10
Nov

Careers As A Pilot

Chocks Away!

The first thing most people think about when talking about pilot careers is the coveted position of airline pilot. If as a pilot you subscribe to the ‘bigger is better’ philosophy then perhaps a career as an airline pilot is the one for you. However, there are many interesting careers as a pilot. Although they may be missing the glamour and high salary of a job with the airlines, they can be just as rewarding in other ways.

Airline Pilot
Seen by many as the crème de la crème of pilot careers, landing a job with an airline takes a lot of hard work, determination and financial outlay. On the plus side there is the kudos, large pay packet and opportunity to fly the largest and most technologically advanced aircraft in the world. A major drawback would be the effect imposed on your family life. You might return from your umpteenth London-New York-LA-New York-London trip to find your family no longer recognise you.

Military Pilot

Lockheed Hercules

If you are as passionate about your country as you are about aviation, the military has many different careers for pilots. Not everybody who joins the air force gets to be Maverick out of Top Gun and fly F-14 Tomcats though. There are pilot jobs transporting troops in aircraft such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules (shown right), carrying out humanitarian missions or flying search and rescue operations.

Flying Instructor
If you have a desire to shape future generations of pilots, and can remain as calm as a Hindu cow when your pupil gets the mixture and throttle controls the wrong way round, then perhaps you are suited to this pilot career. Many budding airline pilots use this job to build up their flying hours so that they can get the experience needed to be considered by the airlines.

Sea Plane/Float Plane
Out of all the different careers as a pilot this strikes me as being the most interesting as you are no longer confined to the land which means that travel to interesting and remote destinations is possible. A sea plane is an aircraft designed purely for taking off and landing on water, whereas a float plane is a land plane which has been fitted with floats. Pilots are able to make sea/float plane transitions with 5-10 hours of instruction and if you fancy working out in the Canadian or Alaskan wilderness flying sight-seeing tours, then this is the job for you.

Corporate Jet Pilot

Gulfstream V

Although not as well paid as airline pilots, corporate jet pilots have a greater chance of being able to go back home after a day spent flying business execs and celebrities around the country. If you choose this road to go down, make sure you bring a good book to work with you everyday as there is a lot of waiting around airport lounges for your clients to finish their day’s business. Having said that, take a look at the picture of the Gulfstream (right) – it is such a sexy bit of kit!

Beechcraft King Air

Medivac Pilot
Probably one of the most challenging careers as a pilot, a medivac pilot flies aircraft such as the King Air (shown left) on critical missions supplying medical supplies to remote areas of the world or transporting patients between hospitals. Shifts can last up to 12 hours and you will have no idea where you will be flying to or for how long when you report for duty.

Test Pilot
These pilots have to be the most skilled in the business as they have to fly planes at the edge of the flight envelope and beyond. This is hazardous but vital work as new and overhauled aircraft have to be certified airworthy. Test pilots also have to produce written reports on their findings and make suggestions for improvements. Some test pilots like to really push an aircraft to impossible limits like this pilot did in the 1950’s whilst testing the Boeing 707.