Hello Melvin

[NicholasS-MN-508]

Hello,
My name is Nick Sirek, Iam from Savage, MN. Iam 23 years old and have recently began flying. I have some college, but choose the work path of my current career.
I have always thought about flying and now Iam in a good position to pursue my dream. I have 1.5 hours logged and am planning on going back for more. A couple of weeks ago was the first time I ever climbed into a Cessna 72, and I couldn't believe the experience. In the time I have flown, I have executed such manuvers as, taxing out to the runway, take-offs, climbs, decents, left/right turns, stalls, and landing. I see flying as a challenge like no other, also a great career path. I was wondering some of the first few steps you made when you choose to become a pilot?

[American Eagle Melvin]

Hello Nick...

Thanks for signing in and good to meet you. Well let me first start out by answering your question. One of the first steps I made when I chose to be come a pilot was to do what you did...Get into a plane and see how I liked it... and guess what ... ? ... I loved it. I took my first flight in 1998 when I was in college and logged about 11 hours and I could not believe the experience either. I was not in a position financially to continue from that point so I put flying to the side and finished school and went right into a steady 9-5 job. And to top it off, all of the information that I learned from those 11 hours slipped right out of my brain.

But once I was in a position to pursue my dream, then the research started (step two). I checked out web sites and magazines and requested brochures from different flight schools and I visited several FBO's at local airports. I learned about ATP from a friend who was also interested in becoming a pilot. One thing that stood out to me about ATP was that I did not have to go all the way to Florida just to learn how to fly. ATP had locations all over, and the ATP Long Beach location was about 20 minutes from my house. I was also interested in an accelerated program and the 90-day Airline Career Pilot Program was just what I was looking for. I also made price comparisons and I found that ATP's price was great because it not only included the flight time, but also books, charts, the written exams and housing if needed. The price quoted was the price I would pay. I called up ATP, received a packet, got my financing together, received a start date for the PPL and ACPP and the journey began in March 2007.

So since you already know that you want to be a pilot and you have taken that first flight, I would say the next step is to start researching and find out where you want to do your training. Hope this answers your question.

Now...lets talk about those 1.5 hours you have...That's Great...and good to hear you are going back for more... You have already done many of the manuevers that you will do throughout training and now all you have to do is keep working at it so that it becomes second nature. When is your next flight?

Flying is fun and a great career path and like you said, "A challenge like no other." Flying, by far, is one of the greatest challenges that I have faced...and at the same time it is the most rewarding. I really love what I do and I really want others to experience that feeling.

I am here to answer any questions that you have Nick. Please feel free to start as many threads as you want with any questions/concerns/comments. I will talk to you soon.

[NicholasS-MN-508]

Hey Mel,

My next scheduled flight is on July 12, for two hours. This time we will be focusing more on take-offs and landings. This will be my third lesson, and it seems from the first two I can only get more comfortable.

To become an airline pilot does that mean that one had to get straight A's in school, also have a college degree?

[American Eagle Melvin]

Hey Nick....

July 12th is the next big day huh? The more you fly the more comfortable you will get. When I started the PPL program through ATP, I was flying just about every other day...and sometimes twice a day. This made me get comfortable very quick because I was working at it all the time. It allowed me to keep moving forward. Sometimes when there is too long of a break between flights, it is common to spend the next flight reviewing what was covered on the previous flight...and that can eat away at time and money. This is why the fast track programs worked great for me. Just something to think about.

So where are you training right now?

To be an airline pilot, you definitely do not have to get straight A's. But if you want to have straight A's then go for it by all means. I for sure did not have straight A's. When I interviewed at Eagle I had to provide all of my transcripts from each school that I attended. There were a few A's scattered around here and there... ... but not as many as the other letters of the alphabet.... But seriously though...when I was in school I made sure that I applied myself as best I could since I was investing a good amount of money in schooling. Same goes for when I started at ATP. Each written exam that I took I always wanted to get the highest score.

The college degree is not required if you want to fly for a regional airline or even some corporate airlines. However, if you want to go to a major airline, a college degree will be required. I know quite a few people that do not have college degrees that are flying for a regional or corporate airline and they are working towards their degree through online programs so that when their opportunity comes to move on, they will be ready. For others, they will not need a college degree because they really like flying for a regional or coporate airline...they will stay until it is time to retire...be very senior in the company and have a great schedule and be based in their home city and have weekends off. It all depends on what you want to do.

Having a college degree is something that I added to my resume when I applied to American Eagle to make myself more competitive, BUT it was not a requirement. When you make it to that interview, you want to have as many items in your favor to separate you from others that are also interviewing...whether that be your flight experience, your work experience, your school experience, your technical knowledge, your personality. Anything you can do to make yourself more marketable...know what I mean?