The Power of Planning Ahead for Your Aviation Career

Knowing what you want to do for your future career can be difficult. Figuring out how to get there is often even more difficult. LIFT Academy makes planning for your future simple by outlining a clear path to a career in commercial aviation. To explain how LIFT is helping her reach her career goals, we talked with Charlotte Coulston, Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) at LIFT.

Getting Started

Growing up, Charlotte didn’t envision herself becoming a commercial airline pilot. That was the case, at least, until she decided to take a discovery flight in high school.

“I was bitten by the aviation bug on that flight,” Charlotte explained. “Initially, I wanted to pursue physics, but aviation just took over.”

After that, Charlotte began working toward her Private Pilot License (PPL) in Tennessee, which only further confirmed her desire to pursue a career in aviation. So, after receiving her PPL, she began researching flight schools across the US.

Why LIFT

“I looked at probably 30 flight schools,” Charlotte said. “The more I researched, the clearer it became that LIFT was the right fit for me.”

There were many reasons that Charlotte chose LIFT, one of which was the Part 141 nature of our program. Part 141 programs are highly structured, as they’re regulated by the FAA. That allowed Charlotte to complete her training on an accelerated, yet clearly defined schedule.

“There’s no questioning what you’re going to do the next day,” Charlotte explained. “It means you get through quicker because you can study ahead.”

What ultimately set LIFT apart, however, was something many other schools could not offer: a defined career path.

“Nobody wants to be caught without a job after graduation,” Charlotte said. “With LIFT, I knew that I was working towards a career at Republic Airways.”

That’s because of LIFT’s relationship with Republic Airways. LIFT Academy was founded by Republic Airways to help train and attract the best talent. What that means for LIFT students is a defined career pathway to Republic Airways, and that LIFT graduates don’t even need to interview after applying.

But first, graduates have to meet their 1,500 flight-hour ATP minimums. Luckily, LIFT can help with that, too.

The Path

LIFT provides graduates with opportunities to build the 1,500 flight hours they’ll need to become a First Officer at Republic. They can choose one of four pathways: 

• Working as a CFI, or other Instructor (i.e., MEI) at LIFT
• Flying with Bridge Air
• Flying with Cape Air
• Flying with Brickyard Connection 

After graduation, Charlotte decided to become a Multi-Engine Instructor at LIFT. She chose that pathway because she knows the importance of having good instructors and wanted to be that for her students. 

“What motivates me is knowing that I’m helping others succeed,” Charlotte said. “It’s a challenging course, but I take pride in knowing that I’m making it engaging and fun for my students.”

Another major reason for her decision is the consistent time-building opportunities that come with the MEI schedule.

“I just passed 1,000 flight hours,” Charlotte said. “Before I know it, I’ll reach 1,500 and can start flying with Republic Airways.”

Final Thoughts

Charlotte had this to say to anyone considering completing their flight training at LIFT:

“LIFT Academy hasn’t just helped me plan ahead for each step of my training; it’s given me a clear path to start my career. If you’re looking to start your commercial aviation career without the guesswork, LIFT is the place for you.”

Are you ready to start planning your future? Learn more at flywithlift.com