Some questions about becoming a professional pilot

[lnuss]

Nate, note especially what Eric said about your number 9, about getting education in some field other than flying. Sure, you need pilot training, but you also need a backup career in case you get laid off, lose your physical (many health problems can do that) or any of several other happenings.

Also, if you get easily bored at repetitive tasks, then it's possible that airline flying might not be for you (same route day after day, especially before getting a lot of seniority), though there may be other fields such as corporate pilot, agricultural, etc. that woud suit you better. I mention this because in my younger days I thought I'd like to be an airline pilot, though it didn't work out for me. After a long career in communications with a lot of flying on the side (instructing, glider/banner tow, charter), I'm very much aware that this has actually been a better path for me, personally, than an airline career would have been -- several thousand hours of a variety of kinds of flying over the years, in around 60 different types of aircraft, but a more stable career than I'd have had in almost any field of aviation. Still, many find the airlines a satisfying career.

Of course it will all start with flight training and education in one form or another, and you'll need to spend some time around your local airport (where you get training, not airline field) to meet folks and learn some things, but that time should be limited in order to do the other necessities, such as school. Also, if military interests you, look into the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program (CAP Web Site), where you can learn a lot about aviation, even get orientation flights and activities around airports.