Personality types
One study has found that the ENTP personality type was the most common personality type found in trainee pilots. ENTP’s are energetic, charming and witty, which is ideal for working as part of a small team and for building rapport with passengers. They tend to have erratic sleep-wake schedules, which will help them get used to the long-haul flights and different time zones. The ENTP also has a knack for picking up new skills quickly and connecting the dots, which is essential for pilots.
Accomplishment and mastery
To become a pilot, you must be committed to the process. Therefore, when you finally qualify and have all the necessary skills, you will probably feel a huge sense of accomplishment and mastery. Furthermore, throughout your career as a pilot, you will successfully navigate and land plans, and each time you will feel accomplished.
Meaning and contribution
Pilots play a meaningful role in the aviation industry. If you wanted to have a job with lots of meaning and contribution, you should consider becoming an emergency services pilot or one that helps with special flights.
Life fit
Federal regulations set the maximum work hours and minimum requirements for rest between flights for most pilots. Airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours per month and work an additional 150 hours per month performing other duties, such as checking weather conditions and preparing flight plans. Pilots have variable work schedules that may include some days of work followed by some days off.
Flight assignments are based on seniority. Seniority enables pilots who have worked at a company for a long time to get preferred routes and schedules.
Airline pilots may spend several nights a week away from home because flight assignments often involve overnight layovers. When pilots are away from home, the airlines typically provide hotel accommodations, transportation to the airport, and an allowance for meals and other expenses. Overall, this doesn’t provide the best life fit.
Who will thrive in this career?
To be a good pilot you need to show excellent communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills. You must also be adaptable, be able to remain calm under pressure and be able to think quickly. Being able to make decisions quickly is absolutely paramount to pilots, as pilots may need to make decisions that could save the lives of others. You must have situational awareness to thrive as a pilot, as navigating planes requires an awareness of ones surroundings. On top of this, you cannot be afraid of heights and must have an interest in travelling the world.
Who will struggle in this career?
People who prefer more active jobs, such as a personal trainer, construction worker or a physiotherapist, may struggle with the very sedentary lifestyle of a pilot – although a thrilling career, pilots spend the majority of their day sat down. Those who are not excitement seeking may struggle as a pilot, because you need to thrive off taking risks each day. Those who cannot communicate and don’t enjoy working as part of a team will struggle with the nature of a pilots work. Finally, those who cannot remain calm and collected under pressure will struggle when things go wrong.