Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Salary Overview

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Key Skills

Knowledge Areas

What They Do

• Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
• Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
• Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
• Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
• Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
• Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
• Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed.
• Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met.

Tools & Technology

★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)

Education Requirements

Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Careers

Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers.

A Day in the Life

A typical trip for a mainline airline captain might begin with arriving at the airport 60-75 minutes before departure. After reviewing the flight's weather, routing, fuel planning, and dispatch release, the captain briefs the first officer on the flight plan and any special considerations. The preflight walk-around inspection includes checking control surfaces, engines, tires, and looking for any damage or fluid leaks. In the cockpit, the crew runs through checklists, programs the flight management computer, and coordinates with dispatchers and gate agents. During flight, the pilot flying (sometimes the captain, sometimes the first officer) manages the aircraft while the pilot monitoring handles communications, navigation, and systems monitoring. Arrivals bring weather assessment, approach selection, and the decision-making intensity of landing — particularly in low visibility or challenging wind conditions. Multi-day trips involve flying 2-4 flights per day over 2-4 days, with overnight stays at hotels between duty periods. Monthly schedules typically involve 12-15 flying days.

Work Environment

The cockpit is the office — a compact, highly instrumented environment shared with one other pilot for hours at a time. Long-haul flights on augmented crews add relief pilots who rotate rest periods in onboard crew bunks. The work schedule is irregular — early mornings, late nights, time zone changes, and extended periods away from home. Federal duty time regulations limit flight hours (1,000 hours annually) and mandate rest periods. Seniority determines quality of life — senior pilots hold preferable schedules, routes, and time off, while junior pilots fly less desirable trips, reserve schedules, and holiday periods. The physical environment includes cabin pressure set to 6,000-8,000 feet equivalent, controlled humidity, exposure to cosmic radiation at altitude, and the circadian disruption of crossing time zones. Hotels during layovers range from excellent to adequate. Pilots describe the camaraderie of cockpit culture and the profound experience of commanding an aircraft across oceans and continents.

Career Path & Advancement

The traditional pathway begins with flight training — either at a college aviation program, a Part 141 flight school, or through the military. Aspiring airline pilots must earn Private, Instrument, Commercial, and Multi-Engine ratings, plus a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate. Building the required 1,500 hours for an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate typically takes 2-3 years, often through flight instructing, banner towing, or charter flying. Regional airlines hire first officers at the ATP minimum, providing jet experience on Embraer, Bombardier, or Mitsubishi regional aircraft. After 3-7 years at a regional airline, pilots apply to major airlines (Delta, United, American, Southwest, FedEx, UPS). Seniority determines everything at airlines — upgrade to captain typically takes 5-15 years depending on the airline's growth and fleet needs. Senior captains on wide-body international routes represent the pinnacle, commanding aircraft like the Boeing 777 and 787 on transoceanic flights.

Specializations

Commercial passenger pilots fly scheduled airline routes ranging from short regional hops to ultra-long-haul international flights exceeding 15 hours. Cargo pilots fly freighter aircraft for FedEx, UPS, Amazon Air, Atlas Air, and other cargo carriers — often flying overnight schedules. Corporate and business aviation pilots operate privately owned jets for companies and individuals, offering schedule flexibility and personalized service. Charter pilots fly on-demand trips for air taxi and charter companies. Military pilots fly fighters, transport aircraft, bombers, helicopters, and tankers under operational conditions before many transition to airlines. Flight engineers were traditionally the third cockpit crew member on older three-crew aircraft (727, DC-10, 747-200) but this role has been eliminated on modern two-crew cockpit designs.

Pros & Cons

Industry Insight

The airline industry faces a significant pilot shortage driven by mandatory retirement at age 65, a wave of pandemic-era early retirements, and insufficient training pipeline capacity. This shortage has dramatically increased regional airline pilot pay and improved major airline compensation — first officer starting salaries at major airlines now exceed $100,000. Airlines are investing in pathway programs, financing partnerships, and international recruitment to address the shortage. Technology evolution continues — advanced automation, heads-up displays, synthetic vision, and single-pilot operation research are shaping future cockpit design, though regulatory and safety requirements will likely maintain two-pilot crews for decades. Sustainability pressure is driving development of sustainable aviation fuels and electric/hydrogen propulsion for regional operations. Airlines are expanding rapidly post-pandemic, creating strong hiring momentum.