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Text File | 1995-10-24 | 18.6 KB | 361 lines

361
Aircraft Pilots

(D.O.T.  196 except .163 and 621.261-018)

Nature of the Work

Pilots are highly trained professionals who fly airplanes and
helicopters to carry out a wide variety of tasks.  Although most
pilots transport passengers and cargo, others are involved in more
unusual tasks, such as dusting crops, spreading seed for
reforestation, testing aircraft, directing firefighting efforts,
tracking criminals, monitoring traffic, and rescuing and evacuating
injured persons.  The vast majority of pilots fly airplanes.

   Except on small aircraft, two pilots usually make up the cockpit
crew.  Generally, the most experienced pilot (called captain) is in
command and supervises all other crew members.  The copilot assists
in communicating with air traffic controllers, monitoring the
instruments, and flying the aircraft.  Some large aircraft still
have a third pilot in the cockpit the flight engineer who assists
the other pilots by monitoring and operating many of the instruments
and systems, making minor inflight repairs, and watching for other
aircraft.  New technology can perform many flight tasks, however,
and virtually all new aircraft now fly with only two pilots, who
rely more heavily on computerized controls.

   Before departure, pilots plan their flights carefully.  They
thoroughly check their aircraft to make sure that the engines,
controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
They also make sure that baggage or cargo has been loaded correctly.
They confer with flight dispatchers and aviation weather forecasters
to find out about weather conditions enroute and at their
destination.  Based on this information, they choose a route,
altitude, and speed that should provide the fastest, safest, and
smoothest flight.  When flying under instrument flight rules
(procedures governing the operation of the aircraft when there is
poor visibilty), the pilot in command or their company dispatcher,
normally files an instrument flight plan with air traffic control so
that the flight can be coordinated with other air traffic.

   Takeoff and landing are the most difficult parts of the flight and
require close coordination between the pilot and copilot.  For
example, as the plane accelerates for takeoff, the pilot
concentrates on the runway while the copilot scans the instrument
panel.  To calculate the speed they must attain to become airborne,
pilots consider the altitude of the airport, outside temperature,
weight of the plane, and the speed and direction of the wind.  The
moment the plane reaches takeoff speed, the copilot informs the
pilot, who then pulls back on the controls to raise the nose of the
plane.

   Unless the weather is bad, the actual flight is relatively easy.
Airplane pilots with the assistance of autopilot and the flight
management computer, steer the plane along their planned route and
are monitored by the air traffic control stations they pass along
the way.  They continuously scan the instrument panel to check their
fuel supply, the condition of their engines, and the air-
conditioning, hydraulic, and other systems.  Pilots may request a
change in altitude or route if circumstances dictate.  For example,
if the ride is rougher than expected, they may ask air traffic
control if pilots flying at other altitudes have reported better
conditions.  If so, they may request a change.  This procedure also
may be used to find a stronger tailwind or a weaker headwind to save
fuel and increase speed.  Because helicopters are used for short
trips at relatively low altitude, pilots must be constantly on the
lookout for trees, bridges, power lines, transmission towers, and
other dangerous obstacles.  Regardless of the type of aircraft, all
pilots must monitor warning devices designed to help detect sudden
shifts in wind conditions that can cause crashes.

   If visibility is poor, pilots must rely completely on their
instruments.  Using the altimeter readings, they know how high above
ground they are and whether or not they can fly safely over
mountains and other obstacles.  Special navigation radios give
pilots precise information which, with the help of special maps,
tell them their exact position.  Other very sophisticated equipment
provides directions to a point just above the end of a runway and
enables pilots to land completely blind.

   Once on the ground, pilots must complete records on their flight for
their organization and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

   The number of nonflying duties that pilots have depends on the
employment setting.  Airline pilots have the services of large
support staffs and consequently perform few nonflying duties.
Pilots employed by other organizations such as charters or business
operators have many other duties.  They may load the aircraft,
handle all passenger luggage to ensure a balanced load, and
supervise refueling; other nonflying responsibilities include
keeping records, scheduling flights, arranging for major
maintenance, and performing minor maintenance and repair work on
their aircraft.

   Some pilots are instructors.  They teach their students the
principles of flight in ground-school classes and demonstrate how to
operate aircraft in dual-controlled planes and helicopters.  A few
specially trained pilots are examiners or check pilots.  They
periodically fly with other pilots or applicants to make sure that
they are proficient.

   Aircraft pilots check equipment and controls before takeoff.

Working Conditions

By law, airline pilots cannot fly more than 100 hours a month or
more than 1,000 hours a year.  Most airline pilots fly an average of
75 hours a month and work an additional 120 hours a month performing
nonflying duties.  The majority of flights involve layovers away
from home.  When pilots are away from home, the airlines provide
hotel accommodations, transportation between the hotel and airport,
and an allowance for expenses.  Airlines operate flights at all
hours of the day and night, so work schedules often are irregular.
Based on seniority, pilots generally have a choice of flights.

   Pilots employed outside the airlines often have irregular schedules
as well; they may fly 30 hours one month and 90 hours the next.
Because these pilots frequently have many nonflying
responsibilities, they have much less free time than airline pilots.
Except for business pilots, most pilots employed outside the
airlines do not remain away from home overnight.  They may work odd
hours, because emergencies happen round the clock.  In addition,
pilots working as instructors often give lessons at night or on
weekends.

   Airline pilots, especially those on international routes, often
suffer jet lag fatigue caused by many hours of flying through
different time zones.  The work of test pilots, who check the flight
performance of new and experimental planes, may be dangerous.
Pilots who are crop dusters may be exposed to toxic chemicals and
seldom have the benefit of a regular landing strip.  Helicopter
pilots involved in police work may be subject to personal injury.

   Although flying does not involve much physical effort, the mental
stress of being responsible for a safe flight, no matter what the
weather, can be tiring.  Particularly during takeoff and landing,
pilots must be alert and quick to react if something goes wrong.

Employment

Civilian pilots held about 85,000 jobs in 1992.  Three-fifths worked
for the airlines.  Many others worked as flight instructors at local
airports or for large businesses that use their own airplanes or
helicopters to fly company cargo and executives.  Some pilots flew
small planes for air taxi companies, usually to or from lightly
traveled airports not served by the airlines.  Others worked for a
variety of businesses performing tasks such as crop dusting,
inspecting pipelines, or conducting sightseeing trips.  Federal,
State, and local governments also employed pilots.  Several thousand
pilots were self-employed.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

All pilots who are paid to transport passengers or cargo must have a
commercial pilot's license with an instrument rating issued by the
FAA.  Helicopter pilots must hold a commercial pilot's certificate
with a helicopter rating.  To qualify for these licenses, applicants
must be at least 18 years old and have at least 250 hours of flight
experience.  The time can be reduced through participation in
certain school curricula approved by the FAA.  They also must pass a
strict physical examination to make sure that they are in good
health and have 20/20 vision with or without glasses, good hearing,
and no physical handicaps that could impair their performance.
Applicants must pass a written test that includes questions on the
principles of safe flight, navigation techniques, and FAA
regulations.  They also must demonstrate their flying ability to FAA
or designated examiners.

   To fly in periods of low visibility pilots must be rated by the FAA
to fly by instruments.  Pilots may qualify for this rating by having
a total of 105 hours of flight experience, including 40 hours of
experience in flying by instruments; passing a written examination
on procedures and FAA regulations covering instrument flying; and
demonstrating their ability to fly by instruments.

   Airline pilots must fulfill additional requirements.  They must pass
FAA written and flight examinations to earn a flight engineer's
license.  Captains must have an airline transport pilot's license.
Applicants for this license must be at least 23 years old and have a
minimum of 1,500 hours of flying experience, including night and
instrument flying.

   All licenses are valid as long as a pilot can pass the periodic
physical examinations and tests of flying skills required by
Government and company regulations.

   The Armed Forces have always been an important source of trained
pilots for civilian jobs.  Military pilots gain valuable experience
on jet aircraft and helicopters, and persons with this experience
are generally preferred.  This primarily reflects the extensive
flying time military pilots receive.  The FAA has certified about
600 civilian flying schools, including some colleges and
universities that offer degree credit for pilot training.  In recent
years, the Armed Services have increased financial incentives in an
effort to retain more pilots.  This has shifted more of the burden
for training pilots to FAA certified schools.  Over the next several
years, the number of available pilots who have been trained in the
military should increase as reductions in military budgets result in
more pilots leaving military service.  Over the long haul, however,
fewer pilots will be trained by the Armed Forces and this will mean
that FAA certified schools will do more of the training.

   Although some small airlines will hire high school graduates, most
airlines require 2 years of college and prefer to hire college
graduates.  In fact, most entrants to this occupation have a college
degree.  If the number of college educated applicants increases,
employers may raise their educational requirements.  Because pilots
must be able to make quick decisions and accurate judgments under
pressure, airline companies reject applicants who do not pass
required psychological and aptitude tests.

   New airline pilots usually start as copilots.  Although airlines
favor applicants who already have a flight engineer's license, they
may train those who have only the commercial license.  All new
pilots receive several weeks of intensive training in simulators and
classrooms before being assigned to a flight.

   Organizations other than airlines generally require less flying
experience.  However, a commercial pilot's license is a minimum
requirement, and employers prefer applicants who have experience in
the type of craft they will be flying.  New employees usually start
as copilots or flying less sophisticated equipment.  Test pilots
often are required to have an engineering degree.

   Advancement for all pilots generally is limited to other flying
jobs.  Many pilots start as flight instructors, building up their
flying hours while they earn money teaching.  As they become more
experienced, these pilots occasionally fly charter planes and
perhaps get jobs with small air transportation firms, such as air
taxi companies.  Some advance to business flying jobs.  A small
number get flight engineer jobs with the airlines.

   In the airlines, advancement usually depends on seniority provisions
of union contracts.  After 2 to 7 years, flight engineers advance
according to seniority to copilot and, after 5 to 15 years, to
captain.  Seniority also determines which pilots get the more
desirable routes.  In a nonairline job, a copilot may advance to
pilot and, in large companies, to chief pilot or director of
aviation in charge of aircraft scheduling, maintenance, and flight
procedures.

Job Outlook

Pilots are expected to face considerable competition for jobs
through the year 2005 because the number of applicants for new
positions is expected to exceed the number of openings.  Aircraft
pilots understandably have an extremely strong attachment to their
occupation because it requires a substantial investment in
specialized training and can offers very high earnings.  In
addition, the glamour, prestige, and travel benefits make this a
very desirable occupation and pilots rarely change occupations.
However, because of the large number of pilots who will reach
retirement age over the next decade or so, replacement needs will
generate several thousand job openings each year.

   Additional jobs will be created from rising demand for pilots.
Employment is expected to increase faster than the average for all
occupations through the year 2005.  While computerized flight
management systems will all but eliminate the demand for flight
engineers, the expected growth in airline passenger and cargo
traffic will create a need for more airliners, pilots, and flight
instructors.  Employment of business pilots is expected to grow more
slowly than in the past as more businesses opt to fly with regional
and smaller airlines serving their area rather than buy and operate
their own aircraft.  On the other hand, helicopter pilots are
expected to grow more rapidly as the demand for the type of services
they can offer expands.

   Opportunities for aircraft pilots will be poor in the short run as
an increasing number of pilots leave the Armed Forces and look for
jobs in the civilian sector.  This situation will be compounded by
the large number of pilots who have lost their jobs during the
restructuring of the airline industry.  The mergers and bankruptcies
of the past few years have created a glut of trained pilots.  As
this glut is absorbed over the next few years, prospects should
improve dramatically.  Pilots who have logged the greatest number of
flying hours in the more sophisticated equipment generally have the
best prospects.  This is the reason military pilots usually have an
advantage over other applicants.  Jobseekers with the most FAA
licenses will also have a competitive advantage.

   Employment of pilots is sensitive to cyclical swings in the economy.
During recessions, when a decline in the demand for air travel
forces airlines to curtail the number of flights, airlines may
temporarily furlough some pilots.  Commercial and corporate flying,
flight instruction, and testing of new aircraft also decline during
recessions, adversely affecting pilots employed in those areas.

Earnings

Earnings of airline pilots are among the highest in the Nation.
According to the Future Aviation Professionals of America, the 1992
average salary for airline pilots was about $80,000 a year; for
flight engineers, $42,000; for copilots, $65,000; and for captains,
$107,000.  Some senior captains on the largest aircraft earned as
much as $165,000.  Earnings depend on factors such as the type,
size, and maximum speed of the plane, and the number of hours and
miles flown.  Extra pay may be given for night and international
flights.

   Generally, pilots working outside the airlines earn lower salaries.
The median salary for chief pilots was $62,000 a year in 1992,
according to a survey conducted by the National Business Aircraft
Association; for captains/pilots, $57,900 and for copilots, $42,000.
Usually, pilots who fly jet aircraft earn higher salaries than
nonjet pilots.

   Airline pilots generally are eligible for life and health insurance
plans financed by the airlines.  They also receive retirement
benefits and if they fail the FAA physical examination at some point
in thir careers, they get disability payments.  Some airlines
provide allowances to pilots for purchasing and cleaning their
uniforms.  As an additional benefit, pilots and their immediate
families usually are entitled to free or reduced fare transportation
on their own and other airlines.

   Most airline pilots are members of the Airline Pilots Association,
International.  Those employed by one major airline are members of
the Allied Pilots Association.  Some flight engineers are members of
the Flight Engineers' International Association.

Related Occupations

Although they are not in the cockpit, air traffic controllers and
dispatchers also play an important role in making sure flights are
safe and on schedule, and participate in many of the decisions
pilots must make.

Sources of Additional Information

   Information about job opportunities in a particular airline and the
qualifications required may be obtained by writing to the personnel
manager of the airline.  For addresses of airline companies and
information about job opportunities and salaries, contact:

   Future Aviation Professionals of America, 4291 J.  Memorial Dr.,
Atlanta, GA 30032.  (This organization may be called toll free at
1-800-JET-JOBS.)

   For information on airline pilots, contact:

   Airline Pilots Association, 1625 Massachusetts Ave.  NW.,
Washington, DC 20036.

   Air Transport Association of America, 1709 New York Ave.  NW.,
Washington, DC 20006.

   For information on helicopter pilots, contact:

   Helicopter Association International, 1619 Duke St., Alexandria, VA
22314.

   For a copy of List of Certificated Pilot Schools, write to:

   Superintendent of Documents, U.S.  Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402.

   For information about job opportunities in companies other than
airlines, consult the classified section of aviation trade magazines
and apply to companies that operate aircraft at local airports.