There are a number of paths to an airline piloting career. Regardless of which path you take, you will ultimately need a combination of pilot certificates and ratings, flight experience, and a great attitude. In order to be eligible for employment at an airline governed by Part 121 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, you will need a commercial pilot license with a multiengine and instrument rating.

There are three primary ways to acquire pilot licenses:

1. Enroll in an Accredited Aviation University
Here, you will receive excellent flight training, typically directed at the airline pilot career. In fact, many institutions actually offer additional training in airliner simulators to ensure that their graduates are ready to transition to the airline industry. Although an aviation university education is expensive, there are numerous financial aid options available through the individual institutions. Plus, you will enter the workforce with a college degree and the personal enhancement that comes with it.

2. Join the Military
Although receiving pilot training in the military requires a multiyear commitment to the armed services, the training you will receive is top notch and requires a high level of personal commitment. The benefits are numerous, such as excellent pilot training, increased personal discipline, a well-rounded education, and the fact that none of this costs the pilot candidate any money. Plus, airlines look very favorably on military-trained pilots.

3. Hire a Personal Flight Instructor at Your Local Airport
Receiving basic flight instruction from a local flight school usually trains for the rating required and no further. Therefore, the responsibility lies with the student to seek the additional education necessary to be ready for the airline industry. Start by finding one of the many excellent personal flight instructors, which can be challenging to identify, especially if you are just entering the world of aviation. You will likely transition through numerous instructors as you pursue additional licenses and ratings. Although you will receive different training styles and strengths from each, you will likely not receive a comprehensive education with an airline career in mind.

For example, military and university programs train with jet aircraft in mind, and therefore require students to learn about high altitude meteorology, high altitude aerodynamics, swept-wing aerodynamics, turbine systems, etc. It’s worth noting that pilots entering the airline industry without a comprehensive education such as that gained through military or aviation university education could have a more challenging time making it through initial training at the airlines.

The national regulatory authority (the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States and Transport Canada in Canada) licenses all pilots. In the United States, the FAA can refuse or revoke a certificate if the individual is determined not to be of good character; this stipulation does not apply in Canada.