Aviation Careers & 1500-Hour Rule FAQs

The 1500-hour rule is the FAA requirement for a pilot to have a minimum of 1,500 total flight hours to earn an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which is required to fly for a commercial airline. For a complete breakdown, read our guide: 1500 Hours: How Many Days, What Time It Is, and Why It's a Magic Number for Pilots.

The most common and cost-effective pathway is becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). As an instructor, you get paid to fly while helping new students earn their wings, typically accumulating 60 to 100 flight hours per month. Other hour-building pathways include banner towing, aerial surveying, skydive piloting, and regional pipeline patrol. Read our post: How to Get 1500 Flight Hours Fast.

Yes! We frequently hire our top CFI, CFII, and MEI graduates to join our instructional team at Heritage Field Airport. Instructing with Pitcairn allows you to build quality flight hours in well-maintained aircraft alongside a supportive aviation community.

Airlines continue to face mandatory pilot retirements and strong passenger demand, driving unprecedented hiring and compensation. First-year regional airline first officers frequently earn competitive salaries with substantial signing bonuses, while experienced major airline captains can earn upwards of $300,000+ annually. Learn more in our article: Is It True That Pilots Make Over $300,000 a Year?

Yes! Pitcairn has partnered with Purdue University Global, allowing our flight students to pursue an online aviation degree while completing flight ratings with our academy. Explore our Purdue Global Partnership to learn more.