It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. Eric now manages Sporty’s media network including FlightTrainingCentral.com. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.
Thinking of becoming a pilot? A surging demand for pilots, technological advancements, and access to modern learning resources make for an ideal time to begin your journey. The demand for professional pilots has never been greater. Recent data indicates that pilot certification changes and increased demand for air travel have had far-reaching industry effects.
For the student pilot, it’s never too early to begin preparing for that dream job. The highly-respected Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook predicts that through 2035, the aviation industry will need to supply more than two million new aviation personnel including 617,000 commercial airline pilots. And for those existing Commercial pilots and ATPs, now is the time to begin that detailed preparation to ace that first interview.
There’s a lot to learn as a new pilot, but the good news is you can do much of that learning on your own schedule. In between flight lessons, a good home study course is an invaluable tool. You can review your previous lesson, learn the theory behind the maneuvers you fly and prepare for the FAA written test.
Sign up for our FREE email newsletter. Twice a month our team of flight instructors shares advice and video tips to help you become a safer pilot.