Globe Cargo

Hey guys,

So this is for all the folks that have there license. How long does it take to get your student license and how much is it? is there a set price or depends on where you go or do you pay per hour type deal? i was looking at the information on Wikipedia and there seems to be a lot of tasks you need done in order to get it.

Also, if you wanted to fly 747's, do you need a private, commercial (with a IFR rating) and finally a airline transport pilot (atp) with a 747 rating? How many years does getting all this take? I'll be 27 when i get back state side, would this be too late to attempt to get my commercial or even my atp licenses? and besides the military, is it possible to get (let's just say) Atlas to pick up the tab for everything and help you get all these licenses like a scholarship type deal?

Thanks in advance.
Joe

For the PPL, I assume that you are talking about the cost in the US? Prices vary a lot between countries. This link is for a realistic cost in Canada where I took my PPL license: http://www.rfc.ca/en/Licences:PrivatePilot

As for the other questions, I will let some of our commercial pilots answer...

LittleJoe0962 wrote:Hey guys,

So this is for all the folks that have there license. How long does it take to get your student license and how much is it? is there a set price or depends on where you go or do you pay per hour type deal? i was looking at the information on Wikipedia and there seems to be a lot of tasks you need done in order to get it.

You can go get a student pilot license right now. Go to an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and get a 3rd class medical exam and you can get that on the same paper as the student pilot license. You can also go to an FAA (or designated) examiner and obtain just a student pilot certificate however you will still need to go get a 3rd class medical. The student pilot certificate technically doesn't cost anything but when colocated with the medical you will have to pay the medical exam fee which for my 1st class is running $90. Speaking of medicals, I recommend you initially get a 1st class medical and the reason is that if you really do intend on making it a career you will want to know right away if you have a medical condition that will prevent you from obtaining such a goal.

Also, if you wanted to fly 747's, do you need a private, commercial (with a IFR rating) and finally a airline transport pilot (atp) with a 747 rating? How many years does getting all this take? I'll be 27 when i get back state side, would this be too late to attempt to get my commercial or even my atp licenses? and besides the military, is it possible to get (let's just say) Atlas to pick up the tab for everything and help you get all these licenses like a scholarship type deal?

Thanks in advance.
Joe

This depends on the airline's hiring requirements. Many airlines require a commercial, multi-engine, instrument license and ratings. This is actually a minimum because with out it you aren't qaulified to operate the aircraft at all or under the conditions that are required of an airline (instrument rating in this case). While I haven't followed the requirements so much of major airlines I wouldn't be surprised if and ATP is required and it is certainly needed to be competitive if not required.

It's rarely too late to get started. I've flown with many captains who are in this as a second career. When I was instructing, the chief instructor was pushing 50 and he got hired at a regional, he still has 15 years of flying he can do.

As for an airline to sponsor you, unfortunately there really isn't any in the states. I believe to asian airlines may do that but I'm not positive they pay for everything, this is an Ab Initio program. There are airlines that will let YOU pay THEM to fly in a 121 operation but my post regarding the Colgan accident is associated with my thoughts on those programs A time frame to complete is totally up to you at most facilities. Some universities have a very dictated process for getting licenses and ratings but those are few and far between and I wouldn't recommend them to you anyways as their prices are outrageous with no benefit to level of education...despite what they will tell you.

If you want more information feel free to email or PM me your questions.

LittleJoe0962 wrote:Hey guys,

So this is for all the folks that have there license. How long does it take to get your student license and how much is it? is there a set price or depends on where you go or do you pay per hour type deal? i was looking at the information on Wikipedia and there seems to be a lot of tasks you need done in order to get it.

Also, if you wanted to fly 747's, do you need a private, commercial (with a IFR rating) and finally a airline transport pilot (atp) with a 747 rating? How many years does getting all this take? I'll be 27 when i get back state side, would this be too late to attempt to get my commercial or even my atp licenses? and besides the military, is it possible to get (let's just say) Atlas to pick up the tab for everything and help you get all these licenses like a scholarship type deal?

Thanks in advance.
Joe

Word of advice Joe, if it,s what you really want to do, go for it with all you,ve got, there,s an old saying,"Regrets for the things you have done, tempers with time, Regrets for the things you haven,t done ,will haunt you all your Life" and I can vouch for that, had a chance 45 yrs ago af a Military Pilots Career, but it would have meant increasing my Enlistment, but being married at the time with 2 Babys, the missus didn,t want me to ,and now any chance has long gone as ppl,s in the UK are damned expensive, another tip, if your Single,stay that way until you,ve got where you want to go, the last thing you need is some female giving you earache because it doesn,t tie in with their Plans Here endeth the Lesson

Hey guys, Thanks for the replies. @ Brogs--I'm married with 2 kids in the UASF as a C-5/C-17/C-130 crew chief, so right now, the missus has some major input on this lol but i tottally understand where your coming from. Where i work, i see an Atlas/Evergreen/Kalitta plane land everyday and have always wonder what it took to be a Capt for one of there 742. This is something i think i would love to do but if i did, it would take me sometime to get where i want to be.
@nwadc10-- check your PM, i sent some more questions
@ thansson--yep american greenbacks lol

Thanks
Joe