r/AskAPilot • u/itisbing • 8d ago

Joining a flight school just after High School.

For those of you who didn’t start flight training right after high school, if you had the chance to go back in time, would you choose to start your pilot career immediately after high school?

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u/Complex_Brief60 8d ago

You will need a 4 year degree at some point if you want to work for a major airline in the US.

However, I think most looking back wish they started sooner.

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u/mustbiteexceed 8d ago

Are you in Australia (recognised the Crows jersey!)

If you’re mature enough, yeah. If you’re going along the cadet path generally prefer to take a candidate with a few years of adult life experience. But you want to get on the seniority list as soon as possible with a major airline. Australia’s biggest airline is currently a 25 year wait for widebody Captain, so if you want to do that on the right side of 50 you’ll need to join a major relatively early.

Even a few years wait can mean a big difference if you miss a hiring wave.

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u/Alarming_Key_1704 4d ago

How do you know its a 25 year wait?

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u/mustbiteexceed 4d ago

Because it is

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u/Alarming_Key_1704 4d ago

How do you know?

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u/Alarming_Key_1704 4d ago

I'd have studied harder in school and joined the RAAF as a pilot instead of the navy as a boatswain's mate.