Commercial Pilots
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.
At a Glance
Commercial Pilots earns a median of $122,670/yr with +5.1% projected growth. Typical entry: Postsecondary nondegree award. Top skills: Attention to Detail, Dependability, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment.
$122,670/yr
+5.1%
7
Postsecondary nondegree award
Skills & Requirements
Skills (11)
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Knowledge (7)
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Abilities (26)
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Technology (2)
Work Activities (30)
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Work Styles (4)
A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.
A tendency to be careful, deliberate, and risk-avoidant when making work-related decisions or doing work.
Careers with Overlapping Skills
These occupations share the most skills. A career transition between them means many of your skills transfer directly.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Transportation and Material Moving · 198 shared skills
Remote Sensing Technicians
Life, Physical, and Social Science · 197 shared skills
Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists
Life, Physical, and Social Science · 197 shared skills
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
Architecture and Engineering · 188 shared skills
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media · 186 shared skills
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Educational Instruction and Library · 185 shared skills
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
Computer and Mathematical · 184 shared skills
Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
Computer and Mathematical · 184 shared skills
Explore Key Skills
Frequently Asked Questions
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