What is a day in the life of a pilot like?

A duty day – which includes pre- and post-flight activities, in addition to actual flying time – can extend past 14 hours, especially in the case of weather disruptions. Our pilots also must ensure they are up-to-date on revisions to equipment manuals and operating procedures, which they receive through bulletins.



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How hard is a pilots life? 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.

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Pilots' duty shifts include both duty time and flight time. In the United States, the FAA has different limits for each. Total duty shift duration is between nine and 14 hours for single pilots.

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Nearly all airlines have trips that do not get you back to your home every day. Pilots “lay over” in other cities and are provided per diem and a hotel for the time they are there. It is a great opportunity to see a place you may never have been, enjoy time with your crew, and rest for the next day of flying.

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For many, working as a pilot is an exciting career choice. You may enjoy working as a pilot if you enjoy flying and traveling, but there are also some elements of this profession that may not be suitable for everyone.

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For many, working as a pilot is an exciting career choice. You may enjoy working as a pilot if you enjoy flying and traveling, but there are also some elements of this profession that may not be suitable for everyone.

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  • Long and sometimes unpredictable hours. Pilots work different numbers of hours depending on several factors. ...
  • Training. You need a lot of training to be a pilot. ...
  • Flight school and training can be expensive. ...
  • Stress of the job.


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Fatigue is particularly prevalent among pilots because of unpredictable work hours, long duty periods, circadian disruption, and insufficient sleep. These factors can occur together to produce a combination of sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm effects, and 'time-on task' fatigue.

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Pilots are trained to handle all sorts of nerve-racking situations, but that doesn't mean that they don't get scared—especially in these real instances, told by the pilots who experienced them, of serious in-flight fear.

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In terms of actual days, some publications say most short-haul pilots will either travel home every day if possible or work for five days and then spend three or four days at home. Long-haul pilots are said to spend more time away from home, although they do get 10 to 15 days off per month to see their families.

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Airline pilots can be home every night or could be away from their families for weeks at a time. It depends of the company they work for or the aircraft or routes they fly. Most quality of life issues that affect how much time a pilot can spent with his family is determined by a seniority based system.

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How many days do pilots usually get off a month? Commercial airline pilots typically have between 9 and 15 days off a month without including any leave, although this depends on the airline and type of operation.

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Family members may fly free when space is available or at discounted rates. Flying stand-by is a common benefit, but it can be challenging when there is a group. Some airlines provide “buddy passes” to pilots to share with friends and families.

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Even if you become the captain of a big airline company, you'll mostly only interact with your copilots and flight staff. Your social network will be relatively small and manageable, so it's a fantastic job for introverts who don't want to have to interact with dozens of different people per day.

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Do pilots pay for their own hotels? The airline handles and pays for accommodations for crewmembers when they are on a trip. Many pilots do not live where they are based and choose to commute.

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Pilots generally only work with one other pilot at a time, so they tend to hang out together on the over nights. While we do not fly with the same pilots frequently, many do make friends in the industry.

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When you work as a commercial airline pilot, you can look forward to having one of the best jobs in the world while enjoying the following benefits.
  • Travel the World. ...
  • Unbeatable Views. ...
  • Travel Discounts for Family and Friends. ...
  • Job Satisfaction. ...
  • Work Stays at Work. ...
  • Flex Schedule. ...
  • Challenging. ...
  • Meet New People.


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The job, and therefore the life of an airline pilot, is undoubtedly unique. Indeed, many people (myself included) would deem the job far more of a lifestyle than a 'typical' Monday-Friday job.

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There is a maximum of 6 consecutive days on per block and the maximum amount of flying hours per month is 100. You can expect to fly close to 850 – 900 hours in 12 months.

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As a commercial airline pilot, you will work long hours, often having to travel long distances for business or to visit family. This may mean that you spend less time with your family than many other people do.

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Airline pilots can be home every night or could be away from their families for weeks at a time. It depends of the company they work for or the aircraft or routes they fly. Most quality of life issues that affect how much time a pilot can spent with his family is determined by a seniority based system.

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