From Desk to Flight Deck: Unleashing Your Career Dreams

While boarding a plane in 2023, Thomas Duffy found himself momentarily stuck between the flight deck and the galley of a commercial jet. As he waited, he glanced into the cockpit, taking in the pilot controls and advanced systems most people will never touch. In that moment, the spark for aviation finally ignited. Shortly after this experience, Tom took his discovery flight and realized he needed to leave his management position behind to pursue a career as a pilot. 

Tom is an Indiana native from Greenfield, located about 30 minutes east of Indianapolis. Growing up in Indiana, he knew about Republic Airways through their strong presence in central Indiana and their commitment to community initiatives. Like many kids, Tom once dreamed of flying a plane, but he never imagined he would one day be on the path to flying commercial jets. 

The journey to becoming a pilot is always unique, but Tom’s story stands out. He found himself making a major career change at a point in life when he least expected it. Before starting his training at LIFT Academy, Tom was already married with children, owned a home, and had a well-established management career. As he describes it, he had a good job and good pay — but it wasn’t where he truly wanted to be. “I was not excited to get out of bed, but when I started at LIFT, I was ecstatic to head to the airport every day,” Tom says. With support from his family and friends who fly cargo, Tom took the leap. 

Tom was drawn to Republic Airways because of its strong community presence and LIFT’s accelerated training program. The structure of the LIFT program was the perfect match for someone balancing a family and a career transition. He needed a professional, fast‑tracked pathway that would prepare him for commercial airline flying, and LIFT delivered that opportunity. 

Tom began his training at LIFT Academy in January 2024 at the Indianapolis campus and later traveled to the Myrtle Beach campus to fly during the winter months. This is where Tom learned about Republic’s dedication to LIFT through connection and community. While the training process can be rigorous, Tom shared that LIFT provided a strong foundation for his aviation journey. He emphasized that leaning on your classmates, advisers, and CFIs is essential, saying: “Students at LIFT should take full advantage of the resources Republic creates for you.” Tom describes the relationship between LIFT students and Republic Airways as a full investment. Republic invests deeply in students’ success and provides a direct pathway to the flight deck of an Embraer. In return, students must invest their time, effort, and commitment to become safe, skilled pilots. 

After graduating from LIFT in the summer of 2025, Tom began building his flight hours with Brickyard. The opportunity has allowed him to grow independently as a pilot. He chose the Brickyard path to gain more experience flying solo and has learned more than he imagined. Tom anticipates reaching the required hours to become a First Officer with Republic in early 2027. 

Tom’s advice to aspiring pilots is simple: the journey will be difficult, but if becoming a commercial pilot is something you truly want, nothing will stop you. His advice for those starting at LIFT is to show up each day as if it’s your first day at Republic Airways.