Occupation Details
Commercial Pilots
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Values
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$80,180.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$132,700.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$175,050.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
1,060
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
1,270
+21 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
146
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.2%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Air conditioning systems
- Air data computers
- Air pressurization systems
- Airborne collision avoidance systems ACAS
- Airfield lighting equipment
- Anemometers
- Anti-skid systems
- Autobrakes
- Automatic direction finder ADF radio systems
- Automatic landing systems
- Autopilot systems
- Battery chargers
- Channel lock pliers
- Cockpit displays of traffic information CDTI
- Continuous flow emergency oxygen systems
- DJI GS Pro
- De-icing equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital communications display units DCDU
- Digital multimeters
- DroneLogbook
- Electro-hydraulic control systems
- Electronic flight instrument systems EFIS
- Emergency life rafts
- Emergency pressurization systems
- Engine anti-icing equipment
- Engine fire detection systems
- Engine fire extinguishing systems
- Engine indicating and crew alerting systems EICAS
- Equipment cooling controls
Technology
- Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
- AeroPlanner
- Aeronautical charts
- AirSmith FlightPrompt
- Airdata
- Airline Pilots Daily Aviation Log PPC
- ArduPilot Mission Planner
- CloudCompare
- ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS
- Electronic aircraft information databases
- FLIR Thermal Studio Suite
- Flight simulation software
- Litchi
- MJICCS PilotLog
- Microsoft Office
- Navzilla
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- evaluate aircraft pilots for flying proficiency
- coordinate flight activities with ground personnel
- direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
- load/unload passenger luggage or cargo
- teach flight school
- maintain flight records or logs
- plan flight patterns
- use local or regional geographical knowledge to transportation
- use visual flight procedures
- use aircraft safety regulations
- follow aviation emergency procedures
- use established traffic or transportation procedures
- use knowledge of geographic coordinates
- monitor aircraft operation to detect problems
- sustain attention in air traffic emergencies
- adhere to government aviation regulations
- perform safety inspections in transportation setting
- use two-way radio or mobile phone
- operate navigation technology or equipment
- make decisions
- respond to in-flight data
- understand English for aviation communications
- understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
- conduct preflight or in-flight tests or checks of aircraft equipment
- read maps
- read navigation charts
- review flight data prior to flight
- flight test new or altered aircraft
- operate helicopters
- pilot aircraft
- transport passengers or cargo
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
- Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight according to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
- Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
- Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
- Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
- Obtain and review data such as load weights, fuel supplies, weather conditions, and flight schedules to determine flight plans and identify needed changes.
- File instrument flight plans with air traffic control so that flights can be coordinated with other air traffic.
- Check baggage or cargo to ensure that it has been loaded correctly.
- Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
- Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments.
- Rescue and evacuate injured persons.
- Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights.
- Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
- Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control, and inform crew members of flight and test procedures.
- Request changes in altitudes or routes as circumstances dictate.
- Write specified information in flight records, such as flight times, altitudes flown, and fuel consumption.
- Supervise other crew members.
- Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations.
- Teach company regulations and procedures to other pilots.
- Fly with other pilots or pilot-license applicants to evaluate their proficiency.
- Perform minor aircraft maintenance and repair work, or arrange for major maintenance.
- 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.
- Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.
- Pilot airplanes or helicopters over farmlands at low altitudes to dust or spray fields with fertilizers, fungicides, or pesticides.
- Check the flight performance of new and experimental planes.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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