So You Wanna Be A Pilot ?

Did you know, KLM is the world's oldest airline, established in 1919, and Qantas the second-oldest (1920). Also, pilots and co-pilots are required to eat different meals in case of food poisoning. And, the maximum speed of a Boeing 747 is 955 km/h! Flying is always excitement that takes you to cloud nine and you're not intimidated by the responsibility. Haha. Why not consider a career as a Pilot then ?

I get so many questions on " Why did I choose to take up flying as my career ? " and even if I try to answer many of you as I possibly can through my Instagram page, it's impossible and it feels like I am saying the same things in repeat. So for that reason, I put this blog up and I really hope it can help many of you as possible.

The Job Of A Pilot

A Pilot's job is just not to fly and soar through the clouds. Their duties include checking the overall condition of the aircraft before and every flight, communicate with air traffic control over the aircraft's radio system, control aircraft along planned routes and during takeoffs and landings, monitor fuel comsumptions and other aircraft systems during enroute.

4 Categories of Pilots

Airline Pilots - Commercial Pilots who works primarily for airlines that transport
                       passengers and cargo on a fixed schedule to destinations around the
                       world.

Corporate Pilots - Pilots who fly for companies with their own fleet of planes to
                            transport passengers such as company executives.

Commercial Pilots - Their jobs include unscheduled flight activities. Such as rescue
                               operations, charter flights, crop dusting, aerial photography,
                               and aerial tours.

Flight Instructors - Commercial Pilots which uses simulators and dual-controlled aircraft to
                             teach students on how to fly a plane.

IS THIS JOB FOR YOU ?

If you are considering a career as a Pilot, you'll need to have good teamwork skills, good concentration and hand-to-eye coordination. You'll also need to be able to remain calm when dealing with challenging weather conditions.

During my training and now, I always implement the RIE code. Wherever I go or whatever I do, I always have this code on mind. What is RIE ?, Realistic, Investigative and Enterprising.

Realistic attitude which involve practical, hands-on problems and solutions. Investigative involves ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally. Whereby enterprising involves leading people and making many positive and mutual decisions.

Work Styles and Environment

To become an airline Pilot, you will need to follow spoken instructions from air traffic control and give clear, confident instructions to crew members and passengers. Teamwork skills is important, as well as good written communications skills. you must be comfortable working with technology and be able to read maps and displays well. The ability to remain calm when dealing with challenging situations such as weather conditions are imperative.

Flights can be long and some cockpits are often sealed very small. Pilots value independence in working on their own. So, pilots must be able to work in small team for long period in close proximity to one another.

Job Entry Requirements and Places of Employment

Whether you want to fly a small aircraft during weekends, or a Boeing - 737 for a passenger airline, the process that leads to become a qualified pilot is like a step ladder haha!. I say this because, initially you will become a Private Pilot, then a Commercial Pilot and finally an Airline Transport Pilot. 

With a Private Pilot License (PPL), you can fly throughout the country and carry non-paying passengers. You are strictly not allowed to charge for your services. A Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), allows you to work as a Pilot commercially, fly large aircraft's and earn attractive salaries.

New candidates should also bare on mind that to obtain a Pilot License, they need to pass the medical examinations/tests. Class 2 for a PPL License and Class 1 for CPL License.

That's all for now dear aviators. I'm so much thankful to many of you out there which always seeks for advice and ideas in choosing Piloting as their career. I will try my best to come up with another topic soon. Stay safe and Happy Landings ahead. :)