Please can someone give me a brief picture of what a career as a professional pilot entails?

Answer 1

Sure. All the school you need is very expensive, and time consuming. I assume you will have to keep a job during this and a life too. Then when it's all done, you have a license, but no job. So you start at the bottom with some airline. After years you might get promoted to captain after all the crappy hours you worked for years. You want to fly a super fancy big plane? Get on with the right airline early on. Of course they will tell you where you will be based out of, not your choice. And hopefully, your airline can afford to pay you and you will keep your retirement unlike many who didn't over the years. And try to pick an airline that will be around for a while.
Good luck!

Answer 2

I looked into this once, and here's what I was told:

Once you graduate from a college-level training program, you'll be earning low wages foing flights in small planes on a moment's notice. You'll have a bag packed at all times, ready to go across the state or across the country, and be gone for the afternoon, or for 3-4 days, and you'll never know very far ahead when you're going. You'll also probably be instructing beginners working on their private or light sport license. Once you build some hours, you can start interviewing for bigger jobs, like flying cargo or small passenger commuter planes. You may eventually work your way up to the big leagues, flying jumbo jetc carrying either cargo or people. You'd probably start out as a flight engineer, move up to co-pilot, and finally pilot.

A former navy fighter pilot who was at that time a copilot for a major carrier said that every few months, they got to put in requests for what package or group of flights they would do for the upcoming period - say per quarter. For the next 3 months, they would make the same runs over and over - say, Monday and Wednesday to San Francisco, Tuesday and Friday to Des Moines, and Saturday to Orlando. The best runs got picked first by the pilots with the most seniority. Those were usually the flights on the newest planes that left and returned in daylight, so that the pilots could be home at night with their family, or to exotic destinations like Hawaii or Paris, for example. The evening runs to small, distant airports went to the guys with low seniority. This pilot said that the worst he had done was a 2 AM arrival in Fargo ND in the winter. The airport was almost unattended, and they had to leave the plane and walk across to the terminal in the winter.

If you really, REALLY want to fly, you can make a living at this, I'm told. But you WILL pay your dues before you get to the point where you make good money. Ask lots of questions, and try to talk to someone who's been doing this for 10-20 years to find out more about the process before you jump in with both feet.

Answer 3

What a bunch of downers. Be a commercial ROTOR pilot and most of that above stuff goes away. I have been flying full time now for two years. I have moved once mostly becasue I wanted to. The training WOW is it ever expensive 87000 in my case. I did it all in 5 months and 3 days from 0 hours to a CFII with 200 hours. I went to work weeks after getting finished and have not stopped yet for anything other than a break. I love this life. its the best job in the world as far as I can see. For the nay sayers I have a wife two kids two dogs and a bird. No its not easy to move. Helicopters dont go as far that fixes a lot of the problems right there. Heli operations are not as big so finding someone who treats you right and pays you good is not that hard of a thing to do. I say do it and dont look back. look down at the mortals. lol

Answer 4

It will vary greatly depending on what you do. Corporate, Cargo, Regional, Major airline pilots have very different lifestyles.

At a large regional airline you will most likely have 10 to 14 days off per month. Trips will typically be 3-5 days in length and you will fly between 3-6 legs per day with daily duty usually lasting between 8 to 13 hours.

First year pay will be between $18,000 to $25,000 (U.S. Dollars). Second year will go up to $28,000 to $36,000. When you upgrade to captain pay will be around $60,000 to $75,000.

You will get standby travel passes for yourself, a spouse or companion, any dependents, and mother and father. You may get some buddy passes to give to anyone you choose. These passes are standby travel only, and your priority for standby boarding will depend on your seniority within your company. May be eligible for discounts at hotels, cruises, for rental cars, cell phones, etc.

Not a bad lifestyle, could be better, could be a lot worse.

My advice to those considering a career in aviation is not to do this just because you think it may be cool, or you can impress chicks, or you may make a lot of money. Many people get into for that and end up being miserable. The people who enjoy this profession are those who have a deep love of airplanes and can't get enough of them.

Answer 5

BLECH>>> Airlines suck....(Sorry to all you caps & fo's out there)
Become a cropduster, or a forestry pilot

good wages, good people, good hours

Answer 6

......... you'll have to get up in the morning like a milkman ............ be prepared to live out of a suitcase whole of your life ......... will have no social life in your home town ............ your children may call you uncle ......... you will earn for your bank .......... other than that its a exciting job ......... takes you places ........ and you will be able to fall asleep any time anywhere ......

Answer 7

You fly aeroplanes