Do you wanna be an Airline Pilot?

A pilot or aviator is a person actively involved in flying an aircraft. Pilot is a somewhat more precise term, as the pilot by definition directly controls the aircraft whereas the slightly broader term aviator is a person who, though actively involved in flying the aircraft , does not necessarily directly control its path. People who fly aboard an aircraft who are not involved in the aircraft's flight systems, such as passengers and cabin crew, are not generally considered aviators, but crew such as navigators, and flight engineers are generally included.

To ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early aviation soon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The Aéro-Club de France delivered the first certificate to Louis Blériot in 1908—followed by Glenn Curtiss, Léon Delagrange, and Robert Esnault-Pelterie. The absolute authority given to the "pilot in command" derives from that of a ship's captain.

In recognition of the pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines worldwide award aviator badges to their pilots, as well as other air crews. This includes naval aviators.

Airline pilots fly passengers and/or cargo on long or short-haul flights for leisure, business or commercial purposes.

The aircraft is typically operated by two pilots; one will be the captain who is the pilot in command, while the other will be the supporting first officer. The pilots will usually take turns to fly the plane to avoid fatigue, with one operating the controls while the other speaks to air traffic control and completes the paperwork. In some instances, such as long-haul flights, there may be three or four pilots on board so that the necessary breaks from flying can be taken.

The captain has the overall responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of the aircraft and the safety of crew and passengers.

Prior to the flight, pilots check flight plans, ensure that the aircraft's controls are operating efficiently and calculate the required fuel for the flight. They are also responsible for checking the weather conditions and briefing cabin crew.

Typical work activities

The job of a pilot comes with heavy responsibility and personal commitment. Stringent training courses have to be passed followed by recurrent training every six months in order to maintain the relevant licence required for the job.

There is more to the role than just flying the plane, which has to be done safely and economically, and tasks can typically include:

• ensuring all information on the route, weather, passengers and aircraft is received;
• using that information to create a flight plan which details the altitude for the flight, route to be taken and amount of fuel required;
• ensuring the fuel levels balance safety with economy and supervising the loading and fuelling of the aircraft;
• ensuring all safety systems are working properly;
• briefing the cabin crew before the flight and maintaining regular contact throughout the flight;
• carrying out pre-flight checks on the navigation and operating systems;
• communicating with air traffic control before take-off and during flight and landing;
• ensuring noise regulations are followed during take off and landing;
• understanding and interpreting data from instruments and controls;
• making regular checks on the aircraft's technical performance and position, on weather conditions and air traffic during flight;
• communicating with passengers using the public address system;
• reacting quickly and appropriately to environmental changes and emergencies;
• updating the aircraft logbook and writing a report at the end of the flight noting any incidents or problems with the aircraft.

Salary

Following are the salaries of pilots at some of the major airline companies.

• American Airlines: 1st yr F/O: $31,080 and 10th yr Captain $123,420
• Delta Airlines: 1st yr F/O: $50,400 and 10th yr Captain $204,636
• UPS: 1st yr F/O: $26,004 and 10th yr Captain $200,508
• Southwest: 1st yr F/O: $42,960 and 10th yr Captain $159,000
• ATA: 1st yr F/O: $36,000 and 10th yr Captain $136,632
• Airborne Express: 1st yr F/O $28,536 and 10th yr Captain $146,184

Job Expectency

If we listen to the 2013 Boeing and Technician Outlook, there will be a great demand for commercial pilots worldwide over the next 20 years. In addition to worries surrounding the rate of pilot retirement, Boeing is quick to point out that “airlines across the globe are expanding their fleets and flight schedules to meet surging aviation demand in emerging markets.” This means in addition to the pilots that airlines need to replace, airlines are adding jobs for pilots that will fly them all over the globe—especially in the Asia Pacific. They estimate that North America will require 85,700 new pilots over the next 20 years.

Nevertheless, if one is to look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they predict an 11% increase in airline and commercial pilot jobs over the next ten years , from about 103,500 pilots in 2010 to about 115,000 in 2020. With more than half of all airline pilots in their 50s, (for the sake of numerical ease, let’s just say that 69,000 pilots are set to retire over the next ten years), these calculations reveal that Boeing’s numbers may fall short: 80,500 new pilots would be needed over the next ten years alone.

So after summing everything up, we see that Airline Pilots have a lot of opportunities in the next 20 years and their pay grade is also quite good. So if we like travelling and aeroplanes, career as an airline pilot will be like working in heaven. 

I hope this article answered all your questions about career as a Pilot. If it did, share it with your friends so that even they get their questions answered.

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