Are most pilots ex military?

In the 1980s, roughly two-thirds of all airline pilots in the United States had some form of military experience, be it Air Force, Army, Navy, or National Guard. Today, it is estimated that about one-third of airline pilots have military backgrounds, a sharp reduction that can be attributed to multiple factors.



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Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that despite efforts to close the gap, airlines in North America will face a shortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. The supply of new pilots will grow, but not enough to offset a continuing wave of retirements, the consultant says. There is cause for hope, however.

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The amount of time spent away from home depends on a crew member's seniority, preferences, and aircraft. The most labor-intensive schedule might place a pilot out of base for 12-15 nights in a month. An entire month's schedule for a line holder commonly includes four 4-day trips.

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If you attend a college outside of the Academy, you must graduate with at least a 2.5 GPA to qualify for Naval Flight School. The average GPA at the Naval Academy is over a 4.0, so if books aren't your thing, a regular college might serve you better if you want a chance at making it into the pilot program.

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Some 80% of student pilots voluntarily withdraw from training before gaining even a basic pilot licence, according to a study conducted for the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

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