15 Things All Pilots Hate About Their Jobs

Overview:

Being a pilot is a dream job for many of us. There are a number of reasons to become a pilot. One of that reasons is that you are exposed to various facts which are still unknown to the rest of the world. Pilots flying in the skies are blessed to view breathtaking views from different angles. But there are certain cons as well. In spite of staying in the skies for hours and getting a handsome salary, a pilot’s life is hard to think about. Now, let’s discuss the facts causing hatred among pilots for their jobs.

1. Pilots don’t make as much money as we think:

It’s a common perception among the community that pilots are earning a lot of salaries. But the truth is a bit bitter. The average income of a pilot was about $ 75,000 in 2014. It is an average salary. Moreover, to need to invest a lot in pilot training courses, prior to your selection with no job guarantee. The starting salary of a job is too low to meet both ends.

2. They have disturbed friends and family’s lives:

The average working days of the pilot are 12-15 per month. But when they are out of the state, an average four-day trip will eventually take six days. In case of assigning two side-by-side flights, he won’t spare time to return home. And will return after 2-3 weeks. Because of their unusual working schedule, they can’t see their families even on Sundays or at other family festivals. And yah! That is quite annoying for them.

3. They do not always see the exotic destinations they fly to:

People believe that pilots travel all around the world, and had a lot of fun time to explore their destinations. But they do not have enough time to see much of anything. They mostly have time to take a shower, get a nap, eat, and be prepared to repeat the same tomorrow. So, see no time to visit those exotic places.

4.  They hate delays as much as we do:

Pilots are not a fan of flight delays. There are two prime reasons for this hatred:

1. The spare time or this break is at a minimum at the destination already. And they cannot explore the landing destination due to a shortage of time.
2. They are only paid for actual flight hours. So, the delays mean they are at work, but not getting paid for their valuable time.

To feel the intensity of these poor souls’ pain kindly move to point no.1.
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5. They end up spending a lot of time on Crash Pads:

It might seem a bit ironic to you people that temporary housing for pilots is termed Crash Pads. 

These are the sites where pilots can hang out while waiting for their next flight. They have to spend plenty of time on Crash Pads till they get a call for the next flight.

6. Pilot’s community is not as tight as we think:

There is a delusion among people that pilots of the same airline know each other. The truth is not the same. The pilots of the same airline are not even familiar with each other. When you are sitting as a passenger in an airplane, you might see the pilot and first officer shaking hands. Probably it’s the first time they have seen or met each other. And after spending 30 hours in the air and 3-4 days on the road, that will be ten to the one, the last time they ever fly together.

7. They have to be careful with Alcohol:

The rule for drinking pilots is ‘eight hours bottle to throttle. This means an aviator must have an alcohol fasting period of 8 hours before getting back in the cockpit. There are multiple things that can fix marks on the pilot’s performance during duty hours. So, they have to be extra conscious, even during non-duty hours. Pilots have to be firm about involving in a few activities before a flight.

8. They do not care much about getting free flights:

Airlines offer free flights to their pilots on holidays. But it’s not as fascinating for them as for most of us. They might feel like they are on duty during that time, even if they are offered a flight to enjoy a day off. For pilots, this offer is not a perk but an opportunity to reserve any empty seat on an aircraft.

9. They don’t always get an opportunity to spend holidays with their loved ones:

The holidays are the busiest travel days of the year. There are certain jobs where you can holidays package, but this is not one of them. Meanwhile, your family is opening presents, you are clinging to some hotel trying to search for the only open restaurant in town. So, holidays are not sacred for airlines.

10. They get bored sometimes while staying in the air:

There should be no reading material in the cockpit, except a pertinent manual. This is an aviation rule for aviators to be followed. Contrary passengers are free to read the new softcover during long flights. The pilots have to be focused on needles and gauges after every minute or so. Lack of fun time or relaxing time will make them bored off their job.

11. They wish all of us would follow their take-off instructions:

Flight attendants have to follow instructions during a flight, but people are not doing so. This violation will lead to cause anxiety in pilots. And they have to call the law enforcement department for immediate implementation. These instructions are for our safety and should be followed accordingly.

12. They have very odd sleep patterns:

Pilots do have a weird and odd sleep schedule. They have a disturbing biological clock due to their flight schedules. And it will lead to abnormal sleep patterns. This is the reason that pilots are more prone to sleep-related disorders like apnea. It can have a serious impact on their health.

13. They don’t like Rough Runways, but have to use them:

Pilots find it unpleasant to land on rough runways. But they don’t have any other option, except make a smooth landing on those rough runways. Although, it is quite challenging to land on rough runways.

14. They don’t like freezing temperatures for flights:

Some pilots are not big fans of flying in freezing temperatures. It is an alarming situation for the upcoming flight with that airplane, as the parts are too cold. So, there might be a risk for the aviators.

15.  They don’t wish to go to Airports that are in the mountains:

There is a lot of stuff pilots do not like to deal with. One of those is these airports situated on mountains. Pilots do have to face really a hard time in the mountains. Although they are mostly trained for these situations, they do not like to fly there.

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Despite all the pros and cons of being a pilot, just remember that becoming a pilot is not a job but a lifestyle choice of your own. If you are a hard-working, motivated, hodophile (travel-lover), and looking for a rewarding career opportunity then don’t miss the chance of becoming a pilot.

10 Situations All Pilots Hate:

There are certain situations when being a pilot you start hating your job. A few of these undesirable situations are mentioned here:

1. An arrogant engine that doesn’t want to start:

There is nothing more embarrassing and annoying than an engine that doesn’t want to start.  A number of folks staring at you to start up but you failed to do so after trying it multiple times. That’s of course an awkward situation for a pilot to face people and try to start up simultaneously.

2. Get sprayed by the fuel sump device:

Irrespective of the aircraft you are sampling fuel from, it assumes you always get sprayed by fuel. If you are not vigilant on windy days, it can even spray your face. In cold weather, the situation might get worse.

3. Canceling a flight:

Everyone is excited to go flying and reach their destination. However, we are afraid of the situation when headed to the plane and the wind starts to blow and making it cloudy for the VFR flight to continue. Eventually, you have to hard an announcement regarding flight cancellation.

4. Instructions for route changes from ATC:

Small route alteration is not that bad. But if flying on an IFR cross country, there’s a long route waiting for you.  (IFR cross country is a straight line distance traveled of more than 50NM distance from the point of departure).

5. Weird situations that might happen during a check ride:

You go for a check ride with high hopes of awarding a certificate or new rating. But unfortunately, nature is not in your favor. You failed to achieve the goal either due to time pressure, or weather changes during your flight.

6. Flying in turbulent air:

There are certain days when the weather is not favorable. And you are determined to fly maneuvers for your training. There is nothing more horrible than flying in turbulent air.

7. Busy traffic patterns:

Traffic patterns are especially efficient principally. But when a busy day comes having 4-5 aircraft in a row, you can see yourself on a two-mile final as number 3 to land. Here comes a test for your efficient communication skills and team management.

8. Flying in cold weather:

Flying an airplane in freezing weather is never fun. You are in the snow, cold wind, freezing temperatures, or a combo of all of them.

9. Unqualified students:

It is quite annoying when you are compelled to repeat lessons or require extra time to end topics that your students should have gone through beforehand. As an instructor, you have high hopes for your students but meanwhile, students must have to cooperate.

10. Being stepped on:

It’s annoying as it may lead to open-loop communication. It even causes more congestion as you ask for confirmation or clarification of your transmission.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Pilots:

So, there is a list of frequently asked questions from pilots about their job:

What are the challenges faced you as a pilot?

Pilots are well-trained to work efficiently under pressure. They are capable of to adapt stressed environments. They are trained to think and act vigorously in challenging situations. Pilots can adjust themselves in accordance with unusual working hours and incidents faced by them.
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How can we differentiate between an airline pilot and a commercial pilot?

An airline pilot signed a contract with a specific airline and works solely for them. A commercial pilot works as a freelancer and flies private or charter airplanes.

What are the responsibilities of a pilot during the course of a flight?

Being a pilot is not an easy task to go for. You have a number of responsibilities on your shoulders. A few of them include

• Security and navigation
• Accessing weather conditions
• Fulfilling paperwork like pre-flight inspection proforma or fuel received papers.
• Inspecting navigation and operation systems
• Instructing other crew members on the flight
• Updating the airplane’s status with the air traffic control system
• Remarkable customer service to passengers
• Communicate and handle the emergency situation efficiently

What would you do if you came to know that your co-pilot had been drinking before the flight?

A pilot’s prime responsibility is to respect rules and regulations and to ensure safety measures. You have to report the matter to the employer and stop the flight from being taken off.

What should be a pilot’s part during an emergency?

Pilots are people who love challenges and like, even more, to get them solved. They are trained and talented to fix them. The topmost priority of a pilot is to verify the safe path and status of the aircraft. It includes the aviation of the aircraft but adds the completion of the checklist workout. 

The basics of emergency management taught to a pilot include:

• Aviate

My first preference is to keep the plane flying

• Navigate

Head the plane to a safe place

• Communicate

Contact the crew members and air traffic control of your state and follow instructions.