COEUR d'ALENE ? Captain John Thiele has spent more than four decades of his life in the air, primarily as a commercial pilot.

Thiele, who flies for Delta Airlines, told The Press he frequently gives guests at his home in Carlin Bay a quick lesson in the physics of aviation before using the private runway in the community to take them for a flight. Often, Thiele said, those guests have misconceptions about what it actually takes to be a professional pilot ? ranging from required military service to being disqualified for glasses. 

"I realized over time that a lot of people have the perception that being a pilot is not something anybody can do," Thiele said. "While it's true that there are certain criteria and not everybody can do it, generally anyone can be a pilot and I've been trying to dispel all those myths over time."

On Saturday, Jan. 7, at 10:30 a.m. Thiele will be joined by Captain Tami Cassas, another local pilot, for a presentation on the steps involved in becoming a professional pilot. The free discussion, Thiele said, is open to anyone interested in information about the education and training needed to embark on the path of being a career pilot.

That path, Thiele said, has more opportunities than ever before because of the current makeup of professional pilots. More than 50 percent of pilots, he said, are in their mid-50s or older, and commercial pilots have to retire by 65.

"All those guys have to go, so now is the time for upward mobility in the industry," Thiele said. "It's a big change, but it has the potential to be a positive change."

The presentation, which features a lecture and time for questions, is scheduled to last approximately two hours. It takes place in the Coeur d'Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave., and is free of charge.

Although only one presentation has been scheduled, Thiele told The Press he would like to hold the talks more frequently in the future.

"It's neat to see people take advantage of an opportunity they never thought was possible," Thiele said. "I'm going to show them where the opportunity might be."