Thinking flying is the career for you?  Although it is a fantastic and exciting career for many, before you jump in Ray-Bans and all, here are a few things you may want to consider before embarking on the training to make sure it’s the right fit for you.

First of all, why is being a pilot such a desirable career?  Many commercial and airline pilots will tell you it’s because you’re working in a dynamic environment that is challenging and rewarding.  In fact, many couldn’t imagine themselves working in any other job.  Flying often is as much a lifestyle as it is a career and becomes part of your DNA.

BUT, here’s the thing, it also has its ups and downs (no pun intended!), so you do need to enter with your eyes wide open.

Before you get started, you need to determine if flying really is for you.  It’s a bit like someone spending years studying medicine to later discover that they don’t like talking to people.  Having a trial instructional flight or taking a couple of flying lessons is a great way to get a hands-on feel for flying and ask some tough questions one-on-one about flying as a career.

You also need to be aware that to be a professional pilot, you’re required to attain a commercial pilot license (CPL-A) which involves extensive training, study, medical/s and exams and some other regulatory requirements.  When seeking jobs in the industry you may need to demonstrate a variety of cognitive, personality and physical attributes – with airlines, in particular, having rigorous testing and recruitment processes.

It’s also a good idea to ask yourself what types of jobs in aviation interest you most and consider the other aspects of the role beyond the actual flying and how comfortable you are with those, e.g. how do you feel about irregular working hours?

If you’re like most people, you’d also probably be wondering….

• What is a commercial pilot salary in Australia?

• How much does a commercial pilot license cost?

• What is the likely demand for pilots in the future?

• What international opportunities are available for pilots?

To get a realistic idea of what you can earn as a pilot, our suggestion is to do some searches on Google and sites like SEEK to see the incredible scope and range of jobs and salaries on offer.  Also visit the websites of major airlines and other pilot employers, such as freight, charter, medical, tourism, corporate employers and flying schools. You can see in the attached diagram some of the salary ranges that apply for some of the most common piloting jobs.

As for the cost of attaining a commercial pilot license, there are a number of pathways you can take.  For instance, here at Curtis Aviation, we offer three commercial pilot license training pathways:

• Integrated (Part 152 150 hours structured program)
• Non-integrated (unstructured, 200-hour flexible program), or
• As part of an aviation degree (we partner with Central Queensland University where you study for your degree online and do your flight training with us here at Camden Airport, Sydney)

The costs will vary depending on which pathway you select, but as a guideline, you could assume flight training for a commercial pilot license would be in the range of $65,000 to $85,000.  For students completing an aviation degree, VET-FEE help may be an option to allow you to defer your study and training costs until after graduation.

If you are specifically hoping to join an airline, please do take the time to fully understand what they are looking for which may influence the pathway you take.  We can also give you some insight into this area.

In terms of demand, there are quite a number of reports suggesting a global undersupply of pilots in the coming years which paints a promising picture for those wishing to enter the industry, however, please also do your own research and remember unexpected things can disrupt your career plans…….like a pandemic, as we’ve all seen!

At Curtis Aviation we are leaders in pilot training with a team of dedicated and passionate instructors who love to share their knowledge and assist you in achieving your flying goals, as they have with so many others.

Would you like to know more about the ins and outs of becoming a pilot and the exciting opportunities that are out there?

You might like to book a spot in our next Explore a Career as a Commercial Pilot Webinar.  (You’ll find the booking link by scrolling down our home page.)  Priceless information you won’t want to miss.  We hope to see you there!