Q&A

Q: I have a dilemma. I am 24 years old and a high school graduate. For the past three years, I have been flight instructing at a local FBO and flying charter in a King Air. Now I am applying to the regional airlines. Although I know that there are ways for me to earn a college degree at a local community college or online, I honestly don't have the time or motivation to devote to studies. Do I really need a degree to make it as an airline pilot?--Jack, Rockford, Illinois

A: The short answer is "No." You do not need a college degree to succeed at all levels of the airline industry. But the airline flight decks at the largest airlines are occupied by college graduates.

According to AIR, Inc., more than 90 percent of the pilots flying in Boeing or Airbus equipment for major airlines have graduated a college or university. However, it is interesting to note that a significant number of these individuals major in areas other than aviation. I know pilots flying for the legacy carriers who are accountants, dentists, small business owners, and even one who has majored in music.

Nonetheless, not everyone aspires to flying for the mega-airlines. I recall a SkyWest captain I met several years ago who said, "I enjoy this company so much and the people whom I work with that I am quite happy right here. Sure, I could make more bucks at a behemoth airline, but then all I am is a number on a list. I feel like I am a part of something at SkyWest."

The folks at Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) have assembled a one-stop shopping center for anyone scoping out regional airline pilot hiring requirements. A quick look at www.pilotjobs.com will show that no regional airline requires a college degree. However, to be competitive in the job hunt, a two-year degree is helpful, and a four-year degree is a definite plus.

During the 1980s and most of the '90s, Capt. Bill Traub was vice president of flight standards and training at United Airlines. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics. Traub suggests that pilots planning a career use college to develop general attributes that are not only essential for airline employment, but also valuable assets in any field of endeavor. "Maturity, leadership, the ability to work in a team or social situation, and organizational skills are all areas that United looks at. Lacking in any one of these areas is a showstopper for us. Students should take every opportunity to develop these strengths through their academic life."

Consider the advice in "Career Pilot: Three Wise Men" (July AOPA Flight Training). Each of these major airline veterans has strong feelings about having a "fallback position" when the industry inevitably goes bust again. A college education can certainly offer a security blanket when additional skills are cultivated.

So, can you move forward without the diploma? Certainly. You can most assuredly be content on other than the loftiest rungs of the career ladder. If you have weighed all factors carefully and decide not to pursue a college degree, at least ask yourself, "What if?" Make sure you can supply a satisfactory answer that will provide long-term security for you and your family.

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