Frequently Asked Questions

What does the full path to becoming an airline pilot look like from zero hours?

Most U.S. airline pilot careers follow a three-phase path: earn FAA certificates through Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), build flight time to meet Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) or Restricted ATP (R-ATP) eligibility, then complete Part 121 airline new hire training. A common full-time timeline is about 24–30 months, but weather, checkride scheduling, and proficiency change the pace.

• Stage 1: Flight Training (Months 0–12): You attend a flight academy like Thrust Flight to earn your foundational certificates: Private Pilot License (PPL), Instrument Rating (IR), Commercial Pilot License (CPL), and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).
• Stage 2: Time Building (Months 12–24): You work as a professional pilot, typically as an instructor, to log the 1,500 flight hours required by federal law. During this phase, you are paid to fly and refine your skills.
• Stage 3: Airline Placement (Month 24+): Once you reach 1,500 hours, you are hired by a regional airline. You will complete Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) training and begin flying jet aircraft.

What are the basic requirements to become an airline pilot?

To fly as a first officer at a U.S. airline, the core requirement is holding an FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate or Restricted ATP (R-ATP) and meeting the airline’s Part 121 training and hiring standards. The FAA gating items are age, medical eligibility, certificates and ratings, and ATP or R-ATP aeronautical experience hours.

• Age: Minimum of 21 years old for a Restricted ATP (R-ATP) or 23 years old for a full ATP.
• Medical: Hold a valid First Class Medical Certificate.
• Certificates: Hold a Commercial Pilot License with Instrument and Multi-Engine ratings.
• Flight Experience: Log 1,500 total flight hours (or 1,000/1,250 hours for eligible university/military pilots).

How long does it realistically take to get to the airlines?

For a full-time student training consistently, a realistic timeline to airline eligibility is commonly 2 to 2.5 years: about 10–12 months to reach CFI and another 12–18 months to build ATP-eligible time as a paid pilot. The main schedule risks are weather, aircraft availability, and practical test scheduling delays.

However, airline hiring also plays an important role. If the airlines have slowed down their hiring you’ll likely need more than just 1,500 hours of flight time to be competitive in a tighter hiring market.

What is the difference between Commercial Pilot and Airline Pilot (ATP)?

• Commercial Pilot (CPL): This license allows you to be paid for flying. You earn this during your initial training (around 250 flight hours). It qualifies you for jobs like flight instruction, banner towing, or pipeline patrol.
• Airline Transport Pilot (ATP): This is the highest level of pilot certification. It requires 1,500 flight hours and is mandatory to act as a captain or first officer on a large passenger airliner. You generally earn this certificate during your new hire training at an airline.

How hard is flight training compared to college or trade school?

Flight training is performance-based education, you must repeatedly demonstrate safe, standardized execution under FAA practical test standards, not just pass written exams. The academic load (regulations, weather, systems) can feel like a compressed semester, but the differentiator is daily proficiency, decision-making, and consistency.

• The sheer volume of information (regulations, weather, systems) is high, similar to a compressed college semester. Unlike college, you cannot cram. You must demonstrate physical proficiency daily.
• Consistency is key. Students who treat training like a 9-to-5 job succeed; those who treat it like a part-time hobby often struggle.

Do I need to be good at math/physics?

You do not need advanced calculus or physics to succeed in FAA flight training. The math is practical and operational, focused on planning, cross-checks, and safety margins. Most students succeed by mastering procedures, checklists, and rule-of-thumb estimates rather than complex formulas.

Common math tasks

• Weight and balance inputs and totals
• Fuel burn, time, distance, and groundspeed estimates
• Descent planning approximations and cross-checks

How do I get a medical certificate, and which one should I get?

You must schedule an appointment with an FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). You can find a local AME using the FAA’s Designee Management System online.

Career-track students should always apply for a First Class Medical initially. This ensures you are medically eligible for an airline career before you invest money in training.

What disqualifies you from a First Class medical?

A First Class Medical can be denied or deferred when a condition, symptom history, or medication use does not meet FAA medical standards or requires FAA review.

Many conditions are not permanent disqualifiers, but they can trigger a documentation-heavy process, additional testing, and possible Special Issuance. Common issues include:

• Cardiovascular: Angina, pacemaker dependency, or significant heart disease.
• Neurological: Epilepsy or unexplained loss of consciousness.
• Psychological: Bipolar disorder, psychosis, or severe personality disorders.
• Substance: Dependence on alcohol or other substances.
• Diabetes: Insulin-dependent diabetes is a hurdle but may be waiverable under special issuance protocols.

Will ADHD/anxiety/depression meds or past therapy disqualify me?

FAA decisions involving ADHD history and many psychiatric medications are case-specific and documentation-heavy, so the safest approach is to work with an AME before you start training. The FAA publishes ADHD Fast Track and Standard Track pathways, including criteria based on symptoms and medication use in the past 4 years.

What to know before you apply:

• ADHD: pathways depend on symptoms, treatment, and medication use within the past 4 years
• Testing: some pathways require neuropsychological testing, with medication discontinuation requirements before testing
• Therapy: therapy alone is not automatically disqualifying, but disclosures and records may be required depending on diagnosis and treatment

If you aren’t sure, it’s best to have a consultation with an AME before applying for your medical certificate.

What vision requirements matter (glasses, color vision, LASIK)?

FAA medical certification commonly allows corrected vision with glasses or contacts, requires meeting color vision standards for safe airman duties, and generally accepts common refractive surgeries like LASIK or PRK once vision is stable.

As of January 1, 2025, FAA guidance requires approved computer-based color vision screening tests for pilot exams performed on or after that date.

How long does it usually take to build 1,500 hours as a CFI?

Once you are hired as a Certified Flight Instructor, it typically takes 12 to 18 months to build the required experience.

• Average Hours: Full-time CFIs average 70 to 90 flight hours per month.
• Variance: Factors include weather, student load, and aircraft availability.

Are there other ways to build 1,500 hours of flight time instead of instructing?

Yes, though flight instruction is the most common path due to high job availability. Instructing is the most common path because it is widely available and produces consistent flight activity, but other commercial pilot jobs can build time toward ATP eligibility. Alternatives include:

• Part 135 VFR Charter: Flying small aircraft for passenger or cargo transport.
• Aerial Survey: Flying grid patterns for mapping companies.
• Pipeline/Powerline Patrol: Monitoring infrastructure.
• Banner Towing: Flying low-altitude advertising operations.
• Skydive Driver: Flying jump planes (requires specific jump pilot training).

How much do CFIs typically earn?

Pay structures vary, but most instructors earn an hourly rate for flight and ground instruction.

• Annual Earnings: A full-time CFI typically earns between $35,000 and $55,000 per year.
• Thrust Flight: Instructors at Thrust Flight are eligible for performance incentives and higher pay tiers based on experience.

Do airline partners guarantee interviews or jobs?

Some pathway programs offer a guaranteed interview or a conditional job offer after specific milestones, but no program guarantees a pilot job regardless of performance. Airline hiring remains contingent on meeting hour requirements, maintaining a satisfactory training record, and passing airline training, background checks, and medical requirements.

Common Questions About the Zero Time to Airline® Program & Thrust Flight

What is the Zero Time to Airline® program?

The Zero Time to Airline® program is an accelerated career-track pathway for those who want to start a career as a professional pilot. It is a structured, FAA Part 141 approved syllabus designed to take a student with zero flight experience to a fully employable Certified Flight Instructor (with CFII) in approximately 10 to 12 months.

What exactly is included in Zero Time to Airline®?

The Zero Time to Airline program includes all of the certificates and ratings you need to start working as a flight instructor while also earning your multi-engine commercial add-on.

• Flight Training: Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Single-Engine, Commercial Multi-Engine, Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), and Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII).
• Resources: Ground school, pre-flight and post-flight briefings, and use of Redbird simulators.
• Materials: Essential books, syllabus, headset (for students starting at zero time) and training supplements.

Is the Zero Time to Airline program full-time only, or is there a part-time path?

The Zero Time to Airline® program is exclusively a full-time commitment. Students must be available 5 days per week.

The accelerated timeline relies on frequency. Flying daily builds muscle memory and proficiency much faster than flying once or twice per week.

What’s the realistic completion timeline?

A realistic completion target for a full-time student is 10 to 13 months, assuming consistent attendance and steady progress through stage checks and checkrides. The most common reasons timelines extend are weather, checkride scheduling constraints, and needing additional hours for proficiency.

After I finish the Zero Time to Airline program, how do I get to 1,500 hours?

After earning CFI and CFII, the most common next step is working as a flight instructor to log paid flight time toward ATP eligibility. The unrestricted ATP baseline is typically 1,500 total hours under 14 CFR §61.159

• Instructing with Thrust: Successful graduates are eligible to interview for a flight instructor position at Thrust Flight.
• Alternatives: You are also fully qualified to apply for instructing jobs at other schools or commercial pilot jobs elsewhere.

What aircraft does Thrust Flight fly, and what kind of avionics are in them?

We operate a modern, standardized fleet designed to prepare you for airline jets. There are three primary aircraft we use for flight training:

• Piper Archer TX equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics and air conditioning.
• Piper Seminole equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics and air conditioning.
• GB1 Gamebird equipped with Garmin G3x.

Do I get a dedicated instructor or rotate instructors?

For each certificate or rating you will receive a primary instructor who will be with you throughout that specific certificate. When you start the next certificate or rating you will likely receive a new instructor.

• Primary Instructor: You are assigned a primary instructor who guides you through specific phases of training. This builds rapport and ensures someone knows your specific learning style.
• Stage Check Airmen: For progress checks, you will fly with senior instructors to verify standards, ensuring you get unbiased feedback.

Which location is best for fast training and why?

While the curriculum is identical, local conditions vary at each of our campuses. There isn’t one single best location for training. Here are some of the key differences between locations:

• Mesa, AZ (KFFZ): Offers the most consistent flyable weather year-round, which can slightly accelerate timelines.
• Denison, TX (KGYI): Offers uncongested airspace and short taxi times, maximizing the time you spend actually learning in the air. Students can also perform landing maneuvers at GYI eliminating the travel time to a practice area.
• Addison, TX (KADS): Offers complex airspace training but may have slightly longer ground delays.
• Conroe, TX (KCXO): Offers multiple runways and nearby practice areas with typically shorter taxi times than major airports, though Gulf Coast weather can occasionally slow training.

If I already have some hours, can I join midstream?

Yes, we accept transfer students. If you already hold a certificate or rating you can directly enter the Zero Time to Airline program. If you are in the middle of a certificate or rating you can enter midstream after a proficiency evaluation that verifies logbook time and tests your knowledge. Transfer students who are in the middle of a certificate or rating use our Finish Line Program that will help you complete your current rating before entering the ZTA program.

What happens if I fall behind the timeline?

When a student falls behind, the best approach is to identify the bottleneck and apply targeted remediation rather than simply adding random hours. Common bottlenecks are attendance gaps, weak study habits, weather disruption, or one maneuver that needs extra repetition.

What is examining authority, and why should I choose a school with it?

Examining Authority is a privilege granted by the FAA to select Part 141 flight schools that have demonstrated high standards of training and record-keeping.

• The Benefit: It allows the school to issue pilot certificates in-house upon completion of the course without sending the student to an external FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).
• Efficiency: This eliminates the stress and delay of scheduling an external DPE, which can sometimes take weeks or months, delaying your training significatly.

What’s the difference between examining authority and checkrides?

Examining authority is an FAA authorization under Part 141 that allows an approved pilot school to evaluate course graduates and, for specified courses, recommend certification without requiring the student to take an FAA practical test with an external Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). The primary benefit is reducing external scheduling bottlenecks and improving training pipeline predictability.

• Standard Checkride: You finish your training, get an endorsement, and then must hire an external examiner (DPE) to conduct the test. This costs extra money and scheduling depends on the DPE’s availability.
• Examining Authority: The final “checkride” is integrated into the school’s curriculum as a final stage check. It is conducted by the school’s own approved check instructors. If you pass, the school issues the license.

Which courses does Thrust Flight have examining authority for?

Thrust Flight holds Examining Authority for several key courses, including the Private Pilot and Instrument Rating courses.

What’s the typical wait time for a checkride?

Checkride wait time varies widely by region, season, and examiner supply.

• At Thrust we hold Examining Authority of most of our courses so an an End of Course exam has effectively zero wait time. It happens when you finish the course.
• Without Examining Authority (External DPE): The national average wait time can range from 2 to 6 weeks depending on the region. Thrust Flight’s relationships with local DPEs help minimize this wait for courses that require external examination.

What happens if I fail a checkride—cost, timeline, and airline impact?

A checkride failure usually creates three impacts: additional training time, an additional practical test fee, and a training record item you must disclose to future employers. The cost increase depends on how many remedial hours you need and the examiner’s retest fee, both of which vary by region and provider.

• Cost: You will need to pay for remedial training (flight/ground) and a re-check fee to the examiner.
• Timeline: It typically adds 1–2 weeks to your schedule to retrain and retest but could be longer if you are unable to reschedule with an examiner sooner..
• Airline Impact: One or two failures are generally not a dealbreaker if you show improvement. Airlines look for trends. A pattern of failures (3+) can be a red flag.

How do airlines view checkride or end of course failures?

Airlines understand that training is difficult. They value honesty and ownership. Airlines typically evaluate checkride failures as part of your overall training history, with emphasis on trends and accountability. One failure with strong subsequent performance is usually not disqualifying, but patterns of repeated failures can create additional scrutiny during interviews.

• If you have a failure, own it. Explain what you learned and how you improved.
• Blaming the examiner, the weather, or the airplane is viewed far more negatively than the failure itself.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flight Schools

How do I choose a flight school?

Choose a flight school by comparing training structure, throughput, and budget transparency, not marketing claims. For airline-track students, the highest-impact factors are training frequency, aircraft availability, instructor staffing, standardized curriculum, checkride scheduling strategy, and a track record of graduating career students efficiently.

• Structure: Do they have a proven syllabus and timeline (Part 141), or are they making it up as they go?
• Outcomes: Do they actually hire their own graduates? This is the best vote of confidence a school can give.
• Transparency: Are they honest about the total cost and the difficulty, or are they just selling a dream?

How do I compare flight schools apples-to-apples?

Compare schools using the same assumptions about hours, ratings included, and third-party fees. For example, FAR Part 61 sets a 40-hour minimum for Private Pilot, but AOPA notes most students finish in 60–80 hours, so quotes based only on minimums often understate real budgets.

• Verify Hours: Ensure quotes are based on realistic hours (e.g., 55-60 hours for Private) not FAA minimums (40 hours), which almost no one achieves.
• Check the Fleet: Ask to see aircraft and look at more than one. Some schools will use their best one for discovery flights but the aircraft you’re actually flying are in worse condition.
• Ask About Housing: Does the school provide logistics support or are you on your own?

What questions should I ask a flight school before committing?

Ask questions that reveal bottlenecks and hidden costs. The goal is to understand scheduling reliability, aircraft availability, instructor staffing, and how the school handles stage check remediation and checkride access.

• What is your instructor-to-student ratio? (Should be around 1:4 or 1:5).
• How many of your aircraft are currently flyable right now?
• Do you have examining authority?
• Can I speak to a current student?
• Who performs maintenance on your aircraft?

What are the red flags that a flight school is poorly run?

Red flags are operational signals that predict delays, higher cost, or safety risk. The most reliable indicators are financial terms that shift risk to the student, high aircraft downtime, and instructor churn that disrupts training frequency and continuity.

• Upfront Payment: Requiring 100% of tuition before you start is a major risk.
• Broken Planes: If you see many planes sitting with flat tires or missing parts, maintenance is likely underfunded.
• High Instructor Turnover: If instructors are quitting before they reach 1,500 hours, it suggests a toxic work environment.

What’s the difference between a local mom-and-pop school and a structured program?

A Part 61 school prioritizes flexibility and pay-as-you-go training, while a structured Part 141 academy prioritizes standardization and throughput for career-track students. The trade-off is schedule rigidity: faster progression usually requires higher training frequency and tighter operational control.

• Mom-and-Pop (Part 61): Great for hobbyists. Flexible schedule, pay-as-you-go, but often slower and less standardized.
• Structured Academy (Thrust Flight): Career-focused. Rigid schedule, standardized procedures, airline-style environment, and faster completion times.

Should I do Part 61 or Part 141?

If your goal is a career, Part 141 is generally superior.

• Efficiency: It allows for lower minimum hour requirements (e.g., 190 hours for Commercial vs 250 hours).
• Quality: The FAA audits Part 141 schools more frequently, ensuring higher safety and training standards.

Does an airline care if I do Part 61 or Part 141 training?

Airlines primarily care about your certificates and ratings, total time, training record, and professionalism. Part 141 training can be a positive signal because it resembles airline standardization and documentation practices, but it is not a substitute for clean performance, strong fundamentals, and meeting ATP or R-ATP eligibility.

Should I go to a university aviation program instead of Thrust Flight?

A university aviation program can bundle a bachelor’s degree with flight training and may qualify eligible graduates for Restricted ATP hour minimums, but it typically adds multi-year calendar time and tuition costs. An accelerated academy path often reaches paid flying sooner, which can matter because airline seniority and pay progression start when you are hired.

• University Pros: You get a Bachelor’s degree and potentially an R-ATP at 1,000 hours (depends on the university).
• University Cons: It takes 4 years and costs significantly more (tuition + flight costs).
• Thrust Flight Advantage: You finish in 1 year and start earning money/seniority sooner. You can complete an online degree later while working as a pilot if you choose.

Is a university program worth the extra cost?

Financially, usually not. The “lost wages” of spending 3 extra years in school versus flying at a regional airline can amount to well over $300,000 in lifetime career earnings. Major airlines no longer require a degree, making the ROI of aviation universities lower than it used to be.

How do airline owned flight schools compare to Thrust Flight?

Airline-owned schools (like the AA Cadet Academy or United Aviate Academy) are excellent but highly competitive and often have very long waitlists. Some of these airline-owned schools also have contracts that require students to work for the airlines regional brands. Because of these contracts some students have been stuck instructing even after reaching 1,500 hours of flight time because the contracted regional airlines aren’t hiring.

Thrust Flight offers similar airline pathways and high quality training but typically allows you to start much sooner. And upon program completion you are able to work anywhere.

Questions about Cost and Financing

Are checkrides and written exams included in the cost or separate?

All first attempt checkride and written exam fees are included in the total cost of the Zero Time to Airline program. If a student fails their first attempt, they must pay for the second attempt out of pocket.

What credit score do I need to qualify for financing?

Financing approvals depend on the lender, credit profile, income, and debt-to-income ratio, so can’t share a single “required score.” Many students, especially recent high school graduates, require a co-signer with a stronger credit history (720+) and income to secure approval and lower interest rates.

Is there an option to defer payments while training?

Yes. Our partners (Sallie Mae®, Stratus Financial) offer loan products that allow you to defer full payments while you are in school.

• Options: You may pay nothing, or interest-only, while training. Full principal and interest payments usually kick in after you graduate. Review the terms of the loan for exact details on deferral and repayment options.

Are scholarships available? How hard are they to get?

Aviation scholarships exist, but most awards are partial and competitive, so they typically reduce debt rather than cover the full cost of training. Students increase their odds by applying to multiple programs, meeting deadlines, and building a strong application narrative with volunteer work, leadership, and flight-training milestones..

• Common Scholarship Sources: Organizations like Women in Aviation International (WAI), The Ninety-Nines, Organization for Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), and National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) offer scholarships.
• Reality Check: Most scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000. They help reduce debt but rarely cover the full cost of training.

Can I use GI Bill or other benefits?

Yes, eligible veterans can use GI Bill® benefits for flight training at Thrust Flight.

• Restriction: By law, VA benefits generally apply to vocational flight training starting with the Instrument Rating and beyond. The Private Pilot License usually must be paid out-of-pocket or via other financing. Please speak with a member of our admissions team to learn more.

Can I work in the Zero Time to Airline program?

Working during an accelerated full-time program usually slows training and can increase the total cost because missed lessons reduce proficiency and add relearning time.

If your goal is the fastest and most cost-controlled path, treat training like a full-time job with consistent availability for flights, studying, and rest.

That said, at Thrust, Zero Time to Airline students can work but those jobs must be highly flexible. Working while in training often leads to fatigue, cancelled flights, and repeated lessons.

How often should I train?

We recommend most students train at least a few times each week. The more regularly you train the better you’ll retain everything you’ve learned.

If you’re interested in participating in our Zero Time to Airline program it’s important to note that it is a full-time program. In this program, you’ll be training every day with one to two days off per week in order to do personal study.

Do airlines still require 4-year degrees?

It varies from airline to airline. None of our partner regional airlines require a college degree. However, a few of the majors do. Internationally, many airlines do not require a college degree.

If there is a specific airline you want to work for you may want to research their hiring requirements.

Is it better to obtain a college degree in an aviation field or focus completely on training?

The answer to this really depends on your goals and personal preference. If your goal is to become an airline pilot we lean towards a focus on flight training first because of pilot seniority.

The sooner you get 1,500 hours, the sooner you get to the airlines. And the sooner you get to the airlines the higher your seniority. This can have a significant impact on your career as you advance from First Officer to Captain and as you move from a regional airline to one of the Majors.

Once you begin working for a regional airline, you may want to obtain a 4-year degree. This way you are building seniority and experience at the regional airlines while earning a degree.

Do I have to buy my own renter’s insurance for the Zero Time to Airline program?

Yes, all pilots who fly our planes are required to have renters insurance to cover any potential damage to the aircraft.

Can I use my own aircraft in the Zero Time to Airline program?

In order to keep consistent training, we prefer to do all instruction in our own fleet of planes. However, under special circumstances, we may permit training in your own aircraft.

I’m coming down for accelerated training, where can I stay?

We have some housing available for accelerated students that you may be able to stay in. If these facilities are booked during your training, there are a number of hotels in the area that offer discounted Thrust Flight rates.

Am I too old to become an airline pilot?

While the decision is up to you, it’s important to know that airlines have a mandatory retirement age of 65. They invest a great deal of training dollars in each pilot, so they are incentivized to hire younger pilots to get a better return on that investment.

However, don’t let that discourage you from making a career change in order to become a pilot. We’ve trained many middle-aged pilots who were hired by the airlines.

Additionally, the airlines are experiencing the largest pilot shortage they’ve ever known, so they’re willing to higher pilots in their 50s and early 60s like never before.

You should also factor in the minimum hours required to reach the airlines. You’ll need 1,500 hours of flight time. For most pilots going from zero hours, this will take about 2 years.

What licenses do I need to get paid to fly?

To be paid to fly you’ll need a commercial pilot certificate. To reach that point you’ll need a private pilot certificate and over 200 hours of flight time.

Most pilots will also have an instrument rating so they can fly in the clouds as well.

However, most paid pilot jobs will require more hours and/or additional ratings. This is why most pilots become a CFI on their path to becoming an airline pilot. This gives them the opportunity to build hours and experience while becoming eligible for a future job.

What is the difference between Part 141 and Part 61?

The primary difference between the two is the minimum number of hours you have to fly to become a pilot and the standardized curriculum you’ll be taught.

Under Part 61 someone pursuing their private pilot needs to fly a minimum of 40 hours. Under Part 141 you only need to fly a minimum of 35.

For full details on the difference between Part 61 and Part 141 check out our blog.

How many instructors will I have?

Generally speaking, we try to keep you with one instructor during each rating. However, it isn’t always possible due to scheduling constraints.

Additionally, if the teaching style of one instructor just isn’t working for you, we will work with you to find an instructor who will better connect with you.

Do you have your own maintenance facilities?

Yes, all of our aircraft maintenance is performed by our own team of airplane mechanics.

With our own team of mechanics, we are able to get any needed repairs done quickly and on-site. This minimizes our aircraft downtime giving you more time in the air.