How to Become an Airline Pilot in Under 18 Months

[@svenolson2328]

Good info for those trying to navigate taking the plunge into training; will be sending this to some students I mentor who are figuring out what path they want to take! Something to be mindful of is that airlines like Breeze are more along the line of a ULLC rather than a regional and is mostly hiring those with prior 121/135 experience. Outfits like Envoy, SkyWest, Air Wisconsin, etc. would give a better idea of the starting pay and benefits of that first airline job out of being a CFI. The first year pay of Breeze vs traditional regionals might not be too different but the pay increase year over year and captain pay scale are pretty different. Good luck on your training, hope to see you in the flight levels soon!

[@thatpilotluke]

@@svenolson2328 thanks for mentioning that! Definitely something I should have talked about. Appreciate your support and referring the video!

[@CeeJayC3903]

ATP $109k Check rides $1200-1500 each Written exams $175 each Sportys $20 Sheppard air $50 each Equipment (headset/knee board/foggles) $900-1400 ForeFlight $200 Medical $300 Add Jeppesen charts $200+ if you don’t have a discount

[@CarloneLNGLD]

😅 dang.. 🫣

[@CeeJayC3903]

@@CarloneLNGLD Yeah man.. adds up. My DPE charged me 1000. Another DPE I know of charges 1500. That dpe had 3 check rides in 1 day (4500$). He's recheck is 750$. Down in Texas someone told me it's 2000$ at a minimum. Some even 3000$

[@myak201]

Be weary of ATP man, as a former full time CFI, I’ve seen lots of ATP students come my way after leaving/ given 8 weeks in between their stage checks and them failing because they haven’t flown in 8 weeks. It sounds like you’re progressing well and I wish you luck. But I would advise anyone and everyone to stay well clear of ATP. They don’t do it right.

[@thatpilotluke]

8 weeks of not flying from the endorsement to the Checkride or Evals? And thanks yeah I think there's horror story's but for me they've done everything they said they were going to do and I've done my part. Definitely could change some things about the program though

[@JohnDole]

@@thatpilotluke I think it really depends on the ATP location. I have heard some are awful and some are fine. Definetly heard my fair share of horror stories.

[@rachelwilson4377]

@@thatpilotlukewhat ATP location did you go through?

[@thatpilotluke]

@@rachelwilson4377 I'm in Utah

[@FlySmart_LaFever]

Have loved watching your journey and you’ve inspired me to document my process as well! Thanks for all your motivating content!

[@thatpilotluke]

Preciate it! Good luck with your training!

[@michaelfridlin8042]

I love the video. Thank you for the information. More than half of these things I didn't even know

[@thatpilotluke]

@@michaelfridlin8042 thank you! Tried to put in more effort and provide valuable content in this video!

[@WillWillTellStories]

Subscribed! Congrats on your journey and thanks for sharing.

[@thatpilotluke]

@@WillWillTellStories thanks man appreciate it!

[@Rivni]

great video brother , see you in the cockpit soon.

[@thatpilotluke]

THank you!

[@B1rdTheW0rd]

Great videos man! Nothing like a pilot pay breakdown to motivate an aspiring commercial pilot, haha. I was highly considering ATP myself a couple months ago but went the part 61 route. I’ll be starting part 141 through veteran benefits after PPL and looking to get all my ratings by March at the latest. Not sure if I’ll be going airlines but I’ll see you there if I do. 🤜🏻

[@thatpilotluke]

@@B1rdTheW0rd hahah yup! Love it man good luck on your journey! Thanks for watching.

[@LYF3_STYLEZ]

Hey Luke, been watching a lot of your videos the last few days, my admission/discovery flight is in an hour with atp in colorado springs. Im so excited 😅 thanks for the great content.

[@thatpilotluke]

@@LYF3_STYLEZ of course glad that the videos help!! Thanks for watching!

[@eastendmafia1773]

Have you explored a part 61 school? Is atp the right fit for you?

[@thatpilotluke]

ive looked into some. At this point im already invested in ATP and ive gotten my private and instrument done in under 4 months so i dont have much to complain about

[@robertthomas2032]

@LYF3_STYLEZ…listen to what Luke says at 17:45. If I were you, I’d go check out Springs Aviation in Peyton.

[@LYF3_STYLEZ]

@FlyWithLukeD I think I'm most interested in ATP because I can do it fast, and have access to airline partnerships. I'm looking at getting my private elsewhere, but may just do it all thru ATP to streamline. Idk how far airlines look back on your record but I'm sure being consistently successful in one place says alot.

[@ericlane3256]

9:10 this is not true. While it’s good to get a medical before starting flight training to see if you can hold one in general, you only need a first class to be ATP PIC in Part 121 operations. You can hold a second class medical for ATP SIC in Part 121 operations when only two pilots (usually the case) are required.

[@thatpilotluke]

@@ericlane3256 thank you for the correction!

[@xXGETR0CKEDxX]

actually , he isn't wrong, You are . 121 operations require you to hold a First Class medical in order to be hired.

[@ericlane3256]

@@xXGETR0CKEDxX 61.23 (a) (2) (i). This only happens if you’re a required crew member at 60 years old or where three or more pilots are required crewmembers. If an airline requires first class, that’s their prerogative, but it’s not required by the FAA to act as second in command in 121.

[@pilothabib]

Very good and informative video, couldn't have said it better myself. Keep up the good work and good luck with the rest of your training!

[@thatpilotluke]

@@pilothabib thanks you I appreciate it!

[@Shreya-z4h]

Heyy Luke , I absolutely love your content ! They are super informative, it would be great if you made a video on the physics and math involved in whole of aviation and piloting !

[@thatpilotluke]

@@Shreya-z4h thank you! Maybe I can try to make something like that in the future! Do you mean more just about the aerodynamics of flight?

[@troii617]

Hi could you explain the process you had to go through to afford flight school trainings, and how did you spend it?

[@thatpilotluke]

Yes I will try to make a video about that soon!

[@ProdicalMan]

I don't know if your location is a CFI training center or not but don't expect to fly a whole lot while you're in CFI unless you can rent a plane at another school. I deferred CFI since ATP doesn't have a training center in my home state but I know a lot of people who flew maybe 5-6 times in 2 months at CFI stage.

[@thatpilotluke]

Yeah you definitely don't fly a ton during CFI so we'll see how it goes!

[@IvanNovikov108]

Did you do pest control sales in college station tx?

[@thatpilotluke]

no sir

[@onehittaquitta]

DAL guy here, I don't work a day in my life, I absolutely love flying. I had to grind it out through training and hour-building but the late-night study sessions and early wakes are all worth it. This career is phenomenal. On the $ side, captains on the narrow body side are killing it more than I could have imagined lol.

[@thatpilotluke]

Love that. Motivating to hear someone on the other side! Thanks for watching.

[@rubycaldera1118]

Hi Luke! Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm currently a sophomore in college on the pre-med track, but over the past year, I've developed a strong fascination with aviation. A couple of months ago, I started exploring flight schools and the idea of becoming a pilot. I feel like I've wasted a lot of time on a path I'm no longer passionate about, and I'm considering dropping out of college to join an accelerated flight program. My questions are: Do you need to have a degree to eventually get into a major airline like Delta or United, and how much does having a degree help in this career path?

[@thatpilotluke]

To answer your question the answer is as of right now you don't need to have a degree. Before Covid it was required. I'm not sure how much it helps but I think that if the airlines are comparing two pilots with similar hours and similar flying experience they're going to take the one with the degree. I did two years of college as well and am planning on finishing an online business degree while flying at a regional airline! Thanks for watching!

[@nbgarcia]

Damn, door to door pest control sales pays pretty well. You made $100k+ in two summers. Amazing.

[@thatpilotluke]

@@nbgarcia it's a pretty crazy gig! Super hard but pays off. Thanks for watching

[@jasonfinser9808]

Couple questions. I am currently a student Pilot going through part 141. my biggest hurdle has been trying to find a lender to cover flight schools that aren't a 4 year degree program. I am currently paying for everything out of pocket and selling everything that I own to make it happen. If you or anyone could point me in the right direction for a lender I would be very very greatful. Also, I read or heard somewhere that commercial pilots weren't able to fly more than 1000 hrs per year. After hearing you on this video I am assuming that I made a mistake and assumed that all pilots were limited to 1k hrs per year. So I am guessing that would just be paid flight hours? Or how does that work? I definitely want to build those 1500 hrs as quickly as possible. Love the video, and I am currently making a scramble to try and get to the commercial pilot flying for the major airlines position as quickly as possible as well. Good luck on your journey, and hopefully I'll see you out there some time. (I'm 44, but this has been my goal my entire life)

[@michaelcamaj]

Hey Luke, great video, two questions. How difficult has the pacing been, do a lot of students feel comfortable with it? The school I’m looking into has a 6 month program, from zero to all ratings and 250 flight hours. The program begins in January, any recommendations for things I should learn beforehand?

[@joeyleagjeld]

With this pacing, expect to have very little quality of life and be studying 24/7. It will be a grind, but have patience

[@michaelcamaj]

@@joeyleagjeld Thank you. I feel like I’m ready to put aside everything else. I just want to know what I should really study for ahead of my start date. Wanted to come in with some knowledge

[@thatpilotluke]

Totally depends on the student! If you can commit and naturally pick up things flying then it is doable. For some it doesn't work. I'd say you need to be available to commit full time to it but honestly for me it hasn't bad as people make it sound. I'm still able to enjoy life, be with friends and family, and have hobbies. Just gotta manage your time right

[@mariobecroft5770]

This was most informative, and I admire your can-do approach. I don't live in the US, so details may vary. I have half a PPL mainly learned 20 years ago. Is it practical or worthwhile for someone in their early 40's to become a commercial pilot, particularly bearing in mind mandatory retirement age you touched on? Appreciate your view!

[@thatpilotluke]

I think it totally depends on the individual, their situation, and what they want. I'm young so not super qualified to speak on it but you should go look at fly with Trent's channel! He is doing it as a career 2.0 guy. Thank you for watching!

[@dogwatergamin4046]

thx for this info bro, I'm very interested by I'm 17 would there be a problem getting my medical certificate?

[@thatpilotluke]

@@dogwatergamin4046 There is no age restriction or aviation experience requirement for medical certification. Any applicant who qualifies medically may be issued a Medical Certificate regardless of age.

[@BrooksGineris]

Im looking at ATP versus other schools, ATP offers the partnerships with all the regionals. Do you know anything about that and/or planning to go that route? I want to make sure I can atleast get an interview if I dont go to a sponsored school like ATP.

[@thatpilotluke]

I am currently in Sky west Cadet program. Honestly by the time you will finish school the industry and it's hiring could be completely different than how it is today. A year ago, every pilot with 1500 hours was getting interviews/jobs. In 2 years it could be super difficult to get a job regardless of your school or it could be super easy. Hard to say. Sorry that answer wasn't of much!

[@ammaarquraishi2398]

So is the flying not included in the tuition? I’m confused because I’m mostly starting atp January next year

[@thatpilotluke]

Flying is included at ATP! But you could incur overcharges

[@ammaarquraishi2398]

@@thatpilotluke thanks for the reply brother. So for example,a possible overcharge would mean if I end up taking additional hours to complete a certification and not within the set period of time?

[@riyazdreamboy1171]

Hey can you suggest any good school in Chicago? Or should I shift to California (I m so confused about this things)

[@thatpilotluke]

@@riyazdreamboy1171 I am not familiar with schools in Chicago or California but I would try to get on local aviation groups on Facebook in Chicago and/or California and ask what people think. That will help you out

[@riyazdreamboy1171]

@@thatpilotluke sure thank you so much and update me with the answer cause I m thinking to start my training soon 🫂

[@A.Spiegler]

I am considering ATP right now for the rest of my certs (I have my PPL) but the biggest thing that concerns me is the cost and I would need to take out a loan to do pull it off. Do you know a lot of people at ATP that went the loan route?

[@thatpilotluke]

I would say from talking to people at my location most people took a loan out.

[@riyazdreamboy1171]

If I wanna start early by my own for ppl license can u suggest which book I should study?

[@thatpilotluke]

@@riyazdreamboy1171 PHAK!

[@vipsonmaster7873]

Talk about going to college

[@SageXteriorCleaning]

can u go more into the financial aspect of it. How you’re paying for your school

[@thatpilotluke]

Yes I will try to get a video out about that soon !

[@jerrygwinn1123]

You can’t do more than 1000 hours of paid flight time in a year. So you will have to substitute some of your paid time for free flight time just FYI

[@thatpilotluke]

Good to know! Thanks!

[@patricksmith2249]

Pretty sure that is just for 121 operations. 135 operation cover 1200 hours annually. CFI is limited to 8 hours in a 24 hour period of instruction.

[@Fearless-1]

No mention of needing AA or BA/BS college degrees?

[@thatpilotluke]

Not a requirement for most airlines anymore. Could change again in the future though.

[@Fearless-1]

@FlyWithLukeD A degree may no longer be a "requirement" to make the majors. But the college grads will usually be the stronger applicants. Even an AA is better than nothing.

[@thatpilotluke]

@@Fearless-1 for sure. I am planning on finishing my online degree at a regional

[@airforce-kor.pilot-us]

Hey! I am a foreigner airforce fighter pilot and I will get a green card after 6months later! Is it possible to enter the major airline!? even though no experience of civil airline

[@thatpilotluke]

@@airforce-kor.pilot-us so cool! I really am not sure how it all works in your situation. Best of luck though!!

[@BodiedX]

Dude! 673 subs!!!??

[@thatpilotluke]

Haha channel is growing!

[@babababananana333]

Hey luke..good luck with the rest of the training..I myself am starting ATP in September and currently working on my writtens..I know you want to keep your training location a secret but I really hope we meet one day..thanks for sharing your journey..now I know what to expect..see ya at the airlines buddy..

[@thatpilotluke]

@@babababananana333 good luck! Glad the videos help. I am at KOGD. Where are you training?

[@babababananana333]

@@thatpilotluke Ooh..Utah..must get a lot of scenic views..I am at PIE (Tampa Bay)..got some amazing views here as well..but it burns like hell..lol

[@thatpilotluke]

@@babababananana333 hahah yeah it is super pretty here and I think that's where my instructor trained out of

[@babababananana333]

@@thatpilotluke are you instagram or something? Maybe we can stay in touch over there..one thing I’ve learned from months long research into aviation career is that socializing is a must..

[@babababananana333]

@@thatpilotluke are you on Instagram? Maybe we can stay connected through our training and career..

[@backandforthupanddow]

Ok, let’s be real here. It is a great career, and pays well compared to others, but give me some of what DAL guy is smoking. Not work?? Have you never done a red eye? My favorite is a late departure so you have the sun in your eyes the last few hours. That descent into Miami is pure joy after being up all night. Waking up in a hotel on Christmas morning while your family is home without you? Yep, those mornings felt like work too. This video is like looking at the stock market over the past three years and saying “look, if you invest $20,000 today, it’s going to go up significantly”. Whole lot of history you’re ignoring. Wait until the bankruptcies start happening. It takes about three years to negotiate a higher paying contract, about 30 days for concessionary. Funny how that goes. At any rate, passion for flying is what you need, and you seem to have it. Good luck with your training and enjoy the ride!

[@thatpilotluke]

Whole lot of history that I didn't talk about but a lot also says that travel and demand will continue to grow in the future like never before - but yes Stock Market crashes, COVID, and several things can turn the aviation industry around very quickly! Thanks for watching and thanks for your input!

[@otxpsie]

step 1 get a 100k

[@jasonjohnston94]

Pretty good summary, but one correction. ATP is a part 141 school.

[@thatpilotluke]

Can you show me a website or anything that says that?

[@JadeP-ts2sc]

ATP is a Part 61 according to ATP instructor

[@andyv_one]

is the title just clickbait? seems like a big responsibilty for someone with 2 1/2 years of flying experince. i mean…. your responsible for dozens if not hundreds of lives

[@thatpilotluke]

@@andyv_one major responsibility! Were you able to watch the video?

[@tylercampbell6058]

He won’t be captain on day one with the regionals. He’ll be a first officer for a few years first.

[@thatpilotluke]

@@tylercampbell6058 correct! You can also make 6 figures year one as a first officer too.

[@icecrusher104]

Disliking this video because of the thumbnail

[@thatpilotluke]

cool. thanks for the kind comment brother!