CAREER RESEARCH
Ayden Reece
Mr. McMichenPROJECT
Marketing & Entrepreneurship
8/12/22
B2
Commercial Airline Pilot
Job Title & Job description
■ A commercial airline pilot is a well-trained pilot with the proper
plane license to fly for big companies
■ Commercial pilots are involved in unscheduled flight activities,
such as aerial application, charter flights, and aerial tours
■ Ex of larger commercial companies:
Delta, Frontier, American Airlines
Educational Requirements
■ Extensive Flight Training; At least 1500 hours of logged flight time
■ Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate
■ Bachelors’ Degree in Aeronautical Science
Occupational Outlook
■ It is expected that the amount of Commercial Pilots
will rise 12% by 2030
■ There are roughly 113,900 commercial pilots employed as of 2020
■ About 14,100 openings for commercial pilots are available every year
Personal Character & Ability
■ Qualities that result in a good pilot are generally listed as
- Desire to Learn
- Strong Work Ethic
- Committed Attitude
- High Integrity
- Ability to Lead
Salary
■ Commercial Pilots not-so-surprisingly see an increase
in pay the longer they have worked
■ The median pay for commercial pilots is $102,500
■ Some are paid as low as $20,000 annually
while others are dished out $180,000+
Advantages
■ Being a pilot naturally brings quite a few perks
due to its strenuous nature
■ Seeing the world for free
■ Your office is in the sky
■ You meet all kinds of people
■ Work Fringe benefits are bountiful
Disadvantages
■ Very little time for sightseeing before taking off again
■ When flying you're not allowed to do anything else, even on auto pilot
■ You can be stuck in the cockpit with someone you hate for extensive
hours
■ Very few holidays off
Work Conditions
And Personal Suitability
■ A pilot is in a cockpit the vast majority of the day
■ Hotels are their residence until days off when they can go home
■ Little free time
■ Holidays are taken away
■ Nothing to do during flights but watch gauges
■ Despite all of this, I feel confident that this job
is right for me
■ I feel the opportunities that come with it outweigh
the disadvantages and my skills match its requirements
Personal Suitability
■ Overall, I believe the job suits me considering
my interests and abilities
■ I’d like to learn more about the job and look
forward to exploring the career
Sources Cited no.1
■ ATP Flight School. (2021, December 23). Commercial airline pilot salary: First-year wages,
regional airlines and Major Airlines pay. Commercial Airline Pilot Salary: First-Year Wages,
Regional Airlines & Major Airlines Pay / ATP Flight School. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from
https://atpflightschool.com/become-a-pilot/airline-career/commercial-pilot-salary.html
■ Airline pilot job description. Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better. (2020,
February 3). Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://resources.workable.com/airline-pilot-
job-
description#:~:text=Airline%20Pilot%20responsibilities%20include%3A,doesn't%20exceed%2
0aircraft%20limits
■ Graham, L. (2014, July 15). 10 reasons being a pilot isn't as cool as you think (and 1 that
makes it all worthwhile). Matador Network. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from
https://matadornetwork.com/notebook/10-reasons-pilot-isnt-cool-think-1-makes-worthwhile/
■ Raise Labs, I. (n.d.). Commercial pilots: Salary, Career Path, job outlook, education and more.
RaiseMe. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.raise.me/careers/transportation-
and-material-moving/airline-and-commercial-pilots/commercial-pilots/
■ Career paths for becoming a commercial pilot. AeroGuard. (2020, October 23). Retrieved
August 12, 2022, from https://www.flyaeroguard.com/how-to-become-a-pilot/pilot-career-
path/
Sources Cited no.2
■ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, January 13). Airline and commercial pilots :
Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 12,
2022, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/airline-and-
commercial-pilots.htm
■ CareerExplorer. (2020, April 24). How to become a commercial pilot. CareerExplorer.
Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/commercial-
pilot/how-to-become/
■ CareerExplorer. (2020, April 24). Would I make a good commercial pilot? CareerExplorer.
Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/commercial-
pilot/compatibility/
■ CareerExplorer. (2019, November 14). What does a pilot do? CareerExplorer. Retrieved
August 12, 2022, from https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/pilot/
■ CareerExplorer. (2020, April 24). Commercial Pilot Resources for Beginners.
CareerExplorer. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from
https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/commercial-pilot/resources/
■ HCaptcha Solve Page. (n.d.). Retrieved August 12, 2022, from
https://www.indeed.com/q-Commercial-Pilot-jobs.html?vjk=9b47633fabbe1965
