How to Become a Co-Pilot

Video Transcript

"How I ever got my first job. Basically, started out going to school. I went to Utah State University, to get an aeronautical engineering degree. It's four year bachelor degree, and it progresses you through the ratings. Started out getting my private pilot, and then went for my instrument, commercial, and then I got my multi-engine, and then I became a flight instructor, after the commercial and multi-engine ratings. Once I got those certificates, basically qualified me to turn around and, and instruct. And, basically take people through the same thing I had just gone through. Had, had enough hours, I applied for a job at Leading Edge Aviation, based out of Ogden, Utah, to become a flight instructor. And, at that point, as you're becoming an instructor, most people are going to use that as a stepping stone to kind of build some hours, and build up enough time, to where you qualify for jobs to become a first officer or to become a co-pilot, and fly bigger and faster aircraft. But basically it was simple, filled out an application, and came in and spoke with the director of operations for the, for the business. And they had me do a, their, the application. And the interview, kind of consisted of me teaching some ground lessons, and also, consisted of a, a practical application, as far as going out and flying with one of the chief pilots, and, and explaining things to him, making sure I was up to par, to become an instructor. Once you become an instructor, or once I got the ratings, and was instructor, at this point, or at that point, you're going to expand. And, what you can teach in, there's different ratings, as far as being able to teach people how to fly by instruments. You have to have a different certificate to be able to teach people how to fly multi-engineer planes. You can keep progressing as instructor and instruct in different types of aircraft. Anything from high performance aircraft to turbine aircraft, to tail wheel aircraft, and so there's always things you can expand on, and continue ratings, to further your instructional abilities."