There was a time when commercial aviation was covered in glamour, if not in reality, then in culture. Magazine advertisements and movies served up images of happy fliers dressed in Sunday’s best, regaled with fine food and beverages while being served by flight attendants and greeted by pilots straight from central casting. In a post-September 11th world, travel certainly looks different and, no doubt, far more challenging for all.
But a growing pilot shortage has placed a spotlight, temporary or not, on the great life and career advantages of a pilot. And for good reason: it is a wonderful career. A career I love and am grateful for on every trip.
Photo: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV | Shutterstock.
But the life of a pilot is not without its challenges. No profession is, right? I am almost reticent to write about the challenges of pilot life, as I feel privileged to have this job. But Simple Flying endeavors to cover all aspects of commercial aviation, the good, the bad, and the challenging. With that grateful spirit in mind, here is a look at some of the challenges pilot life brings.
Schedule: Holidays, weekends, early start, and late finishes
By far, the biggest challenge I see in life as a pilot, and usually the greatest challenge I hear my peers talk about, are airline pilots’ schedules. Airline operations are nearly 24/7, 365-day-per-year operations. This means many weekends, holidays, early morning starts, and late-night finishes. Pilots lack control over these schedules, too, and we – at least at most airlines – operate on a schedule one month at a time. This can make planning for family events a few months in the future very challenging, as we likely will not know a schedule until the month prior.
Photo: Yiuchueng/Shutterstock
As a pilot’s tenure with an airline progresses, so does his or her seniority. And for better or worse, nearly everything about a pilot’s schedule depends on seniority. This does lead to better schedules over time. Still, it also can limit a pilot’s desire to make a career-benefiting change in an airline, equipment type, or base, as the pilot will likely see his or her seniority reduced or reset altogether.
Disruptions beyond the pilot’s control
I find numerous things to enjoy on every trip. Even the long ones, the views from the flight deck are unparalleled and never get old. But occasionally, a trip (a series of flights over a couple of working days) will be marred by difficulties and disruptions beyond our control. Old Man Winter requires time-consuming de-icing and anti-icing procedures before each flight, greatly adding to our duty day. Or a maintenance issue grounds us and disrupts the flow of the trip. Of course, these delays impact our passengers, too, and trust me, airline employees – especially the flight and cabin crews – hate these as much as the fare-paying passengers. These situations pose both personal and professional challenges.
Photo: DC Studio/Shutterstock
Dependence on economic cycles
The airline business is heavily dependent on a strong economy. Right now, the economy is reasonably healthy, and with the surging post-COVID travel demand plus a general lack of pilot supply, no time has ever been better in the history of commercial aviation to be a pilot. Period.
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But this too shall pass, and pilots that have been around the industry know it is only a matter of time before an economic cycle or other external threat disrupts the airline business, causing hiring to stop, wages to freeze, or in the worst-case scenario, layoffs, what the industry refers to as furloughs. It is a business and career of literal highs and lows.
These observations notwithstanding, I readily acknowledge possessing one of the truly great jobs available today, and I would not have it another way. I am blessed.
