Passing on aviation wisdom from pilot to camper

My journey to become a pilot started in the most peculiar place, my mother’s beauty salon in the ’90s. She had friends and clients who would see my young self building planes with my Legos and drawing airports. A good friend of my mother, JoAnn Donelson, heard of a summer program that was going to be held for kids from ages 8 to 13 at the American Airlines CR Smith Museum. My mother and JoAnn knew how to create opportunity, it was just their nature. I got to camp in July, and, on the first day, I knew this was, without a doubt, the life I wanted. Here I am 25 years later speaking to the kids at the very camp I experienced in my childhood. It’s about paying it forward for the next generation in all areas. I love talking to kids, seeing their eyes light up with excitement when you answer all of their questions!

— Capt. Marshall “Quincy” Pulliam

Lauren is a 2023 Aviation STEM Summer camper and asks Capt. Quincy Pulliam a few questions about the journey to becoming a pilot.

Q: How do you prepare to be a pilot?

A: A well-rounded education — being good at science, math, social studies, geography and history. Those are the building blocks to becoming a pilot.

Q: What’s the best part about being a pilot?

A: The best part about being a pilot is that you’re in a highly skilled environment, doing highly skilled things with other highly skilled people. You get to travel the world and experience different foods, and different cultures. You get to see all kinds of things. You end up with friends all over the world places that you’d never thought you’d be — that’s the best part about being a pilot.

Yoav is a 2023 Aviation STEM Summer camper and asks Capt. Quincy Pulliam a few questions about being a pilot and what the career entails.

Q: On average how many flights do you fly a day?

A: On average, I fly two or three legs a day. It’s not too bad.

Q: What is it like balancing family and pilot responsibilities?

A: It’s a constant balancing act. At times you have to prioritize work over family and vice versa. One of those things you have to grow accustomed to and understand that you’re going to have to make sacrifices, but family is always first.

Amelia is a 2023 Aviation STEM Summer camper and asks Capt. Quincy Pulliam how she can become a pilot herself.

Q: What did you do to become a pilot and what can I do to become one too?

A: There’s myriad ways you can become a pilot. You have the civilian route or the military route. I personally took the civilian route, which has served me quite well. I became a corporate pilot; I flew that for years and ended up here at American Airlines.

❗️Resource alert❗️ Another option that future pilots can take advantage of is becoming a cadet. Cadet programs offer financial and mentorship support. Learn more on our pilot career pathways page.