A Job Overview Of A Commercial Pilot
The blue skies are brimming with air travel and 2018 set new records for passengers soaring in planes and filling up airports. Airlines are scrambling to add more flights and new destinations to meet the demand. The air travel industry is booming and the demand for commercial pilots is rising, earning your wings would offer a rewarding career with many perks.
Traveling by airplane is the best way to travel, and people know it. Flying is by far the safest way to travel. According to Robert Dean, highway deaths accounted for over 95% of all traffic deaths, while there were no deaths related to commercial flights in 2017. The cost of flights is affordable, especially if you bargain shop. Flying is the fastest way, and sometimes the only way to get to certain locations. While inflight you can sleep, watch a movie, be productive for work, or look out the window at amazing sights. The airline industry is thriving because people have realized and are taking advantage of these benefits.
With all the airplanes crisscrossing over the globe, there needs to be commercial pilots flying them. Airlines are adding more aircrafts, flights, and destinations to accommodate the ever-growing demand for travel. However, there is a large shortage of pilots and the gap is getting bigger. “According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there were about 827,000 pilots in the U.S. in 1987. Over the last three decades, that number has decreased by 30 percent”. There are a few reasons for this shortage, one being that many pilots come from the military, these pilots were trained in the military and served their service, then were highly sought after by the airlines. In recent years the military has moved to using unmanned drones and are no longer training a surplus of pilots as in the past. Without having the military pay for training, the cost is excessive for the student pilot, at the least $70,000 says Mark Leland. There is also a lack of awareness of being a pilot as an option for a career, and not many schools to attend. Additionally, strict FAA rules have made it a longer more expensive process to become an airline pilot. “Newly hired pilots must now have a certificate which requires a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight time. Prior to this law being passed, pilots could fly for an airline with a minimum of 250 flight hours”. All these factors combine to cause a shortage of commercial pilots.
Becoming a commercial pilot is not an easy task. The first step is to obtain a second-class aviation medical certificate. Passing a physical examination that is administered by a doctor who is a FAA-authorized aviation medical examiner, proves your health is not a liability. In order to earn a private pilot’s license, the age requirement is 17 years old. Fluency in English is mandatory, those working in aviation are now required to take regular tests to prove their English language proficiency, with the aim of improving communications and promoting safety in the skies. Students need to receive 35 hours ground training by an authorized instructor and pass a FAA administered written test. Student pilots must accumulate a total of 40 hours of flight instruction and solo flight time and pass an oral exam administered by a FAA examiner and take a practical test demonstrating proficient flight skills. Having a private pilot's license allows for flying a personal small aircraft, along with the ability to bring passengers without charging anyone money for flight services.
Once a private pilot’s license is obtained a pilot needs at least 250 hours to earn a commercial pilot license. A commercial pilot applicant will need to have completed 100 hours of pilot-in-command time and 50 hours of cross-country flying. In addition, at least 10 hours of instrument training and 10 hours in a complex aircraft are needed. The FAA defines a complex aircraft as one which has manually or automatically controllable pitch propeller, flaps, and retractable landing gear. During commercial pilot training new maneuvers are taught and more precise flying is expected. Students learn to fly longer cross-country flights, including at least one cross-country flight that is at least 300 nautical miles total and includes a single leg of at least 250 miles. Once these new standards are met and mastered there is another oral exam and check ride with a FAA examiner. A commercial pilot’s license is required for any type of flying where the pilot is being compensated. Jobs available for a commercially rated pilot can include agricultural pilot, certified flight instruction, pipeline patrol pilot, corporate pilot, banner towing, and traffic patrolling and reporting.
A commercial pilot’s license allows for an income to put towards further training to become an airline pilot. As reported by the FAA, an instrument rating and multi-engine license is required which takes more training and another two check rides. An instrument rating is a rating that is added to a private pilot or commercial pilot license and refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under instrument flight rules or IFR, meaning that there is not clear sight, but using the instruments in the airplane to navigate. A multi-engine land (MEL) rating allows a pilot to operate as pilot-in-command of an aircraft with more than one engine. Most large airlines prefer pilots to have a bachelor’s degree of any sort. Getting hired by an airline as a first officer, pilot in the right seat, requires the applicant to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. The requirements to receive an ATP is to be at least 23 years old, hold a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating, have logged at least 1,500 hours total time as a pilot, and have logged at least 50 hours in a multi-engine airplane. Airline Transport Pilot certificates are very costly, and most pilots fly for a regional airline that will pay for them to go to school and earn their ATP. Once an ATP is earned the pilot is eligible to work for any airline.
Airline pilots have many benefits one of the biggest rewards of being a commercial pilot is certainly the salary. According to the US bureau of Labor the 2018 median annual pilot salary is $140,340, this salary is earned in 12-15 days per month and includes vacation pay, sick leave and personal days. Most pilots get travel passes for their friends and family to fly at a discount or free, “While it’s highly likely that you yourself will fly free, many airlines also operate a ‘buddy system’ where you can nominate a certain number of family and friends to take advantage of your cool new job. Depending on the airline there will be different rules surrounding this, but the most they can expect to pay is the taxes and charges” (Walker). Pilots have a dynamic work environment keeping them from getting into a rut because of changing weather, crew, aircraft, different airports, and passengers. Pilots give the gift of an experience that can’t be had anywhere else, whether in a small aircraft or on an airliner. “Interacting with passengers and helping them get to vacations, weddings, funerals, births, and other important life events is rewarding” (Martin). Smooth takeoffs and landings without bumping the passengers is challenging and gratifying. Traveling the world is part of the job, on a layover you can experience many different cultures, visit cool cities, see landmarks, learn history, and try new foods. Sarina Houston says that until you've seen the view from 30,000 feet, you have no idea what you're missing, it is magical!
Popping out of the clouds to a perfect landing and delighting the passengers at their destination would be a good enough reason to be a pilot, the road may be difficult to get to this point but with the travel industry prospering pilots will always be in demand. Putting in the hard work will pay off exponentially in salary, respect, adventure, knowledge, and enjoyment. Flourishing airlines looking to fill commercial pilot positions are offering considerable pay and incredible bonuses for those willing to take to the skies.
