Minimum educational requirements for most commercial airlines are high school graduation or two years of college. Pilot training is done in military or civilian flight schools. Advancement Advancement for Airline Pilots may involve moving from a small airline to a major carrier. Advancement within the same company depends largely on seniority. Flight engineers may become copilots within 2 to 7 years and captains within 5 to 15 years.
Some pilots become check pilots, chief pilots, or self employed.
A few pilots transfer to managerial jobs. Experienced pilots move up the seniority list and become eligible to bid for larger aircraft, more desirable schedules, routes, or their own home base. Promotional opportunities for Agricultural Pilots include advancing to managerial positions or purchasing their own aircraft to become independent contractors or pest control operators. Most pilots find employment by contacting employers directly. FAPA provides employment information and a computerized central application file to subscribers for an annual fee.