Long before the Wright brothers flew their airplane at Kitty Hawk, man has watched the birds in the sky and dreamed of flying. Today, that dream has become reality for thousands of people who not only enjoy flying, but also work in the aviation industry performing hundreds of jobs that keep planes in the sky. There’s more to aviation than flying a plane, so if being a professional pilot isn’t your thing, you might consider training to be an air traffic controller, a aircraft dispatch agent, or an avionics technician. Each job, from executive to pilot to ground crew, requires specific training and skills in order to keep the aviation industry running.
Pilot
In order to be a professional pilot, you’ll need an understanding of navigation, weather, and cockpit instruments. You’ll also need to receive FAA certification for the type of plane you’ll be flying. Pilot jobs include military flying, commercial flying, corporate flying for executives, agricultural crop dusting, helicopter flying and freight carrying.
Flight Dispatcher
Flight dispatchers prepare a detailed plan for each flight in order to ensure the safety of the plane and its crew. Aircraft dispatch necessitates an understanding of weather and how it might affect the safety of the plane, how to plan for fuel consumption, stops, and alternate destinations, and how to determine each flight’s altitude and compass bearing.
Operations Agent
The operations agent is responsible for making sure that all luggage, cargo, and passengers make it onto the correct plane. They also handle any overbooked flights or other unforeseen changes so that the flight schedule is not disrupted.
Avionics Technician
The field of avionics involves developing and maintaining the electronic systems that operate aircraft. They work with navigation systems, communications, weather radar, and collision avoidance systems.
Airline Station Agent
Airline station agents keep an airline operating efficiently by coordinating the various operations that take place on any given day. Scheduling for flight crews, cargo crews, ground support, baggage crew, and communications all fall under the jurisdiction of the airline station agent.
The above list is just a small sampling of the jobs available within the aviation industry. Additional opportunities abound in the fields of
- Mechanics
- Meteorology
- Communications
- Executive officers
- Instructions
- Flight support
Compensation within the airline industry varies as widely as the jobs available, from entry level positions, to six figure salaries. The more education you have, the greater opportunity you’ll have to secure a position with a higher salary, but even entry level jobs are often unionized and provide benefits for employees.
