The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Pilot. From higher pay and an exciting job, to many hours away from home, a pilot has many things to

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1 Gartman 1 Kyle Gartman Mrs. Lingerfelt British Literature 23 October 2017 The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Pilot Becoming a pilot has many steps and advantages, but everything has its disadvantages. From higher pay and an exciting job, to many hours away from home, a pilot has many things to consider. The job is always changing and ever expanding. Being a pilot has many advantages, ranging from variety of jobs and pay. Some airlines are trying to entice new pilots by offering them more pay. The veteran Horizon pilot said he had heard of rivals offering bonuses in excess of $20,000 to get new pilots in the door. Job offers can include a combination of signing bonus, a later retention bonus and advancement preferences to command bigger jets (NW News Network). This is nice because people who are wanting to become pilots have more people looking for them for more pay. They are also looking to pay more for less hours in order to keep the pilots reeled in. There is also different pays for different jobs, there are more jobs avaliable than just flying a plane. Pilots starting out on domestic routes (as first officers) usually earn $50,000 on turboprops and $90,000 on jet aircraft. They can progress to a maximum of about $150,000 on turboprops and $190,000 on jet aircraft when working as captains (Careers NZ). There are different pay rates for different jobs; and there are different pay rates for the ranking one has in that job. Whether it be captains or just entry level pilots. Entry-level charter pilots usually work part time, on call, and are usually paid between $25 and $80 an hour rather than an annual salary (Careers NZ). The pay can also be expanded to

2 Gartman 2 the routes the pilot takes. If it is domestic routes, Pilots starting out on domestic routes (as first officers) usually earn $50,000 on turboprops and $90,000 on jet aircraft. They can progress to a maximum of about $150,000 on turboprops and $190,000 on jet aircraft when working as captains (Careers NZ). If it is international routes, Pilots starting out on international routes (as second officers) start on a training rate of about $80,000, rising to $92,000 when they qualify. As captains, they can earn up to $300,000 (Careers NZ). This is great because it shows that there is a large variety of pay, from medium to large. Along with the nice pay, there are many organizations dedicated to helping students and children become pilots. Organizations like the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Organization) are helping many students by linking them to colleges that are for aviation, Inspiring young people to experience the freedom of flight is one of EAA s greatest obligations to assure a strong future for aviation (EAA). People used to only dream of becoming a pilot. It was a fun job that was high rewarding. But is has changed recently, Piloting a jetliner was once a glamorous profession. Then came the 9/11 terror attacks, airline bankruptcies and pension cuts. Entry-level pilots worked for peanuts. But now the pendulum is swinging back. Regional airlines across America -- including the Northwest's Horizon Air -- are grappling with a looming pilot shortage, (NW News Network). This can show how professions can change based on what happens in the world. Many airlines have been hit with a recent pilot shortage, whether it be retirement or due to sudden losses (people quitting), airlines are having less and less pilots every year, Some smaller airline companies have been hit with a pilot shortage recently that's forced them to reduce flights. At the end of February, regional airline company Republic Airways filed for bankruptcy protection due to the shortage, (CNN Wire). And since airlines need pilots, they are finding different ways to

3 Gartman 3 persuade people into flying with them, If your dream job involves soaring through the clouds instead of sitting behind a desk, JetBlue is looking for you. The airline company launched Gateway Select on Monday, a new pilot training program that requires no flying experience (CNN Wire). These pilot shortages are making it easy to be a new aspiring pilot. Since the airlines are losing pilots, they are needing more in order to keep the business going. Airlines need pilots badly. They cannot function without someone to fly for them. If there is a shortage of pilots, there is a shortage of pay, and then there is a shortage of travel. A shortage of travel means that families can be separated, vacations can be eliminated, and jobs can even be lost. One article even explains how someone was traveling to China and got their flight delayed, To the Editor: ''U.S. Airlines Like New Deal With China'' (Correspondent's Report, Aug. 15), about new flights to China and the difficulties of traveling on Civil Aviation of China airlines (C.A.A.C.) ''You know what C.A.A.C. stands for, don't you?'' When I indicated that I didn't, he replied, ''China Airlines -- Always Canceled,'' (New York Times). Now there can be other shortages as well. Along with pilot shortages, there can be fuel shortages, and this is just as bad. The fuel shortages make it impossible to fly to some destinations. This reduces pay and reduced pay can equivalate to less pilots, Due to the unfortunate situation, airlines operating in or from Nigeria have become notorious for delayed and cancelled flights. This has also led to so much uncertainty since a passenger going to the airport is not sure whether he would travel or not because the airline might cancel the flight due to aviation fuel scarcity. These cancellations and delays have also led to unruly behavior among passengers after waiting for several hours. The airlines have lost huge revenues due to inadequate supply of the product. It has also lowered the passenger traffic

4 Gartman 4 on the domestic routes and threatens the sustainability of Nigerian carriers. (Africa News Service) However, even though being a pilot is an amazing profession with high pay, good hours, and a fun environment, it does have its disadvantages. It is very expensive to learn how to fly, A lot of variables affect the cost of learning to fly, including the frequency of flight lessons, weather conditions, the kind of aircraft in which you are training and its availability for scheduling, and individual aptitude. A rough estimate would range between $5,000 and $9,000, depending on the certificate being sought, (AOPA). And since it is expensive to learn how to fly, this can destroy dreams for some people. They just can t get or don t have the money. And even if you do have the money, learning to be a pilot is a hard job, Aeroplane pilots need to have excellent flying skills, knowledge of flight theory and flight planning, skill in interpreting flight plans, weather information and navigation data, understanding of civil aviation laws, and knowledge of safety rules and emergency procedures, (Careers NZ). You acquire these skills by either going to college for it, or hands on experience through thousands of hours doing nothing but flying, Because you have to log flight hours to be eligible for licensure, most of your education will be gained through hands-on experience. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the military can be a good place to gain skills that will transfer to a career as a commercial or airline pilot. Field experience can also be gained at small, independent flight schools or larger chains, like the Pan-Am International Flight Academy in Florida. (Learn.org)

5 Gartman 5 Even when you get the field experience over with, the work isn t over, Additionally, many airline pilots start out as commercial pilots and work their way up to airline pilots later in their career, once they have accumulated a few thousand hours of flight experience, (Learn.org). Now, even though you need many hours of experience and a high education, there are so many colleges that aim for teaching students to master aviation. From Florida to Washington, there are hundreds of aviation colleges, Many colleges and universities offer excellent aviationrelated programs that will launch you into an aviation career. Explore what these schools have to offer! Auburn University, Henderson State University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Arizona State University, (EAA). These colleges are all aviation colleges or colleges with aviation classes. With the many colleges, they teach you about the many jobs that aviation has to offer. It s not all just flying one type of plane, Decide what you want to fly. FAA's rules for getting a pilot's license (certificate) differ depending on the type of aircraft you fly. You can choose among airplanes, gyroplanes, helicopters, gliders, balloons, or airships. If you are interested in flying ultralight vehicles, you don't need a pilot's license, (Federal Aviation Administration). Being a pilot can be an amazing, but stressful job. You are in a great environment where you get to have a dream job of flying planes. It is hard work to become a pilot, but when you do become one, it is the greatest reward. Your job brings families closer together, provides resources for companies, gets people to different places easily, and many other things. Being a pilot can be one of the most rewarding jobs ever.

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