Commercial air passenger service began in 1926. In that year 6,000 passengers traveled to a handful of cities. Now air transportation moves 400 million passengers a year to hundreds of cities all over the world.
The early commercial pilots flew their routes by looking for familiar landmarks a certain barn, a river bend, a farmer's windmill. Sometimes they followed train tracks, and cases have been recorded of near misses with onrushing locomotives during low visibility conditions.
Those pioneer airline pilots would be amazed at present day cockpits. Technological advances have changed the speed and safety of travel, changed the aircraft, and changed the demands on the flight crew. Today's complex air traffic system and sophisticated aircraft demand skill, judgment, education, and-most importantly experience.
Pilots control vehicles valued at millions of dollars, transporting as many as 400 persons plus tons of mail and freight Such a huge aircraft takes off from a strip of pavement a mile or so long, touching down again hundreds or thousands of miles away on another strip of pavement about 150 feet wide. Often the entire journey is made with no sight of the ground from takeoff to landing.
A takeoff or a landing is made on the average of every three seconds by members of the Air line Pilots Association, International. The scheduled airlines of the United States operate a fleet of over 3,000 aircraft, most of them jets.
The big business of air travel requires hundreds of thousands of workers. Many thousands are employed by airlines as mechanics, reservation agents, dispatchers, sales representatives, baggage handlers, office workers, and other important staff members. Additional thousands are employed at airports, in government, and in businesses that support aviation and air travelers.
But once the power is applied to the engines, the safety of the flight depends on the professional crew up front.
Top Most Positions
The three positions in the airline pilot profession are captain, first officer (copilot), and second officer (flight engineer). Not all aircraft operated by the airlines require a second officer these are flown with the captain and first officer sharing all the duties.
On all reputable airlines, a pilot progresses into the captain's position of authority through experience. Experience is important because no two flights are ever alike. The manner in which a flight is conducted and how the aircraft is controlled depends on many factors, including visibility, wind direction and velocity, temperature, and aircraft loading. Only experience equips a pilot to meet these changing conditions safely and efficiently. Furthermore, only experience prepares the crew for those infrequent times when an emergency, if not dealt with promptly and with precision, can become a tragedy.
Captain Commands the aircraft and is responsible for the safety of its passengers, crew, and cargo. Requires an air transport pilot (ATP) certificate from FAA The average ALPA captain is 48 years old with 20 years of service and earns about $110,000 annually.
First Officer (Copilot) - Assists or relieves the captain in the operation of the aircraft. Requires a commercial pilot certificate with instrument rating from FAA The average ALPA first officer is 40 years old with 10 years of service and a yearly salary of about $58,000. At airlines that do not fly three-man-crew aircraft, the first officer is the starting position for new pilots. Beginning salaries at such airlines range from $10,000 to $24,000, depending on the size of the aircraft flown.
Second Officer (Flight Engineer) - He assists in flight operations and sees that the mechanical and electronic devices of the aircraft are in perfect working order. This requires a flight engineer's certificate from FAA. A second officer does not fly the aircraft, but airlines today require a second officer to have a valid pilot's certificate and to maintain proficiency as a pilot while working as a second officer. The second officer position is the entry-level job at many airlines. Second officers normally serve a one year probationary period with their airlines and their entry level salaries range from $12,000 to $25,000. Overall, the average ALPA second officer is 37 years old with 6 years of service and earns a yearly salary of about $38,000.
General Qualifications
All pilots are licensed by the FAA. A certificate can be refused or revoked if the individual is determined not to be of good character. Physical requirements vary with the level of the license, but all pilots must be able to pass a physical examination at regular, frequent intervals.
A good educational foundation is needed in mathematics, science, English, and geography. Most airlines prefer a four year college degree.
Experience Requirements
In aviation, experience is judged in two ways, hours of flying and kind of flying. Most airlines require at least 1,500 hours of flying time, preferably in multi-engine aircraft. The average new hire at regional airlines has over 3,000 hours. The average new hire at the major airlines has almost 4,000. The averages are higher than the requirements because of high flying time of former military pilots.
Although flight instruction and similar work are good ways to build up the first hours of commercial flying experience, once a pilot has recorded 2,000 to 3,000 hours of flying, additional time confers no competitive advantage unless it is flown in large transport type aircraft A pilot with 6,000 hours as a crop duster is probably a very good crop duster-but the airlines want multi engine experience.
Training
About 75% of the airlines pilots currently flying have had military training. However, at the present time the military services are training fewer pilots and requiring longer commitments. As a result, recently the number of newly hired pilots with civilian training surpassed that of the military-trained pilots. Both the Navy and the Air Force require a college degree for those trained as pilots, the Army does not.
If your goal is to be an airline pilot, you can reach it sooner with civilian training. Riot training can be obtained in colleges with aviation courses or in privately operated flight schools. The FAA provides certification for both instructors and flight schools, be sure that the school and instructors you choose have current FAA certification.
