✈ Career Examples

✈ First Officer — Boeing 737 at Delta Air Lines — Atlanta, GA 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Senior Captain — A380 at Emirates Airlines — Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ ATP Captain — B777 at United Airlines — Chicago, IL 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — B787 at Singapore Airlines — Singapore 🇸🇬 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Regional First Officer — E175 at SkyWest Airlines — Salt Lake City, UT 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Commercial Pilot — ATR 72 at Air India Regional — Mumbai, India 🇮🇳 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Corporate Jet Captain at NetJets — Columbus, OH 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — B737 MAX at Ryanair — Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Cargo Pilot — B767 at FedEx Express — Memphis, TN 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Captain — A320 Fleet at Turkish Airlines — Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Medevac Helicopter Pilot at Air Methods — Denver, CO 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — B777F at Qatar Airways Cargo — Doha, Qatar 🇶🇦 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ B737 Captain at Southwest Airlines — Dallas, TX 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Widebody Captain — B787 at Cathay Pacific — Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ A350 First Officer at American Airlines — Miami, FL 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Senior Captain — A330 at Etihad Airways — Abu Dhabi, UAE 🇦🇪 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Bush Pilot — Remote Routes at Ravn Alaska — Anchorage, AK 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — ERJ 190 at LATAM Airlines — Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Simulator Instructor (SIM) at CAE Inc. — Tampa, FL 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Captain — Q400 Turboprop at Ethiopian Airlines — Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — Boeing 737 at Delta Air Lines — Atlanta, GA 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Senior Captain — A380 at Emirates Airlines — Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ ATP Captain — B777 at United Airlines — Chicago, IL 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — B787 at Singapore Airlines — Singapore 🇸🇬 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Regional First Officer — E175 at SkyWest Airlines — Salt Lake City, UT 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Commercial Pilot — ATR 72 at Air India Regional — Mumbai, India 🇮🇳 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Corporate Jet Captain at NetJets — Columbus, OH 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — B737 MAX at Ryanair — Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Cargo Pilot — B767 at FedEx Express — Memphis, TN 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Captain — A320 Fleet at Turkish Airlines — Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Medevac Helicopter Pilot at Air Methods — Denver, CO 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — B777F at Qatar Airways Cargo — Doha, Qatar 🇶🇦 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ B737 Captain at Southwest Airlines — Dallas, TX 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Widebody Captain — B787 at Cathay Pacific — Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ A350 First Officer at American Airlines — Miami, FL 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Senior Captain — A330 at Etihad Airways — Abu Dhabi, UAE 🇦🇪 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Bush Pilot — Remote Routes at Ravn Alaska — Anchorage, AK 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ First Officer — ERJ 190 at LATAM Airlines — Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Simulator Instructor (SIM) at CAE Inc. — Tampa, FL 🇺🇸 Pilot Full-Time ◆ ✈ Captain — Q400 Turboprop at Ethiopian Airlines — Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 Pilot Full-Time ◆

For Aspiring Pilots

The Only Thing Between You and the Cockpit Is Financing.

Median Pilot Salary: $226,600 — Source: BLS

Flight training costs $70,000–$100,000+, and most programs aren’t eligible for federal aid. Through our aviation lending partnership, you’re evaluated on your future earning potential — not just your current credit.

Included free: start your Pilot Certification path through your Oaksphere Aviation Membership. Join Free →

Get Free Membership — Start Pilot Certification Course → Apply for Flight Training Financing →

Financing partner shown is temporary while Ken’s Ascend affiliate application is in review.

Two Things You'll Actually Need

Pilot Certification and Flight Training Financing Are Two Different Things

Most people pursuing this are either chasing it as a hobby — a Private Pilot Certificate for personal flying — or building toward a career as a Commercial Pilot. Either way, you need both of these pieces. They're not the same thing, and they're not financed the same way.

Pilot Certification

The Ground School Side

This is the academic knowledge you need to pass the FAA written exam — airspace, weather, navigation, regulations. It's done online, at your own pace, and it's what your free Oaksphere Aviation Membership unlocks.

No aircraft. No instructor required to start. Just you and the material.

Flight Training Financing

The Hands-On Side

This is the real flying — hours in an actual aircraft with a Certified Flight Instructor, working toward your practical checkride. It's the expensive part ($70,000–$100,000+), and it's what our lending partnership helps finance.

In-person, at a flight school. No way around the cost of real flight time.

Median Airline Pilot Salary

$226,600

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025

For Aspiring Pilots

Financing Shouldn’t Be the Reason
You’re Not Flying

⚠ Flight training costs $70,000–$100,000+. Most programs are ineligible for federal aid. Qualified pilots are being grounded by financing — not by ability.

Get Free Membership — Start Pilot Certification Course →

Through our aviation lending partnership, aspiring pilots access financing designed for flight training — evaluated on expected career income, not just current credit history.

✓Financing up to the full certified cost of attendance
✓Evaluated on future earning potential — more students qualify
✓No cosigner required in many cases — decisions often in 24 hours
✓Deferred payments available during active training
✓Covers Private Pilot through Commercial, CFI & ATP programs

“I had everything except $120,000 for ATP training. Two banks said no. Through Oaksphere’s lending partnership I was approved in under 24 hours.”

✈

J.M. — Student Pilot

ATP Program · Southeast Region

Illustrative Example