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Flight Aviation School Training:
Pilots usually start with smaller commuter and regional airlines to
acquire the
experience needed to qualify for higher paying jobs with
national airlines.
Most pilots
traditionally have learned to fly in the military, but growing
numbers have college
degrees with flight training from civilian flying
schools that are
certified by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA).
Pilots are highly
trained professionals who fly airplanes and
helicopters to carry
out a wide variety of tasks. Most are airline pilots,
copilots, and flight
engineers who transport passengers and cargo, but
1 out of 5 pilots is
a commercial pilot involved in more unusual tasks,
such as dusting
crops, spreading seed for reforestation, testing
aircraft, flying
passengers and cargo to areas not served by regular
airlines, directing
firefighting efforts, tracking criminals, monitoring
traffic, and
rescuing and evacuating injured persons.
Except on small
aircraft, two pilots usually make up the cockpit crew.
Generally, the most
experienced pilot, the captain, is in command and
supervises all other
crew members.
Before departure, pilots plan their flights carefully. They thoroughly
check their aircraft
to make sure that the engines, controls,
instruments, and
other systems are functioning properly. They also
make sure that
baggage or cargo has been loaded correctly.
Takeoff and landing
are the most difficult parts of the flight, and
require close
coordination between the pilot and first officer. For
example, as the
plane accelerates for takeoff, the pilot concentrates
on the runway while
the first officer scans the instrument panel. To
calculate the speed
they must attain to become airborne, pilots
consider the
altitude of the airport, outside temperature, weight of the
plane, and speed and
direction of the wind. The moment the plane
reaches takeoff
speed, the first officer informs the pilot, who then pulls
back on the controls
to raise the nose of the plane.
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