Best job is 10 year 777 captain for United Airlines. Banner towing is like, the lowest of the low. Career banner-towers are probably in the single digits. It’s incredibly dangerous and pays like shit, the planes are poorly maintained, barely legal if at all.

“Commercial pilot” license means you can be paid to fly non-airline operations. I mean it’s more complicated than that but that’s the most basic explanation.

“Airline transport Pilot” license holders can fly for airlines. You can’t get this until you have 1500 hours. Renting a plane is expensive, and places like these are the only guys who will take low time pilots. Once you do have it, you’re grinding it out at a regional airline for a few years until you’re good enough for the “majors”. Back in 2009ish companies were telling their pilots not to show up to collect food stamps in uniform.

That’s if you get the regional airline job at all. The hiring boom of the past few years is grinding to a halt.