Commercial pilots
Commercial pilots transport passengers and cargo from one place to another. Although their primary work entails flying and navigating airplanes and other aircraft, they are also responsible for reviewing the weather and the condition of an aircraft before a flight, checking the fuel supply and ensuring that a plane is below its recommended weight limit. During a flight, a pilot monitors radio communication and analyses an assortment of incoming data to identify any issue that may have an adverse impact on the flight. As Watson and Thorne assert, most commercial pilots begin flying small planes while they undergo job training to gain more experience (42). According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, experts in the aviation industry project the overall employment of commercial pilots to grow by 4% in the period between 2016 and 2026. However, the US department of labor notes that the growth is significantly slower in comparison with the average growth of other occupations in the aviation sector.
Salary and requirements
The latest annual salary statistics (2016) reveal that commercial pilots earn between $39,430 and $147,240, with the median wage being $77,200 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The salaries vary depending on one's employer, experience level, and area of operation. What is more, commercial pilots require a bachelor's degree in whichever subject and must undergo training at a certified flight school to earn a private pilot's license. After obtaining a commercial pilot's license, pilots typically need to fly many hours to gain necessary experience that qualifies them to secure a job with major airlines. As Pies et al. propound, pilots require variable work schedules to emphasize rest, particularly due to jetlag and fatigue (1). Furthermore, their work environment necessitates them not only to have high concentration levels to ensure the safety of cargo and passengers but also to regularly check the weather conditions during flights to change the altitude appropriately.
Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Airline and Commercial Pilots". Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm#tab-6. Accessed 29 Mar. 2018.
Reis, Cátia et al. "Sleep Complaints and Fatigue of Airline Pilots." Journal of Sleep Science, vol. 9, 2016, pp. 73-77. Doi.org/10.1016/j.slsci.2016.05.003.
Watson, Jackson, and Danielle Thorne. So You Want To Be A Commercial Airline Pilot—Here's The Info You Need. Atlantic Publishing Group, 2017.
