A career in aviation gives wings to those who love the open blue skies. Whether working on aircraft’s electrical system, controlling the cockpit or serving guests in the cabin, there are various career opportunities in the field of aviation. These jobs require intense training and mastery of Federal Aviation Administration guidelines and rules. However, the result is admission into a field that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow in the next 10 years.
The Aviation Division of the Texas Department of Transportation is the state agency that provides support to local governments in the management of airports. The organization helps counties and cities procure funds to build airports and keep them running. The agency also flies and maintains the airplanes that are used to carry state officials performing official government business. Careers in the organization include project management positions in addition to pilots to operate its state planes.
An aviation management degree offers students the technical and managerial skills necessary to work in the aviation industry. This 120-credit program focuses on aviation safety and security, airplane operations, and airport planning and management. The curriculum within an aviation management program includes courses in aviation marketing, aviation financial management, air cargo management, weather and climate, emergency planning and aviation law. In addition to academic coursework, students must also complete a professional experience in the aviation industry. Graduates have the quantitative and critical thinking skills to work in a variety of positions in the field.
There are a number of incentives for a career in naval aviation. These include pay, but also include auxiliary benefits like free advanced pilot training, housing allowances and medical benefits. A career in naval aviation also comes with certain intangibles like the ability to travel, serve your country and fly aircraft that are not available to civilians.
If you live in Massachusetts and want to learn how to pilot an airplane, there are several different places available to teach you and not just for those living in Boston. State-wide, there are schools that can teach you the basics of aviation to qualify you for a pilot's license. From there, you can decide whether you want to keep aviation as a hobby or make a career out of it.
Canada flight schools offer students the prefect opportunity to learn to fly, whether they study for personal pleasure or with an aviation career in mind. Students come from all over the world to study at a variety of aviation colleges in Canada. In 2006 the first of over 800 Chinese students entered a New Brunswick pilot training course, making aviation history. An International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) move to standardize all pilots training in member states resulted in Canada's adoption of the new multi-crew pilot license in 2010.
The U.S. Army has a variety of aviation-related careers available to recruits with either a high school diploma or college degree. The Army's primary aircraft includes helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, which require pilots and a variety of support functions. A high school graduate can enlist and get training to become a mechanic, air traffic controller, electrician or other aviation-related member that keeps the pilots and aircraft flying. To be a pilot, a college degree is recommended but not required.
Due to a decline in the number of individuals training to become technicians, qualified aviation maintenance technicians are in demand. Aviation maintenance technicians are essential to the safe operations of aircraft. Highly skilled technicians can spot potential problems before they occur. In fact, they follow strict inspection schedules based on the number of hours the aircraft has flown and how long it's been since the last inspection.
A flight instructor reveals a student shutting down an airplane engine in flight. Hear about this funny moment from a certified flight instructor (CFI) in this free video on a career in aviation.
A flight instructor's hardest day results from unplanned challenges due to weather or airplane maintenance issues. A certified flight instructor (CFI) explains a hard day in this free video on a career in aviation.
Flight instructor pros are the enjoyment, fun and diversity of flying. Flight instructor cons are the investment of time and money. Weigh the pros and cons of a career as a flight instructor from a certified flight instructor (CFI) in this free video on a career in aviation.