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Captain
Ken Bradley's commute is no big deal: he just flies the 170 miles to
Washington, D.C. in his own small jet. That's just the warmup for
the long day's flight ahead.
Bradley, spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA,
the pilots' union for United Airlines), has over 35 years of
experience as a commercial airline pilot with United Airlines. It's
a dream job, despite some occasional turbulence in the
air.
At age
16, Bradley began flying small airplanes, and subsequently joined
the U.S. Air Force. In 1965 he passed on two new-hire class dates
with United, "not understanding the importance of seniority in the
industry," and started his long career with United the following
year, one year shy of his bachelor's degree.
While
working, Bradley finished his college education, then went to law
school, working "on reserve" for four years, taking whatever flights
came his way. In addition to being a United pilot, he worked on the
side for an "old, stodgy law firm in California" doing aviation law.
But he declined the senior partnership that was later offered, and
became a full-time pilot.
It's
not unusual for pilots to moonlight. United counts some doctors,
dentists, and CPAs among its pilots - and it's not because they're
underworked. "Pilots are generally achievement- and
success-oriented," Bradley said. "Besides, you don't want to be hung
out to dry if you can't pass the physical exam."
It
takes serious talent and dedication to make it all the way to
retirement as a pilot, not to mention outstanding physical health.
Of the 35 pilots in Bradley's training class 35 years ago, only
three are still commercial pilots today. Physicals are required at
least once a year, depending on position, plane type, and the type
of flight (international or domestic). International first officers
have to have an ATP (Air Transport Certificate), which requires a
first-class physical from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This happens every six months. There are also annual company
physicals. If a pilot should fail any of these for any reason, he is
let go.
Pilots'
schedules require them to be on duty for hours, and sometimes days
at a time. They are assigned to a specific flight plan that changes
constantly. If he were assigned to a simple domestic routine such as
a D.C.-Denver flight, Bradley might complete the round trip five
times in a week. But if he were to fly a 777, one of United's newest
planes, he would be on an international track, requiring perhaps a
seven- or eight-day trip sequence between Washington, D.C., London,
and Chicago. He would repeat this pattern twice a month, and would
do an additional domestic flight.
There's
a reason Bradley's been in the same place for so long. In the public
aviation industry, everything is based on seniority. For that
reason, pilots become affiliated with their companies for life.
Changing companies means starting all over.
Pilots
fly for the love of it, not for money, Bradley said, although
commercial airline pilots are well compensated. Salaries are based
on longevity, position (1st officer, 2nd officer, captain), type of
plane, and personal flight pay credits (FPC), a measure of hours
worked. Bradley explained that pilots spend considerable time
commuting and waiting between flights, so that a pilot can be gone
for three days and only get 10 hours of FPC.
According to the Air Line Pilots Association, pilots can
expect to spend approximately $30,000 on pilot certification alone
(pilots must receive 11 certifications/ratings). That's on top of
receiving the now required college degree. Entry-level pilots,
according to the association, start at approximately $28,000 per
year; and after ten years of experience, a pilot might see six
figures. Federal law requires pilots to retire at age 60.
So if
you are are physically fit, unafraid of heights or long hours, and
think you're born to fly, consider a career as an airline pilot...and
dream on!
Related resources
Air Line Pilots Association
United Airlines
- Leslie Tebbe, Salary.com
Contributor
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