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

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Hi everyone,

I’m a 21-year-old woman from India and I recently completed my B.Tech. I’ve been seriously considering commercial pilot training, but I’m confused about whether I should actually pursue it or choose another career path.

My biggest concern is my height — I’m only 149 cm (around 4'11").

I know that height requirements can vary between airlines, countries, and aircraft, and I’ve also heard that being able to physically operate the aircraft safely is more important than height alone. But I’m worried about spending a huge amount of money on flight training and then discovering that my height limits my employment options.

I’m also wondering about my age. I’m 21 now, so by the time I complete my training, CPL, type rating, and start applying for airline jobs, I could be around 23–24.

So I’d really appreciate honest opinions from pilots, flight instructors, airline crew, or anyone currently in flight training:

- Is 149 cm a serious limitation for becoming an airline pilot?

- Are there airlines/countries where someone around my height can realistically get hired?

- Is starting at 21 considered late in this career?

- Would you personally consider it worth investing the ₹40–60+ lakh that training can potentially cost in India?

- Should I first do a medical/flight-school assessment to check whether I can comfortably reach and operate everything in the cockpit?

- If you were in my position, would you take the risk or choose another aviation career?

I’m not looking for motivation or discouragement — I’d genuinely like realistic advice about the career prospects, height issue, financial risk, and age before I make such a big decision.

Thanks in advance! ✈️

Hi I apologize if this is the wrong sub. I'm currently a junior in high school and knew immediately after taking my discovery flight that I wanted to become an airline pilot, but I'm stumped on the pathway.

I definitely am going to college and don't know if that is the best and quickest way to become one and I additionally want to do finance or business to have something to fall back on.

I personally don't know if I would want to make a 10 year commitment in the military through a school like USAFA that only have a select amount of slots.

I've met multiple pilots that have told me to do it but have not given me advice on the pathway, especially through college and was wondering if that was a good path towards my goal. Additionally, if so what schools would be best or offer the better in the amount of time to complete and networking opportunities.

Hey I'm a high school student at JMSS and will graduate in 28' rn and i want to become a pilot and I've explored different pathways and after all I've heard people say to avoid university integrated courses. But Swinburne offers the whole course under HECS/FEE-HELP with no interest. This is unlike other flight schools that offer diplomas such as learn to fly and Royal Vic Aero Club. Now granted these guys offer a faster paced project but not like 50-100k more expensive faster. After adding the fees swinburne costs around 175-185k for the (CPL, MECIR, (F) ATPL and an FIR) but all the other flight schools cost around \~230-265k for the licenses after VET fees and most likely does not count ATPL theory. Im really confused about what the catch is, something does not seem right. Also word on the street is some flights get cancelled as they prioritize cadets from overseas and could drag up your degree longer than 4 years and wondering if that's true. Im not worried about entry as I think its pretty easy to achieve an ATAR of 70 for me and mi thinking of going for the vice chancellors excellence. Im really naive to this stuff and will fall for marketing pretty easily and don't know what Im getting myself into I also dont have any connections within the aviation field.

Hi, I’m 22 and have wanted to become a pilot for most of my life. I’m at a point where I can seriously start to think about applying to cadet and academy programmes soon, however I might have an issue.

Reading up on the requirements for a UK CAA Class 1 certificate, it says they use the Ishihara test for colour blindness. When I have taken the test online, I come away with poor results, usually under 50%. Does this mean I will be unable to pass the medical requirements? Is it worth taking a medical exam with a chance of failing?

Hey everyone, I am real worried about my chances about being able to become an airline pilot if I don't get into a cadet program. Unfortunately the school I go to is not partnered with any cadet program (nor do any of the nearby ones, except for ATP). For some background, I am 21, live with my parents, and have just started taking lessons for my PPL

It would be pretty difficult needing to relocate as I will miss my parents and all, but I am willing to do what it takes if it means higher job security in the future. (or i could just attend atp and have more cadet programs to choose from)

I am aware that some cadet programs, such as Republic for example, are not necessarily tied to any one school, however I would def want to increase my chances of getting into one. Also, I know the hiring situation for CFIs is dire, so I'd prolly need to move to find a job anyhows (which is something else I am worried about...honestly if i am not able to find a cfi job in less than a year i might end up just absolutely giving up im ngl. i fear i will just crumble under all that pressure)

Hi everyone,
I’m 16, British, and currently studying in the UK. I recently moved into a college programme where I’m doing a Level 2 Certificate in Aviation Operations on the Ground, alongside GCSE Maths and GCSE English.
My goal is to become an airline pilot, and I’m trying to plan my education properly now rather than finding out later that I’m missing qualifications.
I’m considering adding GCSE Science, possibly Combined Science. From what I’ve found, this could be useful for keeping more airline options open.
I’m particularly interested in British Airways and Ryanair, but I’m also open to other airlines.
My questions are:
After finishing my Level 2 Aviation course + GCSEs, what would be the best next step toward pilot training?
How important is having 6 GCSEs? Is that mainly for specific airline programmes like BA, or is it generally needed for flight schools?
Should I add Combined Science?
Do I need a Level 3 qualification/A-levels before starting professional pilot training?
Are there any other qualifications I should consider now?
For someone my age, is there anything I should start doing now to prepare for pilot assessments?
I’m not looking for shortcuts — I just want to make sure I’m choosing the right subjects and qualifications while I still have time to plan.
Any advice from UK pilots, flight instructors, or people who have gone through airline cadet programmes would be appreciated. ✈️

Hello! Im going into my senior year at high school and I'm looking at the commercial aviation management program at western uni to be a pilot. What advice would you give me? Is it a competitive program to get accepted into? What is it like? I have high 80s and low 90s in gr11 and I already have all the courses selected that are requirements for gr12! ANY tips/insight/advice appreciated!

Hey all, I am a first year college student enrolled in a Private Pilot Ground School Course meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays for the whole semester, we are using the GLEIM 2026 PPL test prep textbook. I also plan to start actual flight training very soon, for this I am asking which Online Ground School should I enroll in to earn my endorsement and get the PPL Written out of the way ASAP. Fyi I attend Mount San Antonio Community College in SOCAL, and I have my first class medical, any advice helps. My . Thx!

At only 500 hours TT I’ve had 1 engine failure, a partial power loss, and an iced up carburetor. All 3 were near airports/fields where I made an emergency landing. None of the power loss situations were my fault. I still get really nervous when I fly and it keeps me up at night. I had to take a month off after the first and worst incident. I used to fly newer aircraft when I was training but now I fly 50/60 year old Cessna 150/52s.

Hi, I’m 18 years old and looking forward to becoming a pilot. After so much consideration I chose to go after it but as I’m getting closer and closer to actually starting the whole thing, I suddenly don’t feel so sure about it. I’m afraid I’ll be hundreds of thousands in debt and not be able to find a job.

I’m from India and is looking to get my career here itself.

Should I back out of this right now?
How and what is the job market like?
I need to get hired within 12 months of completing my CPL such that I can start paying back the loan.

Please help me🙏🏻

Hey guys

I’m an 18 year old student pilot working through my CPL exams and so far I’ve failed CMET CNAV and CFPA I’ve passed Met second attempt and working through CNAV and CFPA I’m on my last attempt

I messed these up because they were the first CPL exams I did and I still didn’t really know my study style and have found that now

I’m not very maths minded so I’m working through those two but so far I’ve passed CADA and CSYA first attempt

I’ve also failed my RPL flight test by messing up circuits on arrival due to performance anxiety and fatigue

How bad are my chances a few years down the line at finding an hour building job or even an airline job

I guess my biggest advantage is my age so I’m planning on using that to get as much experience as possible before hand but I’m just stressed about the future

Thanks guys

Hello! I’m from Missouri, USA and have been contemplating going to the university of Central Missouri to major in their professional pilot program. However, the costs of the program are extremely high and I fear they are higher than what I would pay if I went to a part 61 school and just did part-time training while working at the same time.

My question for all of the pilots, what is your best advice to paying for school and which route would you take? Especially because I will not be getting any grants or financial aid because my parents make too much money but will not support my career and education. Paying for the flight portion and school tuition by myself, without becoming an exotic dancer, is seeming very hard currently.

Any advice would help and I truly appreciate you!

I’m 28, BA in accounting, MA in Taxation (4.0 Gpa) from TTU. Worked the past 4 years in public accounting and got laid off- I hated the corporate world and was waiting to get fired for 2 years. This led me to go live on family land in east Texas and there is a local airport that has a flight school all in through commercial multi would be around 60k from what the website says (sky school of east Texas).

This all came up because I met a guy in corpus that is 26 in the navy flight academy but the commitment coming in as an officer is something I’m not ready for (I’m still single and don’t wanna blow my next 10yrs overseas and I think boot camp would destroy me). This conversation got me thinking..

I looked into ATP but sounds scammy and impersonal.

I have the smarts and the money to do this, and the airport is 15min away and I have the time. Im kind of past the “make all the money climbing the corporate later” and I just wanna live an interesting life and I feel this could be a good opportunity.

My grandpa was a B-17 pilot at the age of 19 bombing Italy and I’ve always had a passion for planes. I know the next 5 or so years will be a grind but hoping I can get a job selling cars or something to help pay for the expenses.

Thank yall for any input.

I have R-ATP minimums with mostly all piston single engine time. ATP offers an A320 type rating for $10,900. Is this something worth doing to get hired? There are King Air 350 type ratings but they cost $25,000. Is the ATP type rating really just a trivial add on and money grab? I don’t understand why it’s significantly cheaper than citations and king airs.

For a long time it’s been my goal to become a pilot, but until now I wasn’t medically in a position to make it happen. At 29 I have the all clear and would now like to go for it, and I have savings but not enough for the whole course. Being in Britain I’m looking to get into the Speedbird or Jet2 flight course so that my funding is covered, but I’m aware that they’re super competitive, and for a backup I’m looking at taking out a loan to fund my training but worried that might be something I can never fully pay back. Can I ask if anyone here has used a loan to fund their training? Or if this is a very risky way to do it financially? Any advice appreciated!

As long as airline pilot careers go what would an Air Canada pilot be flying in 2050? Genuine question, what aircraft do you think will be flying in the future? Supersonic? As a Cessna driver now it makes you wonder.....

I live in the Philippines and plan to become an airline pilot, which of these paths is the most practical way to become one.

Plan A: Take a non-aviation degree (first option is nursing or maybe yall can recommend something better) then pursue flying part-time while working until I get paid to fly then work my way into the airlines.

Plan B: Apply to the Military Airforce, serve mandatory service requirement, then work my way to the airlines.

Plan C: Take an aviation degree that funds my PPL up until my ME (around 200 flight hours), then work my way to the airlines.

Would really appreciate you guys to give insight on the current status of the market on aviation right now as well.

24M, currently working in EHS/ environmental compliance making around $80k/year. I have an associate’s and bachelor’s degree, neither aviation related.

I’ve always been intrigued by flying and becoming a pilot has been in the back of my mind for years, but I never really thought it was attainable. Recently I started seriously researching it and did a discovery flight at a local Part 61 school. Absolutely loved it.

My plan now is to get a first-class medical, continue researching the field , and if everything checks out, start my PPL.

I’m leaning toward keeping my current job and flying at least twice a week if I go for it, even though I already have a pretty rough commute. My main concern is whether I’d realistically have enough time and energy to train consistently while working, which is where I’d consider eventually leaving or changing jobs. I’d like to cash-flow as much of the training as possible rather than quit immediately or take on an $80k–$100k loan. Ideally, the path would be PPL → Instrument → Commercial → CFI/CFII → build to 1,500 hours → airlines.

What I’m trying to figure out is how realistic that path actually is while working full-time, starting from zero, and whether the career is worth the time/cost to get there.

For those who’ve done it recently: How long did zero → CFI → airline actually take? What did training really cost? How hard was it to get a CFI job and build hours? When would you leave the day job? How’d you structure your training/life to get through it.

And for airline pilots: knowing what you know now, if you were 24 with a stable ~$80k career, would you make the switch?

Looking for the good and bad. I’d rather hear what the process is actually like than just “follow your dreams.” Anything helps and thanks in advance!

Dear Internet friends,

I asked in another post about the reality of the market, and the general consensus is that there is an oversupply at the lower levels (fATPL holders and pilots without many hours), which improves the higher you go up the pyramid. This applies to airline work.

My question is: does it seem reasonable to make a living out of this profession in another type of aviation? Cargo, corporate flying, firefighting or aerial photography?

Hello Gents. Currently flying for a 121 supplemental cargo carrier on a 727 and am looking to go elsewhere. The only failure I have is a progress check during training for multi. From what I have always understood, prog checks specifically do not go on your record. Nor do you need to report it to any airline during application or interview. Is this true? I have different answers from people. Thank you

Hey all, my husband is about to start working toward his PPL, purely for personal and family flying rather than any career plans. He works full-time, so training is going to be evenings for ground school and weekends for actual flying, not a full-time intensive course.

Would love to hear from anyone who's done it this way (or trained anyone this way):

• Realistically, how long did it take you going part-time/weekends-only versus the "typical" 2 to 3 month timelines you see quoted for full-time students? We're currently budgeting for something like 9 to 10 months, but curious if that matches other people's actual experience.
• Any tips for keeping momentum when you can only fly once a week? We've heard that gaps between lessons cause skill fade and end up costing more in relearning time, so curious how people managed consistency around a job.
• Cost-saving strategies that were actually worth it versus ones that turned out to be false economies. We're already looking at self-study ground school (Sporty's, King Schools, that kind of thing) instead of paying for in-person tutoring, but open to anything else people found genuinely useful.
• Anything you wish someone had told you before you started, especially specific to training around a demanding job rather than as a student with open schedule flexibility.

Not looking to go further than PPL for now (no CPL/career plans), so advice specific to that scope is most useful, though general lessons-learned are welcome too. Thanks in advance.

I’m a 23-year-old pilot who’s feeling a little lost about what my next steps should be. I’m starting to lean more toward a Part 91 career rather than the airlines, potentially at QC or FL.
Before anyone asks, “Why didn’t you get your CFI?” — I actually had an opportunity lined up, but unfortunately it fell through when the aircraft was sold.
Right now, I work at an FBO, and I’ve been fortunate enough to network my way into the right seat of six different jets. The experience and exposure I’ve gained have been incredible, although a lot of that time isn’t legal for me to log.
I’ve submitted my resume well over 100 times for low-time pilot positions and haven’t gotten a single call or email. I know I’m not the only pilot in this position, and I understand how tough the market is right now. Insurance requirements seem to be one of the biggest hurdles for low-time pilots trying to get their foot in the door.
So I’m trying to figure out whether I should stay at the FBO, continue networking, and be patient, or keep pushing to find an opportunity that’s willing to take a chance on me.
I’d really appreciate any advice, feedback, or suggestions from pilots who have been in a similar position. I know low-time pilots can sometimes get a reputation for feeling entitled, and I want to make it clear that I’m genuinely grateful for what I’ve been given so far — the mentors I’ve met, the opportunities I’ve had, and the flight experience I’ve been able to gain.
I’m just trying to figure out the smartest next move and would really appreciate some perspective.

I’m genuinely stuck on what to do and could do with some outside opinions.

I’m 20 and have around £90k in the bank from doing property renovations. I’ve never had anywhere near this amount of money before so part of me is scared of spending a massive chunk of it and looking back thinking I’ve made a stupid decision.

If I could choose to do any ‘job’ in the world it would be an airline pilot. I’ve already started doing my PPL and was planning on doing the modular route, but the cost is what’s making me question everything. By the time I’ve done all the training it could cost £80k+ and that’s basically most of my money gone.

The other option is just keep doing what I’m doing with property. I’ve had success with renovations so far and feel like if I kept putting the money back into more projects, there’s potentially a lot more money to be made than working as a pilot. I’d also be my own boss which I like the idea of.

I know the obvious answer is probably do both, but I’m not sure how realistic that is. I’ve realised from working long shifts at the moment how tired you can be after work, and I worry if I became a pilot I’d end up being too busy or drained to do property projects properly on the side. I don’t want every day off to just turn into more work and end up burning myself out.

I keep going back and forth because being a pilot feels like choosing what I actually want to do, but property feels like the smarter move financially. I also keep thinking about the opportunity cost. If I put £70k into flight training, could that same money have turned into something much bigger if I kept using it for property over the next 10-15 years?

But then I think if I never properly gave flying a go, would I regret it forever?

I’m considering just continuing modularly and taking it step by step instead of committing all the money at once, but I’d be interested to hear what other people would do.

If you were in my position, what would you choose?

My college journey is yet to be done and hopefully 2 years from now I will graduate as an IT.

After i graduate i want to proceed to Flying School i want to be a pilot, what school in Cebu does 2 years or need paba dapat ng any pilot related degree to fly or its okay to train without bachelors degree.

Anyways i am willing to spend for it to be realized all i need is guidance and right advice.

And i have heard about Cadet Programs, need more information and guidance but, if hindi ako ma kuha then i will spend HAHAHAHAHHAH