Become an airline pilotIf you love the sky and aviation is one of your interests, that doesn't deter you from sometimes being in charge of more than 100 lives, and If you have a weakness for exploring the world, becoming an airline pilot is for you. Airline pilots have one of the coolest and most exciting jobs around. My goal for this article is to explain everything about how to become an airline pilot, what it takes to become one, facts about the job, and some pros and cons of being in this field. My interest in aviation began when I was a child, during vacations. My mother is a flight attendant, so we traveled a lot. Every time I boarded an airplane, I was impressed by the large number of controls in the cockpit and the duties of the captain and first officer. My fascination with aviation was solidified through Frank Abagnale's story in the film and novel "Catch Me If You Can." But becoming an airline pilot is not an easy task. Pilots must first complete numerous hours of schooling and training as well as other prerequisites that must be met. Pilots do not need to attend college to become an airline pilot, but most companies prefer their pilots to have some type of degree. In effect, it shows that the person is accustomed to a form of education, which generally makes their training easier. An attribute that airlines want to see before investing their time and money in your training. Although a degree is not necessary, there are optional education pathways that people take to get a head start. There are three types of education that can be pursued. Attending college to get a degree in aviation, Attending a technical school, or the third and final route, taking a flying class...... middle of paper ......employees. I was fortunate to get real answers from two American Airlines captains and a first officer. The first response I received was from Captain Greg Landes. An important question I wanted to know was what a captain's schedule looked like on a typical day. Captain Landes said he starts his day with his regular commute to work. He lives in Florida and has to be in Chicago to start his flights. To do this, Landes boards a flight to Florida and accompanies the cockpit in a seat called a jump seat. The jump seat is an additional seat in the cockpit that airlines allow other captains to use so they can commute to work in the different parts of the country where they live. Captain Landes works three days a week and then gets four days off in return. . During these three days, Landes was away from home and stayed in hotels paid for by the airline...