One of the most pivotal chapters in your child’s life comes as they begin exploring what they’ll do after high school. As a parent, you get to help them navigate this exciting and often confusing time; however, you may have some questions yourself if your child is considering a career as an airline pilot. To answer those questions and talk about why LIFT Academy’s flight training program would be a good fit for your child, we sat down with Ean Schrecengost, LIFT Certificated Flight Instructor, and his father Eric Schrecengost, Republic Airways Pilot.
College is a popular option for young people looking to start their careers, but it’s not the only one. LIFT Academy offers a highly focused, leading-edge flight training program that takes only 12 to 18 months to complete on average.
“It took me a year and four months to do what it would’ve taken me four years to do at a college,” said Ean. “If I was at college, I’d still be working toward a degree.”
A common question that parents and potential students have is how much prior flight experience is necessary to apply or enroll at LIFT Academy. The answer, which may surprise you, is none.
“You don’t need any flight experience whatsoever,” said Ean. “When I started, the only experience I had was a discovery flight that I went on. Now look at me.”
Another common question is if a four-year degree is needed in addition to flight training in order to become an airline pilot. The answer is no. You do not need a degree in order to become a pilot.
For many people, the job hunt after graduating college can be tough. With LIFT Academy, students have a defined career pathway to Republic Airways.
“As a parent, I felt comfortable knowing his career path had some clarity,” said Eric. “As a pilot, I felt comfortable because I know Republic is one of the country’s top regional airlines.”
To prepare students for that pathway, LIFT has modeled its procedures after those at Republic. That means when your child starts at Republic, they can hit the ground running as they’ll already be familiar with their operating procedures.
“I’ve looked through LIFT manuals and checklists, and they’re almost identical to ours at Republic,” said Eric. “LIFT does an incredible job preparing students for a career in aviation.”
“I may be biased because I’m a pilot, but I was never worried,” said Eric. “I knew my son was in good hands at LIFT because I know how dedicated they are to safety.
Safety is ingrained at every level of our operation. Our dedicated maintenance team routinely inspects our aircraft to not only maintain safety standards and aircraft performance, but ensure that there’s always aircraft available for training.
“Having a dedicated maintenance team makes all the difference,” said Ean. “They’re so thorough. They really go above and beyond for our students.”
Going on a discovery flight is a great litmus test to see if a career in aviation is right for your child. A Certificated Flight Instructor will show them step by step how to fly a plane, and by extension, show them what life as a pilot will be like.
“Once you get the aviation bug, you’re in,” said Eric. “Your kid will know it right away. If they have the bug, there’s no turning back.”
As long as your child is at least 16, they can schedule and go on a discovery flight through LIFT Academy.
“As a parent, I would definitely recommend going on a discovery flight,” said Eric. “It’s what I did when I was younger, and it’s what Ean did, too. It puts everything in perspective.”
“I’m so glad I didn’t get a four-year degree,” said Ean. “I love what I do, and I got to start my career quicker than most of my peers. It was a win-win.”
Flight training is not easy, but it is so rewarding. It allows your child to pursue their passion and instills the skills they’ll need to have a long and successful career in aviation.
“It’s a lot of work, commitment and sacrifice,” said Eric. “But it’s 100% worth it.”