Pilot The Skies For Six Figures

If you love traveling, have a heart for adventure, and enjoy seeing cities from a vantage point high above the clouds, a career as an aviation pilot may be just right for you. Thanks to the quick growth in the aviation industry, job opportunities for pilots abound.   With many of the military aviators of the Vietnam War era retiring, industry observers are actually predicting a shortage of pilots in the years ahead.   

It was once thought that few people could succeed as pilots—but nothing could be further from the truth.  Research indicates that there are as many as 90% of the general public who has the aptitude to learn and fly an aircraft.  In other words, becoming a pilot may be easier than you realize.  

The field of aviation is quite extensive.  Would-be pilots have a range of particular job from which to choose from --- airline, commercial, test pilots or flight instructors or maybe a military one. The job descriptions vary from flying small crop-duster planes to big commercial cargo ones; short-flights like small inter-island flights to big trans-Atlantic ones.  Pilots can also choose to become airline pilot whose responsibilities are mainly those of the in-flight ones or commercial pilots whose tasks may involve both flying and non-flying duties including administrative ones.

Of course, you will need extensive training to become a professional pilot.  To begin with, you’ll need to secure a commercial pilot’s certificate with an instrument rating issued by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). This certificate allows paid professional pilots to transport both passengers and cargo on board.

A pilot’s certificate, whether commercial or private, is issued only after an applicant has passed and complied with all requirements. Strict physical examination is implemented to make sure that all applicants are in good health, have 20/20 vision whether wearing glasses or not, have no hearing impairment and or any handicap that could weaken their performance.

Aside from the strict physical requirements, pilots are also expected to possess a more than average mental capacity. One licensing prerequisite is to pass a written test that measures an applicant’s knowledge on the principles of safe flight, navigation techniques, as well as the FAA regulations.  Another requirement is for an aspiring pilot to exhibit and demonstrate flying ability to the FAA or designated examiners.

All flying certificates are issued to applicants who are 18 years old or above and have at least 250 hours of flight experience.  Flying experience can be obtained through enrolment and participation in certain flight school programs approved by FAA.  

The aspiring pilots can find jobs with either commercial airlines or corporations that own their own private jets. Jobs that have a connection to flying an aircraft are also numerous and more often than not, most pilots aspiring for big airline/commercial posts will have to go through them.  In reality, a pilot actually does not go straight to flying a plane the moment they are certified and hired. 

In order to obtain a well-paying job as a pilot, you’ll have to record plenty of time in the air and at the same time obtain certification rating for specific aircraft piloting level. The varied FAA ratings given to pilots will be your ticket for advancement.  You need to pass all physical as well as mental assessments in order to be given such ratings.

Different kinds of professional pilots have varied qualification requirements depending on the post they are holding. As a typical pilot, you need at least 1,500 flight hours before you can secure work any aviation job.  Generally speaking, it can take anywhere from one to five years or more to log that many hours in the pilot’s seat and thus gain the required training.

Aside from the regular training required of a pilot, if you are aiming for the much coveted post of an airline pilot, you are also expected to secure a special airline transport pilot’s license. You can secure this if you have already logged on a minimum of 1,500 hours of flying experience and have passed another series of written and flight examinations given by FAA.

There is also a minimum age requirement of 23 years old plus an understanding that included in the flight experience is night as well as instrument flying.  A regular FAA rating for these flying situations will be a great advantage for aspiring airline pilots.   

Flight training can be expensive, requiring students to spend more than US$22,000.  However, financial aid is available to students who need it.  And besides, these trainings can pay off handsomely, once you secure a commercial airline aviation job which is normally paying more than $100,000 annually.