I frequently get asked how many hours you need to apply for a major airline. Right now, the lowest time pilot I have seen get an interview scheduled at a major is 2400 hours, with no turbine PIC. If you have your ATP, I would encourage you to apply to any or all major airlines when they have their application windows open, and update monthly. Your persistence and attention to detail shows to the recruiters that you are the kind of person they want to interview. Take the time to get your applications done right, no mistakes or rambling explanations. Dream big, you have nothing to lose by letting the airline of your dreams know you want to work for them.

As you move through your piloting career, from student pilot to dream job, many of us will find we want different types of jobs. When I started flying, I had no idea where I wanted to work, or why one company was better than another or the difference between 91, 135, or 121/Cargo lifestyles. I would encourage all of you who want to be professional aviators to find out the easy way, instead of ending up being disappointed that you didn’t choose the path that suits your desired lifestyle and personality. Part 91 can be amazing if the aircraft owner treats you well. Part 135 can be an exciting and fulfilling career. 121/Cargo are better known, but have their ups and downs as well. What you don’t know can hurt you, so spend the time to gather good intel. Read blogs, chat boards (always with a grain of salt), and most importantly, seek out people who are currently doing these jobs. Ask them what their family life is like, how the pay is, if they are happy, and if they can share any advice with you. Choosing wisely is a lot easier when you gather information directly from the source.

One of the hardest things to overcome in an interview is a bad driving record, especially a DUI. Interviewers and airlines view how you drive as a representation of how you will fly, and your decision making ability. If I offered you $5 million to drive the speed limit and call a ride-share after a party, would you accept it? Your career as an airline pilot is worth that much or more, most likely. You can sabotage your career by making bad decisions while driving, so please do your best to be a safe driver. Also, if you have some cocktails, a $50 ride-share is a small financial price to pay compared to what you may lose in the long run.

Remember the first time you flew a plane by yourself? Your first $100 hamburger? That passion is what needs to drive you again when your interview time comes. This is a dream job, right? Sometimes the hard hours we put in just to get an opportunity at the next level can burn us out, but overcoming that and finding your enthusiasm is the first step in successfully preparing for any interview. Once you get that positivity flowing again, it will show in your cover letter, CV and face-to-face interview, and greatly increase your chances of success at the next interview.

When you finish every flight, try to write something in the comments section of your logbook, even if it’s just who you flew with. Comments in your logbook on any special occurrences, like permit ferry flights, checkrides, flights with your parents/loved ones, will help you tell great stories at your interviews, plus remind you in later years how much fun you had. On the flip side, if there is something challenging that happens during a flight, maybe add a note with a longer explanation in your personal files to help you recall it if you ever need to answer a question about it in an interview.