JasonBlair.net

Have you dreamed of flying professionally since you were old enough to spy a jet crossing the sky? Or do you have a son or daughter considering becoming a pilot as a career?

This book is designed to help understand and navigate that pathway and be successful while maximizing efficiency and minimizing expenses.

The path to a pilot career can be rigorous and expensive, but fortunately, you have a knowledgeable advisor to help get started and navigate the pathway.

Aviation writer, instructor, and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner Jason Blair brings his familiarity with the training environment, his understanding of airline hiring practices, and many specific details of the training process, making
An Aviator’s Field Guide to the Pilot Career Path a unique book that focuses on the pathway to get to the final goal, a professional pilot job and career.

The book offers information to help a reader for themselves, a family member, or a significant other learn about financing training, medical concerns and questions, how parents can best help their children pursue the path, how to choose the best training provider, and how to be most efficient in training efforts.

The Pilot Career Path is a road map for pilots (or parents of pilots) seeking to understand the path from starting pilot training to being eligible to be a professional pilot in an airline, charter or corporate operator, or any number of other jobs.

Get this book today if you or someone you know is considering training for a professional pilot career and be sure to also follow the blog content on this page for supplemental tips and tricks that go with the book!

Available on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Available direct from the publisher, ASA by clicking here.

The aviation industry has long debated the minimum flight hours required for pilots to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, a prerequisite for serving as a pilot in command at major airlines. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates 1,500 hours of total flight time for most pilots seeking an ATP certificate, although certain exemptions (e.g., for military pilots or graduates of approved aviation programs) allow for reduced minimums; a Restricted-ATP. 

There are currently advocates pushing to lower these requirements, arguing that use of technological advancements, structured training programs, and simulator-based instruction can adequately prepare pilots with fewer hours. While there is some truth in that, and leveraging new systems and technology is always worthy of consideration, reducing ATP minimum hours could have significant unintended ripple effects. This is especially true with relation to flight instructors, flight training providers, and the overall quality of pilots entering the airline industry. 

Such a reduction could shorten the tenure of flight instructors, increase training staff turnover at flight schools, and potentially diminish the quality of training for future pilots, ultimately affecting the competency of professional pilots over time. Continue reading →