Your thoughts please...

[mike777]

Compare a pilot in Europe and one in the US. I know college degree is mandatory in the US in order to join the majors (almost all of them). The point I am trying to make here is if any degree could do, why aeronautics? In the US education is business. Colleges saw an opportunity out of majors demanding a degree, so they somehow extended the flying course to cover 4 years. A 4 year degree in flying would not make one a better pilot. Lufthansa takes its pilots, gives them a two year training and 2 more years later most are flying the A330, 340.... And I am talking about 23, 24 year olds. That is a dream in the US. If you want a degree, why not get more skills by doing something useful that could help you when there is a need to fall back on something. Take Ethiopian airlines. Very respected airline. Pilots straight from high school, two year training, and there you have it. They start on the fokker 50, 2-3 years later 737-700 is guaranteed. You can even meet a 23 year old 767 first officer. I am just trying to pass on some advice. I think a degree in flying is a waste of time. But if you have a degree in some useful skill (apart from flying) you will be much better off for obvious reasons. You could get bored, medical reasons, airline going out of business, both of which could get you kicked out at a very young age. I know there is a guy flying for a major airline with a degree in music. Another in history. of course both in the US. So why waste time with a 4 year degree in flying, however fancy name they give the degree? Am i missing something here? US colleges can come up with any degree as long as they can make money out of it. College is not free as in Europe. Your thoughts.... or not .

[Hypersonic_Wings]

That's awesome that there are pilots as young as 23 and 24 piloting A330s and A340s. It would be nice to be one of those guys, haha. Keep up the good work