Why do people choose the career path of a pilot? This question remains unanswered for many of us. However, it has pretty logical and obvious reasoning. Flying high is a top career choice for many because it’s inherently adventurous, first of all. Those working in this professional field can fly across the globe and enjoy experiencing different cultures. Just imagine that it can be a natural part of one’s job!
On top of that, one gets a great compensation for this job, which grows a lot with gaining more experience. And to make it even more appealing to you, commercial pilots get tons of benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and sometimes even profit-sharing bonuses.
Besides, the demand for pilots is expected to grow in the coming years, which is great news for those at the beginning of their professional path. Why does it happen? Mainly because of the increase in global air travel and a wave of retirements in the current workforce.
So do you feel motivated enough to open the doors to this profession? Then keep reading this article!
How to Become an Airline Pilot? Start with a Resume
Logically, any professional journey starts with a solid foundation. What is meant by that? It’s your resume that comes first. A decently crafted resume is a must for the beginning of your journey as well as a smooth transition if you are already somewhere in the middle of it.
To get more insight into that, check out EduReviewer that offers comprehensive reviews of professional resume services, including a detailed Kickresume review, to help you create a resume that will stand out in the aviation field.
Trust us, you can get so much there and ensure that your application effectively highlights your qualifications, flight hours, and certifications.
What Do You Need to Become a Pilot?
Becoming an airline pilot requires more than just mastering the technical aspects of flying and submitting a resume with flawless grammar. So what else is needed? Let’s have a closer look at the steps needed for success.
Situational Awareness
One of the key psychological skills for pilots is situational awareness. This term includes a lot as you must be cognizant of:
- your environment
- the condition of your aircraft
- the weather, and other critical factors at all times.
But that’s not all! Understanding and managing the crew and passenger dynamics can also be part of situational awareness. And as a pilot, you must stay compliant with all aviation laws, regulations, and standards. On top of that, pilots have to be aware of their own physical and mental health because it’s impossible to work while having fatigue, stress, or illness as those impair cognitive functions.
Emotional Resilience
Psychologists give a simple definition of emotional resilience as the ability to adapt to stressful situations and bounce back from adversity. Do you imagine a pilot without that skill? It’s just impossible because these professionals encounter high-stress situations that demand quick thinking and precise actions. It can be anything, including:
- unexpected weather changes
- handling mechanical issues mid-flight
- managing delays and scheduling disruptions.
To be successful and thrive, you have to remain calm and effective under pressure, no matter what is happening around.
Airline Pilot Requirements
Becoming an airline pilot takes a lot of effort. Here is what you can do to accomplish your ambitious professional goal.
Education and Flight Training
First off, you don’t necessarily need to be a rocket scientist. But the truth is: most airlines prefer their pilots to have at least a bachelor’s degree. Now don’t get too surprised because your degree doesn’t have to be in aviation—any field will do for you. However, obviously, something in the realm of aviation, aerospace engineering, or physics might make you look a bit sharper in the pile of resumes.
Still, it’s not the time to think about big jets yet. Before that, you’ll need to cut your teeth on something a little less intimidating. One of the requirements that you can’t miss at any cost is getting your Private Pilot License (PPL). This is basically your entry into the world of flying. And it’s not that end of your journey because you’ll need to notch up hours and get additional training for your Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot License (CPL). Please, don’t get discouraged by that because it’s more achievable than you might think at the very beginning of your journey.
Rack Up the Flying Hour
If you have some experience in aviation, you must realize that flying is an art. If we approach it like that, hours are your brushstrokes. What can be a bit tricky is that airlines require you to have a different number of flying hours under your belt. And this is one of the reasons for pilot shortage issues in the industry. However, there is a minimum requirement, which is the same for most of them. Typically, it’s around 1,500 hours before you can even think about being the captain of the aircrafts of your dreams, like a Boeing or an Airbus. So, on your path every hour counts and you should cherish your effort.
Medical Certificate
As we mentioned above, it’s impossible to work in this field if you have any issues with your mental or physical health. This requirement is very natural and shouldn’t cause any cognitive dissonance in you. The reason for that is that piloting is extremely demanding both in physical and psychological aspects.
It would be much easier if it was a one-and-done deal, but the reality is different. As a pilot who is responsible for the lives of many people, you’ll need to keep proving your health as long as you want to keep flying. So don’t wait to start your healthy daily routine because it must be an integral part of your lifestyle.
Pass the Training to Be a Pilot Successfully
When we are talking about successfully passing pilot training, we should consider deeper things than just understanding the fundamentals. Let’s include some unique tips and hacks for acing pilot training. For example, to become a pilot you can make use of flight simulators, like those at big companies, including Emirates.
And if you want to go beyond the standard learning, use simulation software at home. Now, it’s so easy to acquire a good quality flight simulation program that allows you to practice maneuvers and experiment with different flight conditions. If you invest in it, it will improve your reflexes without actual expensive flying hours.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know enough about how to become an airline pilot and write a perfect pilot resume, you can be more confident about achieving this goal. If you feel too overwhelmed, just build your skills steadily and consistently adopting the “One Percent Better” approach. Although the requirements to be a pilot are pretty high, you have all the chances for becoming an airline pilot by focusing on the next reachable step rather than the entire journey at once.
