Elliot Bing, First Officer

26-year-old Elliot Bing (‘12) is a beloved member of Western’s first graduating class. After finishing high school, Elliot began working at Houston Executive Airport in Brookshire, “fueling airplanes, moving baggage, and towing planes.” At the same time, he began flight training at West Houston Airport Flight School.

By 2017, Elliot had obtained his private pilot certificate, “which gave me the license to learn,” he says; to fly small engine planes by himself and with friends and family. While still working at the airport and attending Blinn College, intermittently, he obtained his Instrument Rating and then his commercial pilot certificate in 2019.

Elliot moved to Midland/Odessa for his first pilot job that lasted 18 months, flying “Pipeline Patrol” 6-9 hours a day! By networking at Houston Executive Airport, he got his next job, this time flying insurance executives in small jets.

In June 2023, Elliot was hired by Southwest Airlines as First Officer (Co-Pilot), where he alternates pilot flying and pilot monitoring duties with the Captain aboard passenger airliners. According to Elliot, it will take six years to upgrade to Captain, where he will have full liability over an aircraft.

Congrats to Elliot, we’ll see you on board!

Elliot standing in front of a Boeing 737a engine

Elliot selfie on flight deck