Every FAA certificate under 14 CFR Part 61, every commercial pathway through R-ATP (61.160) and full ATP (61.159), every US employer type from regional First Officer to legacy widebody Captain, every flight school category from accelerated Part 141 academy to FAA-approved aviation bachelor's degree. Numbers are pulled directly from the FAA, the BLS Occupational Outlook 2024, the eCFR, and current pilot union contract scales - never aggregated from secondary blogs.
Three axes of US pilot career knowledge. Every entry below maps to one or more guides on this site.
Every certificate, medical, and operating rule under 14 CFR.
From first discovery flight to airline class date.
All major US pilot career paths, pay scales BLS-cited.
Every numerical claim - flight hours, cost ranges, salary ranges, FAR citations - is traceable to a primary source. We don't aggregate from secondary blogs. Where ranges differ across sources, we cite the controlling authority (FAA for regulations, BLS for employment data, the active union contract for pilot pay scales).
faa.gov
Pilot certification rules, knowledge test bank, AC publications
ecfr.gov
14 CFR Part 61, 67, 68, 107, 117, 141 - source of every FAR citation
bls.gov/ooh
Pilot employment, median pay, projected growth
transportation.gov
Airline employment data, T-100 statistics
aopa.org
National flight hour averages, training cost benchmarks
alpa.org / apa.org / ipapilots.org / teamster.org
Hourly rates, longevity steps, profit sharing
Each section has a pillar overview plus supporting articles. Pick the area you're working through.
How to become a US pilot: FAA pathways, discovery flights, ground school, training timelines, and real costs from Sport Pilot through ATP.
FAA flight training explained: Part 61 vs Part 141, syllabus structure, dual vs solo time, stage checks, and how training builds toward PPL and beyond.
Every FAA pilot certificate explained: Student, Sport, Recreational, Private, Commercial, ATP, plus ratings (instrument, multi-engine, CFI) and Part 107.
US pilot salaries by employer and seniority: regional, low-cost, legacy major, cargo (FedEx/UPS), corporate, and Part 135 - real BLS-cited ranges.
US pilot career paths: airline (regional, low-cost, legacy), cargo, corporate, charter (Part 135), CFI building hours, and government/military routes.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certificate: $175 knowledge test, study guides, LAANC airspace authorizations, waivers, and commercial drone job pathways.
How to pick a US flight school: Part 61 vs Part 141, accelerated academies, university programs, financing, R-ATP eligibility, and aircraft fleet.
Browse section →US aviation colleges and degree programs: Embry-Riddle, UND, Purdue, Auburn, WMU. R-ATP eligibility under 14 CFR 61.160 and curriculum compared.
FAA medical certificates explained: Class 1 (ATP), Class 2 (commercial), Class 3 (private), BasicMed alternative, AME process, and disqualifying conditions.
How to pay for flight training in the US: Sallie Mae Smart Option, Stratus, Flight Training Finance, GI Bill (VA), employer tuition reimbursement, and grants.
Browse section →Sorted by publication date. Updated regularly as FAA regulations, BLS data, or pilot contracts change.
Flying an aircraft primarily by looking outside is governed by a set of regulations known as Visual Flight Rules (VFR). While this approach offers pilots...
Choosing one of the many aviation degree programs is the first major step towards a career on the flight deck. These courses blend academic study with...
The belief that all pilots need perfect natural eyesight is a persistent myth. The rules are more flexible than many people assume, especially for...
For any pilot needing to secure or renew their medical certificate, finding a local Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) is the essential first step. To ensure...
Becoming a drone pilot in the UK involves a clear path of training and certification. It's not just about mastering the controls, but about understanding...
A fighter pilot's compensation is a comprehensive package, extending far beyond a simple paycheck. It includes base pay determined by rank, supplemented...
Becoming a certified drone operator involves more than just learning to fly. The right drone pilot training is essential for commercial work, covering...
The global e-commerce boom has created a steady demand for qualified pilots, making cargo pilot jobs an attractive career path. However, the path to...
Flight cancellations and delays are becoming increasingly common, largely due to a growing pilot shortage. While the issue isn't new, a combination of an...
We cite the controlling authority for every numerical claim. FAA for regulations, BLS for employment, eCFR for active CFR text, the current pilot union contract for pay scales. Where two authoritative sources disagree, both are cited and the disagreement is flagged.
Every guide is reviewed when its source data changes: FAA AC revisions, eCFR amendments, BLS Occupational Outlook annual update, pilot contract amendments. The dateModified field on each article reflects the last verification, not just the original publication date.
If you spot an error - a stale FAR section, a contract scale that has been amended, a school program that has closed - send the correction to hello@eci2fly.com. Substantive corrections are logged with date and the editorial reviewer who made the change.
This library does not rank flight schools or financing products by affiliate commission. Where products are compared (loans, ground schools, headsets, EFB software), the comparison is on objective criteria - APR, syllabus structure, instrument support - and is updated when those criteria change.
