Hi all, I’m a Brit who’s about to wrap up a PPL and the next step would be a night rating followed by some hour building. I’d love to do a long cross country for 15-30 days flying around western Canada and the Prairies. The route in mind would be starting near Vancouver, heading to Prince George, Edmonton, Calgary and back to Vancouver. I would attempt this once I’ve flew a good portion of the 100 PIC hours so that I have more experience first.

Could any Canadian pilots comment on the possibility of actually flying this and whether or not any local airfields in Vancouver would let me rent a plane for a set amount of days? From what I understand, I only need a FLVC to fly solo in Canadian aircraft.

Should Airbus’ single pilot efforts discourage aspiring airline pilots? How long would you expect before the regulators are ready to approve this in the US, and how long (if ever) before unions agree to this? Have seen so many different view points on this and not sure what to think.. thanks

Does anyone know of good cirrus instructors in the Riverside area. My buddy has a plane that he is willing to help me get checked out in for my TAA time for commercial, only problem is I need an instructor that is proficient in an SR22. Thanks for the help in advance.

Anyone have any theory’s on it? Just military doing military stuff?

Hello friends, I’m a 26M from QC, Canada that literally can’t imagine doing anything else than being a pilot. After research, I’ve come to the conclusion I will be in a big uphill battle against TC to get my Class 1 Med. I have generalized anxiety, been medicated on and off since I was 9 and in the beginning of the year was taking velafaxine (for anxiety) and trazodone (for insomnia- didn’t even realize this was also a anti depressant), quit both of them in June in hopes of helping my case. Never had suicidal thoughts. Aka I have: potential for reoccurrence - on and off meds “Must generally be limited to a single agent” - 2 anti depressants even if they were not both prescribed for anxiety

I know the odds are against me but I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I knew that I could’ve fought it. I know I’m about to put 1000’s of dollars for a psychiatrist. I have read every post on this sub labeled “anxiety” but was wondering if anyone has ever been in the same situation as me, and the outcome?

Additionally, those who had to redirect and decided to keep flying as a hobby, what did you go into? Avionic technician? Flight Instructor?

All help is welcome, thanks in advance.

I've had a few suggest I reach out to my congressman as my medical will be deferred 6 months come January. I have not received any correspondence from the FAA at all and my medxpress only shows as "transmitted". I have spoken to the FAA and regional flight surgeon. My AME has also spoke to them. I've only heard that my file is under review no decision has been made. At one point I was told it was on the physicians desk. My file does need to be seen by neuro, cardiology (had some minor heart issues now resolved) and psych (adhd/resolved anxiety).

When I applied my AME had set up everything so that anything the FAA may want was submitted preemptively. I did the cogscreen/neuropsych eval and test battery with a HIMS Neuropsych.

It was suggested by a few that I reach out to my congressman to try and get some answers as to what is going on with my deferral. I just don't know if it will help if in fact my file is just sitting in a pile on several desks waiting to be reviewed? The regional flight surgeon was very helpful, but said they are just so understaffed things are going to take time. I feel that my congressman is not going to be helpful as the que is the que and I just need to be patient. Figured I'd see if anyone has some insight here.

Hate to be annoying and post a medical question, but I'm stumped with this one and what to do.

I am a Canadian who wants to become a pilot I heard its a lot cheaper in to do it in the Philippines and I was wondering if anyone has done this or has any information about getting your training in foreign country to cut cost

Hi all,

I’m fortunate to have earned CJOs from both American Airlines and Delta. My class date with AA is set for January 2025, while Delta is projecting Q1 2025. Many DAL CJO holders with dates close to mine have recently been assigned January class dates, so I’m hopeful for February.

Here’s my dilemma: I currently live in the NYC area but will move to LA/OC next year. While AA may offer better seniority movement in the long term, I’m genuinely drawn to Delta’s culture—it really resonates with me. Financial differences seem minimal when looking at the bigger picture over a potentially 30+ year career.

As a first-gen pilot without family in the industry, I’m hoping for unbiased advice on what factors you’d weigh in making this decision. I keep wondering if I’m crazy to consider passing on Delta simply because I got a class date at AA, but also since base locations aren’t an issue for me.

Appreciate any insights or personal experience you can share—thanks in advance!

What’s up yall, does anyone know of any pilots who’ve trained out of US Aviation Academy’s Poughkeepsie base?

Work at a small 61 school operating four 172s. Curious what you guys see 61 schools doing well, where they lack, and any advice on what to do better.

My husband is getting a degree in aviation through Liberty University. Online classes, in person flight training. They don't have traditional semesters and although he's going full time and utilizing his GI Bill, he's only getting part time BAH. Is anyone else at Liberty and getting full BAH? When he started a couple years ago he asked and was told a couple different answers but decided not to keep trying.

Thank you!

I’ve been working with an aircraft owner to acquire a plane, where I’d fly/manage their aircraft. I’ve spent the last few months organizing everything from insurance, to hangar space, lining up a mechanic, and arranging training. At this point, I’m going out to see the aircraft next week, and get a pre buy done. At the end of the day, it seems like the aircraft would be ours by the end of the New year (assuming no hiccups at all). However, I have to meet with the owner regarding salary, days off, etc. This is my first experience into being a pilot/aircraft manager. I’ve heard horror stories of pilots working for private owners, and I’ve been trying to build some type of contract to give him. I wanted to get an idea of what kind of agreements other pilots have with their owners. Does anyone have a similar situation/job they’re in? And if so, how and what did you agree with the owner in terms of compensation structure, and QOL.

Some background on the role/time to try not to dox myself:

Aircraft: PA-46 Matrix

Location: Northeast

Mission: Flying for business trips, and for leisure to various vacation houses.

My experience: 1300 TT, 400 turbine/turboprop(Caravan on floats), 135 experience.

EDIT: Let me be clear, I HAVE been sending invoices and being paid for my work so far.

hey guys, looking to get my CMEL done asap and currently researching accelerated multi engine programs around the country and found one in Florida. Blue Line Aviation. I've heard mixed reviews about them as a whole, but can't find anyone who did the multi there. Any thoughts/reviews?

Hey guys,

I know this has been asked before but I wanted to get everyone’s opinion on my specific situation.

Current time: 2000TT, 940 turbine 121 SIC I currently live in base, will not be furloughed and will continue to live in base on reserve.

My options:

1. Stay at Spirit until furloughed

2. Go to Endeavor and become a captain shortly after and build TPIC, will be based in NYC and will have to commute, will not take a pay cut.

3. Go to Kalitta, can be home based, get to fly 747, I do dislike the long trips, pay is similar to Spirit.

My current thought is to stay at Spirit and see what happens, have the CJO at Endeavor/Kalitta as a backup, as I’m pretty young so it wouldn’t be a huge deal but I also do want to end up at one of the legacies sooner than later. What is everyone’s thoughts? Thank you!

If my goal is to fly for Delta, should I reach for Endeavor as my regional? Would the Career Advancement Program at Endeavor be a good idea? I heard they can hold on to you longer than you'd like. Would it be better to work at a different regional and apply at Delta?

So I've got two arrest warrants out for harassment and uttering death threats. I genuinely did not commit either of these acts and I'm sure my salty ex only accused me of such to sabotage my dreams in aviation.

Is my future dream of becoming a pilot dead because of these arrest warrants? I'm in Ontario Canada. I'm saving up for a good lawyer right now. If I go to court and get charged I'm sure it'll have a negative impact, but if I go and don't get charged am I in the clear in terms of a future in the airlines?

In my younger days, I wanted to be a commercial pilot so in my 20s, I deposited a bunch of money at a flight school and started training. Finances quickly became an issue for me (tragic, really, since the costs back then were ridiculously cheap), and then grad school and life happened, all the while I would dream of flying big jets and spent lots of time flying on the flight simulator.

Now that I'm in my 50s and have the time and funds, I am considering working on my PPL, and if I want to, maybe even get all the ratings, try to accrue 1500 hours, and who knows, maybe I'll try to fly for Skywest for another 10 years before I have to retire, or look for a corporate job.

Anyway, the issue for me is i'm super excited about it all, but also I can't shake this pre-training nervousness. I feel like flying small single engine planes seems dangerous, and I can't shake the fear of an engine failure over a busy city, or a mid-air collision. I'm probably being unreasonable, but I want to feel comfortable and calm, not nervous. Maybe it will all subside after a few flights and some familiarity with it all. The instructor I've talked to (briefly) has over 500 hours so that seems good. At this point, I can't even imagine solo-ing.

Can anyone else relate to this, and if so, any advice? I am tired of feeling regret for not following my dreams, and I don't want to give into this fear and lead to more regret.

Thanks!

Hey guys,

do you think its possible to do a career shift from an military RPA-Pilot to an Airline Pilot? In the German Air Force you get an CPL/IR with Theory Credit and a Medical, real flight time in an DA42 is only about 25 Hours a year to maintain your license and IR. Additional to that you will get an Bachelor or Master Degree and after 13 years of serving you get 40.000€ as a Bonus and for 2 years 85% of your last salary.

Do you think, someone has a chance to do the career change, even though the real flight time is really low?

Hi fellow aviators!

Are you a student pilot with questions about flight training? Or maybe you’re an aspiring Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) preparing to take the next step in your aviation career? I’ve created a new subreddit called CFIHelpCenter to support both student pilots and those training to become CFIs.

Here’s what you’ll find: ✈️ A space to ask questions about flight training—from ground school to checkrides. ✈️ Tips and advice from CFIs and experienced pilots. ✈️ Resources for building lesson plans, understanding FAA materials (like the FAR, AIM, and PHAK), and mastering teaching techniques. ✈️ A supportive community for discussing the challenges and victories of flight training.

Whether you’re just starting your journey in aviation, looking for insights on becoming a CFI, or seeking answers to tricky concepts, this community is for you. Let’s make learning and teaching aviation less intimidating and more rewarding for everyone!

Come check it out, join, and let’s build a community where pilots at all stages can grow together. See you at CFIHelpCente

I know this has been brought up  before but here goes my turn. I’ve been at SWA for 1.5 years and have a class date with UAL next month and I’m torn. I live in San Diego and drive to LAX. 55% seniority in base and I have 1400 pilots beneath me company wide. I'm 30 and currently on year 2 pay at SWA, with a year 3 raise in May '25.

I received this CJO last January and already postponed two class dates with UAL this year due to uncertainty. If I do decide to join UAL, I'd need to start class by January. When I was going through training as a student pilot, I was attracted to UAL for Widebody flying, but I've previously disregarded it as I like to stay on my own time zone and I value flexibility and QOL. I’ve averaged 18 days off crediting around 100 TFP at SWA. I’ve traveled the world on my time off three times so far this year.

While UAL offers WB international flying, I'm unsure if it's worth leaving SWA. I enjoy SWA's flexibility, vacations, premium pay, and schedule changes. Despite Elliott-related uncertainty, I don't feel my job is threatened. SWA is just realigning their business model.

Seniority-wise, SWA will likely remain stagnant for the next 2 years, depending on when we get planes from Boeing. Assuming no growth at either SWA or UAL for the next 10 years, our retirement percentages are actually the same. The one downside is a longer upgrade at SWA 9-10 year upgrade.

I'm rethinking UAL because of the variety but I'm unsure if it's worth jumping ship. UAL's retirements and growth plans are exciting, and I don't want to miss out on a potentially better opportunity. Is variety something really important to consider, or is an airplane an airplane at the end of the day? It’s a FOMO vs fear of regret situation.

What I value the most is schedule flexibility, time off to do other business and side hustles/hobbies,  maximum control over my life outside flying, and the ability to make great money for the most time off. However sometimes I wonder if I’m being too short sighted with the benefits we have at SWA, and if it’s worth it to chase the fairy-tale career of the Widebody flying. I know WB pilots can have a lot of unused reserve days off at home, although not hard days. I know WB it’s not for everyone and I am not the best napper, although I haven’t tried sleeping in a proper bunk before. All the times I've traveled internationally I've felt wrecked.

Trying to collect information to make an informed decision! I know the grass isn't always greener. Thanks.

Pros:

• LAX base, I’m 55% in base
• Schedule flexibility: ELITT and TTGA
• No PBS, line bidding favors pilots
• Vacation drop: turn one week into 3 weeks of vacation
• Efficient trips: work on average a fewer days a month than a UAL pilot
• Good people to work with
• More premium open time opportunities than UAL
• Better job security, historically speaking. No furloughs.
• Don’t question when you call in sick
• Future LAX Growth in Terminal 0
• Can pair reserve with trips so you can credit more if you don’t get called on reserve. Don’t have to break guarantee like at UAL.
• Great union
• PM/AM defined trips with no circadian swap.

Cons:

• Single type aircraft
  • MAX 7 delays
  • No growth for 2-3 years
• Same type of flying entire career, same overnights and trips
• 8-10 year upgrade (less if we get MAX deliveries sped up possible). Will not grow from 2024-2026 due to MAX delays.
• Slow company mindset to innovate and doing what has worked in the past
  • Will they be able to adapt to market changes and still remain relevant in the future?
• ELLIOTT investor: What will the company look like after Elliott? Will they prioritize short term gains over long term investments in the company? Will we be left with a company that is not as good before they entered?

United

Pros:

• LAX base, easily attainable
• Multiple fleet type options (more variety), strong order book for new aircraft
• Lots of growth and expected hiring to take place
• Feels exciting
• Quicker upgrade
• Better reserve rules with long call and 2.5 hours for short call, 18 hour long call
• Trips can start out of SNA which is closer to SAN
• Great travel benefits
• Relative seniority increase with people senior to you moving up to fly WBs
• More QOL on the road with not as much flying per day as SWA (longer layovers)

Cons:

• Not as many days off as SWA
• Less productive trips
• Is their growth sustainable?
  • Dependent on them getting planes from Boeing
• Schedule flexibility compared to SWA
• More red eye flying out of LAX
• Not as much soft vacation time compared to SWA
• Not as much open time as SWA
• International long haul out of LAX is small and I’d rather drive to LAX than commute to SFO
  • Also some of these international trips seem hard on the body (not the best plane sleeper). The childhood dream of flying planes all around the world wears off when you’re in London for 26 hours the third time that month.
• Have to break reserve guarantee to make more on reserve

Hey I have a question for anyone that is currently pursuing an airline or any commercial pilot job. What are some of the difficulties you face on a day to day basis as an aircraft renter

I was not approved for my medical because of my left eye not having 20/40 vision. I did have eye surgery and my overall vision is 20/25. However, that is mainly using my right eye. Unfortunately these are the eyes I was born with. Do I have any hope of becoming a airline pilot? I can pass a 20/20 vision test with both eyes open.

Hi all, I have my instrument rating checkride tomorrow and I have a quick question about charts. I am going to apply to a cadet program soon and they require proficiency in Jeppesen charts. I have only seen Jeppesen charts once and it was pretty confusing, granted this was a few months ago. Where can I get Jeppesen charts and not pay hundreds of dollars on Foreflight for example? Thank you all.

I put together this quick reference kneeboard for C172 VFR, What am I missing?

https://kneeboard.ga?t=KI

https://preview.redd.it/xd0qd5550d6e1.png?width=1581&format=png&auto=webp&s=932ed90dab647d6cff255bc7af29b55df989f183

Hey guys, I've been flying the ATR (600 version) for the last 4 years and now my company is moving me to the 320, with the type rating starting on the 2nd of Jan. What would you advice / suggest to make my transition a little easier ? I know I have a lot more studying to look forward to compared to the ATR but any suggestions to reduce my anxiety would be appreciated greatly. Thank you.

Never really thought about it but I'm going through my PPL training faster than I thought, and I think I'm going to get my license a few months before I turn 18. I'll be going out to another province in the summer, and would probably be interested in flying there. Would they just rent to a random 17 year old? Or am I essentially just going to have to rent at the school I was trained at until I'm 18?

So I’m heading out of town for 4-6 weeks or so for Christmas, new years and maybe some additional time in Jan and I’m thinking about keeping my options open with regards to deciding if I wanna get checked out and rent a plane while there (DC area). Potentially the best chance to take my dad up for first time.

Wondering what to bring beyond the legal minimum required. Ie medical, cert etc … and maybe passport in case flight school asks for citizenship proof? Is citizenship proof required for people with PPL already? I’m actually not sure.

I’m thinking since I’m not that familiar with the area it would probably be helpful to bring along the iPad+Sentry.

Headset feels annoying to bring and I’m guessing I’d be able to rent a cheap pair while there .. whatever they give out for discovery flights. Yeah no ANC but it’ll probably just be the checkout flight + one or two flights. That’s it.

Physical logbook feels risky to bring despite having a copy on ForeFlight and pictures of it on google drive.

Curious what r/flying hobby pilots do in situations like these. I don’t even know for sure I’m gonna fly - I’d give it a 40% chance.

My flight to DC is tomorrow so this is a fairly last minute idea.

I've always loved aviation ever since I was a kid.

However, I never really knew that, but more recently, I've realized I always wanted to become a pilot for a career. Screw the accountant or economic careers that my family has always been telling me to do! Time to aim to be a commercial pilot!

One problem, I have no idea when I should start flight school.

I'm currently 14 years of age and turning 15 next year, and I'm currently attending high school in Australia, NSW. I've recently been planning for my future as a pilot. However, I've also realized that being a pilot is no easy task and that it would be an incredibly difficult journey to get there, not to mention that it's a huge financial risk. So I was thinking that as a backup job in case I couldn't become a pilot, I would be a teacher since I wanted to be a teacher as a kid because I looked up to them so much and my academic performance has been quite high. So I was thinking of first going to university to obtain a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Education. But I also realized that it would take 4 years to obtain just a Bachelor's, and that is a lot of time that would go down the drain when I go to flight school.

So I'm left with 2 options, either make the more risky move and fork over $200k to enroll in a flight school after I immediately graduate from high school such as Sydney Flight Academy to become a commercial pilot, or the less risky, but more time wasted option when I do get all the licenses and experience, and obtain a degree in education first and then pursue flight training with a backup job in the event I need it.

However, after searching on the internet for advice from other people, I couldn't get a clear answer, some people on other social media and even my friend who also wants to become a pilot said to first go to university before flight training while others said to do flight training as soon as possible.

I would love to hear advice from others as I always loved aviation and I really want to become a pilot in the future.

To cut a long story short: I have 150 flight hours, PPL, instrument, and a dui…

I went through an extremely hostile divorce and was not able to handle it well at the time.

(^Edited this section for clarity^)

Flying has been my dream since childhood and I’m still involved in the aviation industry (working a corporate job for a part 91k operation).

My medical certificate is gone atm, and my private license is suspended for 4 months and every day that passes looks bleaker and bleaker for ATP.

I’m just coming here to get the most realistic advice on this topic as I can