Flying a plane, whether commercial or private, is a dream for many people. Commandeering a machine in the sky, traveling great distances, and keeping passengers safe is a challenge that not many can do.
Becoming a pilot requires arduous training. Whether you want to fly as a career or make it a hobby, you would need to be taught by knowledgeable professionals and earn certifications before you can step foot on the cockpit.
If you are serious about becoming a pilot, enrolling in aviation school is the best course of action.
Although it would not be easy, learning to fly an aircraft will teach you a lot of skills, both technical and non-technical, that will significantly improve your life. Here are the skills that you can gain from flight training that you can use every day.
Quick Decision-Making Skills
As a pilot, you would be responsible for the safety of multiple people. Your decisions could compromise the safety of your passengers and crew. So, when a problem pops up, you need to be able to make the right decision as quickly as possible.
You would not have the luxury of time or resources when you are in the air. You need to look at your surroundings, analyze the situation, and tap into your training to come up with a solution that will bring your passengers safely to their destination. Moreover, there is the added pressure of turbulence or screaming passengers.
Communication and Leadership Skills
A large part of your job as a pilot involves communicating, not just with your crew, but most especially with air-traffic controllers. To illustrate how important communication is when flying, a majority of aircraft accidents happen because of misunderstanding between pilot and controller.
A pilot needs to be fluent in the terminologies used within the industry so you can tell the controllers exactly what your intentions are, where you are, and if there is a problem that the aircraft is currently experiencing.
In addition, the pilot should also be able to manage the cockpit and the cabin crew. They need to enforce standard operating procedures to minimize the risk of errors throughout the aircraft. If there is a problem, they would need to bark orders to everyone in their care and bring them back to safety.
A pilot is a leader who guides the crew and passengers throughout the duration of the flight.
Creative Skills
Your technical skills alone would not make you a good pilot. To fly an aircraft and find solutions to issues that may arise during the flight, you would need to use both sides of the brain.
When up in the air, the resources available to you is severely limited. You might have to think out-of-the-box to fix the problem.
You will be trained thoroughly before you are allowed to step onto the cockpit. Flying has its own processes and procedures. Most of the time, you only need to follow what you are taught to steer the aircraft toward your destination. However, there will come a time when you may need to break some rules. That is where creative skills will be useful. If you deem that the regular procedures and processes do not apply anymore, you should come up with steps that will keep you, your staff, the passengers, the aircraft, and the people below safe.
Ability to Stay Calm During a Stressful Situation
There is a lot of trust that comes into boarding an aircraft. Your crew and, most importantly, your passengers trust your ability to commandeer the aircraft masterfully and keep them safe while off the ground.
You would not be able to gain their trust, especially when you encounter a storm in the sky, if you cannot hide your worries and fears.
When you encounter turbulence that is rockier than usual, or if a part of the aircraft malfunctions, you would need to stay calm not just so that you can think of the best course of action, but to ensure the passengers that their lives are in good hands.
Otherwise, panic will ensue within the aircraft which will cause more problems.
Most of the time, the flight will be quiet, simple, and easy. As long as you follow the processes and procedures laid out for you. However, you would need to be prepared to stay calm when a crisis arises.
Confidence
A pilot has confidence. They should not doubt their own abilities and decisions. They are assured that, with proper training and practice, they can do their job properly and without fail.
Being a pilot is not easy. It will not always be fun. However, the role will constantly challenge you and give you the adventure of a lifetime.
