A career in the aviation field can mean travel, diverse choices in location and great advancement potential. There are many professional fields that span across a wide spectrum of skills, education and qualifications.
Whether seeking a career as an airline pilot, mechanic, or ticket agent there are literally hundreds of professions in the aviation community. There are basically two types of careers in aviation, flying and non-flying.
Pilots are probably the most commonly thought of job when considering flying careers. One of the highest paying jobs is that of the airline captain. However, it is a long road to the airline captain position. With the proper qualifications, you could be hired as a copilot or flight engineer for a lesser salary. To be hirable to an airline, a pilot must first have a significant amount of experience. Many gain this experience through the military or other civilian piloting. You must also hold the appropriate FAA Certifications that are required for any job as a pilot. There are many good places to gain this experience and establish a career as a pilot. Some of these include corporate pilot, charter pilot, instructor pilot and agricultural pilot. Many pilots enjoy flying in these other civil forms, each with their own challenges and qualifications and make them their career.
Flight engineers or second officers, only exist in a few larger airplanes, and are soon to be obsolete. Currently the job of the flight engineer includes pre-flight and post-flight inspections of the aircraft and fueling operations. In flight, the flight engineer is responsible for the monitoring of aircraft systems including fuel management, air-conditioning and pressurization, engine performance and many other systems. Many flight engineers enjoy their jobs and never pursue the position of a pilot. Others use the job to gain the required experience and certifications before moving up. Thanks to the ever increasing technology, most of today's modern aircraft are set up only for the captain and a co-pilot, the position of the flight engineer only existing on the older platforms.
The role of a flight attendant is also an important one. Where the flight station crew is responsible for ensuring a safe aircraft and safe operation of the aircraft, facilitating a safe journey for its passengers, it is the flight attendant that has direct contact with the customer. They are not only responsible for getting the customers seated properly and serving refreshments, they are also highly trained in handling emergencies and maintaining order.
All of the flying careers usually call for overnight stays in cities along their routes. The airline pays travel and meal expenses to the employees. Schedules can be demanding at times, typically working 20 days straight and getting 10 days off.
The function of an airline is to fly their passengers from one place to their destination safely. The pilots and crew are only a fraction of the important people that can accomplish this goal. There are literally hundreds of non-flying jobs available that can be equally important to the safe operation of the aircraft or the satisfaction of the customer.
Aerospace engineers work with aircraft manufacturers in designing new aircraft. They are the representative of the airline to the manufacturer, ensuring that the proper minimum requirements of engine efficiency, cabin space, flight station layout, etc. are complied with.
The flight dispatcher coordinates the airline schedule with the flight crews. It is his job to ensure that there is enough airplanes on a scheduled route, but also that these flights have the proper amount of cargo and passengers, creating the lowest operating cost possible. They also coordinate with other dispatchers and services such as weather, to divert or reschedule flights as necessary.
Meteorologists are the weather people. They track and update weather for the dispatchers and pilots. Giving them the information they need to make the correct decisions concerning adverse weather.
Schedulers or schedule coordinators constantly monitor flight crews for their location and schedule. Keeping up with the flight crews can be a challenge with diverts and delays.
Sales personnel and managers are the people that promote air travel and ticket sales. They work with travel agencies large companies, schools and sometimes the military, determining their air travel needs, attempting to increase the sales for their airline.
Ramp services includes many different jobs including baggage and cargo handlers, aircraft fueling, food services, equipment operators, aircraft cleaning, employee shuttle drivers to name just a few.
The ramp planner coordinates all of the arriving and departing aircraft and determines their needs. He or she then coordinates all of his ramp personnel ensuring that aircraft and its cargo are taken care of at the right time.
Maintenance personnel are the professionals that take care of the day to day troubleshooting, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on the aircraft. In addition to formal education, these professionals are FAA certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanics. A certification much like the pilot's Air Transport Certification.
Ticket agents, ground attendants, skycaps and passenger service agents all exist to assist the customer in getting themselves and their baggage where they need to go. They are very customer service oriented and visible jobs. Delays, cancellations, confusing security procedures and other problems can cause the customer to become frustrated. It is the job of these people to help them along their way and solve the problems that arise daily.
In addition to the above jobs, the airlines also employ hundreds of administrative and professional people. From secretaries to attorneys, safety professionals to mail clerks, the airlines need many personnel to function properly. If a career in aviation is what you desire, the airlines may be a good place to look.
For the most part, all of these jobs require, at a minimum, a high school diploma. Most of them require additional training, whether it is on-the-job training, or some other more formal training or certification. You should always check with the prospective employer on what the prerequisites are for your selected career.
Lastly, don't let your job hunting sights rest solely on the airlines! There are many careers in aircraft manufacturing, airport management, civil and corporate aviation and the federal government such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) the U.S. Military, the U.S. Forest Service and on and on.
The aviation field is integrated into our society so deeply that you can look almost anywhere and find a connection to it. Employment opportunities for nearly everyone exist everywhere, because this field is not isolated to any specific region. Wherever you live, whatever your education level, and whatever your goals, there is room for you in this ever growing community.
