What background do you need to become a pilot?

The required training and education depends on whether you plan to work as a commercial or an airline pilot. You can become a commercial pilot with a high school or equivalency diploma, but if your ultimate goal is to fly for a regional or major airline, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Are airline pilots smart?

Pilots tend to be intelligent but are typically not intellectually oriented. They like “toys”– boats, cars, motorcycles, big watches, etc. They are good at taking things apart, if not putting them back together. Pilots are concrete, practical, linear thinkers rather than abstract, philosophical, or theoretical.

What kind of pilot makes the most money?

Airline pilots
Airline pilots typically make the most, compared to other types of pilot specializations, such as rescue pilots, tourist pilots and others. There is, however, a significant difference between the average earnings of pilots hired by regional airlines and those who work for national and international airlines.

What are the requirements to become an airline pilot?

How Becoming an Airline Pilot Works. You must also meet other requirements, such as college course work, good health and adequate physical ability. There are no guarantees that you’ll pass the military flight training on the service’s rigid time schedule, or that you’ll get to fly a specific airplane.

What is the job description of an airline pilot?

Video transcript available at

How many hours does the average pilot work in a year?

Taking two weeks off for vacation, the average person works 2,000 hours per year – double that of a commercial pilot. A pilot’s hourly rate increases for each year he or she has worked for an airline. The range in hourly rate also changes by airline and by type of aircraft.

What is the average salary of a domestic airline pilot?

GlassDoor, a website where people self-report their earnings, shows that average domestic airline pilot salaries are respectable. However, salaries varies among airlines. For instance, Southwest Airlines pilots earn an average annual salary of $222,00. However, some Southwest pilots earn as much as $549,000.