Come Fly with Me (Career Path: Pilot)

Since the beginning of time, man has always wanted to fly. There is a sense of freedom in “defying gravity”, and taking to the air like a bird. Lucky for us, in this modern age, we can. People fly all the time to get from point A to B, but with commercial airlines being so accessible to passengers,  people hardly dream of being a pilot anymore. However, if being a pilot is your dream, there is no better time to pursue this career than now.

Pilots are in high demand now. Like all jobs, the supply and demand for pilots is cyclical…but not right now. Many pilots are quickly approaching the obligatory retirement age of 65, so demand has never been higher.  In fact, it has been estimated that by 2029 there will be 466,6450 pilots needed in the job market. But how does one become a commercial pilot? Well, anyone from any educational background can become one, but it is highly recommended that one has a bachelor’s degree in math or science. In fact, many four-year colleges offer special degree programs that can get you your bachelor’s and your commercial pilot license. It takes nearly 250 hours of flight and many more on the ground to get that license. But this is not all that you need; to be allowed to fly passengers you have to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot license. This is the real challenge, because it takes 1,500 hours of flight time in multiple conditions and multiple ground tests. Also, if this is a job you’re considering you have to realize that it isn’t the easiest. There is a lot to keep track of and you can be gone for long periods of time without  much sleep. You live out of a suitcase.

However this is one of the coolest parts. You get to travel the world! If you work your way up the chain you’ll be flying your way around the world, and that never gets boring. Also, being a professional pilot doesn’t just mean carrying people. You can fly for the military, for firefighting, aerial photography, and rescue missions. And not to mention it’s just one of the coolest jobs out there. I mean there is a reason aviator sunglasses are so badass looking.

If you have an adventurous spirit and are willing to put in the work, there are great opportunities in the world of aviation.