> Not really. The Airline industry requires hours and hours > of rigorous training before you are allowed a license to > pilot a plane. A car just requires ~$25 and an IQ just > above Forrest Gump's.
Here's the basic path to become an airline pilot: Private Pilot - Minimum 40 hours training, written test, oral test, practical flight test, class three medical certificate (basically a physical from an FAA certified doctor which includes a basic vision test and a check for color blindness). Averages about $5,000 for the training, aircraft rental, materials, etc. High Performance and Complex Aircraft Endorsements - Required to fly aircraft with retractable landing gear, variable pitch props, or have an engine > 200 horsepower. Instrument Rating - 50 hours of cross country flight time (landing at an airport >= 50 nautical miles from the point of origin), 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time, 15 hours of training with an instrument instructor, etc. Written test, oral test, practical flight test. Commercial Rating - Minimum 250 hours total flight time, additional instruction, written, oral, and practical tests. Multi-Engine Rating - Additional instruction and testing. High Altitude Endorsement - Emergency decompression and descent training. Type Ratings - Each type of aircraft over 12,500 pounds requires its own type rating. More training and tests to get those ratings. Once you have all that you can sit in the right seat as a co-pilot. To captain a larger jet requires the Airline Transport Pilot rating (more training, etc.) and a class 1 medical certificate (physical every six months, ekg, much more thorough medical exam). Even when the economy is at its best, the airlines aren't going to hire you without all of that, a four year degree, and more than 1,500 hours of flight time, preferably in larger, more complex aircraft. To get those hours, many pilots either come from the military, or they were flight instructors for several years to build time, so they're very knowledgeable. Me, I'm just getting started (105 hours of flight time, working on my instrument rating now), but it's a path I hope to complete someday. -Justin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the House of Fusion mailing lists Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:297867 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
