How to become a pilot

Chicken

Member
Upser out of Charleston WV, very curious how to become a pilot for UPS. I’m only 20 years old, and have no experience piloting a plane whatsoever. Anyone a pilot that can give me some directions to accomplish this dream?
 

quad decade guy

Well-Known Member
Military is the cheapest. Free except for 8 years of your life give or take. How is your health. Do you take happy pills? Xanax that type stuff. If you do it's disqualifying all around civilian/military. Bad eyes? There are limitations. Before you do anything, make sure you can pass a Class 1 physical. You have to have this for the airlines. If just a private pilot, Class 3.

How smart are you.....? This has all sorts of limitations.

You can buy your way into the airlines with enough time and money(hours/experience).

There are colleges with Aerospace degrees and private to airline jobs. They can help you.

Beware of scams.

Again, make sure you can qualify first. ADHD and all that can be disqualifying.
 

quad decade guy

Well-Known Member
ADHD was a term created by people who were not ready for children...
Not sure what that has to do with anything here. I promise, if you take psycho active happy pills and have been diagnosed. You are PROBABLY screwed with flying. I tell young people interested in flying to NEVER take this stuff.
 

NAHimGOOD

Nothing to see here.... Move along.
Not sure what that has to do with anything here. I promise, if you take psycho active happy pills and have been diagnosed. You are PROBABLY screwed with flying. I tell young people interested in flying to NEVER take this stuff.
All I said was...

People should stop doping kids to bring their energy down.

Instead, put them into something active to burn the energy in a healthy manner.

Same for adults.

Perhaps.

My buddy takes happy pills.

But they are blue and for some reason he tells the world.
 

Chicken

Member
Military is the cheapest. Free except for 8 years of your life give or take. How is your health. Do you take happy pills? Xanax that type stuff. If you do it's disqualifying all around civilian/military. Bad eyes? There are limitations. Before you do anything, make sure you can pass a Class 1 physical. You have to have this for the airlines. If just a private pilot, Class 3.

How smart are you.....? This has all sorts of limitations.

You can buy your way into the airlines with enough time and money(hours/experience).

There are colleges with Aerospace degrees and private to airline jobs. They can help you.

Beware of scams.

Again, make sure you can qualify first. ADHD and all that can be disqualifying.
My eyes are the only problem I have, my vision is 20/400 without corrective lenses, would I be able to become a pilot with glasses or laser eye surgery?

I’m not interested in flying fighter jets, more interested in cargo planes. Not sure if it makes a difference or what branch of the military I would go in.
 

MisplacedRailWorker

an absolute *ing disgrace of a human being.
Upser out of Charleston WV, very curious how to become a pilot for UPS. I’m only 20 years old, and have no experience piloting a plane whatsoever. Anyone a pilot that can give me some directions to accomplish this dream?
Military
Fixed wing pilot was my pipe dream senior year of high school
I chose the Marine Corps because I had the brains, and I figured they could give me the braun. I was absolutely correct.
But I went Enlisted (Reservist). Pilots/naval aviators are Officers

Basically, enlisted just work there, officers own the place. The main distinguishing factor is that a 4-year degree is required to become an officer, in any branch.

Your best option, in my opinion, is to apply for OCS (Officer Candidate School). If you were still in high school I would’ve recommended you apply for ROTC, which is the other way of becoming an officer. The main difference is that no money is exchanged if you apply for OCS. As opposed to ROTC which is a full ride scholarship if you graduate.
 

MisplacedRailWorker

an absolute *ing disgrace of a human being.
Where would a big sheet even be posted for a job like this? Next to all the others?

Do you think I would have to move to another city?
LinkedIn is a great resource to learn about career paths and communicate with people who are employed in a position you would like to be in. You literally just type whatever keywords you want (I.e. UPS Captain Embry Riddle Los Angeles) and the search results contain members, who only would be on LinkedIn if they created the profile them self and were interested in networking.

Like this guy:
EE9E799C-65CA-4FD5-A80E-5A1E1BDB408B.jpeg
F90A0E3A-F9D4-4A77-A79D-6767CDFDDE15.jpeg
 

MisplacedRailWorker

an absolute *ing disgrace of a human being.
Not sure what that has to do with anything here. I promise, if you take psycho active happy pills and have been diagnosed. You are PROBABLY screwed with flying. I tell young people interested in flying to NEVER take this stuff.
“…during Operation Desert Storm. Pilots who used amphetamines in air operations described it as "occasional." The most frequent indications for amphetamine use were "aircrew fatigue" and "mission type." Of pilots who used amphetamines, 58-61% considered their use beneficial or essential to operations. Dextroamphetamine (5 mg every 4 h) was used effectively and without major side effects in tactical flying operations. Amphetamine use enhanced cockpit performance and flight safety by reducing the effect of fatigue during critical stages of flight.”

Emonson DL, Vanderbeek RD. The use of amphetamines in U.S. Air Force tactical operations during Desert Shield and Storm. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1995 Mar;66(3):260-3. PMID: 7661838.

Authors:
D L Emonson 1, R D Vanderbeek

Affiliation:
Division of Aerospace Medicine, Langley AFB, VA, USA.
 

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
My eyes are the only problem I have, my vision is 20/400 without corrective lenses, would I be able to become a pilot with glasses or laser eye surgery?

I’m not interested in flying fighter jets, more interested in cargo planes. Not sure if it makes a difference or what branch of the military I would go in.

Just use the auto pilot
You don’t need to see that good anyway
 

MisplacedRailWorker

an absolute *ing disgrace of a human being.
My eyes are the only problem I have, my vision is 20/400 without corrective lenses, would I be able to become a pilot with glasses or laser eye surgery?

I’m not interested in flying fighter jets, more interested in cargo planes. Not sure if it makes a difference or what branch of the military I would go in.
Yes. I’m actually in the process of applying for OCS in the USMC, through the PLC program. I just started college for the first time in my life (online) and while it’s an extremely long shot I figured why not at least apply and see if I get picked in the next four years.

We have the same exact vision (can’t see past my nose without glasses) but as long as the military performs the procedure then you’re fine. It’s called PRK but I believe if you get lasik on your own it is disqualifying.

Air Force would be the hardest to be competitive in since they choose most of their pilots from the Air Force Academy (which is like getting into Harvard)

Navy and Marines both fly the same aircraft for the most part, obviously we have less because USMC is the smallest service. Both fly the C-130 Hercules including the gunship and also tanker versions, friend-18s, and a handful of civilian airframes for VIP and various other transport missions. These include the DC-9 (Marines version is called the C-9 Nightingale) and some 727 or 737 variants I believe.

Fun fact: Marines still fly the last remaining friend-5 Phantoms (Top Gun Instructors simulating the enemy)

Oh and all three of the aforementioned services have friend-35s now.

An friend-5
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A Navy C-40 “Clipper”
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silenze

Lunch is the best part of the day
I heard the army has the most pilots. Guy in army reserve flys helicopters. I guess that counts as fixed wing air time. He wanted to become an airline pilot. Army paid for his eye surgery.
 
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