What it is like and how to become a pilot?
A significant advantage of being a pilot is the health benefits and the competitive work salary you will receive. Its career focus, which is the most important part of any career, is happiness and passion for what you do which is great for flying as a pilot. Plus being a pilot lets you do what you love. If you love what you do you will never work a day in your life. Nothing compares to the exhilaration of flying an aircraft. You can also get great travel bonuses for families to spend quality time with them.
How much do pilots earn?
The average pilot's salary is $211,000 a year, but pilots can make up to $700,000 working for major US airlines. You will need a degree from your aviation program because many airlines require a bachelors or associate degree.
What classes at school do you need to be good at?
There are no requirements as to what classes you need to take, however being good at subjects like Math, Science, Geography and physiology will help.
How old do you have to be to start flying lessons?
You can start flying lessons at 16 years of age at most flight schools. The average cost of tuition to complete your flight training in New York is between $15,000 and $18,000. It should take about six to 12 months to learn how to fly a plane like a Cessna 152.
What are the different types of pilots?
Commercial airline pilots usually work 55 hour weeks flying around the world in different planes. They do not get to choose the planes they fly. Instead pilots are trained for specific needs and have a most desirable plane. Larger aircrafts do bring more responsibility and increased pay which is why pilots prefer planes like the A380, A340 or the Boeing 787. When the plane is at a cruising altitude usually about 37,000 feet, on long haul flights the pilots take turns to have a sleep so there is always one pilot measuring the flight instruments and maintaining a heading even though the autopilot is on.
Air Force
The Air Force recruits pilots with extreme precision and skill. The pilots perform maneuvers that push their aircrafts to their limits while having complete control. Only 3 in about 1,000 applicants are chosen. Your GPA is required to be 2.5 or 3.4 will give you a stronger chance of being selected. The pay is about $97,000 a year. Many Air Force pilots move on to work for major airlines like American.
Charter + Corporate
Becoming a pilot can have a range of job options. While having a commercial pilots license you can also work outside airliners and instead go into other commercial organizations including cargo transport or charter and corporate flights. Charter and corporate pilots have a similar job. A charter pilot flies small groups of individuals short distances. A corporate pilot works for individuals in a private jet.
Who are the most famous pilots?
Chesley Burnett also known as “Sully” was a pilot who famously landed in the Hudson River in New York in 2009. He was an American fighter pilot, diplomat and best known for working for the now merged airline US Airways. After taking off from the Airport LaGuardia in Queens he suffered a bird strike over Lower Manhattan which caused both engines of the A320 to fail. He could not make it back to LaGuardia or go to Newark airport, so he dipped the plane in the Hudson River. All the passengers survived, without major injuries. Amelia Earhart was an American aviator who was the first person to fly a solo across the Atlantic. According to NASA Earhart wanted to set a record. In 1928 she attempted her first extended solo flight, becoming the first woman to fly across North America and back. Then in 1931 she set a world record for flying at the highest altitude of 18,415 feet.
Navy
Robin Olds was a famous Airforce Pilot who was flying in a Lockhead P-38 which is a heavy fighter Aircraft. He had 16 aerial victories and shot down many aircrafts on the ground during WW2. He was famous for being the commander of the 8th Tactical fighter wing during the south east Asia War.