What is the hardest part about flying a plane?

Takeoff and landing are widely considered the most dangerous parts of a flight. But that's only partially true. Let's take a look at this chart. Boeing keeps track of fatal commercial jet accidents every year and categorizes those accidents by when they occurred during the flight.



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Work Schedule It's true that airline pilots are allowed several days off per month, but conversely, pilots may be asked to fly a plane for many long hours during their shift. Their unfixed work schedules can make their life hectic since their tasks can vary daily.

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One in three people said that the most stressful part of travelling was during the flight, with a further 35% saying they found landing the most stressful. Boarding, finding your seat on the plane and the flight itself all came at the bottom of the list, making them the least stressful moments whilst travelling.

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The most common cause of a hard landing is an unstable approach. Amongst other reasons, these can occur due to tailwind, a rushed approach, an attempt to comply with an overly demanding air traffic control clearance, adverse weather conditions or the improper use of automation.

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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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One statistic commonly quoted is based on a 2011 study by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which found only 20% of flight school students achieve their private pilot certification.

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While some aeroplanes may have more complicated controls than others which may overwhelm pilots, the fact of the matter is that for the most part, pilots are working on one control at a time in order to keep the aeroplane flying straight. Keeping an aircraft stable, especially when the sky is clear, is rather easy.

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Fear of flying afflicts as much as 40 percent of the U.S. population. The nation's armrest-grippers may be heartened to know that “aviophobia” is perfectly normal, and easily treated. Only about 5 percent of Americans have aviophobia so severe that they cannot fly.

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They must be able to deal with bad weather, mechanical problems, and other potential hazards. Pilots also have to be able to stay calm in stressful situations. The lifestyle of a pilot can be very demanding. Pilots often have to travel for long periods of time, which can be difficult for families.

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In 2021, FAA data showed that 78% of all PPL pilots passed on their first attempt.

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On average, pilots rate the meaningfulness of their work a 3.6/5. Unlike many careers, pilots have little difficulty finding meaning in their work, and it likely constitutes one of the main reasons people become pilots.

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Pilots are trained to manage emergencies and maintain calmness in high-stress situations. They do this by following a specific set of procedures, which are designed to keep the aircraft safe and the passengers calm.

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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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Discussion: In some cases pilots may need to reject a landing due to rapidly deteriorating weather conditions which reduce the visibility required for a safe landing.

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Pilots with a fear of heights aren't uncommon and in fact, the majority of people who are afraid of heights aren't affected by flying in an aircraft. There is a strong feeling of security when you close the door, and you should feel very comfortable in the hands of an experienced instructor.

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