I've always wanted to become an airline pilot (I hope that didn't sound cheesey). But all I've been hearing about the airline industry is bankruptcy and all kinds of troubles. I also see on many of the airline's career section of their websites saying they're not hiring pilots... Will the status quo improve, or should I go with other career fields? I'm also a little scared about not being accepted. I'm willing to do a lot to get a job as an airline captain. I've also been meaning to talk to a pilot about topics like this... but never got a chance to. Could anyone give me any advice on this? Thanks.

Sorry if this topic has been mentioned before

Hey Divebomber, same thoughts and worries here.  For the US, your best bet to get into the airline industry is get into the airforce, navy, marines etc. and fly, or go to an excellent flight college (like Embrey Riddle) and become a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor).  It is true that the airline market is crap right now, and you need to be good to get in.  The absolute, 100% most impressive is airforce, navy, marines etc.  The military also helps because you recieve small arms training, which is a hot ticket to fly big jets these days.  It is also entirely possible to move up through GA (Genral Aviation), but DAMN it's expensive.

No one knows where the industry will be in, say, 15 years but let's hope it improves to the point where you don't have to go to extremes to attain a very realistic goal.  Good luck 

Goto college. you have to be 23 to get your atpl and fly for the airlines to the best of my knowledge. Without a college degree you wont get in an ATC job, and your chances are slim of getting a pilots job without one.

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Not necissarily true these days.  My CFI is not only one of the best and most qualified pilots but one of the best people I know and he's lost several jobs for no apparent reason (yes, he has his ATP). As for the corporate jet thing, that's all fine and dandy (actually it's kickass), but for many of the finest companies you have to be referred by a pilot already flying for the company.  It's tricky.

Citation Pilot, not nessasarily. Some (well, some of the most) CFI's are actually instructing because they are looking to get into a job with an airline or be a corporate pilot, but they don't have enough hours logged for that job. The instruct to get many hours in a relatively short amount of time, meet new people, and spend time flying.

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lol, I'm not gonna start something here (no reason-I take evrything in good humor  ) but he is actually the head of the flight school and that is why he has stuck around so long.  Bottom line is you had a better chance of breaking into it back then than now.  Many who frequent the area do know him, you may very well 

Its safe to say, in the airline world you have to be aggressive if you want a job. You cant just expect a job to come to you, and especially now you have to make sure if you have an interview, that the airline/ freight/ or private company knows your the best person for the job.

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Uh-oh, you've done it now!

We never agreed to that rule

the singing badgers:) evil badgers,

I'm going to a univeristy and getting an aviation safety management degree, and my professors have been saying that, as of now, timing should be really good for people who are going to be graduating within the next 5 to 6 years.  As previously stated... the situation can only improve from this point.

Another thing to think about is how increadibly small the aviation community really is.  The people you train with now, will be the people you work with in the next 10 years. 

This last summer I took a job at a local airport as a lineman, and I came accross 4 flight instructors that had graduated from the same flight program within the last 3 years, and had another 6 or so students at different phases of our flight program stop for gas. 

As for getting referrals, that will come with your experience and just getting out into the aviation community.  As I said, you will learn how small of a world it really is out there, SPECIALLY in aviation.  After all, only 1 in 400 people have some kind of pilots license.  Heck, just having an association with a certain flight school/university can say an aweful lot about yourself without an introduction. 

Bottom line, find a reputible flight school and get your foot in the door now.

Don't get too bummed, you'll get to the flying soon enough.    Just think of it this way... the more stuff you get out of the way now, the more attention you can give to flying later on.