Editor’s Note: Along with reporting with the Prospectus, Audrey Boudreau is a student in the Parkland Aviation Program.
Have you ever seen yourself in a career as a pilot? Do you enjoy traveling and want to be paid to see the world? Well then, the Parkland Aviation Program could be your readily accessible ticket to a fulfilling life and career. Parkland offers an associate degree aviation program that provides all the necessary knowledge needed to enter this field.
Benefits of becoming a pilot:
Spending four years in college isn’t for everyone. Becoming a pilot doesn’t require a four-year degree, only specialized training. The training is a lot more hands-on than most degree programs because it is a trade. Training can be finished in two years, and you can get a high-paying job with good benefits.
Wendy Evans, Aviation Program Manager and Recruiter, stated, “Most of the airlines or corporate [positions] have very nice benefit packages and, of course, the biggest benefit is the ability to travel.”
The job market is also ideal right now for pilots due to a worldwide pilot shortage. COVID greatly impacted the industry because many people were laid off and looked for jobs in other fields. The retirement age for airline pilots is 65 so many of the older pilots are retiring. Because of this, there are many opportunities for young people in aviation.
Requirements to become a pilot:
One downside to becoming a pilot is the expense required to go into aviation. However, Parkland is a better aviation program because it is less expensive than other schools. Evans said, “While it’s still expensive, we are incredibly good value for the training that you’re getting and the equipment that we get to fly on.” Being an airline pilot also has drawbacks like a busy schedule. Many pilots work many days in a row and then have a couple of days off. In this field, it can be difficult to balance personal life with work due to its demands.
With an aviation degree, however, you can also become a corporate pilot which has a much more flexible schedule. Also, there are many other jobs in aviation such as airline pilot, cargo pilot, charter pilot, aircraft salesperson, flight instructor, medical pilot, government pilot, and military pilot.
Another big requirement is to be healthy, physically fit, and able to fly in a small plane. Most of the flight training is done in smaller planes.
Aubrey Glennon, a flight instructor, said, “I think the first couple classes there is a lot of weed-out of people who … maybe don’t like small planes or they thought it was going to be like all their other college classes.” Because aviation is a more hands-on course, it is a field that takes lots of time and perseverance.
Parkland Aviation:
The aviation program stands out from other programs for many reasons. The program at Parkland is well-organized and rigorous in its training. You begin flying in the plane within your first week of classes, which is unlike most aviation schools.
Parkland has many planes and simulators to practice and has enough flight instructors to give each student individual attention and guidance. Because the program is smaller it’s easy to get the help you may need to be successful. Glennon said, “It’s a smaller school, so it’s easier to talk one on one with your instructors and other classmates whereas bigger schools like Embry Riddle it might be a little bit harder to… work your schedule like we have here.”
To learn more about the aviation program at Parkland, call 217/353-2171 to schedule a tour of the aviation buildings or a discovery flight to get up close and personal with the flight controls.
