Is it possible?

Is it possible to become an ATP-rated airline pilot without going through
the military and without owning your own plane? Do people do this often?
What would the certificate/rating and career paths be?

a wrote:

Is it possible to become an ATP-rated airline pilot without going through
the military and without owning your own plane? Do people do this often?

Yes and yes.

What would the certificate/rating and career paths be?

Typically, the pilot studies for the private certificate, then the instrument rating,
then gets a CFI ticket. That lets him or her work for an existence (can't really call
it a living) while building hours. The commercial ticket and multi-engine rating are
picked up during these years. The next step usually is to some sort of charter
operation or light freight (like check hauling), but some people I know have gone
straight from CFI to feeder airlines. Making the transition from piston to turbine is
tricky. Getting into the right seat of a feeder airline is the next step.

I recall flying the cattle section of a Fokker into Knoxville once. The captain
invited any interested parties to check out the cockpit (this was well before 911).
When I mentioned that I owned a Cessna 150, he said "Yeah, I've got a lot of time in
those!"

There are other ways, as well. Several colleges and academies will get you into an
entry level airline job.

George Patterson
This marriage is off to a shaky start. The groom just asked the band to
play "Your cheatin' heart", and the bride just requested "Don't come home
a'drinkin' with lovin' on your mind".

I started too late (age 32) to get into the airlines, but I ended up with an
ATP flying corporate jets. Some of my contemporaries when I was instructing
are now senior airline pilots...they worked themselves up from the bottom.

Bob Gardner

a wrote in message ...
Is it possible to become an ATP-rated airline pilot without going through
the military and without owning your own plane? Do people do this often?
What would the certificate/rating and career paths be?

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
[snip]
Typically, the pilot studies for the private certificate, then the instrument rating,
then gets a CFI ticket. That lets him or her work for an existence (can't really call
it a living) while building hours. The commercial ticket and multi-engine rating are
picked up during these years. The next step usually is to some sort of charter
operation or light freight (like check hauling), but some people I know have gone
straight from CFI to feeder airlines. Making the transition from piston to turbine is
tricky. Getting into the right seat of a feeder airline is the next step.
[snip]

This seems to happen a lot at my old flight school. More than a couple
CFIs went on straigt on to feeders, flying right seat turbo prop. Of
course this is best case scenario and doesn't happen for everyone, you
might have to put in some additional 'dues'. One CFI took up check
transfers, another started work for a tour operator, and another
ferrying planes around. But either way if you're determined and work
hard you can get there.

-lance smith

"lance smith" wrote in message

....One CFI took up check
transfers,

Do they still fly checks, in these internet days?

a wrote in message ...

Is it possible to become an ATP-rated airline pilot without going through
the military and without owning your own plane? Do people do this often?
What would the certificate/rating and career paths be?

Very possible. I did it, although 35 years ago. Often? I couldn't say.

John Gaquin wrote:

Do they still fly checks, in these internet days?

Of course! The "paperless" era that computers were supposed to produce has produced
more paper records than ever before.

George Patterson
If you don't tell lies, you never have to remember what you said.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...
Of course! The "paperless" era that computers were supposed to produce has
produced
more paper records than ever before.

Though, my understanding is that the Federal Reserve is supposedly working
on some change to the banking rules that would allow checks to clear without
a paper trail, or at least without an immediate paper verification (I
suppose the checks could be shipped by less-expensive means, to verify the
cleared check at a later date).

I have no idea how practical that idea is, in terms of what electronic
authentication would replace the paper trail, but obviously the impact on
the check flying industry would be major.

Pete

P Duniho writes...
my understanding is that the Federal Reserve is supposedly working
on some change to the banking rules that would allow checks to clear without
a paper trail, or at least without an immediate paper verification


It's called "Check 21" for short, the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act.
The goal's to prevent trucks and planes loaded with paper checks (cheques, for
our European friends) from having to haul them around North America before the
transactions can become official.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/paymen...on/default.htm

(StellaStar) wrote in message ...
P Duniho writes...
my understanding is that the Federal Reserve is supposedly working
on some change to the banking rules that would allow checks to clear without
a paper trail, or at least without an immediate paper verification


It's called "Check 21" for short, the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act.
The goal's to prevent trucks and planes loaded with paper checks (cheques, for
our European friends) from having to haul them around North America before the
transactions can become official.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/paymen...on/default.htm

I've noticed that this is already happening. Sometimes when I pay a
bill by check, it is converted into some sort of electronic
transaction and shows up as a debit on my account. I'm not crazy
about it because I no longer get my check back. My cancelled check
used to be the equivalent of a receipt. Now all I have is a
non-descript line on my bank statement with no info on who the payee
was.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)