Commercial Pilot School Richmond, Virginia

You’ll never work a day when you love what you do for a living. There is some truth to this adage. When you enjoy your occupation, the daily grind doesn’t feel like a grind, and this saying is never more true than for professional pilots. Paragon Flight in Fort Myers, Florida, is the best school for becoming a commercial pilot through our P3 Professional Pilot Program. The training is well worth the trip from Richmond, Virginia, or elsewhere.

Opportunities as an Airline Pilot

Commercial Pilot School Richmond, VirginiaAir travel may have experienced a downturn during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Still, as the country emerges from social isolation and returns to normal, it’s now experiencing a resurgence and a staffing shortage. 

Salaries of airline pilots differ depending on whether they work regionally, nationally, or internationally; the particular airline and the number of years employed; and the type of aircraft flown. Senior captain’s pay is often greater than $280k/year.

Airline pilots generally enjoy competitive pay, great benefits, and perks including paid vacation time, employee discounts for airfare, and even buddy passes for complimentary air travel for friends or family. 

The office of an airline pilot is the cockpit, and it’s shared with at least one other pilot. Hours are variable for pilots. They shouldn’t expect predictability or home time on weekends or holidays, but they can expect plenty of travel and opportunities for diverse cultural experiences.

Career Paths toward Becoming an Airline Pilot

The path toward an airline cockpit can follow various routes; whether you attend a flight school or a university, join the military, or attend an airline cadet program, the same skills and content are taught. Paragon Flight offers the P3 Professional Pilot Program so that pilots can complete a significant portion of the required training faster and at a cheaper cost.

Professional Pilot Program (P3) from Paragon Flight

  • Private Pilot (PPL) 0-10 Weeks – The initial foundational phase of the program provides the knowledge necessary for aviation – including meteorology and aircraft systems.
  • Instrument Rating (IFR) 11-18 Weeks – Learning to use communication and navigation equipment is critical to operating in any sector as a pilot.
  • Commercial License, Single Engine and Multi-Engine (CSEL and CMEL) 19-30 Weeks – The commercial license credential will allow you to fly for pay, and we’ll go ahead and cover single- and multi-engine flight since you’ll be flying dual-engine aircraft as an airline pilot. This step of the program will provide a mastery of aircraft operations.
  • Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) 31-38 Weeks – The final phase of the P3 Program leads to making a living as a flight instructor. Teaching others to fly will allow you to share your passion while earning a living and logging flight hours for future career goals.

The world of aviation is wide open to commercial pilots. Find your own niche, whether you would like to fly for the government, cargo haulers, an airline, a private employer, a tourism company, or a media outlet. After completing this program, you’ll need to continue training by earning an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and documenting 1,500 hours of flight time.

Should you be led to become an airline pilot, rely on Paragon Flight to provide exceptional commercial pilot training at our school in Florida and travel here from Richmond, Virginia, or elsewhere. You’ll save time and money while receiving stellar instruction. Learn more today by calling (239) 747-0056 or clicking here to contact us online.