TImeline of a pilot

According to “Flight: The Complete History of Aviation” by R.G. Grant, aviation has existed for over two millennia since the Chinese built kites in 200 B.C.

Manned flight was invented in 1783 with the hot air balloon. Traditional aviation began with the invention of the first airplane by the Wright brothers in 1903.

Only 17 years later, the first automobile was invented.

Flying is now a 2.7 trillion dollar industry globally with more than 900,000 pilots in the world operating planes, helicopters, drones, gliders and hundreds of more machines.

How do you become a pilot?

Maybe you want to fly commercially and travel the world. Maybe you want to help save people and become an emergency services pilot. Maybe you want to fly the fastest and the most advanced machinery in the world for the military. Maybe you might want to fly for fun.

General aviation

General aviation is the most common type of flying. Private pilots mostly fly around for fun as a hobby instead of a career. Though there are job opportunities as a private pilot, including flight instructor, banner tower, agriculturalist, aerial

photographer and charter flyer. Private pilots usually fly smaller craft like the four seater Cessna 172.

The main route to becoming a private pilot and from my personal experience is making sure it's a hobby or job you want to do. Being a pilot is extremely expensive and takes time because it takes years to get a pilot’s license.

If you don't want to drop a life savings worth of money, renting is your best option. If it's more that you're interested in than actually wanting to commit, it's probably not best to start flying.

Getting a pilot's license costs on average around $10,000 to $20,000, and that's if you own an aircraft. A general aviation aircraft can cost anywhere from $75,000 to one million dollars.

Renting

Renting can cost around $100 an hour excluding the fuel. Once you have picked what type of aircraft and certification you want to get, you should first check if you are able to fly. A private pilot’s license requires a third-class medical examination, which is a full-medical record examination by the FAA (Federal Aviation Association).

You need at least 20/40 vision and a strenuous physical examination to make sure you are fit to fly, which include a hearing and urine test. Any records of diagnosed mental disorders, including ADHD and schizophrenia, must be submitted, especially if you take medication. Medical histories may result in failure.. However, you can fly by

proving the medication does not affect flying capabilities. You should talk with a medical examiner if you take any medications.

After that, you need to take flight lessons until your instructor thinks you're ready to receive your Student Pilot's License (SPL). Once a SPL is earned, you need 40 hours flight experience as a pilot in command and pass a written test and a solo flight test. Then you will be a certified private pilot

Commercial

To fly a passenger plane, you need a commercial pilot certificate and a Class 1 medical. It is harder to pass than the Class 3 medical needed for the PPL because an instrument reading is required. To become an airline commercial pilot, you need to go to college and pass with a bachelor's degree in commercial aviation before you can apply for an airline pilot position.

Military

There are three highly competitive ways to become a military pilot.

Military academy

Military academies are the best way to become a pilot. The unfortunate downside is military academies are some of the hardest colleges to get into.

The Airforce Academy is guaranteed to make you a pilot, but only accepts 4,000 students a year, and those who do must have high grades, high physical demands and a letter from a government representative, such as a recommendation from a senator.

ROTC

Reserve Officer Training Core is a college program that trains cadets to become military officers. Getting a pilot slot is more difficult and competitive than it is at a military academy because each ROTC squadron only opens a few pilot slots each year.

If you acquire a pilot slot, you can transfer to flight school. Academy graduates get first pick at advanced jet fighter pilot spots, and what is left goes to students who graduate with the highest score in the ROTC flight school. The aircraft the military assigns you entirely depends on your score in the school.

The warrant officer route

The warrant officer route is the most complicated way to become a pilot. If you want to join the military as an enlisted and not an officer, you need to submit an application and go through school. If there are any pilot slots left, warrant officers can apply to become a rotary pilot and fly a helicopter.

Emergency services pilot

An emergency services pilot position does not require a college degree but does expect up to 10,000 hours of private pilot experience on certain aircrafts.

To become a pilot, you need some sort of private pilot certificate and thousands of hours in an aircraft.