Other Career Paths for Pilots

SOURCES:

• https://www.thebalancecareers.com/cool-pilot-jobs-3960706
• https://epicflightacademy.com/pilot-careers/
• https://www.flightdeckfriend.com/pilot-aviation-jobs-not-flying
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-pilot-career-fabrizio-poli/

People expect students to fly aircrafts as soon as they finish aviation. However, a lot of factors come into play after graduation and some of the students do not actually land at the cockpit. For some, it is an end of the road, but the aviation industry is more than just planes taking off and landing at the tarmac. The aviation industry is a continuously developing business all around the globe and pilots are just few of the many people working in the trade. With the demand for air travel increasing by 35 percent in the Asia Pacific region alone, there is much needed expertise from aviation experts, and these are not only coming from pilots. This means that there are a lot of career opportunities for everyone in the business.

We’ve created a list of other career options to take when you decide that flying that plane isn’t really for you:

1. SALES AND MARKETING
   As demand for air travel increases, the demand for aircrafts will also increase. This scenario creates a demand for sales and marketing executives who can properly explain to a possible client the features of a commercial or private aircraft. Students who graduate from aviation schools are the most suitable for this job. With their knowledge and expertise with aircrafts, clients will be assured that they are buying from a trustworthy salesman.If a client is buying a personal jet, his utmost concern is the safety and security of the plane. Who else can explain these items to clients with ease and confidence than someone who studied aviation for some years? Someone who knows the history of a Cessna plane and how it was produced over the years. The job of a sales and marketing executive means clients walk out of the showroom happy with their purchase knowing they now have their own private planes to carry them to their chosen destinations safely.
2. FLIGHT OPERATIONS CONTROLLER
   If you are afraid to miss out on all the fun and excitement at the airport, worry no more. Because, there is a job fit for thrill seekers on the ground. Flight operations controllers serve as the nerve center for commercial airlines. These guys decide when flights take off and land. Their job is crucial because in their hands lie the schedules of hundreds of people on duty rotation. Controllers are important to ensure the safety of the passengers and all other workers on the field because a wrong schedule can mean life or death for people on board the aircraft.If a controller makes a mistake by giving a pilot two 16-hour flights consecutively, the pilot’s body may collapse due to fatigue, putting all his passengers and in flight crew in peril. A flight operation crew’s job includes flight watch, flight planning, slot planning and resolving crewing issues.
3. DISPATCHER
   While flights operations take the battle to the office grounds, dispatchers have the tarmac as their battlefields. Dispatchers make sure that aircrafts are equipped with all its needs before the flight, from food to the grounds checks. They are responsible for making sure that flights take off on time and land safely. Passenger baggages are also among the things they take care of— both loading and unloading.Next time your flight attendants tell you they do not have whiskey on board; it may be that the dispatchers failed to place a bottle on the plane. A dispatcher’s job is not easy because a minute of delay can cause a domino effect on the schedules of aircrafts arriving and leaving.
4. TEST PILOTS
   A non-flight career doesn’t mean pilots stay on the ground for good, some of them still sit on the cockpit but for a different purpose. Test pilots man cockpits of aircrafts that are yet to be released in the market. They make sure that the planes are safe for public transportation and are reliable to withstand all weather conditions. These pilots risk their lives to make sure that passengers can reach their chosen destinations and have a comfortable flight. This job needs expertise and knowledge, and while they are not always on the tarmac or the office, some of them are employed by reliable contractors. Here at Knisley Exhaust, we employ staff who have background in aircrafts because of how crucial our work in exhaust management can be.
5. AIRCRAFT MECHANIC
   The unsung heroes of the flight industry are the aircraft mechanics. They make sure that planes are well conditioned for a long haul or even for a short two-hour flight. Even private planes like Cessna’s Skymaster, a machine popular for its design and durability, needs a reliable mechanic on check to make sure it is on top of its game. Some aircraft mechanics are employed in-house by the commercial plane operators while others are with us, at Knisley Exhaust. We at Knisley Exhaust prides ourselves in hiring the most skilled aircraft mechanics who have the highest qualifications to check, repair, and maintain your aircrafts.The aviation industry is not all about pilots, it is about an entire system that works together to make traveling fun, safe, and reliable for the public. Kinsley Exhaust takes part in that mission by bringing you the best aircraft maintenance service and supplying the most reliable components and parts for your aircraft exhausts.

   If you wish to read more, head on to our blog and see if you have what it takes to be a pilot.