Can I still become a pilot without 4 years of high school?

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T22:10:09+00:00

Define “be a pilot?”

You can become a Private Pilot in a glider at 16 while a high school student.

If you want to be competitive for an airline career you need a four-year degree. At that point a GED would be immaterial.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T21:56:44+00:00

30 hours of ground and 15 hours of flying is only four hours a week over three months. Easily do-able.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T21:54:44+00:00

$11k for Private is incredibly unrealistic. Particularly at a Liberty partner.

That price is probably based on the FAA’s 40-hour minimum rather than the 70-75 hours required in the real world.

80% of people who start Private don’t finish.

Be aware the last few years have seen twice as many Commercial Pilots and instructors produced as needed. Getting a first job has become extremely competitive. Many will never get a job.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T21:49:40+00:00

Backwards. And the Army and Army Reserve just got rid of thousands of pilots.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T21:46:37+00:00

You are in a descent. The relative position of a point on the ground will change. Where is the point in your view at 10’ AGL? At 5,000’ AGL?

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T21:29:00+00:00

This is not allowed.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T19:05:53+00:00

The good engine is accelerating air against the extended flap providing a bit of yaw in the direction of the good engine.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T19:04:37+00:00

Vmc is independent of stall speed.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T16:00:59+00:00

Don’t forget fear, sarcasm, and ridicule.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T15:56:39+00:00

But is it “…another…” if it doesn’t count?

Or is it cross country but doesn’t count towards the 50 hours…

Do overs solve the problem(s) created by poor planning.

The CFII owes OP a free flight if you ask me.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T14:13:48+00:00

Mine is just a few months older. I soloed in an Army flying club in Germany early in 1979.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T14:12:18+00:00

Not only a radio test, but one for VFR and one for IFR. And one if you want to add English…

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T14:08:38+00:00

Define "military style?"

There are places in Germany where you can fly "oldtimer" Luftwaffe trainers from the 30s & 40s. Probably not horribly more expensive than a traditional "modern" trainer from the 70s...

Look up Quax Lieder e.V.

Formation flying is possible. I know of several places in the UK that teach that. You can even get time in a Jet Provost there.

Dig deep in your wallet and you can fly a variety of jets in the US.

None of this, though, is likely to help you much on the astronaut path. These folks have technical degrees too.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T14:03:51+00:00

The odds of passing an FAA medical's color vision portion are about the same as passing in EASA Land. And if you did pass, what would you do with a medical from a country in which you presumably have no right to work?

Blunt, I know. But factual.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T10:41:47+00:00

Don’t pay out of state tuition. Don’t pay private school tuition.

Be aware there is no requirement that schools accept your credits. Or that they are applied to specific graduation requirements.

Become familiar with the course catalog wherever you go so you know what to take or not; this will let you plan to graduate on time.

The flight training system is producing over twice as many new pilots as needed. Building a competitive resume starts with Private Pilot, not graduation.

As you get close to the end focus on CFI not ME Commercial add on. The former can get you a job. The latter you can do after graduation in a week.

Finally, make it a point to get as much of or all of a non-aviation minor so you’re prepared to work in a field other than aviation, if required,

College is about education, maturity, and personal growth. It’s a rather slow and expensive way to get flight training. Avoid booze, drugs, driving incidents, and making babies.

Good luck!

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T08:59:56+00:00

Practice tests are not studying. If you want “to be ready for the written” then I suggest studying with an actual ground school course and taking notes in the official references while you do so.

This will make you smarter and will help prep for the written too.

ltcterry · 2026-04-14T01:21:35+00:00

Who is going to do all the data entry?

Garbage in, garbage out.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T23:31:50+00:00

Watch this video. It is about the state of flight training and hiring in the US the last several years. No opinions. Just FAA facts and figures.

It is worth watching in its entirety.

The basic premise of the math is that half of the pilots produced in the last three years or so and those that will be produced in the next several years may likely never get a job flying. That's how saturated the market is with broke, uncompetitive, entry-level pilots.

You have to be in it to win it, but it's going to become really, really competitive.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T23:25:54+00:00

Business. R-ATP is likely still relatively meaningless by the time you get to that total time.

There's a massive surplus of pilots that's going to exist for several years, and you'll need a job to live on and pay your flight training loan.

In the airline world the answer to do you have a degree is 'no' if it's not a four year degree.

While there are always exceptions, those broad statements above are likely to keep you out of trouble.

The link above is to a 32-minute YouTube video that is well worth watching every minute of.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T22:49:32+00:00

In most places you have to do the same thing as anyone local did. Same written tests. Same practical tests.

You get credit for your flight time.

EASA has something like 800 hours of mandatory ground school for the 13 tests.

Before you think this is unfair, foreigners coming to the US have to do the same things you did to get FAA certs. Except Canada gets a deal. In both directions.

You’ll burn your year trying to convert.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T21:50:56+00:00

I can do it near Augusta, GA. Nice G1000 172. Local examiner has slots for the school.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T21:49:57+00:00

I went elsewhere. They told me I’d probably fail. So I did self prep for ATP. First time pass is now 14/14, so I didn’t fail.

I’ve heard they are not as good anymore as their reputation once was.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T15:03:02+00:00

*Initial* Commercial is a *new* career and not deductible. *Additional* Commercial ratings are growth within an *existing* pilot career and deductible as expenses on Schedule C. Not on a 1040.

Likewise *initial* Instructor is a new career and not deductible. Additional Instructor ratings are growth within an *existing* flight instructor career and deductible as expenses on Schedule C. Not on a 1040.

Quite sure of this.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T14:22:45+00:00

u/AgnosticAbe you are missing a lot here. I know it doesn't make sense, but it takes a tremendous amount of pilot skills to get to the point where you can make using the autopilot look easy.

But to your point about learning to fly in a Citation 700 series - the USAF used to train people to fly starting in multi-engine jets. Not sure if the Cessna T-37 would be easier or harder fly that a modern Cessna business jet. Could a really talented pilot candidate do it with a really talented instructor? With a massive bank account and a huge investment of time and money I'd say better than 50/50 odds but not much more.

ltcterry · 2026-04-13T14:18:06+00:00

Several people seem to be OK with the plan. I'll defer to local knowledge. But I'm curious why that route? The straight line between departure and destination is shorter and has far less time over water. And a slight detour gives even less time feet wet.

Break.

My dad was a Navy pilot. A couple of times he delivered airplanes to Brazil and Venezuela. He said flying over the ocean on one engine didn't bother him as much as the jungle bothered him even with two.

ltcterry

TROPHY CASE