engine, about the same size as a car (with wings). And you can generally take a couple of people with you essentially anywhere in the United States—and abroad, in a U.S.-registered airplane.

We’ll talk about how you do that and some other ideas to consider along the way in this special section on learning to fly in this issue. It’s really up to you how far you want to take this dream.

But to kick things off, here are our top 10 key elements to transforming your fantasies of flight into action. It will be your move next.

1. Pick the Right Kind of Influence(r)

That’s a mentor, not a person you follow on Instagram. Yes, we love to follow the latest and greatest exploits of pilots (or those posing as pilots) online, on all the socials from TikTok to YouTube. And there’s some great stuff out there in the metaverse. But there’s also a lot of garbage and a lot of stupid pilot tricks posing as cool flights to try for yourself.

That’s why finding an IRL person to talk with about your pilot journey is so important. Arguably this person should not be your instructor (we’ll get to that in a sec), and often it shouldn’t be a family member. You want someone with experience as the kind of pilot you want to be—and a good sense of who you are so they can help guide you through the rough spots.

They can also help you separate the awesomeness from the “don’t-try-this-at-home” videos out there.

• READ MORE: Sporty’s Launches 2024 Learn to Fly Courses

2. Choose a Good Instruction Program

This can be a flight school, university or college program, military appointment, or local Civil Air Patrol, Commemorative Air Force hangar, or EAA chapter-led course. Think about what appeals to you, as well as what you have access to near your home base.

You may be willing to set aside a couple of years of your life and move to a different part of the country—or world—to go after ratings with a specific college or academy, if you plan to pursue an aviation career. But for most folks, the initial certificate should come close to home. That’s going to (typically) cost less money and time to achieve.

3. Identify How You Learn Best

Everyone has a style in which they absorb—and retain—information best. This will drive what instructor you pick and how you structure your personal approach to training. While you may think, “I love watching videos,” that may not ultimately be the best way for you to learn. Even for visual learners, taking in data passively allows a lot of the critical stuff to skip off the surface after you’ve hit pause.

Most people need to hear, see, and do in order to process—and for actual learning to occur. That’s why good training programs deliver the info in several ways, and then ask you to check your recall with questions or application of the material.

4. Find an Instructor Who Speaks to You

As we established in No. 3, everyone learns differently—and this has a direct bearing on whom you should choose as an instructor. While you may have that initial person chosen for you if you’re in a structured training program, you almost always have some flexibility to change instructors if there are concerns.

Here’s the big one: You need to understand what this person is trying to tell you on the ground before you get into the airplane. If you have trouble understanding them because of a language barrier, take steps to correct that. If you have other reasons that they fail to get critical information to you while flying, that’s just as big of an issue.

Make a change, if you need to. You and your CFI won’t be best friends, necessarily, but you should be able to conduct a pleasant business-style relationship with that kind of positive rapport.

• READ MORE: FLYING Launches Learn to Fly Kit

5. Take the Knowledge Test

In the process of getting your certificate, you’ll take both a knowledge exam (known as the “written,” though it is almost always conducted online) and a practical test or check ride. If you knock out the knowledge test, you assure yourself of two things—first, that you have assimilated a good portion of the information you need to master to understand what’s going on during your flight lessons, and second, you will have conquered any test anxiety that you have in order to achieve a passing score.

You can take the course online to prepare yourself, or you can work within the syllabus of your training program to achieve it. But checking this box early will tell you a lot about how you’ll do for the remainder of your training.

6. Save Up for Solo

Flight training costs money. Whether you are self-funding (read, paying your own way) or securing funds from your parents, a grant or scholarship, or other sources, you’ll need between $10,000 and $18,000 to complete an initial course, depending on where you are in the U.S. and what kind of airplane you fly.

It really hurts your training progress if you have to pause during the course because you’ve run out of money. This is especially true during the phase before your first solo flight—when a lot of concepts come together for you to master. Therefore, you need enough funds to complete about 20 hours of dual flight, so that you don’t have to pause for that reason before you solo and lose ground that will take more time to relearn.

7. Set Aside 10 Hours a Week to Learn, Minimum

Flight training extracts a time penalty as well as a cost—and you will gladly immerse yourself in the magic of flight if you can do it. But if you’re learning to fly while outside of a full-time university, college, or academy program, you will need to be honest about the time you can allocate to ground study and flights.

For most, 10 hours makes for a good minimum weekly investment. If you can’t commit this much time each week, between home study and flight/ground lessons with your instructor, hold off on the commencement of training until you can. You’ll save money and frustration in the long run.

8. Know You’ll Plateau

Everyone who has ever learned to fly has leveled off in their learning. Instructors call this a “plateau”—but it doesn’t have to feel like a brick wall. It may be your life. It may be the weather. It may be landings you just can’t get dialed. But it will happen to you.

If you know this from a logical standpoint—that something is just going to take your brain longer to integrate, for whatever reason—you’re less inclined to feel frustrated or discouraged when it happens. You can address it by taking a weekend off, flying with another instructor, or just going up for fun.

Sure, it will still get you down. But even Bob Hoover had his bad days.

9. Prep for the Check Ride

There are a wide range of practical test preparation guides that will help you understand all you need to know in order to pass the check ride when the time comes. Having command of the material will help you combat any nervousness you feel on the big day.

But what other important elements are there to consider? You need to eat (a light meal) and drink (water is best) and rest well. In the days leading up to the test, you may toss and turn a bit the night before, but that won’t stymie you if you’ve gone into the home stretch with gas in your tank. Also, make sure you take at least one practice exam with another CFI. They will help find any weak spots and give you more confidence that it isn’t just luck propelling you forward.

10. Make Your Next Dream Come True

Once the check ride is over, don’t let your dream end there. Leave yourself one wish unfulfilled, so that you have something to strive for. It may be buying an airplane, working toward taking your family on a vacation flying, or pursuing an instrument rating. We’ll give you all the ideas you need in the pages of FLYING—so keep those issues coming too.

This feature first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Learn to Fly in ’24: Helping Your Pursuit of the Dream appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Leadership on the flight deck sets those apart from the general pilot population—and there are ways to build your capabilities in this regard with greater assumption of authority along the way. We spoke with longtime FLYING contributor Pia Bergqvist about her journey from a well-rounded general aviation pilot to the left seat of a regional airliner—and, most recently, to the right seat of a Boeing 737 for a major U.S. airline. Her experience illuminates one way to accomplish the goal of becoming an airline pilot, and in this Q&A she shares her tips for being prepared when the opportunity knocks:

FLYING Magazine (FM): How did you know you wanted to pursue a career as a professional pilot, and specifically as an airline pilot?

Pia Bergqvist (PB): I grew up in Sweden and dreamed of being a pilot since I was 8 years old. Unfortunately, the challenge in researching the path to get there in the era before the internet, along with the fact that I was a woman desiring a very male-dominated profession, made my dream job seem unattainable.

• READ MORE: Airline Pilots Must Not Dismiss Mental Well-Being

I finally began pursuing my career in my late 20s. One of the first things I did was to become a member of Women in Aviation International, and I attended the conference in 2000. I remember visiting several airline booths and being blown away by all the women who were airline pilots. At that time, the one that stood out the most was FedEx, where I met a Swedish pilot who described her job. She flew all over the world, had lots of time off, and made enough money to live by the beach.

FM: When you committed to the pursuit, how did you identify the airline(s) you wanted to aim for? How did that choice affect your plans for training and what you needed to have on your résumé before applying?

PB: At the time when I started flying, I would have needed a significant amount of time flying as captain of a twin-turbine aircraft, preferably at a regional airline, before applying for a position with a major airline. While FedEx was my top choice, other attractive choices included United, American, Continental, and UPS, as they were all flying internationally.

I based my pick of potential regionals on advice from flight instructors at the flight school where I received all of my primary training—Justice Aviation in Santa Monica, California. The regional airlines of choice on the West Coast were SkyWest, Mesa, and American Eagle. I applied for my first airline job on September 10, 2001. As a result of the tragic events that followed the next day [on 9/11], I shelved my airline dream for nearly two decades.

FM: How did you build time before applying? What were the minimums when you made the application 20 years ago versus five years ago?

PB: When I first started flying, pilots were getting hired by regional airlines with as little as 1,000 hours of total time and a hundred hours of twin time. The industry was booming. I built most of my flight time through flight instruction before sending in my application with about 900 hours [under] my belt. I also built some twin time by flying from Torrance, California, to Nantucket, Massachusetts, and back in a Beechcraft Duchess.

At that time, the interview process was much more rigorous than it is today, and applicants had to have the written ATP test completed. Regionals also conducted cognitive tests and simulator evaluations.

• READ MORE: Airline Pilots Flying to Age 67?

Today, the FAA requires airline pilots to have at least 1,500 hours (or 1,000 through a limited number of approved flight training programs) and to complete an ATP-CTP training program before they can take the controls of an airliner—a change that resulted from the Colgan Air crash in 2009. Most airlines these days, whether regional or major, only require an application

and an interview. Whereas the major airlines used to require turbine PIC [pilot in command] time, some pilots are now hired with just a few hundred hours as a first officer.

FM: What tips do you have for that first interview?

PB: The most difficult part of getting hired with a major airline is actually getting to the interview stage. Stay in touch with the captains and flight instructors that you fly with. They will be a great resource when it comes time to apply as you will need several letters of recommendation. Meeting with the hiring teams at job fairs, meet-and-greets, and aviation conferences are also a good way to get your foot in the door.

There are many things that go into a successful interview. Make it clear that you really want to be there. Go in with a positive attitude. Dress well and make sure you’re groomed to look the part. Professional interview coaching companies, such as Emerald Coast, Cage Marshall Consulting, Raven Career Development, and Career Takeoff, are almost a must for a successful airline pilot interview. They will provide practice scenarios, targeted to your airline of choice, that will develop the confidence you need as you sit down to get grilled.

FM: How did initial training at the regional go? What tips would you give for a prospective pilot to help them prep for success in training?

PB: The initial training at the regional level can be very challenging. There are many new concepts that go into flying in a professional crew environment versus flying in general aviation.

Get familiar with the flows, callouts, and other procedures that are written into the company’s standard operating procedures [SOPs] manual as early as possible. The only way to learn these procedures is by constant repetition, so having a “paper tiger”—basically a printed version of the flight deck layout—and using it for chair flying is a very good way to get ready. Understand that it can take hundreds of repetitions to learn the proper procedures to an acceptable level. Just keep going.

Practice the flows, callouts, and procedures for normal, non-normal, and emergency operations until they’re perfect. And keep practicing them during times when you’re not in simulator training or the actual airplane. Being able to immediately and accurately execute emergency procedures is critical in those rare and unexpected situations, such as an engine failure.

FM: What was upgrading to captain like?

PB: When it came time for me to move from the right seat to the left seat, it felt very much like it felt to become a flight instructor. I questioned whether I was really ready to be the one in charge of the ship.

The key to success was channeling what I had learned from the captains who I enjoyed flying with as a first officer. So, pay close attention to what the captains do to get the airplane off the gate; how they deal with challenging situations with passengers, gate agents, and rampers; what they do if there is an maintenance issue or emergency, and so on. The schoolhouse upgrade training is great, but the more experience you have seeing how the real-world operations go, the better.

The training is basically identical to the first officer training, albeit with different flows and more responsibilities. Often, captain candidates are paired with first officers through the training and check rides. Your partner can make or break you, in either seat, so do your best to find a good one.

FM: When did you know you were ready to apply for the next step, the majors?

PB: Most people in the industry consider [this to be] an unprecedented time in airline pilot hiring. Everyone I flew with, whether captains or first officers, at the regional airline was talking about moving on.

There were many first officers I flew with who moved on before I did. There were some things in my personal life that held me back, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the regional airline, [but] it was time to move on. The working conditions, destinations, pay, and retirement plans are more attractive at the majors, even with the huge pay bump we got at the regionals in 2022.

I was proud to be a regional airline captain. But now I feel like I have reached the pinnacle of my career.

FM: How did you approach that training differently, knowing what you know now?

PB: I found the training at the major airline much more relaxed. Perhaps it was because I was more prepared and ready for the hard work that is required of pilots in airline training departments. But it appeared to me that the level of respect at the major airline was higher.

At the regional level, there were hard limits on how many extra hours of training pilots could receive or how many events could be unsuccessful before they let a trainee go. As a result, the stress level was high.

From my very loosely gathered data, it appears that about 15 percent of the trainees at my regional airline were let go for one reason or another. That stressor didn’t exist at the major airline where I trained. We were made to feel very welcome and part of the family.

FM: What qualities do you think pilots need to cultivate to shine in a sea of candidates for the same role?

PB: Be professional, both in appearance and the way you handle yourself. Be prepared. Make sure you keep current on company SOPs, FARs, and instrument procedures, how to interpret weather data, and other details that you should be familiar with as a professional pilot. Build relevant flight time. Volunteer with aviation organizations to show your passion for the profession.

If you’re applying for a major airline job, go the extra mile and visit a job fair, conference, or meet-and-greet to get your name on the radar. Keep in touch with people you’ve met, and treat people with kindness and respect. Before an interview, seek help from one of several airline interview prep companies, but find a way to be yourself.

The stakes are way too high to just “wing it.”

This Q&A first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Pro Track: Finding Your Way to an Airline Pilot Career appeared first on FLYING Magazine.