From High School to Flight School

A REPUBLIC AIRWAYS PILOT’S JOURNEY

By Paige Bova

Noah Franklin, Republic First Officer

Noah Franklin, 21, grew up knowing he wanted to be an airline pilot. His uncle, a pilot, sparked Noah’s interest. His parents helped keep his interest – taking him and his brothers to watch planes land and take off at a local airport. He got his private pilot’s license during high school and was excited to pursue his dream career as an airline pilot after he graduated. When Noah found out about Leadership In Flight (LIFT) Academy, owned and operated by Republic Airways, his interest was piqued.

Noah was excited to find a flight training program that got him from training into the cockpit of a jet in the least amount of time. LIFT was exactly what he was looking for – a program training pilots using Republic procedures and checklists – truly preparing students to be airline pilots. Noah, straight out of high school, was one of the first students to begin flight training at LIFT Academy and is now a First Officer at Republic at the age of 21 – and loving every minute of it.

 NOAH FRANKLIN JOINED LIFT ACADEMY’S INAUGURAL CLASSIN SEPTEMBER 2018 FOR A FAST TRACK TO HIS DREAM JOB.

Why did you want to become a pilot?

Most people say, ‘I didn’t want to work the 9-to-5 job’ which is a great part of being a pilot, but I like that I am doing something that not everybody can do. I take pride in knowing that I worked hard enough to be able to do something dynamic and cool, something that isn’t seen as a regular job with the same office view every day.

Why did you decide to go to LIFT right after you graduated high school to start your flight training?

I was lucky enough to know what I wanted to do when I was in high school. I knew that if I went to LIFT, it would be the fastest track to get to the airlines because that was what I wanted to do. I chose LIFT rather than going to a four-year university where I would have to take time and classes learning things that wouldn’t relate to my future job.

What was the transition from high school to LIFT like?

There was somewhat of an adjustment. In high school you have classes that you have to attend at specific times, compared to LIFT where learning was done using more of a structured self-study curriculum. I treated my training like a 9-to-5 job. Each day, I would wake up at a certain time, study until a certain time, fly, debrief from the lesson and go home and study for my next lesson. This helped me stay on track so I wouldn’t get behind on training.

Would you recommend others attend LIFT out of high school like you?

Definitely! I think that the earlier you start your career, the better off you’ll be. As a pilot, you gain seniority with time, so the earlier you’re there, the sooner you can maybe choose another base or become a captain. If you start when you’re young and realize it’s not for you, at least you started early rather than waiting maybe four years studying something you don’t want to do.

What are the advantages of going to LIFT right out of high school?

Coming right out of high school to LIFT specifically saves you money. Going to a four-year university is more expensive. At LIFT, you will take on a loan, but you’ll be able to start paying it off sooner because you’ll be in the cockpit flying at Republic earlier. What did you think LIFT could offer that other flight schools or a four-year university program couldn’t? LIFT offers students a curriculum that’s based entirely around an airline and becoming an airline pilot. Everything you do while flight training at LIFT is structured around your ultimate goal of becoming an airline pilot.

How did you stay up on your training as a student at LIFT?

Where I lived wasn’t always very quiet, so I would try to go to the library or a coffee shop. I needed to go sit and find a quiet place so I wouldn’t be distracted by anything else. At home, I found myself watching TV, taking breaks and on my phone. I probably spent the most time studying in the briefing rooms at LIFT. If I flew in the morning, I would spend the rest of my day studying at LIFT.

What did your schedule look like as a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) at LIFT?

As a CFI, my schedule varied, but I was usually at LIFT from about 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 or 3:30 p.m., flying and debriefing with my students. I love knowing that I got to play a small part in their journey, helping them work toward what they want to do in life.

How did going to LIFT give you a leg up when you started training at Republic?

It was very helpful to go into training at Republic already being familiar with many of the checklists, SOPs [standard operating procedures] and other tools, because they are the same or similar to LIFT’s. The culture of Republic is also very close to the culture at LIFT - a welcoming atmosphere - and it was helpful knowing what to expect.

What is it like to finally be a pilot at Republic?

After training for years and putting a lot of pressure on myself to succeed, I feel happy and relieved to be at Republic. All my hard work finally paid off - it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Advice to future aviators?

There will be bumps in the road, but keep at it, keep working hard, keep showing up and don’t ever give up. Don’t even think about giving up - it’s a bad mindset to have, so just keep studying and pushing yourself.