Pilot's License = PhD?

Lawyers question defendant on discrepancies in his résumé

 

Really? Pilot's License is equivalent to a Ph.D.? Well, let's see...

The following is from the Federal Aviation Administration website:

"Note that we use the term certificate, not license. Although practically similar, a license grants a permission, whereas a certificate shows that one has fulfilled certain requirements."

What is require for the Ph.D.-equivalent certificate? According to the FAA:

--Be at least 17 years old
--Receive a minimum of 40 hours of flight training (most schools provide more) and at least 35 hours of flight practice
--Obtain a medical certificate by passign a physical exam given by an FAA approved medical examiner
--Pass a written examination
--Pas a practical flight examination

Now, I'll compare this to my doctoral requirements:

--Earn a 4-year bachlelors degree (at least 120 semester units)
--Earn a 2-year masters degree (at least 36 semester units)
--Maintain at minimum 3.2 GPA
--Pass the Graduate Record Examination with a score of at least 1600
--Take about 60 semester units (3-4 years) of doctoral work
--Pass a written comprehensive examination
--Perform a 1-2 year long original research project (dissertation) and defend it before a panel of scholars

Well, I certain can understand how Richard Detore could make such a mistake. After all, as anyone can see, the requirements for a doctoral degree and a pilot's certificate are virtually indistinguishable

Tony

 

Yeah, but can we walk away from one of your landings?

 

I would say both of you are under estimating each other credentials. While I respect anyone with the intelligence, and drive to get a PhD, I also respect someone with an Airline Transport Pilot certificate. In my next posts are the requirements of an Airline Transport Pilot certificate. As you can see, it takes a little more than 35 hours as you put it. Notice it takes 1500 hours of flight time. Additionally you have to know a little about such subjects as meteorology, aircraft systems, aerodynamics, navigation, human factors, and Federal Aviation Regulations (maybe another 1500 hours). By the way the Airline Transport Pilot certificate is considered the PhD of flying. If this is what oxpecker had in mind, he is right. Also as a PhD, you may want to consider changing your sentence “Well, I certain can understand how Richard Detore could make such a mistake”. Well Tony, have a nice day.

 

Airline Transport Pilot Requirements
FAR 61.159 [Aeronautical Experience: Airplane Category Rating] [Excerpt]

If you are applying for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category and class rating, you must have at least 1500 hours of total time as a pilot that includes at least:
1. 500 hours of cross-country flight time.
2. 100 hours of night flight time. (If you have performed at least 20 night takeoffs and landings to a full stop, you may substitute each additional night takeoff and landing to a full stop for 1 hour of night flight time. However, not more than 25 hours of night flight time may be credited in this manner!)
3. 75 hours of instrument flight time in actual or simulated instrument conditions. (A maximum of 25 hours, or if the training was accomplished in accordance with Part 142, a maximum of 50 hours of simulated instrument time in an approved flight simulator or approved flight training device that represents an airplane may be credited.)
4. 250 hours of flight time in an airplane as a pilot in command, which includes at least 100 hours cross-country flight time and 25 hours of night flight time.
5. Not more than 100 hours of the total aeronautical experience requirements for this rating may be obtained in accordance with FAA Part 142 in an approved flight simulator or approved flight training device that represents an airplane

 

Sec. 61.155 Aeronautical knowledge.
(a) General. The knowledge test for an airline transport pilot certificate
is based on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in paragraph (c) of this
section that are appropriate to the aircraft category and class rating
sought.
(b) Aircraft type rating. A person who is applying for an additional
aircraft type rating to be added to an airline transport pilot certificate is
not required to pass a knowledge test if that person's airline transport
pilot certificate lists the aircraft category and class rating that is
appropriate to the type rating sought.
(c) Aeronautical knowledge areas. (1) Applicable Federal Aviation
Regulations of this chapter that relate to airline transport pilot
privileges, limitations, and flight operations;
(2) Meteorology, including knowledge of and effects of fronts, frontal
characteristics, cloud formations, icing, and upper-air data;
(3) General system of weather and NOTAM collection, dissemination,
interpretation, and use;
(4) Interpretation and use of weather charts, maps, forecasts, sequence
reports, abbreviations, and symbols;
(5) National Weather Service functions as they pertain to operations in the
National Airspace System;
(6) Windshear and microburst awareness, identification, and avoidance;
(7) Principles of air navigation under instrument meteorological conditions
in the National Airspace System;
(8) Air traffic control procedures and pilot responsibilities as they
relate to en route operations, terminal area and radar operations, and
instrument departure and approach procedures;
(9) Aircraft loading, weight and balance, use of charts, graphs, tables,
formulas, and computations, and their effect on aircraft performance;
(10) Aerodynamics relating to an aircraft's flight characteristics and
performance in normal and abnormal flight regimes;
(11) Human factors;
(12) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; and
(13) Crew resource management to include crew communication and
coordination.

 

Hi Tony

A great philosopher said "Yeah, but can we walk away from one of your landings". So there and your PhD.

 

My vote on Ph.D. or pilot's license depends on whether I'm on the ground or in the air.

 

I thought a radio license was equivalent to a PhD.

 

I really do have to say something for all of the pilots out there. I finished my private pilot's certification about three years ago and I truly felt like I'd accomplished a major undertaking. My hat is off to anyone who keeps climbing the aviation ladder and attains the ranking of airline transport pilot.

Cy

 

I agree with Cy that is a very big accomplishment. You will find very few that will even obtain the private pilots close to the minimum hours required by FAA.

 

Oh my God!!! you mean it isn't?
I'm devastated-

 

That says it all. I don't fly too often, but when I do... pilots are the best.

I'm with Carlos on this.

 

Sounds like a pilots license is harder to get than a PhD from a Great Palins area State approved school!

 

Well, I suppose that I asked for it, especially since, as Carlos has shown, I made the fatal error of leaving out the "ly" at the end of "certainly".

The issue that I addressed had nothing to do with the fact that earning a pilot's license is a major accomplishment (which it is). I have the highest admiration for anyone who has achieved this distinction (especially those who pilot the planes on which I fly). I hope that none of my words could be misconstrued to imply that my doctorate in instructional technology qualifies me to fly a plane!

I was addressing the idea that Richard Detore, like so many of the "time bombers" identified by Degreeinfo members, was being dishonest about his educational credentials. The articles that I had access to did not mention whether Detore's license was a Private License or Airline Transport. I obviously included the requirements for the private license, while Carlos gave us the more stringent requirements for the Airplane Transport Pilot.

Now, back to the original question: Is Defore's statement that "pilots' licenses are equivalent to a Ph.D. " a correct one? The issue is not whether a person with a Ph.D. is qualified to fly a plane, but rather, if someone who applies for a job that requires a Ph.D. can get the position based on possession of a pilot's license.

Since this whole issue is just a fun diversion for us (based on all of our "smileys") and I really did not intend to insult pilots (only to point out the foibles of a less-than-forthright politician), I am willing to change my position completely and start addressing all pilots as "Doctor" if someone can provide any evidence for the equivalence of the Ph.D. degree and whatever level of pilot's license that Defore possesses.

I offer three witensses to the contrary:

1. The US Department of Education and the National Science Foundation have published a list of 50 degrees that are equivalent to the Ph.D. The list is available at the URL below:

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/international/USNEI/us/research-doctorate.html

2. Thomas Edison State College has established college credit equivalency for pilot's licenses. The unit equivalence below is for undergraduate credit only--no graduate credit is offered:

FAA Private Pilot Airplane License (6 units)
FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane License (12 units)
FAA Airline Transport Pilot (5 units)

3. My uncle has both a doctorate and a pilot's license. He told me that the doctorate was much harder and took several years longer.

Well, do I now have to think twice beofre I get on another plane? (Pilot: "Oh YOU'RE the one who was bashing us on Degreeinfo. Your seat assignment has just been changed to the rear cargo bin")

Tony

 

OK let’s call a cease fire, since you corrected yourself for pilot bashing.

Hi Tony

OK let’s call a cease fire, since you corrected yourself for pilot bashing, I will admit that a PhD should be way more difficult than even an Airline Transport Pilot certificate. For one thing, I do not have PhD or any degree that is near a PhD, so that in itself disqualifies me to make an informed judgment. What got to me was that it sounded as if obtaining a pilot’s certificate is a joke. In reality it is a process just like any other, however I guarantee you that it is something that even doctors are proud to have. As you pointed out correctly, TESC awards 6 credits for a private license. However, notice that they award additional credits for the other ratings. A pilot that that has an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, most likely also has several of the other ratings and certificates. This is why I got 33 credits towards an associate degree in Professional Aviation. A lot of pilots also have the Airframe and Power-plant certificate. As you can see this is worth 67 credits on its own. I guess the best way to judge it, is by separating each certificate in which case you win, hands down.
Aviation Licenses and Certificates
License/Certificate Semester hours credit

FAA Private Pilot Airplane License 6
FAA Private Pilot Rotocraft License 6
FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane License 12
FAA Commercial Pilot Rotocraft License 12
FAA Instrument Pilot Airplane License 6
FAA Instrument Pilot Rotocraft License 6

(If a student holds both private pilot licenses the maximum credit award is nine semester hours; for both commercial pilot licenses, 18 semester hours; and for both instrument pilot licenses, nine semester hours.)
FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist 60
FAA Airline Transport Pilot 5
FAA Flight Dispatcher 7
FAA Flight Engineer 6
FAA Flight Instructor Instrument Rating 4
FAA Flight Instructor Rating 4
FAA Flight Navigator 8
FAA Mechanic Certificate/Airframe and Power plant Rating (earned after 1966) 67
FAA Mechanic/Airframe 27
FAA Mechanic/PowerPlant 28
FAA Multi-engine Airplane 2

By the way, I will see what I can do to get you back into the main cabin. As for Richard Detore, he should be in jail by now.

Carlos M. Lorie

 

Agreed. There is no way that I would EVER consider obtaining a pilot's license (even a student pilot license) to be a joke. Every time I fly (which is several times a year), I marvel at the ability of those men and women to manipulate those massive "birds".

Tony
Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino
(unqualified to pilot anything but kites and gliders)

 

No way my amateur radio license is equal to a PhD

It is equal only to a masters degree!

 

Almost. That, plus four courses and a paper (at Kennedy Western)!

 

PPL = College Credit? CFI, MEI, Commercial, A&P IA?

My business partner has his tickets in: CFI, MEI, Commercial, Tail Wheel Endorsement/Instructor, Sea Plane Instructor and is an A&P and an IA.

Is there any college credit for him?

Thank you.

Judy