Becoming an Airline Pilot
 

  

Provided here is important information in helping you decide if you want to become an airline pilot. Education and training are key in finding out what requirements are needed to pursue a career in aviation.    

The Piloting Profession

The three positions in the airline piloting profession are captain, first officer (co-pilot), and second officer (flight engineer). In Canada, the second officer and flight engineer are separate certificates; the second officer may hold a flight engineer rating, but a flight engineer is not necessarily a pilot. Not all aircraft operated by the airlines require a second officer; in fact, all new aircraft now are designed to be flown with a captain and first officer sharing all the duties.

On most airlines, a pilot progresses into the captain's position of ultimate authority and responsibility through experience. Experience is vital because no two flights are alike, and the manner in which a particular flight is conducted will depend on many factors. These may include:  weather on departure, en route, and at the destination; available navigation aids and air traffic control; aircraft loading; airline and regulatory requirements; and, of course, passenger comfort. To meet all of these changing¾and sometimes conflicting¾considerations safely and effectively requires knowledge and skill that can be gained only with experience. And only experience prepares a crew for those rare occasions when they are confronted with an emergency that, if not dealt with promptly and precisely, could become a tragedy.

Each pilot position requires a pilot certificate and a currently valid medical certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, or by the Department of Transport (Transport Canada) in Canada.