Do you want to become a pilot? Have you ever imagined being up in the skies? Were you inspired when you watched the movie Top Gun?
If you’ve answered yes to more than one of these questions, then this article is for you!
Being a pilot is a prestigious job. Not only are you employed to fly high up in the skies but you are also in charge of the lives of the people who climb up your plane. There is a certain level of trust that is given to you and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. This is why pilots are expected to read 10,000 pages of knowledge to learn more about CRM, the rules and regulations of the cockpit, the weather conditions, the technology you’ll be facing, aircraft systems, navigation, mechanical issues, and many more.
If the idea of reading hundreds of books daunts you, then you should reconsider the idea of being a pilot.
But it’s not just about the books – being a pilot isn’t just about knowing what to do when the situation calls for it. Being a pilot is a lifestyle. Everything in your life will be centered on being a pilot. So here are the five steps you’ll need to be an efficient pilot!
1. Get started on the material!
Pilots are expected to know a lot, as mentioned before. And of course, pilots just don’t pop out of the womb expecting to know everything. They have to start like everybody else – the books! So before you can fly out in the sky and travel the world, you need to learn HOW to fly in the first place. And it’s not just the mechanics of the plane that you have to learn, you must understand the weather conditions, safety precautions, and the necessary steps to take during emergency situations. Expect bad days to come just as frequently as the good days. In your case, the bad days typically mean bad weather. To avoid information overload when you’re actively studying already, you should go ahead and get started now!
2. Be as physically and mentally healthy as possible!
A pilot is expected to be in top shape. This means you can’t get tired easily, especially when you’re in the cockpit. Additionally, you need to be mentally sound. After all, you wouldn’t want a police officer with an active history of mental illness protecting your city, right? It’s the same with being a pilot. So it’s important to get checked up and ensure that all your tests are good to go. It’s important to get these done before your first flying tests so that you don’t encounter any problems along the way.
3. Get started on the paperwork!
It’s not easy being a pilot and the requirements might deter many of you from heading down this path. So we’re here to let you know in advance what to prepare for!
Below you will find a list of flight school requirements:
● A high school diploma or GED credential (foreign language classes are a plus!)
● An approved college degree (preferred degrees include aviation management,
aviation technology, aeronautical science, or air traffic management)
● Student pilot certificate
● A completed application through the Integrated Airman Certifcation and Rating
Application (IACRA) website
● Medical clearance that will evaluate your vision, hearing, neurological,
cardiovascular
4. Know what you want!
curriculum. Even though the schedules are more rigid, you’ll finish quicker! On the other hand, the FAA Part 61 curriculum requires more flight training hours but you get more flexibility regarding the hours.
5. Get your head in the game!
This is our last tip for you – get your head in the game! Remember, being a pilot is a lifestyle. The pay is great and the feeling is wonderful but you’ll be missing out on a lot of things when it comes to your family and friends. The prestigious job requires dedication and passion to keep you going and when the passion burns out, you simply just can’t quit and find another job. So get ready to miss out on a lot of things –
birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, recitals, etc. Get ready to be stuck in the cockpit with your co-pilot for more than 10 hours. Get ready to be jetlagged. Get ready to follow the ridiculous amount of rules set for pilots such as yourself. If you can’t accept that this will be your life moving on, we suggest you go somewhere else.