Career Profile: Career Profile - Airline Pilots, Copilots, and...

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 87,600 people employed as career profile - airline pilots, copilots, and... in the United States. The median annual salary is $202,180. Entry level employees earn approximately $100,110 per year and senior employees earn approximately $208,000 (or more) per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed.
• Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers.
• Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met.
• Confer with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters to keep abreast of flight conditions.
• Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
• 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 engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
• File instrument flight plans with air traffic control to ensure that flights are coordinated with other air traffic.
• Perform minor maintenance work, or arrange for major maintenance.
• Evaluate other pilots or pilot-license applicants for proficiency.
• Load smaller aircraft, handling passenger luggage and supervising refueling.
• Test and evaluate the performance of new aircraft.
• Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.
• Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities.
• Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights.
• Direct activities of aircraft crews during flights.
• Record in log books information, such as flight times, distances flown, and fuel consumption.
• Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations and the principles of flight.
• Make announcements regarding flights, using public address systems.
• Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control and inform crew members of flight and test procedures.
• Conduct in-flight tests and evaluations at specified altitudes and in all types of weather to determine the receptivity and other characteristics of equipment and systems.

Career List