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This question is about airline pilot education.
What degree do you need to be an airline pilot?
There is no degree required to be an airline pilot. To work as an airline pilot, you must hold an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). To be eligible you need to be at least 23 years old, hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate with an instrument rating, or pass an FAA-administered knowledge test and pass a practical test.
Although not all employers require a college degree, most major airlines look to hire pilots who have at least a bachelor's degree. A common path is to complete a bachelor's degree program in aeronautical science, aerospace engineering, or aviation.
Earning an aeronautical degree at a university with a Federal Aviation Administration-certified flight school is an excellent way to prepare yourself for an exciting career as an airline pilot. While in school, prospective pilots complete courses that cover topics such as flight safety, aircraft engine mechanics, aviation law, management of crew members and in-flight resources, instrument training, and meteorology. In addition to taking classes, you are also gaining experience in flight training on simulators and planes.
Aeronautical science is one of those pilot majors that gives you unique skills and training. It provides different career options if you change your mind and decide piloting is not for you. But if you want to be a pilot, you will need a pilot's license. To get this, you need hours of flight time and a pilot certificate.
Once you finish your classroom work, you enter flight school to complete your flight hours. Your flight instructor will help you earn hours of flight time so you can get your pilot licenses. During the last two years of the program, you must get an internship with a commercial airline or a flight company. An internship can lead to employment for some students.
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