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Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

The occupation Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers covers people who pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on operation and control, operations monitoring, and monitoring. Expect to use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor. The strongest interest signal is Realistic (4.7 of 7), then Conventional (4.7) and Enterprising, which gives it the code RCE. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.

What they do

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.

Main tasks

  • 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.

Skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Judgment and Decision Making

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on operation and control and operations monitoring.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.4 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCE takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Airbus Captain
  • Airline Captain
  • Airline Pilot
  • Captain
  • Check Airman

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.