From military aspirations to United Airlines pilot: Jalen Scott’s journey

Jalen Scott turned his ambition to fly for the Air Force into a career as a commercial pilot with United Airlines. Despite graduating from Acron Aviation Academy in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jalen quickly followed the path of CFI to regionals to a legacy airline by his early 20s. 

Growing up in a military family with both parents in the United States Army, we traveled a lot.

I remember a flight from Dallas to Japan - where my Dad was stationed - and I got to sit in the flight deck.

I was only four or five years old, but ever since I’ve been obsessed with aviation. I caught the “bug,” and from that point forward, I knew I wanted to become a pilot, either by following my parent’s footsteps in the military or as a commercial pilot.

Direct path to becoming a commercial pilot: Why structure mattered

Throughout middle school and halfway through high school, I was laser-focused on the Air Force Academy, filling my schedule with extracurriculars with Civil Air Patrol and Air Force ROTC.

However, late in my junior year of high school, I discovered a different route - the Professional Pilot Program (PPP) at Acron Aviation Academy.

What ultimately sold me on this flight academy was the structure. Coming from a military background, I valued the "practice how you play" mentality.

At Acron Aviation Academy, it wasn't just about flying. It was the uniforms, the dispatch desk, the weather screens, and the clear, month-by-month plan. I liked knowing exactly where I was supposed to be in my training at all times.

That professional environment felt like home, and it’s exactly what made my eventual transition to the airlines so seamless.

Navigating challenges and finding success in the skies

Moving from Virginia to the Academy in Orlando, Florida, for flight training was a big step, but the training environment was unbeatable.

While I had to learn to navigate the famous Florida afternoon thunderstorms - a skill that still serves me today when I’m flying through Houston – the access to a large fleet of aircraft and the ability to fly almost every day was incredible.

My path wasn't without its hurdles. I graduated right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of massive uncertainty for the airline industry. I spent about 10 months in limbo, wondering if the world would ever truly fly again.

Thankfully, the team at the Academy stayed in constant contact. I was able to return as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). They put us through a remediation program to get our skills back up to speed.

From there, I progressed to Check Instructor and eventually Senior Check Instructor. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a student go from their Private Pilot Certificate all the way to commercial and being the one to hand them their license.

The legacy airlines goal: Life at United Airlines

Thanks to the Envoy Cadet Program offered through the Academy, I had a clear path to the regionals and eventually to a legacy airline.

By 21, I was sitting in the right seat of an airliner. Because Acron Aviation’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and manuals were so similar to what I found at Envoy - and later at United Airlines - the learning curve felt much more manageable.

I joined United Airlines in April 2025, and it has been an absolute dream. Currently, I’m flying the Boeing 737 on routes that take me across Central America and the West Coast.

One of my favorite experiences so far was flying into Guatemala City at 11 p.m. Seeing the orange glow of a volcano on the verge of erupting in the distance while navigating a valley approach is something you can’t truly explain unless you see it yourself.

It’s in those moments, looking out at the world from 30,000 feet, that I’m reminded why that five-year-old version of me fell in love with this career.

My advice to anyone sitting in high school right now wondering which path to take is to trust the process.

You don't always need the traditional four-year university route to reach a legacy airline. Use the connections, lean into the cadet programs, look into available scholarships and embrace the structure.

If you put in the work, the clear path is there waiting for you.