What are best and worst things about being a Pilot? The Office View. Some of the finest views you’ll ever see are up at altitude. Whether it be lunar eclipse, the northern lights or a sunrise over the alps, the views are unbelievably spectacular.
The Responsibility. Being given the responsibility to look after a £60-100+ million aircraft with hundreds of people on board is huge and one of the reasons that pilots tend to be well paid.
The Variation. No two flights are ever the same. Each day presents a new challenge and provides another opportunity to learn something new.
The Career Opportunities. A career as an airline pilot doesn’t just stop when you reach the level of Captain. There are pilot managers, pilot ground trainers, pilot simulator trainers, fleet managers, chief pilots, duty pilots.
Interacting with passengers and helping them get to vacations, weddings, funerals, births, and other important life events is rewarding.
Nothing’s better than getting paid to do what you love.
A constantly changing schedule keeps you from getting into a rut.
And, most pilots get travel passes or heavily reduced rates for their friends and family.
You get the chance to explore cool cities on layovers.
Popping out of the clouds during an ILS approach is a great feeling, and your passengers wonder how you pull it off.
Kids look at you in awe.
But better than anything else, the office view is killer from 38,000ft
Pay – As much as I have stated that for many pilots pay is very low, especially during the early several years of one’s career, for some lucky pilots, the career can be very lucrative. It is possible, after many years of service, to earn high salaries sometimes well north of £100,000 per year.
People – Just as pilots usually love their jobs, you’ll find that the other professionals you work with enjoy theirs, too. You’ll meet many different people, cultures, and their associated ideas. There are few things more enjoyable than flying with a group of people who love their jobs and the airline biz.
You Don’t Take Your Job Home with You – Many professionals, even when at home, are still chained to their company. Even on days off, they still may be required to answer e-mails, texts, or phone calls. For the most part, when you set the parking brake on the last leg of your last day, that’s it.
The top 10 negative.
Being offset from the rest of the world. I will never have a 9 to 5 schedule but sometimes working odd hours makes it hard on the family.
Poor salary and conditions when starting in the industry
High cost of Training
VERY Irregular sleep, it affects the body and the mind.
Missing all those life events: Holidays, Weddings, personal stuff.
Having to be away from home for long periods of time.
Sitting without much distraction for long hours can be sometimes boring as hell.
Sitting long hours with someone you dont know, doesnt always want to know you or talk/interact.
Having to pass security at airports all the time.
The free parking is always so far away.
