Because of FAA regulations, airline pilots flying large aircraft, cannot fly more than 100 hours a month or more than 1,000 hours a year. Most airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours a month and work an additional 75 hours a month performing nonflying duties. Most pilots have a variable work schedule, working several days on, then several days off. Most spend a considerable amount of time away from home because the majority of flights involve overnight layovers. When pilots are away from home, the airlines provide hotel accommodations, transportation between the hotel and airport, and an allowance for meals and other expenses. Airlines operate flights at all hours of the day and night, so work schedules often are irregular. Flight assignments are based on seniority. An airline seniority number is normally assigned to a pilot on completion of training. The sooner pilots are hired, the lower their seniority number and the stronger their bidding power.
Commercial pilots also may have irregular schedules, flying 30 hours one month and 90 hours the next. Because these pilots frequently have many nonflying responsibilities, they have much less free time than do airline pilots. Except for corporate flight department pilots, most commercial pilots do not remain away from home overnight. But, they may work odd hours. However, if the company owns a fleet of planes, pilots may fly a regular schedule. Flight instructors may have irregular and seasonal work schedules, depending on their students' available time and the weather. Instructors frequently work in the evening or on weekends.
Airline pilots, especially those on international routes, often experience jet lag—fatigue caused by many hours of flying through different time zones. To guard against pilot fatigue, which could result in unsafe flying conditions, the FAA requires airlines to allow pilots at least 8 hours of uninterrupted rest in the 24 hours before finishing their flight duty.
Commercial pilots face other types of job hazards. The work of test pilots, who check the flight performance of new and experimental planes, may be dangerous. Pilots who are crop-dusters may be exposed to toxic chemicals and seldom have the benefit of a regular landing strip. Helicopter pilots involved in rescue and police work may be subject to personal injury.
Although flying does not involve much physical effort, the mental stress of being responsible for a safe flight, regardless of the weather, can be tiring. Pilots must be alert and quick to react if something goes wrong, particularly during takeoff and landing.
| How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job? |
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| How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? |
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| | | | | | | | Once a week or more but not every day
(49.8600%) | |
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| How often do you use electronic mail in this job? |
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| How often does the job require written letters and memos? |
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| | | | | | | Once a month or more but not every week
(37.3900%) | | |
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| How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
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| How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? |
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| | | | | | | | | Constant contact with others
(80.4400%) |
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| How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely important
(94.9100%) |
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| How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely important
(43.3600%) |
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| How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely important
(61.8600%) |
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| How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? |
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| | | | | | | | | Very high responsibility
(74.8400%) |
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| How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? |
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| | | | | | | | | Very high responsibility
(53.0600%) |
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| How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job? |
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| | | | | | | | Once a week or more but not every day
(33.9500%) | |
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| How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements? |
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| | | | | | | Once a month or more but not every week
(47.4300%) | | |
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| How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals? |
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| | | | | | Once a year or more but not every month
(71.4800%) | | | |
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| How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? |
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| How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)? |
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| How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions? |
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| How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (e.g., structure with roof but no walls)? |
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| How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or equipment (e.g., tractor)? |
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| How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)? |
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| To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? |
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| | | | | | | | Moderately close (at arm's length)
(76.4300%) | |
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| How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable? |
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| How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures? |
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| | | | | | | Once a month or more but not every week
(38.5700%) | | |
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| How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions? |
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| How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? |
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| How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (e.g., operate a jackhammer)? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to radiation? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to high places? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment? |
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| How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings? |
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| How much does this job require sitting? |
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| | | | | | | | | Continually or almost continually
(76.0200%) |
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| How much does this job require standing? |
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| | | | | | Less than half the time
(79.3700%) | | | |
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| How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles? |
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| How much does this job require walking and running? |
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| | | | | | Less than half the time
(89.0100%) | | | |
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| How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling? |
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| How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance? |
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| How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? |
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| | | | | | | | | Continually or almost continually
(72.0500%) |
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| How much does this job require bending or twisting your body? |
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| | | | | | Less than half the time
(44.6700%) | | | |
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| How much does this job require making repetitive motions? |
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| | | | | | Less than half the time
(35.0200%) | | | |
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| How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? |
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| How much does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection? |
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| How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable? |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely serious
(72.3900%) |
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| How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company? |
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| | | | | | | | | Very important results
(78.0500%) |
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| How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? |
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| How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
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| | | | | | | | | A lot of freedom
(67.7300%) |
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| How automated is the job? |
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| | | | | | | | Highly automated
(61.5800%) | |
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| How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely important
(76.9400%) |
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| How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? |
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| To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? |
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| | | | | | | | | A lot of freedom
(46.0500%) |
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| To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures? |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely competitive
(45.6900%) |
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| How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? |
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| How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.) |
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| | | | | | | | | Extremely important
(36.2400%) |
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| How regular are the work schedules for this job? |
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| | | | Irregular (changes with weather conditions, production demands, or contract duration)
(62.3700%) | |
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| Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
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| | | Less than 40 hours
(47.6300%) | | |
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4.88
4.80
4.69
4.65
4.54
4.48
4.36
4.22
4.14
4.06
3.89
3.84
3.79
3.60
3.37
2.62
4.25
4.18
4.12
4.00
3.87
3.78
3.75
3.62
3.50
3.25
3.16
3.04
2.75
2.50
2.37
2.25
2.00