A commercial pilot career is a professional career often touted as the best job in the world, probably based on the assumption that a commercial pilot is a frequent traveller that is paid to have fun. Nonetheless, to become a commercial pilot, the applicant requires a clear understanding of physics and mathematics, besides other qualifications to understand flight tracker systems and aircraft instrumentation. Pursuing a commercial pilot career also requires a minimum of two A-levels and five GCSE’s to qualify for the training or specialisation course.
Actually, you can embrace a commercial pilot career without needing a postgraduate or degree qualification, but qualifications can make a huge difference when it comes to to getting hired.
Careers like BA in Air Transport include commercial pilot training. However, to obtain the Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) that is necessary to work at an airline, you need a number of flight hours and experience. This can be achieved with an integral 18-month, full time pilot training course. Alternatively a modular training course is more flexible, though it requires the applicant to be in possession of a private pilot license, with at least 150 hours of flying experience. This can be measured with a flight tracker system.
In fact, flight tracker systems are helpful flight look-up tools that commercial pilots, frequent travellers and travel planners use to gain access to worldwide flight schedules 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round. As a commercial pilot, you can anticipate the schedule of over 900 airlines so that you may plan your own aircraft manoeuvres, based on your own airline statutes. Look-up tools, such as OAG Flights, offer easy access from a central website location affording you information regarding flight listings between two cities, flight times, terminals of arrival and departures, aircraft details and days of operation. On top of this you will have access to up-to-date maps of terminals, time schedules, direct flight services and other useful services.
One good way to start your commercial pilot training is to familiarise yourself with flight tracker, flight status and other flight look-up tools that will eventually help you to carry out a successful pilot in command career. On the other hand, the sooner you get closer to the aviation world, the greater your chances of obtaining your commercial pilot training, sponsored by an airline. There are times when the demand for commercial pilots increases and most airlines have sponsorship opportunities available, although competition to obtain one of these opportunities is always fierce.
Personal Formation is the Key to Success!
As mentioned previously, you need a commercial pilot license to secure a job at an airline, together with other qualifications including the understanding of maths and physics — as already noted — excellent coordination and spatial awareness, the understanding of technical information, flight tracker systems and knowledge on how aircraft works. There are also other abilities required to succeed as a commercial pilot including:
- Excellent communication skills
- Team-working oriented-mind
- Ability to work and remain calm under pressure
- Leadership skills and self-confidence
- Quick decision making in difficult situations
- Absolute discipline and commitment
- Ability to give clear commands to passengers and cabin crew
A pilot in command should be an individual that is responsibly involved in flying a passengers aircraft. This can be stressful when shifting from a private pilot license to an airline transport pilot license, hence the need to have experienced a minimum number of flight hours to gain flying skills and experience. As a traveller, the OAG Flights look-up and flight tracker tool can be a reliable aid to familiarise yourself with airports, airlines, arrival and departures and other relevant information. This can be useful, not only for your commercial pilot training but for all your flying needs, either as passenger or pilot.
Before pursuing a commercial pilot career, it is advisable to take the aptitude test provided by The Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators (GAPAN). It is also recommended that you take the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Class One Medical, that is required to complete your pilot training and achieve your ATPL.
Author Bio: Williams Barry is an aeronautical engineer with more than thousand hours of flying under his belt. Presently, he works as a freelance consultant advising airline companies on how to improve and grow their business.
