Pilot / Airline Captain

He loved flying but being a pilot seemed an unreachable goal. A random stranger offered guidance, to which he applied his self-motivation to learn. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND

JM’s parents were not college educated but encouraged their son to work hard in school and get an interesting job as an adult. 

EARLY CHILDHOOD THOUGHTS OF AN ADULT CAREER

When JM was 5 years old, he took his first flight. The Delta pilots on board invited him to explore the cockpit “and I was just absolutely enamored,” he said. “I remember sitting there and being fascinated by all the buttons. From there, I just caught the (flying) bug.” By age 6, he had decided: “I wanted to be a pilot.”

EDUCATION WITH INCORRECT CAREER ADVICE

While in middle school, JM told a teacher about his dream to be a pilot. Unfortunately, the teacher, who had served in the U.S. Air Force, incorrectly informed JM that perfect vision was a requirement to become a pilot. “When I heard that, I was really defeated” said JM, who wears glasses. “I didn’t really have the ability to fact check that.”

FIRST CAREER PATH – BROADCASTING

After JM graduated from high school, he decided to pursue a career in broadcasting, working part-time as a technical director for a few minor league sports teams and applied to some major league baseball teams to be a broadcasting intern, as a path toward eventually being a lead broadcaster for sports events. 

JM decided to pursue an Associate degree in communications from a community college. He enjoyed broadcasting but it didn’t fulfill him the way he knew aviation would. After a year, JM dropped out of school, at least for a semester, “not wanting to waste my time or money on something I wasn’t truly invested in.”

SECOND CAREER PATH – AIRLINE RAMP AGENT

After departing from college classes, JM got a job as a ramp agent, hauling bags for Delta Air Lines.

A ‘Ramp Agent’ is a professional who is employed by either a specific airline or by an airport. The ramp agent’s job duties vary according to the requirements of the employer but basically, the ramp agent provides under-wing services for aircraft, may act as a marshal during flights and usually manages baggage. Also known as baggage handlers, ramp agent responsibilities may include loading and unloading aircraft baggage, guiding planes to and from their gates, operating baggage carts, de-icing planes and performing other aircraft servicing duties. Ramp agents must be physically fit and willing to work in any weather including rain, snow, and heat; also, able to work independently and within a team, with a flexible schedule. Only a high school (or equivalent) diploma is required, though agents must be able to operate basic computer systems.

“It was physically the hardest job I’ve ever done” said JM. “Manual labor is no joke.”

JOB PROMOTIONS FOLLOW GOOD JOB PERFORMANCE

Wanting to learn how to do perform well as a ramp agent, starting by showing up to work steadily and on time and following the lead of experienced ramp agents, JM progressed over the first year and a half from agent, to supervisor, to instructor. “I just absolutely fell in love with the technical aspects of aviation,” said JM. 

RANDOM CONVERSATION ALTERS A CAREER PATH

Editor’s note – Many career stories demonstrate the importance of making friends, even on a casual basis, with others already involved in different types of jobs within a career path in which you may be interested. For example, see the career story: MILITARY – MILITARY TO CIVILIAN CAREER TRANSITION, which is the same story as HEALTHCARE – HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR. JM’s story is another example.

During his time as a ramp agent, JM’s desire to pursue a career as a pilot became stronger, but he didn’t have the confidence to make it happen. 

While riding an employee bus, which transported airline staff from the parking lot to the airport, JM struck up a conversation with a random bus rider, also an airline employee, telling him about his hope to one day become a pilot. The response of the stranger, already a pilot: “JM, come over to my house. We’re going to sit down and talk about it.” So, they did, with the stranger (ST), sketching out a potential career path for JM to pursue to become a pilot. Said ST: “I set out everything that he had to do, and he followed it to a T.”

As a Black person, ST knew it was difficult for people like JM, also of Black ethnicity, to find relatable role models in the industry. ST stated: “I didn’t really have anyone to mentor me when I was going through the process so I thought I could help him.”

ST helped JM prepare for written tests and eventually apply for flight school. He met with JM’s parents to discuss financing and urged his mother to co-sign a loan so JM could pay for the degree. While at flight school, JM soared – both literally and figuratively, breezing through the curriculum, completing the necessary licenses in only 11 months. 

JM earned the 1,500 hours of flight time required to become a commercial pilot by working as a flight instructor and as a co-pilot on some private flights. His first employment as a commercial pilot was for a regional airline, where he remained for three years. Next, he moved to a start-up airline, spending six months as a pilot there. In the Spring of 2022, after he learned that Delta dropped the college degree requirement for pilots, JM eagerly applied for a position, soon receiving a call from the airline, asking to set up an interview time. JM was hired, first involving several months of training and then a final qualification flight. 

CAREER SATISFACTION

Looking back as he starts his career as a pilot with a major, international airline, JM finds it amazing “how far I had come in only six years, from carrying luggage to flying a Boeing 767!” His career success is attributed to supportive parents, his own dedicated work ethic, plus motivation and guidance from a stranger who became his mentor. This is truly an American success story. 

Looking ahead, JM vows to find the right opportunity to thank those who provided help along his way, by finding time to help others pursue their dream. 

LOOKING AHEAD

JM’s next goal is to be promoted as a Captain, who is essentially in command of the plane from takeoff to landing. More about airline ‘Captains’ – 

• Most airline captains in the U.S. work as co-pilots for at least 10 years before being promoted. 
• Common prior experience is military service or a flight school or as a Federal Aviation Administration certified flight instructor. 
• Until 2022, most airlines were hiring applicants with at least 2 years of college
• Pilots train for 6-8 weeks after they’re hired and must complete additional training once or twice a year to remain employed
• Pilots fly an average of 75 hours every month and spend about 150 hours, sometimes more monthly, on non-flight duties.
• Seniority determines which pilots select which flights
• Before take-off, the captain checks that the plane is working properly, briefs crew members, verifies takeoff procedures and awaits takeoff permission from air traffic control
• During flight, the pilot, with assistance of others within the flight crew such as the co-pilot and first officer, performs most of the functions necessary to fly and land the plane
• Following landing, the captain is required to complete reporting  

(JM’s story is based upon an article by Sydney Page, within the Washington Post, published 10/7/22)