Episode 73: JSX First Officer Billy Kitchen

What does it take to go from college flight student to the flight deck of a jet? In this episode of Talking Flight, we sit down with First Officer Billy Kitchen, a 2024 graduate of Arizona State University's flight program who is now flying professionally with JSX. Billy gives us a firsthand look at what it's like to begin an aviation career in today's rapidly changing industry. Billy takes us inside the ASU aviation program, sharing the challenges, expectations, and determination required to successfully complete both the academic and flight-training portions of the program. He talks candidly about some of the obstacles he faced, the mindset that helped him push through the difficult moments, and why he chose to give back by mentoring students coming up behind him. We then follow Billy from the university environment into the cockpit at JSX. He explains what makes JSX different, how he made the transition from flight training to professional aviation, and what it was like to learn to fly a jet for the first time. For anyone considering a career as a professional pilot—or simply curious about how the next generation of airline pilots is being trained—Billy's story provides a timely and inspiring look at the journey from student pilot to First Officer.