A pilot must understand his or her flight plans before taking off. Therefore, the pilot does spend a great deal time in an office. Nonetheless, he or she will spend most work time in the air, at which time the pilot must be able to properly maintain the craft while in flight. Most flights are routine, unless the pilot experiences bad weather or other obstacles. In these cases, the pilot must be able to respond immediately and make any necessary changes in order to keep the craft in the air while keeping passengers safe and comfortable.
Becoming a Pilot
While some small airlines will hire a pilot who only has a high school education, most airlines want a pilot to have at least 2 years of college. Test pilots, for example, are required to have an engineering degree. Even those without a formal college education must still complete special pilot classes and have flight experience in order to gain a pilot’s license.
If a person interested in becoming a pilot takes classes that are approved by the FAA, he or she can get the amount of flight experience required for their pilot’s license reduced. To get a pilot’s license from the FAA, an applying pilot must be eighteen years or older and have at least 250 hours of flight time recorded.
Many civilian pilots come from the US Armed Forces because they easily log the required flight time from their time in the military. It is far easier for a former military pilot to become a civilian pilot by taking the FAA approved classes. In addition, all pilots must pass physical examinations and demonstrate that they have 20/20 vision, with or without glasses, as well as good hearing. Potential pilots must also have no physical handicaps that affect flying, and they must pass a written test from the FAA that covers several elements. Finally, a potential pilot must also fly with an FAA approved examiner.
To become an airline pilot captain, a person must also have an airline transport pilot’s license. To get this endorsement you must be twenty-three years or older and have 1,500 hours of flight time.
