Pilot: How and Why: Become a Pilot

Introduction
There are two ways to go about becoming a pilot, (1) you can join the Air Force, or (2) you can go to a privately owned flight school, so long as it is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Getting a job at a major airline is a tricky thing, there is strong competition and most airlines are loyal to the pilots already working for them. Regional and “low-cost” airlines afford the best opportunities, and after some time spent working for one of these your chances at getting a job at one of the major airlines vastly improves. Also, working as a flight instructor is a great way to get into the business after becoming licensed, while still trying to log enough flight time to get hired by an airline.

Job Function
I cannot stress enough how good of a job this is. Even if it weren’t, the pay is more than enough to satisfy whatever problems you could possibly have. If I had to come up with something negative to say about being a pilot, it would be the danger of the job. But I don’t see this as a negative, and I’ve never met another pilot who thought so either. If you are capable of flying a plain, and if you are sure of your abilities, the danger becomes non-existent: only an unsure pilot is dangerous, a confident pilot has nothing to fear. Sometimes you end up killing some birds...I don't consider that a negative either. Advertisement
Lifestyle
Frequently you will be away from your home, spending a night or two in some city, some country, that you never thought you would ever be in. Admittedly this makes some aspects of life a little more difficult than they might otherwise be (especially if you have a spouse prone to jealousy), but the benefit of this travel, I think, outweighs the detriment. The world is full of great things to do, no matter what your cup of tea may be, and you get paid to go to travel into its most hidden recesses.

Additional Information
Go for it, being a pilot is a great gig. If you like to travel, if you like to make good money, if you want something stable, if you just like the idea of flying, then, yes, piloting is for you.