What job has the best office view, you can travel the world and you are helping others while doing your job? What is it? My dream job, a Pilot! In America there is estimated to be 130,000 pilots, that are qualified. They would travel around USA and the world! You could spend 2-3 years learning to be a pilot, and you could fly around the world almost for free!
What do you have to do to get your commercial pilot's license?
It cost $6,500 to $7,000 dollars to get your commercial pilot's license. You have to get your private pilot’s license before you move on to commercial flying. STEP 1: You have to meet basic requirements vision tests, be at least 18 years old, have a log book from a verified instructor, so that they know you can fly. STEP 2: Train as a private pilot. You learn what and how to work the airplane, communications, how to move the plane, airplane operations and maintenance; some flight schools have private classes so you don't have to go to as many lessons. STEP 3: Log book. You have to be able to fly by yourself and with a pilot-in-command. Complete instrument training and a plane with designed gear. Flying across the country day and night conditions and do a specified number of takeoff and landings. Step 4: Pass the required tests. Pass a written exam writing your knowledge of navigation, regulations and safety. Step 5: Pursue additional certification: you have to have a license to be a commercial pilot. To be a commercial pilot you have be at least 23 years old and have a minimum 1,500 hours of flying experience. You also have to pass the FAA (logging pilot in command time) exams. You may have to do additional training for airlines. You may have to have a bachelor's degree or at least 2 years of college experience.
It cost $6,500 to $7,000 dollars to get your commercial pilot's license. You have to get your private pilot’s license before you move on to commercial flying. STEP 1: You have to meet basic requirements vision tests, be at least 18 years old, have a log book from a verified instructor, so that they know you can fly. STEP 2: Train as a private pilot. You learn what and how to work the airplane, communications, how to move the plane, airplane operations and maintenance; some flight schools have private classes so you don't have to go to as many lessons. STEP 3: Log book. You have to be able to fly by yourself and with a pilot-in-command. Complete instrument training and a plane with designed gear. Flying across the country day and night conditions and do a specified number of takeoff and landings. Step 4: Pass the required tests. Pass a written exam writing your knowledge of navigation, regulations and safety. Step 5: Pursue additional certification: you have to have a license to be a commercial pilot. To be a commercial pilot you have be at least 23 years old and have a minimum 1,500 hours of flying experience. You also have to pass the FAA (logging pilot in command time) exams. You may have to do additional training for airlines. You may have to have a bachelor's degree or at least 2 years of college experience.
Skills and knowledge that you need to know to be a pilot.
Great flying skills, understanding civil law, knowledge of safety rules and emergency procedures, you know the flight paths. You have to cope with working conditions: You may work different times to usual work places - eg. you would not work from 9am-3pm, because it depends on the flight times and what flight you are a pilot on. You would work in airports and/or cock-pits (which are small). Sometimes you would be in an uncomfortable situations (if there is bad weather) it would be noisy and might be bumpy. Travel between destinations close (like in NZ) or far away (international).
What you will do as a pilot?
Do pre-flight checks: like check the weather. To find out what the weather is or how to navigate, one of the main ways to navigate is to look out the windows! You have to have the right maps on board the plane. Another good way to find out the weather is to look on http://www.metservice.com/national/home or http://metflight.metra.co.nz/MetFlight.php. When you are flying through cloud or fog you need to check your compass, GPS to look at and 3 different ground based radio beacons; you also get backed up by traffic control. For pre-flight checks you also have to check the amount of fuel you would need for the flight, check if the plane is loaded and check if the fuel and equipment is also loaded. Talk with traffic control to see when and what time you can go on the runway, what run way number. Greet Passengers, helping them if the need help and make sure they are seated before take off. Navigate the flight path to the destination. Write in your flight log book and keep a flight log book wherever you fly.
Do pre-flight checks: like check the weather. To find out what the weather is or how to navigate, one of the main ways to navigate is to look out the windows! You have to have the right maps on board the plane. Another good way to find out the weather is to look on http://www.metservice.com/national/home or http://metflight.metra.co.nz/MetFlight.php. When you are flying through cloud or fog you need to check your compass, GPS to look at and 3 different ground based radio beacons; you also get backed up by traffic control. For pre-flight checks you also have to check the amount of fuel you would need for the flight, check if the plane is loaded and check if the fuel and equipment is also loaded. Talk with traffic control to see when and what time you can go on the runway, what run way number. Greet Passengers, helping them if the need help and make sure they are seated before take off. Navigate the flight path to the destination. Write in your flight log book and keep a flight log book wherever you fly.
How much do pilots get paid (the price they pay changes between each air company):
if you are new to piloting you will get paid per hour; per flight they get paid between $25-$80 per hour. If you start off as a domestic first pilot on a Turboprop, you earn $50,000 a year and can increase to $150,000. If you are a Jet plane pilot, you start off with $90,000 and can go up to $190,000 a year. If you are a international second pilot you would earn $90,000 and once you qualify you earn $92,000. If you are the captain you can earn up to $300,000. Air New Zealand Pilots: earn roughly earn $50,000 - $190,000 NZD annually but if you are a pilot flying internationally they get $80,000 - $300,000 a year! Qantas second officers get paid up to $100,000 ASD but in NZD it’s $108,170; The Senior Captain gets paid up to $536,000 AUD but NZD $579,791.20. Fun fact: Qantas pilots get paid more than the Australia's Prime Minister, he gets paid $366,000 AUD or $395,902.20 NZD.
My favourite plane that I would like to fly is a A380 Super Jet. The A380 is the biggest jet airliner with 2 decks which is the length of the whole plane. The length of the plane is 72.84m, the wingspan is 79.85m, the height is 11.88m. The A380 carries 525 passengers - 100 more passengers than the Boeing 747; the second biggest aircraft. It uses 2.6 liters of fuel per passenger per 100 km (1365 liters per 100km). It has 4 engines - 2 on each side. These planes go from Auckland - they go to: MEL (Melbourne), SYD (Sydney), BNE (Brisbane) which from there they fly to a whole lot of other destinations. The first ever test flight was on 27th of April 2005, the first ever A380 plane was brought by Singapore Airlines in 2007, then is was Emirates in 2008, then later that year Qantas. Emirates is the largest A380 operator that had ordered 142 planes and has got 96 operating.
Piloting is an awesome job because you can do it as a job or for fun! You can earn a lot of money from it and see a birds eye view of your country. You get to spend a lot of time with your family when you are not flying. “Man must rise above the earth-to top the atmosphere and beyond-for only thus will he fully understand the world he lives in” -Socrates
