FAA pilot certificates
- Student Pilot (14 CFR 61.83)
- Sport Pilot (61.303)
- Private Pilot (61.103)
- Commercial Pilot (61.123)
- Airline Transport Pilot (61.153)
- Restricted ATP (61.160)
- CFI / CFII / MEI (61.183)
- Part 107 Remote Pilot
About ECI2Fly
Editorial standards for an aviation career library
ECI2Fly is the editorial library for aspiring pilots in the United States. Every guide cites primary sources: the FAA, the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, the BLS Occupational Outlook 2024, the US Department of Transportation, AOPA training surveys, and active pilot union contracts. We don't aggregate from secondary blogs and we don't accept paid placements in editorial guides.
Five principles every article on this site follows
Each principle is testable. If we ship a guide that violates one of these, it is a correction, not an opinion.
- 01
Every number has a primary source
Flight hours, costs, salaries, FAR citations - all numbers in every guide must be traceable to the FAA, the eCFR, BLS, DOT, or the active contract at the cited carrier. Ranges drawn from multiple sources are cited individually.
- 02
Regulations are cited by CFR section
Not "the FAA says" -
14 CFR 61.109. Not "the medical rule" -14 CFR Part 67. Every regulatory claim is a deep link to the active eCFR section so you can read the controlling authority yourself. - 03
Multi-source consensus for pay data
Pilot pay ranges combine BLS Occupational Outlook 2024 with the carrier's active union contract scale (ALPA, APA, IPA, IBT). Where the union scale exceeds BLS median, we cite both and explain why - contract amendments take time to flow into BLS.
- 04
No affiliate ranking, no school commissions
Flight schools, financing products, headsets, EFB software, ground school courses - none of these are ranked by affiliate payout. Comparisons use objective criteria (cost, R-ATP eligibility, completion rate, APR, instrument syllabus) and are updated when those criteria change.
- 05
Corrections are public, not silent
If a regulation changes, a contract amends, a school closes, or we got something wrong - the change is logged with a date and the reviewer who made it. Stale advice is worse than no advice in aviation.
What the library covers
Every guide on this site maps to one of these areas. The library deepens over time - we add depth before breadth.
Flight training pathways
- Part 61 vs Part 141 schools
- University aviation degree programs
- Accelerated academy programs
- ATP-CTP requirement (61.156)
- Flow agreements & cadet programs
- Simulator credit toward FAA hours
Aviation medical
- Class 1, 2, 3 standards (14 CFR Part 67)
- BasicMed alternative (Part 68)
- AME process and deferrals
- Special issuances
- Sleep apnea, SSRI, color vision pathways
Pilot pay & careers
- Regional FO and Captain rates
- Low-cost carrier pay scales
- Legacy major contracts (Delta/UAL/AA)
- Cargo majors (FedEx, UPS, Atlas)
- Corporate (NetJets, Flexjet)
- Part 135 charter
- CFI hour-building
Financing
- Sallie Mae Smart Option
- Stratus Financial
- Flight Training Finance
- Meritize
- Post-9/11 GI Bill & VR&E
- Airline cadet program reimbursement
- Scholarships (AOPA, NGPA, OBAP, Ninety-Nines)
Where the data comes from
The six source families behind every claim. We don't summarize secondary blogs - we read the controlling authority directly.
01
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
faa.gov
Pilot certification rules, knowledge test bank, Advisory Circulars, Airman Certification Standards
02
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
ecfr.gov
14 CFR Parts 61, 67, 68, 107, 117, 121, 135, 141 - active text of every FAR citation
03
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Outlook 2024
bls.gov/ooh
Airline & commercial pilot employment, median pay, projected growth, education entry requirements
04
US Department of Transportation
transportation.gov
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 carrier data, fleet & employment trends
05
AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)
aopa.org
National training cost benchmarks, flight hours averages, regulatory updates summary
06
Pilot union contract scales
ALPA / APA / IPA / IBT
Active hourly pay rates, longevity steps, profit sharing formulas at carrier-by-carrier level
Who writes this library
Daniel Mercer
Aviation Career Writer & Flight Training Researcher
Daniel Mercer is an aviation career writer and flight training researcher who helps aspiring pilots understand the real path from first discovery flight to pilot certification and aviation employment. His work focuses on FAA certificate requirements, private pilot training, commercial pilot pathways, aviation college programs, Part 107 drone certification, pilot salaries, and career planning for future airline and cargo pilots.
Full author profile →The site behind the library
Publisher
ECI2Fly
Legal: Operator of eci2fly.com
Founded: 2026
Audience
Aspiring pilots, career changers, students, drone operators in the United States
Area served: United States
Editorial contact
For corrections, topic suggestions, source disputes, and partnership inquiries. We respond by email within 1-2 business days. No phone support.
What this site is not
Not a flight school
We don't sell flight training, broker school placements, or operate any FAA-certificated training. We publish editorial guides about what training looks like - we don't deliver it.
Not legal or medical advice
FAR interpretations, medical special issuance pathways, and similar regulatory questions ultimately route to the FAA, your AME, or an aviation attorney. We summarize the public rules - the FAA holds the controlling authority.
Not a substitute for the FAA
Every regulatory claim deep-links to the active eCFR section. If you are about to spend money on training or take a checkride, read the controlling FAR section yourself - this is your livelihood and your safety.
Estimates have ranges
Flight hours, training timelines, cost ranges, and salary ranges are estimates drawn from primary sources. Your actual numbers depend on your region, your school, your weather, and your employer. Use the calculators to model your specific case.