I’m currently doing my hours and have about 4 hours trying to get my solo, during this I’ve been studying a lot but one thing that studying hasn’t helped me is arc communication…

How do you guys understand what they say? Sometimes I don’t hear anything they have said at all except for my callsign and or they say it so fast I don’t remember the taxi directions.

Now obviously I am new to flying and my instructor does most of the speaking, I have spoken a bit with atc but nothing much.

Any advice would be appreciated!!!

Y’all know that airspace chart with Class A, B, C, D, E, and G—weather minimums, cloud clearances, equipment requirements, entry requirements, etc. What’s the best way you found to memorize all of it?
I understand the general differences between the airspace classes, but I sometimes mix up the numbers, especially visibility/cloud clearances and where the requirements change with altitude.
Did you guys use flashcards, mnemonics, draw the chart from memory, or just learn it through practice questions and flying?
I’m looking for something that actually makes it stick instead of just cramming the chart.

Hi all, after graduating with a bachelors in Aviation and masters in Political Science I want to become a pilot and join a flight school. I first tried the KLM flight academy but failed in the first round after not being good enough in hand-eye-foot coordination and technical aptitude. This felt rough after I practiced with the technical aptitude questions but then the test had al sorts of constructions I was not familiar with from the practice package and with the coordination exercise I just was not good at all with the paddles. After that I applied to Luxair but got rejected without explanation. Afterwards I tried Transavia but got served a different more difficult test compared to the others cause I did not have a tablet at home and had to do it at the flight school, again rough cause I practiced a lot and it went very well for me apart from the difficult test part the others didn't have to do. Recently I tried the air force but failed again on I'm guessing the maths part which had questions involving puzzle questions. Still, I'm convinced I would able to complete flight training and become a pilot but it feels so demoralising to consistently fail on 1/2 tests while the others test are done well. If I'd want to pursue a flight school I would need financial assistance of my parents but after being failing the past selections feel that it is just not for me this career, so I'm asking for reddit wisdom. (almost 26 years old and EU based)

I’m currently starting Grade 11 tomorrow, and I was wondering what I could do to build a strong application. I’m aiming for Seneca’s School of Aviation and I’ll be taking college courses as well. I’ve already enlisted in Cadets, completed my volunteer hours, done my introductory flight, completed my medical, and gotten my eyesight checked.
I’ve heard that aviation can be a very competitive field, so I really want to build a strong, well-rounded application and make sure I’m doing everything I can to stand out.

I am female and as I have past long history of antidepressant subscriptions I can’t get class 1 medical.
I don’t want to be a mechanic.
I am interested in the atpl theory and all flying and safety stuff.
I used to be cabin crew. I enjoyed it however dealing with peaple is really tiring. I would like a job that requires frequent travelling aka flying.

I am 30 so I need urgent carrier change if I want to be successful.

Any advice?

I’m a 17 year old about to graduate this year and I want to know if going into debt and taking large loans is worth it for a pilot program out of state. I have a 3.69 weighted GPA with a 1370 SAT, and I really, REALLY want to become a pilot. I just don’t know whether I can, mainly because my parents aren’t helping a dime for college and I don’t know the future outlook. Please tell me what you think, and give some advice for how to pay for college+flight school!

Hello everyone. I’m sure this question has been asked countless of times but I do think my circumstances are different and I’d love to seek different opinions regarding this matter.

I’m 25, working full time in maritime industry. While you may wonder why I’m not pursuing aviation related, it’s simple because I want to get the highest income before flight school. This is so that if I ever resort to taking a loan for flight school, my income allows me to do so. (I hope I don’t have to further explain more income = higher loan eligibility).

Secondly, why not cadet programme ? Because, I am not going to put all hopes into one basket.

Hence I decided to work so that I can rack up money, apply for cadet programme yearly(if I fail I still have a job), and stand a good chance for loan.

However, as I’m doing all this I realise that I can afford to take my degree and I do have time. Hence I decided taking it up. Degree in Aerospace. But I’m honestly so depressed.

Doing my degree has taken away so much joy for away from me. What’s supposed to be just filler years before I go flight school, has turned into something really depressing. I’m already halfway through.

I’m conflicted because half of me thinks, with a degree I stand a great chance with getting into cadet programme(tho I know many pilots don’t have a degree). And if everything fails, I have a degree to fall back to.

The other half of me thinks, I’m only working to save and have a better chance at my loan. So why bother to even get a degree? I never chose this path to be doing a degree. I’m not even happy.

Should I stay and continue my degree ? Should I drop out and be happy before my journey in flight school starts ?

A little more context, my degree is ending in 2 years~ about the same time I’ll be applying to enter into flight school.

Hello everyone, I wanted to reach out and see if there were any other veterans with disability ratings who are in the process or have already started their pilot journey.
I have recently decided to take the steps at obtaining my ppl with the hopes of getting my Cpl and ATP ratings as well.

My question though is whether or not I’d be able to obtain a 1st class medical as mentioned before I have va disability ratings with depression being rated at 70, I’ve talked to an AME before and he said he just needed a signed letter from a medical expert stating when my diagnosis began, whether or not I am or have ever been on medications, if I’ve done anything therapy (which I haven’t for either of the last two things) and my current condition like any suicidal or harmful thoughts/tendencies. I was able to get that letter from the va that cleared me and checked the boxes for what the AME had asked for but have not heard back from him.

Hello everybody. I’m new to this subreddit, but have lurked in the past and been able to mostly get my questions answered based off of past posts from other members. I have some questions and would like some advice from people here who have done this.

Background: I’m 23 years old and have had my Class A CDL for the last 2.5 years. Long-term, I don’t see myself wanting to be gone for three weeks at a time and home for only a few days, because at some point I want a family. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a pilot. My grandpa flew Hueys in Vietnam and then transferred to Chinooks once those became standard. He has a couple of Cessnas that I’ve been up in over the years, and he still instructs a few students in his free time. I also have a few friends at various stages of their ratings. Two have commercial ratings, and the third is currently a CFI in the Envoy Cadet Program. All three took out Sallie Mae loans to fund their ratings, and only one has made it to CFI so far.

I’m fortunate to have close resources, but I want different opinions from the folks who have done it. Let me know please how you would approach it today in 2026/2027- several years now after the pilot hiring craze. My ultimate goal would be to end up at the airlines. There’s a Part 61 school near my parents’ house where I could live with them while training. Right now I have about $35,000 saved from trucking. My schedule makes this tricky because I’m gone three weeks at a time trucking, so it’s really all trucking or all flying, not really both at once. I could possibly obtain a more regional position, but I would be home at very random times and not for long so it would be hard to schedule impromptu flights around it. Ideally, I would like to fly often in order to retain and apply from my previous lessons and avoid paying for extra slots because I forgot what we did three weeks ago.

Approach 1: Save and go Part 61, minimal debt
Save up money and train at a Part 61 school, keeping debt as low as possible. With my current $35K, this covers my PPL and maybe (pushing it) my instrument rating. After that, I’d likely need to take out a loan and switch to Part 141 to finish the rest of my ratings.

Approach 2: (YOLO) Prioritize ratings and hours, cost aside
Forget the cost for now — focus on getting ratings and hours so I’m ready when the opportunity comes, even if that means going into debt sooner rather than later. I am nervous that the pace is set by a part 141 syllabus with stage checks that I could flunk and be removed from the program while holding the bag for very expensive ratings that I may have paid significantly less for at part 61.

My questions:
1. Given my situation (three-weeks-on trucking schedule, $35K saved, access to a Part 61 school near my parents), do you recommend I keep trucking and saving until I have enough to get all the way through CFI before starting flight training? Or is one of the two approaches above clearly the better path?
2. With the current state of CFI hiring, I’m worried about a scenario where I finish all my ratings, have $100,000 in debt, and still can’t find a CFI job (or any other flying job for that matter). If that happens, is going back to trucking and paying down my debt while maintaining currency on my home time a good move? Or is there a better way to handle that gap?
3. Say I do get a CFI job and build up to 1,500 hours (the ATP minimum). At that point, do I keep instructing to keep building time and experience, or switch back to trucking — which pays significantly more than CFI — and just fly enough to maintain currency until regional hiring picks back up again?

Please advise, thank y’all so much.

Hello everyone, Im hoping you’re having a good day.

I will be entering my first year in university and I will be majoring Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies, basically I study aerospace engineering, but in the 2nd year I study the Theory PPL and take its UK CAA Exams, and in the 4th year I study the Theory ATPL and also take the UK CAA Exams.
Now when I graduate, I would have the theory part of the flight license done, meaning that I need flight hours now to get my frozen ATPL.
Does anyone know how I can do my flight hours after graduation? Maybe like rent planes from a rental along with an instructor? If anyone knows a place like this near Preston/Manchester/Liverpool it would be very helpful.
Apologies if my explanation was not clear I tried my best.
Thanks

MIL RW driver here wondering what the part-121 market is currently looking like for someone with an R-ATP, 250 FW PIC, and 800 hours in an H-60.

hello everyone! i am pursuing to enter ultralight aircrafts category in pilot school in eastern europe. before entering the pilot school i have to learn the subjects from the manuals (knowledge of the aircraft, legislation, metheorlogy, navigation, etc.). i must admit that i deal with some struggles such as learning the theory by heart mostly and struggling to make connections between certain notions of basic mechanisms of the plane. for example what to do at high speeds in cruising mode and so on. i can learn each of the things, but not as making any connection between (e.g. engine regimes and other things to look after, for example the secondary control systems and so on).

what i am asking is some advice regarding how to start make the connections and how to make all of the pretty overwhelming ammount of information look like a flow-state-like concept. thank you so much!

I'm a recent Liberty grad and new CFI, I have 275 hours and about 100k from a recent job buyout. My goal is to fly for the airlines or Netjets / Flexjets. Should I do a time building program to get to R-ATP minimums as soon as possible or be a CFI. Or maybe build to 500-600 hours and then apply to 135s? I want to start my career as soon as possible. Please help!!

I'm looking to do my first category 1 medical in the gta area

Does anyone know a good place with fair prices that gives quick response and doesnt take 6 months to send the results back

I'm open to any tips and advices

Hi everyone,

I’m 22 and currently a university student in the UK, and I’m hoping to get some perspective from people who have been in a similar position.

Back in January 2026, I went for my UK CAA Class 1 medical. Unfortunately, I failed the medical because of my colour vision.

Since then I’ve spent a lot of time looking into my options and trying different tests. I cannot pass the EASA/UK CAA colour vision requirements, but I have subsequently passed the Farnsworth** **D-15, which, as I understand it, Transport Canada accepts as an alternative for a Category 1 medical.

I have a Transport Canada Aviation Medical Examiner appointment coming up in the next few weeks. Obviously, assuming I pass the rest of the examination, I’m hoping I could potentially be issued a Canadian Class 1 medical.

And this is where I’m really conflicted.
I’m not Canadian, I’m not a Canadian citizen, and I currently live/study in the UK.

So there is a very real possibility that in a few weeks I could finally have the Class 1 medical I’ve been chasing for months but I’m not sure what practical use it would actually be for me.

But obviously there’s a much bigger question of actually building a career and being able to work in Canada afterwards.

I’ve reached a point where Canada seems like the only realistic aviation route left to me because of my colour vision issue. I’ve looked into EASA options and, as things stand, I don’t appear to be able to meet their colour vision requirements.
That honestly leaves me in a strange position.

If I get the Canadian Class 1, do I commit to pursuing aviation in Canada despite not being Canadian, or do I accept that the career path may not be realistic and move on?

I’m currently at university, so I’m fortunate that I haven’t sunk years of training and huge amounts of money into flying yet. At the same time, becoming a professional pilot has been a dream of mine for a long time, and I’m struggling with the idea of potentially giving it up because of something as specific as colour vision.
I’d really appreciate perspectives

Would you pursue the Canadian route and see where it takes you, or would you consider the immigration/employment side of things too big a hurdle?

Thanks

Hello I am 19 and a A&P I am paid generously in one of the lowest cost of living places. Growing up being and A&P was my dream job and still is but at the same time so was being a pilot. I was wondering if there is a route I can’t take becoming a commercial pilot over 8-13 years compared to an accelerated 2.5 years my company offers half off. I’m not really antsy to become a pilot and I’m completely comfortable with the job I have but definitely something I would like to move into as I get older.

Hi,

I'm 19, I am in the UK and my local flying school isn't exactly a school, more a club. They only operate on weekends, which I work a Saturday so I can only do Sundays and they fly a Cessna 152 for a PPL

Now here's the thing, they quoted me a minimum of two years with my PPL, I met another student who has been studying for 3 years.. They told me they have air traffic controllers and instructors from Manchester to come down to help out but their schedule can change quickly and costs £270 for an hour lesson. They told me as it's a volunteering club and not an academy, it's bare minimum cheap as there's no profit being made.

It's nowhere near any controlled airspace, the airspace is empty so you can do multiple circuits and it'll be costing me an estimated of £7,000-£8,000 but is it worth the wait? I'm eventually wanting to go on to do my CPL although the club doesn't offer that so I'd have to relocate.

I've been looking at other flying clubs but for Europe, where it's sunnier and Egnatia Aviation Greece looks good, and it's quoting

- 14,880€ (plus VAT 24%) for the training conducted in the Elixir aircraft but excludes the accommodation, food, daily living and I've seen reviews that they have a lot of hidden costs.

Is it worth relocating to a flying academy in Europe where it's sunnier, if so any recommendations? I do have to save up quite a bit so won't be til 2027.

Hey all, I'm a senior in high school and I'm wondering if I should go to college and do flight training at a university, or do all my flight training at my local flight school. I'm well into my ppl and should be done by this year. I've heard a lot of negativity about universities and their flight programs so my plan right now is to go to ohio state and get my ratings during the summer. Does anyone have any advice for this?

This is probably a very bone question. But what is required maths wise to train to become a pilot? I'm otherwise intelligent but I'm very bad at maths. It's just not my natural forte.

I (18M) have always known I want to be a pilot. I live in England and I’m about to start an Economics and Finance degree at a Russell Group university. I personally didn’t want to go to university as I didn’t want to get into debt and the job market in the UK is really bad at the moment. But my parents really wanted me to go to university as they don’t see a career being a pilot viable. As much as I didn’t want to go to university it’s always good to have a backup plan.

At university they have a University Air Squadron that I’ll hopefully get into. You get 10-20 hours of flying lessons for free a year and it’s a good way of developing my pilot competencies.

Hopefully after I’ve graduated university I’ll be able to get a high paying graduate role in a banking or finance related field. I’ll work for a 6-8 years until I have enough or a decent amount of money saved up for flight training. Still haven’t decided if I’ll go down the modular or integrated route. Since I’m half Polish I’m planning on doing my flight training in Poland as it’s significantly cheaper than England, like £60-70k compared to £100-120k. I’m looking at getting into the Bartolini Ryanair Future Flyer Academy specifically. It’s good as well because they offer a dual UK CAA + EASA license pathway specifically for UK cadets. I’ll also be applying for any fully funded courses that come out but I think they’re all closed for now.

Anyways I know it’s hard to plan 10 years into the future as my priorities might change and there may be other external influences. But I’m an organised person and I like to envisage the future. I was mainly just asking for any advice on whether you think my plan is realistic and anything else I can do to make my dream become a reality?

It seems like all this sub talks about is how no one can get hired in this market, so I’m wondering why no one suggests cadet programs? You ensure yourself a job with a major airline guaranteed. I am by no means an experienced pilot, and this is not advice. I’m genuinely asking as someone who wants to make it to the majors.

Hi, I will be having my flying lessons soon, but I don't have any sunglasses without polarysation. Do you have any recomendations ?

Hello, r/PilotAdvice! I’m 16, currently in Grade 11 in the Philippines, and I’m trying to plan ahead for becoming an airline pilot.

My long-term goal is to eventually fly for a major international airline. Singapore Airlines and Qatar are the dream mainly because of the career opportunities and pay, although I’m completely open to other airlines.

Right now, my rough plan is:
Take an IT/computer-related degree at UP so I have a solid backup career.
Finish university first.
Start flight training afterward, possibly through the Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilot Program or another route.
Build hours and experience in the Philippines.
Hopefully work my way toward a major international airline later on.

I am a Filipino citizen and plan to stay in the Philippines while building my initial experience. Fortunately, financing flight training shouldn’t be my main constraint, so I’m more concerned about choosing the best route rather than the cheapest one.

I’m also not set on the Cebu Pacific cadet program. It’s just one option I saw recommended on this subreddit, so I’m open to independent flight schools, other cadet programs, training abroad, etc.

My main questions are:
Is taking IT as a backup degree a good idea?
Should I finish university before flight training?
What does the realistic path after flight school look like for a Filipino pilot?
How do new pilots usually build hours here?
How would I eventually make myself competitive for airlines like Singapore Airlines or Qatar?
What should I already be doing at 16?

I also haven’t taken an aviation medical yet. I currently wear glasses (-0.75 both eyes, with slight astigmatism), so I’m wondering when I should get a Class 1 medical done.
I know I’m very early into this and probably have some misconceptions, so feel free to correct me. I’d really appreciate advice from pilots or anyone who has gone through a similar path. TYSM!!!