Gulfstream Rv | What Pilots Must Know
Maybe you are thinking about a career as a pilot, flying commercial aircraft, Gulfstream jets, working as a freelance pilot for a managed aircraft company or flying for major/regional airlines. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for professional pilots and engineers is good. It is projected to increase about 7 to 13% by 2018.
Despite that outlook, currently, there are more pilots than there are jobs. The competition is intense. For example, one airline received 7,000 applications for 50 job openings. This decreases the pay rates. So, it’s no surprise that pilot salaries vary widely. First year salaries can range from $25,000 to $50,000 when flying for a company. On average, pilots at major airlines make about $100,000 per year.
To become trained, there are two basic routes. If you are trained in the military be prepared to make an 8 year commitment in return for the training. The other route is to pay for the training yourself. This can easily run into the six figures. Plus, In addition to needing a bachelor’s degree, intensive training in the aviation field is required. This includes a depth of knowledge on the following subjects:
• The Theory of Flight. You will need a thorough understanding of physics, algebra, the laws of motion, mass, inertia, pressure, fluids, gasses and temperature. This leads to comprehension of aerodynamics, aircraft performance and hydroplaning.
• Meteorology. You must be able to interpret weather and make judgments about the validity of meteorological forecasts. This is because, often, you will be the only one witnessing the weather. Analyzing and how it affects flight safety requires superior skills.
• Aircraft Systems. You must fully understand how aircraft engines operate including how all of the engine components function and interact. The electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems also have to be mastered.
• Navigation. In addition to knowing how to get from one point to the next, you must comprehend maps and charts, dead reckoning and celestial navigation and how to understand ground based radio signals and landmarks. A thorough grasp of geography is also necessary.
• Regulations and Air Traffic Control. You must be familiar with the hundreds of regulations that may affect a flight. In fact, you have to be familiar with reading legal documents since that’s how most of them are written. These are not only from the FAA but from other US state and governmental bodies.
• Physiology. While you don’t need to go to medical school, you have to able to recognize physical problems that may affect yourself or passengers. You will need to know how to prevent issues from arising and understand the sensations that occur in flight which could negatively impact safety.
Pilots must know much more. But this partial list suggests the profession is not for the faint of heart!
Norwood McDaniel has traveled to most continents and countries. He manages business aircraft for a variety of clients at his company at You can contact him at managedaircraft@airglobal1.com to learn about professional aircraft management.
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