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5 Reasons to Become a Pilot

Everywhere you go, you’ll find people talking about why you shouldn’t become a pilot. They’re quick to talk about the misfortunes of airline pilots and various other hardships that pilots face, but deep down they probably still believe that becoming a pilot is the best thing they’ve ever done. Some say that the glory days for pilots are over. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Here are 5 reasons you should become a pilot:

 

  1. The Amazing View

The simplest reason of all five is the view. And what a view it is. Remember last year when you went on that holiday and you had some great views of the Drakensburg coming into land? Well, how about an 180-degree view of just that, every day you go to work, not bad hey?

  1. Acquisition of Knowledge

There’s a saying in Aviation, ‘The day you stop learning is the day you should stop flying.’ Aviation is all about learning, even the most experienced Captain flying the latest aircraft for a Flagship Carrier learns something new every day. Earlier on in your career you’ll probably change aircraft types a number of times as well as moving up the ladder from First Officer to Captain, all this requires training and learning.

  1. Career Development

Traditionally the Airline and Aviation Industry allows plenty of opportunity for career progression. A long successful career as an Airline Pilot will maybe start out as a Junior First Officer or Second Officer, before progressing to a Senior First Officer, then maybe an aircraft change, before progression into the left-hand seat, maybe another fleet change, then promotion to a Line Training Captain, then Type-Rating Instructor before becoming an Examiner. Before or after this, some pilots make the jump into management which can include operation, safety and training positions. The sky really can be the limit.

  1. The Exhilaration

Every day as an Airline Pilot is different. The weather is always changing, in larger airlines, you’ll be flying with the crew you’ve maybe never met before, you might be visiting a destination you’ve never been to before, and all these things are normal day-to-day changes in an Airline. Throw in the odd problem to troubleshoot from time to time, unscheduled night-stops and several other things and you’ve got a job that is different every day, just like the view!

  1. Travelling

As a long-haul pilot, you’ll get to visit a vast array of destinations, from shorter hops to ultra-long haul destinations on the other side of the World. Although many Airlines now have crew’s over-night for the minimum time, it’s still enough to soak up the local culture. And, if you work for a low-cost carrier doing short-haul, many now have bases across Europe, meaning you may have the opportunity to live in a number of different cities over your career, be it permanent or just for a summer contact.

 

The aviation industry is seeing explosive growth in the number of pilots that are currently being hired. If you can dedicate the time and the finances to becoming a pilot, you’ll be set up for a successful career in the lucrative aviation industry. Every aspiring pilot needs to be prepared to earn their wings. It’s expensive to earn a pilot’s license and to build your flying time. Once you’re established, you join an elite club of pilots that are an integral part of the world of transportation.

Century Avionics, the largest privately owned avionics facility in South Africa, was formed in 1978 and is based at Lanseria International Airport. We specialise in general avionics sales, installations, maintenance, support and modifications through our design organisation for certified and non-certified aircraft. Century Avionics represents a host of mainstream and specialised dealerships. We are at the cutting edge of aviation technology and are informed on what is happening in the industry both locally and internationally.

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