Happy Fast Jet Friday,

The road to a cockpit has never been a straight line. This week it is shifting at almost every checkpoint: the checkride, the medical, military training and airline hiring. Here is what matters.

I sat down with Designated Pilot Examiner Greg "Chairman" Newman for a candid conversation about checkrides. A few truths worth taping to your kneeboard:

• Know the standards, but do not treat the checkride like a trivia contest. Be ready to explain your decisions, not just recite regulations.
• Arrive organized. Your logbook and endorsements should not be the first test of the day.
• Never bluff. A mistake is not automatically a bust. How you catch it, fix it and learn from it matters.

I will be sharing more clips from Greg across my social channels, but here is direct access to our complete conversation:

Watch: Ask the DPE, What Impresses (and Fails) Applicants on the Checkride

More conversations with DPEs and Aviation Medical Examiners are coming. We are going to discuss checkride successes, checkride busts, medical certification and mental health honestly. These subjects deserve facts, not rumor.

Good news for pilots who have been grounded by paperwork or discouraged from getting help:

• Therapy alone does not take away your medical. The FAA's updated guidance explicitly says counseling or therapy is encouraged when medically appropriate. Visits to licensed therapists generally must be reported at your next MedXPress exam, but therapy itself is not automatically disqualifying, and it is compatible with both an unrestricted medical and a Special Issuance. The real questions are whether there is an impairing diagnosis, instability, unsafe medication use or a condition affecting judgment, concentration or cockpit performance.
• Antidepressants. The FAA cut the stabilization period from six months to three and widened the list of conditionally acceptable medications. Medication is still a separate certification question, so work with a knowledgeable AME before applying or changing treatment.
• Non-insulin diabetes. A new proposal would let qualified applicants receive a medical directly from an AME instead of automatically waiting for Special Issuance review. Comments are open until October 5. Read the proposal
• Military pilot trainees. The FAA wants to eliminate the redundant third-class medical for trainees who already meet military medical standards. Comments close October 9. Read the proposal

The equally important rule is 61.53. As the FAA explains it, if a physical or mental condition is affecting your concentration, memory, emotional stability, judgment, decision-making or alertness, you self-ground. The FAA describes that recognition as good insight, not punishment.

None of this is a reason to hide a condition or diagnose your own eligibility. If your history is complicated, talk to a knowledgeable AME before submitting MedXPress.

The Air Force says it will exceed its goal of 1,500 new pilots this year, by about 50. Part of the reason is a new pipeline: students now earn their private, instrument and multi-engine ratings at civilian Part 141 flight schools before military training begins. Read more

A little personal irony: I showed up to pilot training with my civilian ratings already in hand. Apparently I was the test bed a few decades early.

If the Guard or Reserve is your goal, units across the country are hiring right now, both for pilot training slots and for rated pilots. Openings come and go fast, so let the team at BogiDope keep you current and help you build a competitive package. GetYourPilotSlot.com Code: WHACKER

Remember, a unit is choosing someone they will deploy and fly beside for years. Competence gets you considered. Preparation, humility and fit get you hired.

Airline hiring is healthy, but more selective. U.S. major airlines hired nearly 3,900 pilots through July, according to FAPA data reported by AOPA. That number is real, but so is the frustration many of you are feeling. Experience requirements are creeping up, and pilots displaced from Spirit are joining an already competitive applicant pool. Meeting minimums no longer guarantees a fast interview. Preparation is what gets the call. Read the AOPA report

I recorded a short, honest look at what has changed and how applicants should respond: Watch: Airline Pilot Hiring insight, the bar is high

And if you want a foot in the door right now, Delta is hiring flight attendants for its 2027 classes, including bilingual roles. I have flown with plenty of flight attendants who eventually became pilots. It is not a shortcut, but it is a legitimate way into the Air Line while you keep training. Apply here

🎙️ I joined the Max Afterburner Podcast for a long conversation about combat, the career and the mission. Listen to the episode

📰 My new Fast Jet Journal is live on LinkedIn, where Ben Freedland asks the questions that pull the real stories out of me. Read the Fast Jet Journal

There is no single approved route to a great aviation career. Flight instructor, Guard slot, flight attendant, mechanic, enlisted crew chief. The common denominator is preparation.

Prepare for the checkride in front of you. Protect your medical before it becomes a crisis. Prepare for the interview before the call comes. There are a lot of runways.

💬 Hit reply and tell me which checkpoint you are facing right now. I read every one.