How to Become an Airline Pilot. Our Guest is Dr. Kenneth Byrnes, Professor, Assistant Dean, and Chairman of the Flight Department at the Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach Campus [Updated Episode]

The College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents

#056 – On this episode we uncover the path that leads to becoming an airline pilot. Dr. Kenneth Byrnes outlines the steps students must take to succeed in the aviation program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a highly respected university in the country. The airline industry has begun to rebound and is expected to reach the pre-COVID levels of 2019 in short order. Additionally, from reports presented by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Boeing Company, and airlines, such as American and United, we can forecast a high demand for airline pilots by diverse airlines in the near future and for the next couple of decades. Dr. Byrnes presented the attributes necessary for aviation students to succeed. These have to do with the level of commitment, leadership, and maturity of each student. He also presented a quick synopsis of Embry-Riddle’s quick approaching 100-year history. Dr. Byrnes shared the close relationship the school has with major airlines and the fact that some of them often hire students while still in their sophomore year. That fact highlights the need airlines have for good pilots, and how important it is for students to do their very best since the beginning of their aviation training and coursework. Dr. Byrnes also informed us of the advantages students enjoy when they graduate from the aviation program earlier. In short, airline pilots must retire by age 65, so it to students’ advantage to graduate as early as they can, so they can work as many years as they can before they reach that age. This gains more importance as they realize that airline pilots with that level of seniority usually earn salaries within the $300K and $400K range. This was a very fun interview for me to do. As a passionate aviation enthusiast, I enjoyed every minute of it. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/56. You can help our show in a big way by sharing it with someone you know and by leaving us a 5-star rating and a positive review. We would be very grateful for your help. Thank you!