How to become An Airline Pilot

• Aviator
• Captain
• Pilot in Command
• Copilot
• First Officer
• Second in Command

What do Airline Pilots do?

An Airline Pilot would typically need to:

• Operate commercial aviation vehicles including airplanes, helicopters, gyroplanes, balloons, and airships on a fixed schedule to transport people and cargo to their destinations safely
• Prepare a detailed flight plan using information about the aircraft, route, weather, passengers, and departure/arrival schedules
• Ensure all equipment and safety systems are checked by competent technicians and are working correctly
• Ensure the aircraft is balanced, the cargo is loaded correctly, and the cargo weight does not exceed aircraft limits
• Ascertain the weather conditions are acceptable to complete pre-flight checks of instruments, engines, and fuel before briefing the cabin crew
• Follow the airport approach and landing instructions from air traffic control
• Navigate the aircraft, monitor fuel consumption, and ensure all aircraft systems work at full capacity throughout the journey
• Think and respond appropriately when faced with changing conditions such as weather events or flight emergencies such as a mechanical malfunction
• Communicate with passengers periodically during the flight and modify plans, speed, and altitude to ensure a smooth journey
• Work closely with flight attendants throughout the journey to ensure all passengers follow safety rules while onboard
• Maintain flight schedules and alert ground crew to possible delay as well as its cause
• Update aircraft logbook after landing with relevant details of the flight, any technical issues, and deviations from the original flight plan

Depending on the duration of the flight, an Airline Pilot spends considerable time in the aircraft. Overnight layovers several times a week or longer hotel stays in other cities and countries may be required depending on flight routes and schedules.

Airlines usually provide hotel accommodation, transportation to the airport, allowances for meals, and other expenses to pilots on duty away from home. Airline Pilots wear uniforms distinctive to their company.

Government regulations prescribe the maximum work hours and minimum rest requirements between flights for most pilots. Airline Pilots have irregular schedules with several consecutive working days and then several consecutive days off.

Research suggests that Airline Pilots take a break for a minimum of 10 hours between flights. Their average flying time per month is 75 hours, with a further 150 hours per month spent on tasks such as flight planning and weather monitoring. Reporting time before scheduled departure is at least four to five hours, with documentation time at arrival being two to three hours.

The average working day is 10 to 12 hours long. In general, working hours depend on flight schedule and destination. However, senior pilots who have worked at a company for a long time get preferred routes and schedules while newer pilots may not have the choice.

The industry is competitive, and Airline Pilots can find it time-taking to secure their first job. Networking with those already in the industry can help secure suitable positions. Specialist aviation recruitment companies, websites of individual airlines, advertisements in trade magazines, and flight training schools may also prove helpful.

Newly qualified pilots may need to look outside their country to find work.

Airline Pilots are generally employed by:

• Scheduled Airlines
• Chartered Airlines
• Freight Airlines
• Flying Schools
• Companies Operating Own Aircraft

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for Airline Pilots interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Airline Pilot.

• Physical and mental fatigue due to jet lag and concentrated attention on flying the aircraft safely
• Feeling of loneliness due to time spent away from family and friends
• Turbulent weather during flight
• Long flights in sealed decks, in small teams

Airline Pilots typically begin their careers as Commercial Pilots. Applicants usually accrue thousands of hours of flight experience as Commercial Pilots or in the military to get a job with regional or major airlines. While some airlines and organizations sponsor people to become Trainee Pilots, the competition for such programs is high.

With enough flying hours built up as Flight Instructors, Charter Pilots, or Commercial Pilots, candidates can apply for jobs as pilots with airlines. recruits at regional airlines require about 1500 hours of flight experience.

A high school diploma or equivalent with decent grades, particularly in the sciences, is the minimum requirement. Mathematics, English, geography, modern languages, and ICT (Information & Communications Technology) would be valuable assets.

There are different routes to becoming an Airline Pilot, but the competition is fierce. Graduates, preferably in mathematics, physics, computing, and engineering, can train at a civil aviation authority-approved school. Qualified Pilots from the armed forces, who have served their minimum term, can take a conversion course to gain an Airline Pilot’s license.

Some universities offer courses that combine pilot studies and training with a related degree like aviation engineering or air transport. Several passenger airlines offer pilot training schemes which allow you to train with the company to gain their license.

Some sponsorship schemes pay your training costs, which you need to pay back once qualified. Others may require you to sign a bond upfront obliging you to fly with them over a specific period.

Promising Airline Pilots typically get their licenses and ratings in the following order: student pilot certificate, private pilot license (PPL), instrument rating (IR), commercial pilot license (CPL), multi-engine rating (MEP), airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, and then the multi-crew pilot license (MPL). Each certificate and rating requires that pilots pass a written exam on the ground and a practical flying exam, usually called a check ride, in an appropriate aircraft.

In addition to earning these licenses, many Airline Pilots get a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating after getting their commercial certificate. The CFI rating helps them build flight time and experience quickly at less personal expense.

Typically, Airline Pilots start as Commercial Pilots or work for the military to chalk up sufficient flight experience before seeking work with regional or major airlines. Adequate experience allows progression to a Flight Training Instructor or an Operations Manager.

Collective bargaining contracts lay down seniority-based progression. The typical time Flight Engineers take to become First Officers is one to five years. Promotion from First Officer to Captain can take up to 15 years, although career progression depends on the employee’s experience and employer. Future options include becoming a Flight Instructor, a Senior Manager, an Inspector with the local civil aviation authorities, or even an Entrepreneur in the aviation business.

The airline industry predicts a global shortage of Airline Pilots in the future, which should increase your job prospects. However, there may not be a constant supply of jobs in the airline industry - airlines would rather not recruit at all than recruiting someone who isn't suitable.

Job prospects may be best with regional airlines that have lower entry-level requirements and typically less competition among applicants than for major airlines, which tend to attract many more applicants than the number of job openings.

Some companies provide newly hired Airline Pilots with on-the-job training, including six to eight weeks of ground school, in compliance with local aviation authority guidelines. Pilots with a commercial license can achieve specific aircraft ratings through employer-based training.

Companies that offer apprenticeship schemes for fully trained Airline Pilots seeking their first job may offer lower salaries but pay for further training. Other companies may offer higher starting salaries, but further training may require self-funding.

All Airline Pilots must maintain their experience in certain maneuvers by performing them in the quantity and time specified. Biannual, annual or biennial training, and medical examinations are mandatory.

The Cockpit Crew

An Airline Pilot is responsible for the passengers, crew, and aircraft’s overall safety and comfort. The airline's cockpit crew consists of the Captain (the pilot in command), the First Officer (the co-pilot who is second in command), and possibly the Second Officer (the “cruise relief” on long-haul flights).

Growth of Air Travel

Migration to cities, the expanding middle class in developing countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China, cheaper airfare due to better aircraft, and competition in the field, leads to growing domestic and international business and leisure travel.

Air travel is estimated to double by 2035, reaching 7.2 billion passengers annually. For commercial aviation, this translates into the creation of new routes and the need for more airports, aircraft, and Airline Pilots.

Just like bus drivers, when two planes meet in the sky, pilots may flash the landing lights or wing inspection lights to say hello.

As an Airline Pilot, you will scale the skies, helping travelers and cargo reach destinations safely. You will participate in the exciting and continuous challenges of technological innovation that not only connect people and places but also aims to do it responsibly and sustainably.

You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.