Job Description for an Airplane Captain
Every day, thousands of commercial flights transport travelers all over the world. For pilots who ferry these passengers to and fro, the ultimate career accomplishment is to become an airplane captain. These aviation professionals are among the most experienced, skilled and respected workers in the airline industry.
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Duties and Responsibilities
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An airline captain is responsible for overseeing the flight operations of his own aircraft and ensuring successful, safe flights. The captain briefs the crew, checks flight procedures, inspects the airplane before takeoff, flies the plane, and files a post-flight report after the aircraft has landed. The captain must also ensure that all work on each flight is planned, executed and performed properly and in accordance with any Federal Aviation Administration regulations and rules, as well as within the standards set by the particular airline.
Education and Training
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Though not all airlines require a college education for captains, most airline captains have a least two years of college, if not a full college degree. Many captains, according to Avjobs.com, come from a military background; others come from Federal Aviation Administration-certified (FAA-certified) civilian flight schools. All captains receive extensive training and education on how to fly, operate and maintain a particular aircraft. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all pilots, captains included, are required to attend training and simulator checks once or twice a year.
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Licensing
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All airline pilots in the United States must have an FAA license to fly commercial airliners. To qualify for this license, applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have at least 250 hours of flight experience. They must be able to pass strict physical guidelines, including: 20/20 vision with or without corrective lenses, good hearing and no health problems that could jeopardize or hinder performance. In addition, all pilots who wish to become captains must be at least 23 years old and have a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight experience. These pilots must also pass FAA written and flight examinations and go through advanced training in simulators to learn to deal with dangerous problems they might encounter.
Skills
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In addition to piloting skills, airplane captains must also be able to coordinate the activities of other airline crew members. Captains provide leadership and guidance to other flight officers, as well as to stewards and ground crew. Captains can sometimes serve in managerial positions or as airline executives, which requires managerial and business skills. For example, captains who become airline executives may lead their company in developing new training and flight procedures, screen personnel for advancement, or oversee the implementation of new aircraft to the fleet.
Jobs and Employment
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, civilian commercial aircraft pilots and flight engineers held about 76,800 jobs in 2008; these jobs are expected to grow about as fast as the average between 2008 and 2018. According to the Wall Street Journal, the lowest salary for an airline captain in 2009 was about $123,000, while the highest was more than $180,000.
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References
- Photo Credit airplane image by Clarence Alford from Fotolia.com
