Airline Pilots, Co-Pilots, and Flight Engineers form a job family that has a strong affiliation with the Strong Interest Inventory® Realistic Theme. Individuals who chose these career fields tend to be practical doers and enjoy technology. This job family has a secondary association with the Conventional theme, aligning with these individuals’ preference for following set procedures and routines as well as the Investigative theme which aligns with their analytical nature. They prefer a work style focused on self-control and leadership. The Strong Interest Inventory® analyzes individuals’ interest patterns in a wide variety of personal and professional areas, helping them find a well-fit occupation. Refined since its release in 1927, this is considered an excellent assessment resource. Individuals whose careers fall under The Realistic Theme Code usually enjoy working with their hands and in understanding how and why things work. They thrive in clearly defined environments.
Airline Pilots and those in similar careers are responsible for piloting and navigating multi-engine, fixed-wing aircraft. Most often, they fly on regularly scheduled routes and transport passengers and cargo around the world. They inspect their plane before takeoff and ensure that weight distribution and passenger balance are within acceptable ranges for safe flying. During takeoff and landing, they coordinate with other members of the flight team, but during most of the flight, their focus is primarily on the instrumentation, controls, and mechanics of flying. They communicate with control towers to clear their takeoff and landing and to ensure that they maintain a safe distance from other aircraft. They confer with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters to keep current on flight conditions and weather and may need to communicate relevant information to their passengers. Finally, current Pilots may be responsible for instructing student pilots on the principles of flight or for evaluating applications for jobs or Pilot’s licenses.
Because flying a plane is so highly technical, Pilots rely on a large number of technical tools, gauges, and devices. These include cockpit display panels and guidance systems, anti-skid controls and braking systems, communications systems, environment controllers, ejection systems, and hydraulic systems (e.g., for brakes). They operate landing gear assemblies, steering controls, and aircraft warning systems, as well as oxygen monitors and defrosting systems. In addition, they should be comfortable using computers of the laptop, desktop, and handheld varieties, and a range of accompanying software, including Pilot Navigator Software Load Balance, SBS International Maestro Suite, flight-specific database, and query software (e.g., Airline Pilots Daily Aviation Log PPC), and information retrieval and search software (e.g., AeroPlanner; Notam Development Group Airport Insight). Together the computer programs help Pilots analyze flight paths, maintain timely flight logs, navigate routes, and document issues.
Read Below for Airline Pilot’s Salary, Projected Job Openings and More!
Successful Pilots have a foundation in the principles of geography and transportation, as well as mathematics, physics, and computer science. In addition to these more technical skills, they should have strong communication skills and be fluent in English, and a sense of personal and customer service. They work closely with other flight crew members, as well as with passengers. They need to be comfortable controlling and operating equipment. Attention to detail is necessary to monitor the plane’s operation. Pilots evaluate situations and solve complex problems quickly since their decisions often affect not only themselves but also many other people when flying passenger planes. Having precise physical control and manual dexterity is important since many controls are highly sensitive. Acute vision and depth perception are required. Most Airline Pilots hold at least a Bachelor’s degree, though many hold a Master’s or a post-baccalaureate as well.
An Airline Pilot’s salary tends to be fairly high. In most states, salaries start around $60,000, with the best paid Pilots earning over $180,000 in Florida, Texas, California, and New York. In Texas, even the lowest paid pilots salaries are still nearly $80,000. Luckily, the rates of employment for this career are projected to increase before 2024, with Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Washington all above 20%. These jobs are largely moving from other states, however, employment is projected to fall over 40% in Indiana, and also significantly in Tennessee, Wyoming, and Wisconsin.
Below are some employment trends for Airline Pilots, Co-Pilots and Flight Engineers:
- Median Airline Pilot’s Salary : $147,220 annually
- Employment: 83,600 employees
- Projected growth (2018-2028): Average (4% to 6%)
- Projected job openings (2018-2028: 9,100
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Gain access to your best-fit careers, occupational preferences and interests with these career based Strong Interest Inventory® Assessments:
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MBTI® Career Report + Strong & MBTI Combined Career Report + Strong Profile
Use these reports to find a fulfilling career that matches with your personality and interests, and develop a plan for achieving that career.
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Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Edition Profile
Choose a college major that works best with your interests, and then plan a rewarding career to follow your college career.
You’ll start college off right with knowledge on applying your interests and preferences to college majors and receive a detailed depiction of how your ideal career will mature if you work toward success. With the Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report and the Strong College Edition Profile, you’ll set yourself up for success throughout college and into your career after graduation.
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Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong Profile
Use knowledge about your interests, preferences and personality type to start your optimal career and formulate a plan to achieve your dream job.
With the information obtained about yourself from your MBTI® personality type and your Strong Interest Inventory® Report, you’ll learn about how your personality, as well as your interests and preferences, can be used in your life and career to provide fulfillment and happiness. Discover occupations that work with what you like and enjoy, and learn how your personality influences your mental processes and preferences.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report Plus Strong Profile
Download sample Strong Profile
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Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Edition Profile
Choose a college major that works best with your interests, and then plan a rewarding career to follow your college career.
You’ll start college off right with knowledge on applying your interests and preferences to college majors and receive a detailed depiction of how your ideal career will mature if you work toward success. With the Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report and the Strong College Edition Profile, you’ll set yourself up for success throughout college and into your career after graduation.
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Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report
Delve deeper into what your interests, hobbies, favorite topics, and locations can mean for your career and personal life with the help of this extensive and personalized Strong profile.
Your Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report starts with the same foundational information found in the Strong Interest Inventory Profile, but goes even further into analyzing your likes and dislikes by offering you a detailed look at how following your interests and preferences can help you lead a more fulfilling, satisfied life. The report presents you with the closest matched occupations for people with your interests, an in-depth breakdown of certain areas matched to your Strong Interest Inventory test results, and insight into your likes and dislikes.
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Strong Interest Inventory® Profile
Mold your future success by choosing a career that accurately reflects your interests, preferences, favorite topics as well as your likes and dislikes with the help of this profile.
Direct your future based on what you like and enjoy, providing you with a happier, more fulfilling life and career. The Strong Interest Inventory® Profile uses an extensive analysis of your interests and preferences to guide you towards a career that best suits who you are on a personal level. Depending on your likes and dislikes compared to others in specified fields, you may find a fulfilling career previously unthought-of, helping guide you down the road to success and happiness.
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Strong Interest Inventory® & Skills Confidence Profile + Strong Interpretive Report
Discover your interests and preferences as well as your confidence in your abilities to use these interests to your advantage.
Your strengths, interests, and preferences, when understood and well known, can lead you toward a successful and satisfying career. With this custom package, you’ll learn which occupations, strengths, and skills work best with your likes and dislikes and how confident you are in your ability to fulfill the needs of certain occupations, allowing you to formulate a career path that you’ll enjoy for years to come with the help of the Strong Interest Inventory test.
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iStartStrong™ Report
Plan your future career based on your interests and preferences, leading you down the path to a successful work and personal life.
Use your interests, preferences, and favorite subjects and leisure activities to assess which career or career field works best with who you are and what you like. Through the web-interactive and thorough iStartStrong™ report, you’ll get set off on the right foot toward finding a career that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Explore our Strong Interest Inventory® Blog Pages:
- Strong Interest Inventory Realistic Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Artistic Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Investigative Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Social Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Enterprising Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Conventional Theme Explained
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References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2012-2022 employment projections Onetonline.org