Are most commercial pilots ex air force?

Answer: No, most of the airline pilots today come from a civilian background. The time (in years) that the military demands from pilots is over 10 years after graduation from flight school. It used to be 6 years. Additionally, the demand for the number of military pilots has decreased.



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The military has long been one of the major pipelines for airline pilot talent. A significant number of airline pilots start their careers in the military, fly for 10-20 years, and then go into civil aviation. That's why the military is among several of the top pilot employers.

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The average Delta Airlines pilot earns $192,000 with top-earners making $526,000. American Airlines pilots earn an average salary of $118,000, with some pilots earning in excess of $700,000. Most importantly, pilot salaries continue to increase.

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For all other military pilots, Delta will begin interview processes and extending conditional job offers to successful candidates one year before their availability date. Delta is consistently recognized as a top employer for veterans, with former service members comprising 11% of the airline's 80,000-strong workforce.

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In the May 2021 report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the range of salaries for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers from less than $100,110 a year, to the highest 10 percent earning more than $208,000.

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Traditionally a pilot at a regional airline might start out earning less than $50,000 per year, but get hired on by a major airline and that goes up quickly into the six figures, and well over $300,000 for senior captains flying widebody aircraft overseas. Some earn over $400,000.

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It's a well-known fact that getting hired at Delta is more difficult than at any other airline. It's because they will deny even the most qualified individual if they don't have the right attitude. It takes more than just a bunch of flight hours to become a Delta Airlines pilot.

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The vast majority of aviation officers are done flying after their squadron command tour as a Commander (O-5). Subsequent staff and major command (O-6) tours might offer opportunities to go flying, but that's not the same thing as a “flying tour.”

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