🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 152 (from laksa130)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa152.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot","crawl_time":1773999119,"first_indexed_time":1434459907,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,wikipedia!en,\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot s443","src_root_hash":"17790707453426894952","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Aircraft pilot - Wikipedia","meta_descriptions":[],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"\"Aviatrix\" redirects here. For a discussion of the role of women in aviation and aeronautics, see\nWomen in aviation\n.\nU.S. Army Air Forces\ntest pilot\nLt.\nF.W. \"Mike\" Hunter wearing a\nflight suit\nin October 1942\nAn\naircraft pilot\n, or\naviator\n, is an individual who controls an\naircraft's\nflight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as\nnavigators\nand\nflight engineers\n, are also considered aviators because they assist in operating the aircraft’s navigation and engine systems. Aircrew members like drone operators,\nflight attendants\n,\nmechanics\n, and\nground crew\nare not classified as aviators.\nTo recognize pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines around the world award\naviator badges\nto their pilots.\nThe first recorded use of the term\naviator\n(\naviateur\nin French) was in 1887, as a variation of\naviation\n, from the Latin\navis\n(meaning\nbird\n), coined in 1863 by\nG. J. G. de La Landelle\n [\nfr\n]\nin\nAviation Ou Navigation Aérienne\n(\"Aviation or Air Navigation\"). The term\naviatrix\n(\naviatrice\nin French), now archaic, was formerly used for a female pilot. The term\naviator\n(\naviateur\nin French), now archaic, was formerly used for a male pilot.\n[\n1\n]\nPeople who operate aircraft obtain a\npilot\nlicence. Aviation regulations referred to\npilots\n. These terms were used more in the\nearly days of aviation\n, when airplanes were extremely rare, and connoted bravery and adventure. For example, a 1905 reference work described the\nWright brothers\n' first\nairplane\n: \"The weight, including the body of the aviator, is a little more than 700 pounds\".\n[\n2\n]\nTo ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early\naviation\nsoon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The\nAéro-Club de France\ndelivered the first certificate to\nLouis Blériot\nin 1908—followed by\nGlenn Curtiss\n,\nLéon Delagrange\n, and\nRobert Esnault-Pelterie\n. The British\nRoyal Aero Club\nfollowed in 1910 and the\nAero Club of America\nin 1911 (Glenn Curtiss receiving the first).\nPilots landing a\nBoeing 777\nCivilian pilots fly aircraft of all types privately for pleasure, charity, or in pursuance of a business, or commercially for non-scheduled (charter) and scheduled passenger and cargo air carriers (airlines), corporate aviation, agriculture (crop dusting, etc.), forest fire control, law enforcement, etc. When flying for an airline, pilots are usually referred to as airline pilots, with the\npilot in command\noften referred to as the\ncaptain\n.\nThere were 290,000\nairline\npilots in the world in 2017 and aircraft simulator manufacturer\nCAE Inc.\nforecasts a need for 255,000 new ones for a population of 440,000 by 2027, 150,000 for growth and 105,000 to offset retirement and attrition: 90,000 in Asia-Pacific (average pilot age in 2016: 45.8 years), 85,000 in Americas (48 years), 50,000 in Europe (43.7 years) and 30,000 in Middle East & Africa (45.7 years).\n[\n3\n]\nBoeing\nexpects 790,000 new pilots in 20 years from 2018, 635,000 for\ncommercial aviation\n, 96,000 for\nbusiness aviation\nand 59,000 for\nhelicopters\n: 33% in Asia Pacific (261,000), 26% in North America (206,000), 18% in Europe (146,000), 8% in the Middle East (64,000), 7% in Latin America (57,000), 4% in Africa (29,000) and 3% in Russia\/ Central Asia (27,000).\n[\n4\n]\nBy November 2017, due a shortage of qualified pilots, some pilots were leaving\ncorporate aviation\nto return to airlines. In one example a\nGlobal 6000\npilot, making $250,000 a year for 10 to 15 flight hours a month, returned to\nAmerican Airlines\nwith full\nseniority\n. A\nGulfstream G650\nor Global 6000 pilot might earn between $245,000 and $265,000, and recruiting one may require up to $300,000. At the other end of the spectrum, constrained by the available pilots, some small carriers hire new pilots who need 300 hours to jump to airlines in a year. They may also recruit non-career pilots who have other jobs or airline retirees who want to continue to fly.\n[\n5\n]\nThe number of airline pilots could decrease as automation replaces copilots and eventually pilots as well. In January 2017 Rhett Ross, CEO of\nContinental Motors\nsaid \"my concern is that in the next two decades—if not sooner—automated and autonomous flight will have developed sufficiently to put downward pressure on both wages and the number and kind of flying jobs available. So if a kid asks the question now and he or she is 18, 20 years from now will be 2037 and our would-be careerist will be 38—not even mid-career. Who among us thinks aviation and especially for-hire flying will look like it does now?\" Christian Dries, owner of\nDiamond Aircraft\nAustria said \"Behind the curtain, aircraft manufacturers are working on a single-pilot cockpit where the airplane can be controlled from the ground and only in case of malfunction does the pilot of the plane interfere. Basically the flight will be autonomous and I expect this to happen in the next five to six years for freighters.\"\n[\nneeds update\n]\n[\n6\n]\nIn August 2017 financial company\nUBS\npredicted pilotless\nairliners\nare technically feasible and could appear around 2025, offering around $35bn of savings, mainly in pilot costs: $26bn for\nairlines\n, $3bn for\nbusiness jets\nand $2.1bn for civil\nhelicopters\n; $3bn\/year from lower pilot training and\naviation insurance\ncosts due to safer flights; $1bn from flight optimisation (1% of global airlines' $133bn\njet fuel\nbill in 2016); not counting revenue opportunity from increased\ncapacity utilization\n.\nRegulations have to adapt with\nair cargo\nlikely at the forefront, but pilotless flights could be limited by\nconsumer behaviour\n: 54% of 8,000 people\nsurveyed\nare defiant while 17% are supportive, with acceptation progressively forecast.\n[\n7\n]\nAVweb reporter Geoff Rapoport stated, \"pilotless aircraft are an appealing prospect for airlines bracing for the need to hire several hundred thousand new pilots in the next decade. Wages and training costs have been rapidly rising at regional U.S. airlines over the last several years as the major airlines have hired pilots from the regionals at unprecedented rates to cover increased air travel demand from economic expansion and a wave of retirements\".\n[\n8\n]\nGoing to pilotless airliners could be done in one bold step or in gradual improvements like by reducing the cockpit crew for long haul missions or allowing single pilot cargo aircraft. The industry has not decided how to proceed yet. Present\nautomated\nsystems are not\nautonomous\nand must be monitored; their replacement could require\nartificial intelligence\nwith\nmachine learning\nwhile present certified\nsoftware\nis\ndeterministic\n.\n[\n9\n]\nAs the\nAirbus A350\nwould only need minor modifications,\nAir Caraibes\nand\nFrench Bee\nparent Groupe Dubreuil see two-pilot crews in long-haul operations, without a third pilot for rotation, happening around 2024–2025.\n[\n10\n]\nSingle-pilot freighters could start with regional flights.\n[\n11\n]\nThe\nAir Line Pilots Association\nbelieve removing pilots would threaten\naviation safety\nand opposes the April 2018\nFAA\nReauthorization Act's Section 744 establishing a\nresearch and development\nprogram to assist\nsingle-pilot\ncargo aircraft by remote and computer piloting.\n[\n12\n]\nFor French aerospace research center\nOnera\nand avionics manufacturer\nThales\n, artificial intelligence (AI) like consumer\nneural networks\nlearning from large datasets cannot explain their operation and cannot be certified for safe air transport. Progress towards ‘explainable’ AIs can be expected in the next decade, as the Onera expects \"leads\" for a certifiable AI system, along\nEASA\nstandards evolution.\n[\n13\n]\nIn some countries, such as\nPakistan\n,\nThailand\nand several\nAfrican\nnations, there is a strong relationship between the military and the principal national airlines, and many airline pilots come from the military; however, that is no longer the case in the\nUnited States\nand\nWestern Europe\n.\n[\ncitation needed\n]\nWhile the flight decks of U.S. and European airliners do have ex-military pilots, many pilots are civilians. Military training and flying, while rigorous, is fundamentally different in many ways from civilian piloting.\nOperating an aircraft in Canada is regulated by the\nAeronautics Act\nof 1985 and the\nCanadian Aviation Regulations\nprovide rules for\nPilot licensing in Canada\n.\nRetirement age is provided by each airline, with some set to age 60, but changes to the\nCanadian Human Rights Act\nhave restricted the retirement age set by the airlines.\n[\n14\n]\nIn the United States in 2020, there were 691,691 active pilot certificates.\n[\n15\n]\nThis was down from a high of over 800,000 active pilots in 1980.\n[\n16\n]\nOf the active pilot certificate holders, there were 160,860 Private, 103,879 Commercial, 164,193 Airline Transport, and 222,629 Student.\n[\n17\n]\nIn 1930, the\nAir Commerce Act\nestablished pilot licensing requirements for American civil aviation.\nCommercial airline pilots in the United States have a mandatory retirement age of 65, having increased from age 60 in 2007.\n[\n18\n]\nA\nU.S. Air Force\nF-16\npilot in flight\nMilitary pilots fly with the armed forces, primarily the air forces, of a government or\nnation-state\n. Their tasks involve\ncombat\nand non-combat operations, including direct hostile engagements and support operations. Military pilots undergo specialized training, often with\nweapons\n. Examples of military pilots include\nfighter pilots\n, bomber pilots, transport pilots,\ntest pilots\n, and\nastronauts\n.\nCaptain\nMarcel Courmes\n, French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915.\nMilitary pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors. This is due to the different aircraft, flight goals, flight situations and chains of responsibility. Many military pilots do transfer to civilian-pilot qualification after they leave the military, and typically their military experience provides the basis for a civilian pilot's license.\nIt was in\nFrance\nthat the world's first bombing group was created, on November 23, 1914. The\nVoisin III\nwere the only aircraft available for this mission. These could only carry very light loads (between 55–160 kg of bombs), the bombs were rudimentary and the aiming systems remained to be developed. Initially, the bombs were simply thrown overboard by the crew, with necessarily very limited accuracy.\nNevertheless, the beginnings of tactical and strategic bombing took place in the first days of the war. Thus, the\nRoyal Naval Air Service\n(RNAS) carried out bombing missions of the hangars of the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne and Friedrichhafen during the autumn of 1914. The formation of the Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende (\"Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment\", name of code of the first German bombing units) carried out bombing missions over the English Channel in December 1914.\nUnmanned aerial vehicles\n[\nedit\n]\nA United States Air Force RPA pilot.\nUnmanned aerial vehicles\n(UAVs, also known as \"drones\") operate without a pilot on board and are classed into two categories: autonomous aircraft that operate without active human control during flight and remotely piloted UAVs which are operated remotely by one or more persons. The person controlling a remotely piloted UAV may be referred to as its pilot or operator. Depending on the sophistication and use of the UAV, pilots\/operators of UAVs may require certification or training, but are generally not subject to the licensing\/certification requirements of pilots of manned aircraft. Some UAV's can be bought online and are not in military use.\nMost jurisdictions have restrictions on the use of UAVs which have greatly limited their use in controlled airspace; UAVs have mostly been limited to military and hobbyist use. In the United States, use of UAVs is very limited in controlled airspace (generally, above 400 ft\/122m and away from airports), and the FAA prohibits nearly all commercial use. Once regulations are made to allow expanded use of UAVs in controlled airspace, there is expected to be a large surge of UAVs in use and, consequently, high demand for pilots\/operators of these aircraft.\n[\n19\n]\nAn astronaut going through pilot training exercise.\nThe general concept of an airplane pilot can be applied to\nhuman spaceflight\n, as well. The pilot is the\nastronaut\nwho directly controls the operation of a\nspacecraft\n. This term derives directly from the usage of the word \"pilot\" in aviation, where it is synonymous with \"aviator\".\nPilot certifications\n[\nedit\n]\nMilitary aviation training in a\nRoyal Air Force\nNimrod aircraft\nPilots are required to go through many hours of\nflight training\nand theoretical study, that differ depending on the country. The first step is acquiring the\nPrivate Pilot License\n(PPL), or Private Pilot Certificate.  In the United States of America, this includes a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of flight training, the majority of which with a\nCertified Flight Instructor\n.\nIn the United States, an LSA (\nLight Sport Aircraft\n) license can be obtained in at least 20 hours of flight time.\nGenerally, the next step in a pilot's progression is\nInstrument Rating\n(IR), or Multi-Engine Rating (MEP) addons. Pilots may also choose to pursue a\nCommercial Pilot License\n(CPL) after completing their PPL. This is required if the pilot desires to pursue a professional career as a pilot. To captain an airliner, one must obtain an\nAirline Transport Pilot License\n(ATPL). In the United States after 1 August 2013, an ATPL is required even when acting as a first officer.\n[\n20\n]\nSome countries\/carriers require\/use a\nmulti-crew cooperation\n(MCC) certificate.\nThere is a popular belief that airline pilots die earlier than the general population. This belief was not supported by 1990s studies of American Airlines and British Airways pilots.\n[\n21\n]\n[\n22\n]\n[\n23\n]\nA hoax claiming to show an inverse relationship between retirement age and life expectancy was refuted by Boeing.\n[\n24\n]\n[\n25\n]\nHowever, a 1992 study of several airline pilot associations' data found evidence of higher mortality.\n[\n26\n]\nA 1978 study of military pilots found increased longevity, which was attributed to \"generally good socioeconomic background, the positive genetic influence of long-lived parents, the above average intelligence, and the health and fitness orientation of the military aviator\".\n[\n27\n]\nAirline pilot uniforms\nAir safety\nIMSAFE\n(mnemonic for pilot's fitness to fly)\nList of aerospace engineers\nList of aviators\nPilot fatigue\nPilot logbook\n^\n\"Aeronautics in 1904\".\nCollier's Self-Indexing Annual\n. New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6.\n^\n\"Aeronautics in 1904\".\nCollier's Self-Indexing Annual\n. New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6.\n^\n\"Airline Pilot Demand Outlook\"\n(PDF)\n. CAE Inc. June 2017. 10-year view. Archived from\nthe original\n(PDF)\non July 12, 2017\n. Retrieved\nJune 21,\n2017\n.\n^\n\"Pilot Outlook: 2018 - 2037\"\n. Boeing. July 23, 2018.\n^\nLynch, Kerry (November 21, 2017).\n\"Bizav Leaders Seeing Shortages in Qualified Pilot Pool\"\n.\nAIN\n. Retrieved\nMarch 8,\n2018\n.\n^\n\"Will A Robot Steal Your Pilot Job?\"\n.\nAVweb\n. January 1, 2017. Archived from\nthe original\non January 5, 2017\n. Retrieved\nJuly 31,\n2017\n.\n^\nCastle, Jarrod; et al. (August 7, 2017),\n\"Flying solo – how far are we down the path towards pilotless planes?\"\n(PDF)\n,\nUBS Global Research\n, UBS, archived from\nthe original\n(PDF)\non August 17, 2017\n, retrieved\nAugust 17,\n2017\n^\nRapoport, Geoff (August 7, 2017).\n\"Pilotless Transport Aircraft By 2025 Says UBS\"\n.\nAVweb\n. Retrieved\nAugust 9,\n2017\n.\n[\npermanent dead link\n]\n^\nTrimble, Stephen (August 21, 2017).\n\"How Boeing is approaching the future of pilotless airliners\"\n.\nFlightglobal\n. Retrieved\nMarch 8,\n2018\n.\n^\nDubois, Thierry (December 11, 2019).\n\"Airline CEO Sees Reduced Long-Haul Crew In Near Future\"\n.\nAviation Week Network\n.\n^\nFreed, Jamie; Hepher, Tim (February 8, 2018).\n\"Freight first as jetmakers study single-pilot airplanes\"\n.\nReuters\n. Retrieved\nMarch 8,\n2018\n.\n^\nCanoll, Tim (July 31, 2018).\n\"Opinion: Why Two Pilots In The Cockpit Remains Essential\"\n.\nAviation Week & Space Technology\n.\n^\nDubois, Thierry (November 26, 2018).\n\"No AI In Cockpit Anytime Soon, Onera, Thales Say\"\n.\nAviation Week Network\n.\n^\nLu, Vanessa (January 24, 2013).\n\"Air Canada pilots can continue flying past age 60 under new rules\"\n.\nToronto Star\n. Retrieved\nNovember 5,\n2013\n.\n^\n\"U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics\"\n.\nwww.faa.gov\n. Retrieved\nOctober 17,\n2019\n.\n^\nEvans, Jon (April 22, 2018).\n\"Where have all the pilots gone?\"\n.\nTechCrunch\n. Retrieved\nApril 24,\n2018\n.\n^\n\"U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics\"\n.\nwww.faa.gov\n. Retrieved\nNovember 1,\n2020\n.\n^\nMaxon, Terry (December 15, 2007).\n\"Retirement age raised to 65 in nick of time for pilots turning 60\"\n.\nThe Dallas Morning News\n. Retrieved\nOctober 15,\n2009\n.\n^\nRooney, Ben (November 25, 2014).\n\"Drone pilot wanted: Starting salary $100,000\"\n.\nCNN\n. Retrieved\nMarch 24,\n2015\n.\n^\nPope, Stephen (July 11, 2013).\n\"FAA Finalizes ATP Rule for First Officers\"\n.\nFlying Magazine\n. Retrieved\nOctober 15,\n2014\n.\n[\npermanent dead link\n]\n^\nBesco, Robert O.; Sangal, Satya P.; Nesthus, Thomas E.; Veronneau, Stephen J. H. (February 1, 1995).\nLongevity and Survival Analysis for a Cohort of Retired Airline Pilots\n(Report). Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. DOT\/FAA\/AM-95\/5\n. Retrieved\nMarch 23,\n2024\n.\n^\nBesco, Robert O. (1996).\n\"Study suggests longer life expectancy for retired pilots than for their general population counterparts\"\n(PDF)\n.\nHuman Factors & Aviation Medicine\n.\n43\n(1)\n. Retrieved\nMarch 23,\n2024\n.\n^\nIrvine, D.; Davies, D. M. (June 1999). \"British Airways flightdeck mortality study, 1950-1992\".\nAviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine\n.\n70\n(6):\n548–\n555.\nISSN\n \n0095-6562\n.\nPMID\n \n10373044\n.\n^\n\"Boeing: Let's Retire the Rumor About Life Expectancy 7.30.2004\"\n. June 30, 2004.\n^\nGerstle, Frank; Biggs, Mark (November 16, 2011).\n\"Reality check: Sandia retirees' life expectancies differ markedly from the 'Boeing' urban legend graph\"\n(PDF)\n.\nSandia Lab News\n. Vol. 53, no. 23. pp. \n12–\n13.\nArchived\n(PDF)\nfrom the original on March 27, 2024\n. Retrieved\nAugust 18,\n2024\n.\n^\nMuhanna, Ibrahim E.; Shakallis, Andreas (June 1992).\n\"Preliminary study confirms that pilots die at younger age than general population\"\n(PDF)\n.\nFlight Safety Digest\n. Retrieved\nMarch 23,\n2024\n.\n^\nMacIntyre, N. R.; Mitchell, R. E.; Oberman, A.; Harlan, W. R.; Graybiel, A.; Johnson, E. (September 1978). \"Longevity in military pilots: 37-year followup of the Navy's \"1000 aviators\"\n\".\nAviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine\n.\n49\n(9):\n1120–\n1122.\nISSN\n \n0095-6562\n.\nPMID\n \n697677\n.","attrs_markdown":"[Jump to content](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#bodyContent)\n\nMain menu\n\nMain menu\n\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\nNavigation\n\n- [Main page](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_Page \"Visit the main page [z]\")\n- [Contents](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Contents \"Guides to browsing Wikipedia\")\n- [Current events](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Portal:Current_events \"Articles related to current events\")\n- [Random article](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:Random \"Visit a randomly selected article [x]\")\n- [About Wikipedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:About \"Learn about Wikipedia and how it works\")\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Contact_us \"How to contact Wikipedia\")\n\nContribute\n\n- [Help](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Contents \"Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia\")\n- [Learn to edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Introduction \"Learn how to edit Wikipedia\")\n- [Community portal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Community_portal \"The hub for editors\")\n- [Recent changes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:RecentChanges \"A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]\")\n- [Upload file](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard \"Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia\")\n- [Special pages](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:SpecialPages \"A list of all special pages [q]\")\n\n[![](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/icons\/enwiki-25.svg) ![Wikipedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/mobile\/copyright\/wikipedia-wordmark-en-25.svg) ![The Free Encyclopedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/mobile\/copyright\/wikipedia-tagline-en-25.svg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_Page)\n\n[Search](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:Search \"Search Wikipedia [f]\")\n\nAppearance\n\n- [Donate](https:\/\/donate.wikimedia.org\/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en)\n- [Create account](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Aircraft+pilot \"You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory\")\n- [Log in](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Aircraft+pilot \"You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]\")\n\nPersonal tools\n\n- [Donate](https:\/\/donate.wikimedia.org\/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en)\n- [Create account](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Aircraft+pilot \"You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory\")\n- [Log in](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Aircraft+pilot \"You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]\")\n\n## Contents\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\n- [(Top)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot)\n- [1 Definition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Definition)\n- [2 History](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#History)\n- [3 Civilian](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Civilian)\n  Toggle Civilian subsection\n  - [3\\.1 Airline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Airline)\n    - [3\\.1.1 Automation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Automation)\n  - [3\\.2 Africa and Asia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Africa_and_Asia)\n  - [3\\.3 Canada](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Canada)\n  - [3\\.4 United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#United_States)\n- [4 Military](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Military)\n- [5 Unmanned aerial vehicles](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Unmanned_aerial_vehicles)\n- [6 Space](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Space)\n- [7 Pilot certifications](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Pilot_certifications)\n- [8 Life expectancy](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#Life_expectancy)\n- [9 See also](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#See_also)\n- [10 References](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#References)\n- [11 External links](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#External_links)\n\nToggle the table of contents\n\n# Aircraft pilot\n75 languages\n\n- [Afrikaans](https:\/\/af.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vlie%C3%ABnier \"Vlieënier – Afrikaans\")\n- [العربية](https:\/\/ar.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1 \"طيار – Arabic\")\n- [Asturianu](https:\/\/ast.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilotu_d%27aviaci%C3%B3n \"Pilotu d'aviación – Asturian\")\n- [Azərbaycanca](https:\/\/az.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Azerbaijani\")\n- [Betawi](https:\/\/bew.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tukang_terbang \"Tukang terbang – Betawi\")\n- [Български](https:\/\/bg.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82 \"Пилот – Bulgarian\")\n- [বাংলা](https:\/\/bn.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8_%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%95 \"বিমান চালক – Bangla\")\n- [Bosanski](https:\/\/bs.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Bosnian\")\n- [Català](https:\/\/ca.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviador \"Aviador – Catalan\")\n- [کوردی](https:\/\/ckb.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D9%81%DA%95%DB%86%DA%A9%DB%95%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86 \"فڕۆکەوان – Central Kurdish\")\n- [Čeština](https:\/\/cs.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Czech\")\n- [Dansk](https:\/\/da.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Danish\")\n- [Deutsch](https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – German\")\n- [Ελληνικά](https:\/\/el.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%CE%A0%CE%B9%CE%BB%CF%8C%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%82 \"Πιλότος – Greek\")\n- [Esperanto](https:\/\/eo.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloto \"Piloto – Esperanto\")\n- [Español](https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloto_de_aviaci%C3%B3n \"Piloto de aviación – Spanish\")\n- [Eesti](https:\/\/et.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lendur \"Lendur – Estonian\")\n- [Euskara](https:\/\/eu.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hegazkinlari \"Hegazkinlari – Basque\")\n- [فارسی](https:\/\/fa.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86 \"خلبان – Persian\")\n- [Suomi](https:\/\/fi.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lent%C3%A4j%C3%A4 \"Lentäjä – Finnish\")\n- [Français](https:\/\/fr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilote_\$aviation\$ \"Pilote (aviation) – French\")\n- [Frysk](https:\/\/fy.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloat \"Piloat – Western Frisian\")\n- [Gàidhlig](https:\/\/gd.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paidhleat \"Paidhleat – Scottish Gaelic\")\n- [Galego](https:\/\/gl.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloto \"Piloto – Galician\")\n- [עברית](https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%98%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A1 \"טייס – Hebrew\")\n- [हिन्दी](https:\/\/hi.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%95 \"वायुयान चालक – Hindi\")\n- [Hrvatski](https:\/\/hr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Croatian\")\n- [Magyar](https:\/\/hu.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pil%C3%B3ta_\$l%C3%A9gi_k%C3%B6zleked%C3%A9s\$ \"Pilóta (légi közlekedés) – Hungarian\")\n- [Հայերեն](https:\/\/hy.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D5%95%D5%A4%D5%A1%D5%B9%D5%B8%D6%82 \"Օդաչու – Armenian\")\n- [Interlingua](https:\/\/ia.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilota \"Pilota – Interlingua\")\n- [Bahasa Indonesia](https:\/\/id.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Penerbang \"Penerbang – Indonesian\")\n- [Italiano](https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviatore \"Aviatore – Italian\")\n- [日本語](https:\/\/ja.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E3%83%91%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AD%E3%83%83%E3%83%88_\$%E8%88%AA%E7%A9%BA\$ \"パイロット (航空) – Japanese\")\n- [Jawa](https:\/\/jv.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Juru_anggegana \"Juru anggegana – Javanese\")\n- [ქართული](https:\/\/ka.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A4%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%98_%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98 \"მფრინავი კოსმონავტი – Georgian\")\n- [한국어](https:\/\/ko.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%EB%B9%84%ED%96%89%EC%82%AC \"비행사 – Korean\")\n- [Kurdî](https:\/\/ku.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/P%C3%AElot \"Pîlot – Kurdish\")\n- [Latina](https:\/\/la.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gubernator_a%C3%ABroplani \"Gubernator aëroplani – Latin\")\n- [Limburgs](https:\/\/li.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloot_\$l%C3%B3chvaart\$ \"Piloot (lóchvaart) – Limburgish\")\n- [Lombard](https:\/\/lmo.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sgolater \"Sgolater – Lombard\")\n- [Lietuvių](https:\/\/lt.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviatorius \"Aviatorius – Lithuanian\")\n- [Latviešu](https:\/\/lv.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lidot%C4%81js \"Lidotājs – Latvian\")\n- [Minangkabau](https:\/\/min.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Minangkabau\")\n- [मराठी](https:\/\/mr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95 \"वैमानिक – Marathi\")\n- [Bahasa Melayu](https:\/\/ms.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Juruterbang \"Juruterbang – Malay\")\n- [नेपाली](https:\/\/ne.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%95 \"विमान चालक – Nepali\")\n- [Nederlands](https:\/\/nl.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloot \"Piloot – Dutch\")\n- [Norsk bokmål](https:\/\/no.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flyger \"Flyger – Norwegian Bokmål\")\n- [ਪੰਜਾਬੀ](https:\/\/pa.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%A8%AA%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%87%E0%A8%B2%E0%A8%9F \"ਪਾਇਲਟ – Punjabi\")\n- [پنجابی](https:\/\/pnb.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%D9%B9 \"پائلٹ – Western Punjabi\")\n- [پښتو](https:\/\/ps.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AA%DA%AB%D8%B1 \"الوتګر – Pashto\")\n- [Português](https:\/\/pt.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloto_\$avia%C3%A7%C3%A3o\$ \"Piloto (aviação) – Portuguese\")\n- [Română](https:\/\/ro.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviator \"Aviator – Romanian\")\n- [Русский](https:\/\/ru.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%9B%D1%91%D1%82%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BA \"Лётчик – Russian\")\n- [Русиньскый](https:\/\/rue.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82 \"Пилот – Rusyn\")\n- [سنڌي](https:\/\/sd.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D8%AC%DA%BE%D8%A7%D8%B2_%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%BD \"جھاز پائليٽ – Sindhi\")\n- [Srpskohrvatski \/ српскохрватски](https:\/\/sh.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Serbo-Croatian\")\n- [Simple English](https:\/\/simple.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Simple English\")\n- [Slovenčina](https:\/\/sk.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Slovak\")\n- [Slovenščina](https:\/\/sl.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Slovenian\")\n- [Shqip](https:\/\/sq.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Piloti_i_avionit \"Piloti i avionit – Albanian\")\n- [Српски \/ srpski](https:\/\/sr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82 \"Пилот – Serbian\")\n- [Svenska](https:\/\/sv.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Swedish\")\n- [தமிழ்](https:\/\/ta.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF \"வானோடி – Tamil\")\n- [తెలుగు](https:\/\/te.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%B0%B5%E0%B1%88%E0%B0%AE%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%A1%E0%B1%81 \"వైమానికుడు – Telugu\")\n- [Türkçe](https:\/\/tr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"Pilot – Turkish\")\n- [Українська](https:\/\/uk.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%9B%D1%8C%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BA \"Льотчик – Ukrainian\")\n- [اردو](https:\/\/ur.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%DB%81%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2 \"ہواباز – Urdu\")\n- [Oʻzbekcha \/ ўзбекча](https:\/\/uz.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Samolyot_uchuvchisi \"Samolyot uchuvchisi – Uzbek\")\n- [Tiếng Việt](https:\/\/vi.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Phi_c%C3%B4ng \"Phi công – Vietnamese\")\n- [吴语](https:\/\/wuu.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E9%A3%9E%E8%A1%8C%E5%91%98 \"飞行员 – Wu\")\n- [ייִדיש](https:\/\/yi.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%98 \"פילאט – Yiddish\")\n- [閩南語 \/ Bân-lâm-gí](https:\/\/zh-min-nan.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hui-h%C3%AAng-o%C3%A2n \"Hui-hêng-oân – Minnan\")\n- [粵語](https:\/\/zh-yue.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E9%A3%9B%E8%A1%8C%E5%93%A1 \"飛行員 – Cantonese\")\n- [中文](https:\/\/zh.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E9%A3%9B%E8%A1%8C%E5%93%A1 \"飛行員 – Chinese\")\n\n[Edit links](https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Special:EntityPage\/Q2095549#sitelinks-wikipedia \"Edit interlanguage links\")\n\n- [Article](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot \"View the content page [c]\")\n- [Talk](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Talk:Aircraft_pilot \"Discuss improvements to the content page [t]\")\n\nEnglish\n\n- [Read](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot)\n- [Edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit \"Edit this page [e]\")\n- [View history](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=history \"Past revisions of this page [h]\")\n\nTools\n\nTools\n\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\nActions\n\n- [Read](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot)\n- [Edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit \"Edit this page [e]\")\n- [View history](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=history)\n\nGeneral\n\n- [What links here](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:WhatLinksHere\/Aircraft_pilot \"List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]\")\n- [Related changes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:RecentChangesLinked\/Aircraft_pilot \"Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]\")\n- [Upload file](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard \"Upload files [u]\")\n- [Permanent link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&oldid=1333678494 \"Permanent link to this revision of this page\")\n- [Page information](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=info \"More information about this page\")\n- [Cite this page](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=Aircraft_pilot&id=1333678494&wpFormIdentifier=titleform \"Information on how to cite this page\")\n- [Get shortened URL](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAircraft_pilot)\n\nPrint\/export\n\n- [Download as PDF](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=Aircraft_pilot&action=show-download-screen \"Download this page as a PDF file\")\n- [Printable version](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&printable=yes \"Printable version of this page [p]\")\n\nIn other projects\n\n- [Wikimedia Commons](https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Category:Aviators)\n- [Wikidata item](https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Special:EntityPage\/Q2095549 \"Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]\")\n\nAppearance\n\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\nFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia\n\nPerson controlling an aircraft in flight\n\nFor [technical reasons](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Naming_conventions_\$technical_restrictions\$ \"Wikipedia:Naming conventions (technical restrictions)\"), \"Pilot \\#5\" redirects here. For the 1943 film, see [*Pilot No. 5*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_No._5 \"Pilot No. 5\").\n\n\"Aviator\", \"Jet pilot\", and \"Pilot\" redirect here. For other uses, see [Aviator (disambiguation)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviator_\$disambiguation\$ \"Aviator (disambiguation)\"), [Jet pilot (disambiguation)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jet_pilot_\$disambiguation\$ \"Jet pilot (disambiguation)\"), and [Pilot (disambiguation)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_\$disambiguation\$ \"Pilot (disambiguation)\").\n\n\"Aviatrix\" redirects here. For a discussion of the role of women in aviation and aeronautics, see [Women in aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women_in_aviation \"Women in aviation\").\n\n|   |   |\n|---|---|\n| [![icon](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/9\/99\/Question_book-new.svg\/60px-Question_book-new.svg.png)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Question_book-new.svg) | This article **needs additional citations for [verification](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Verifiability \"Wikipedia:Verifiability\")**. Please help [improve this article](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:EditPage\/Aircraft_pilot \"Special:EditPage\/Aircraft pilot\") by [adding citations to reliable sources](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Referencing_for_beginners \"Help:Referencing for beginners\"). Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. *Find sources:* [\"Aircraft pilot\"](https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22) – [news](https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1) **·** [newspapers](https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks) **·** [books](https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22+-wikipedia) **·** [scholar](https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/scholar?q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22) **·** [JSTOR](https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/action\/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Aircraft+pilot%22&acc=on&wc=on) *(March 2015)* *([Learn how and when to remove this message](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Maintenance_template_removal \"Help:Maintenance template removal\"))* |\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/38\/Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg\/250px-Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg)\n\n[U.S. Army Air Forces](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_Army_Air_Forces \"United States Army Air Forces\") test pilot [Lt.](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lieutenant \"Lieutenant\") F.W. \"Mike\" Hunter wearing a [flight suit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_suit \"Flight suit\") in October 1942\n\nAn **aircraft pilot**, or **aviator**, is an individual who controls an [aircraft's](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft \"Aircraft\") flight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as [navigators](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Navigator \"Navigator\") and [flight engineers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_engineer \"Flight engineer\"), are also considered aviators because they assist in operating the aircraft’s navigation and engine systems. Aircrew members like drone operators, [flight attendants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_attendant \"Flight attendant\"), [mechanics](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_maintenance_technician \"Aircraft maintenance technician\"), and [ground crew](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ground_crew \"Ground crew\") are not classified as aviators.\n\nTo recognize pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines around the world award [aviator badges](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviator_badge \"Aviator badge\") to their pilots.\n\n## Definition\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=1 \"Edit section: Definition\")\\]\n\nThe first recorded use of the term *aviator* (*aviateur* in French) was in 1887, as a variation of *aviation*, from the Latin *avis* (meaning *bird*), coined in 1863 by [G. J. G. de La Landelle](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=G._J._G._de_La_Landelle&action=edit&redlink=1 \"G. J. G. de La Landelle (page does not exist)\") \\[[fr](https:\/\/fr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/G._J._G._de_La_Landelle \"fr:G. J. G. de La Landelle\")\\] in *Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne* (\"Aviation or Air Navigation\"). The term *aviatrix* (*aviatrice* in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a female pilot. The term *aviator* (*aviateur* in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a male pilot.[\\[1\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-1)\n\nPeople who operate aircraft obtain a *pilot* licence. Aviation regulations referred to *pilots*. These terms were used more in the [early days of aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_history \"Aviation history\"), when airplanes were extremely rare, and connoted bravery and adventure. For example, a 1905 reference work described the [Wright brothers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wright_brothers \"Wright brothers\")' first [airplane](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airplane \"Airplane\"): \"The weight, including the body of the aviator, is a little more than 700 pounds\".[\\[2\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-2)\n\n## History\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=2 \"Edit section: History\")\\]\n\n|   |   |\n|---|---|\n| [![\\[icon\\]](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg\/20px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This section **needs expansion**. You can help by [adding missing information](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=). *(March 2015)* |\n\nTo ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early [aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation \"Aviation\") soon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The [Aéro-Club de France](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/A%C3%A9ro-Club_de_France \"Aéro-Club de France\") delivered the first certificate to [Louis Blériot](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Louis_Bl%C3%A9riot \"Louis Blériot\") in 1908—followed by [Glenn Curtiss](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Glenn_Curtiss \"Glenn Curtiss\"), [Léon Delagrange](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/L%C3%A9on_Delagrange \"Léon Delagrange\"), and [Robert Esnault-Pelterie](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_Esnault-Pelterie \"Robert Esnault-Pelterie\"). The British [Royal Aero Club](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Aero_Club \"Royal Aero Club\") followed in 1910 and the [Aero Club of America](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aero_Club_of_America \"Aero Club of America\") in 1911 (Glenn Curtiss receiving the first).\n\n## Civilian\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=3 \"Edit section: Civilian\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/ca\/Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg\/250px-Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg)\n\nPilots landing a [Boeing 777](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing_777 \"Boeing 777\")\n\nCivilian pilots fly aircraft of all types privately for pleasure, charity, or in pursuance of a business, or commercially for non-scheduled (charter) and scheduled passenger and cargo air carriers (airlines), corporate aviation, agriculture (crop dusting, etc.), forest fire control, law enforcement, etc. When flying for an airline, pilots are usually referred to as airline pilots, with the [pilot in command](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_in_command \"Pilot in command\") often referred to as the *captain*.\n\n### Airline\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=4 \"Edit section: Airline\")\\]\n\nThere were 290,000 [airline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline \"Airline\") pilots in the world in 2017 and aircraft simulator manufacturer [CAE Inc.](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/CAE_Inc. \"CAE Inc.\") forecasts a need for 255,000 new ones for a population of 440,000 by 2027, 150,000 for growth and 105,000 to offset retirement and attrition: 90,000 in Asia-Pacific (average pilot age in 2016: 45.8 years), 85,000 in Americas (48 years), 50,000 in Europe (43.7 years) and 30,000 in Middle East & Africa (45.7 years).[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-3)\n\n[Boeing](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing \"Boeing\") expects 790,000 new pilots in 20 years from 2018, 635,000 for [commercial aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_aviation \"Commercial aviation\"), 96,000 for [business aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Business_aviation \"Business aviation\") and 59,000 for [helicopters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Helicopter \"Helicopter\"): 33% in Asia Pacific (261,000), 26% in North America (206,000), 18% in Europe (146,000), 8% in the Middle East (64,000), 7% in Latin America (57,000), 4% in Africa (29,000) and 3% in Russia\/ Central Asia (27,000).[\\[4\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-4)\n\nBy November 2017, due a shortage of qualified pilots, some pilots were leaving [corporate aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Corporate_aviation \"Corporate aviation\") to return to airlines. In one example a [Global 6000](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Global_6000 \"Global 6000\") pilot, making \\$250,000 a year for 10 to 15 flight hours a month, returned to [American Airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_Airlines \"American Airlines\") with full [seniority](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seniority_list \"Seniority list\"). A [Gulfstream G650](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gulfstream_G650 \"Gulfstream G650\") or Global 6000 pilot might earn between \\$245,000 and \\$265,000, and recruiting one may require up to \\$300,000. At the other end of the spectrum, constrained by the available pilots, some small carriers hire new pilots who need 300 hours to jump to airlines in a year. They may also recruit non-career pilots who have other jobs or airline retirees who want to continue to fly.[\\[5\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AIN21nonv2017-5)\n\n#### Automation\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=5 \"Edit section: Automation\")\\]\n\nThe number of airline pilots could decrease as automation replaces copilots and eventually pilots as well. In January 2017 Rhett Ross, CEO of [Continental Motors](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Continental_Motors,_Inc. \"Continental Motors, Inc.\") said \"my concern is that in the next two decades—if not sooner—automated and autonomous flight will have developed sufficiently to put downward pressure on both wages and the number and kind of flying jobs available. So if a kid asks the question now and he or she is 18, 20 years from now will be 2037 and our would-be careerist will be 38—not even mid-career. Who among us thinks aviation and especially for-hire flying will look like it does now?\" Christian Dries, owner of [Diamond Aircraft](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diamond_Aircraft \"Diamond Aircraft\") Austria said \"Behind the curtain, aircraft manufacturers are working on a single-pilot cockpit where the airplane can be controlled from the ground and only in case of malfunction does the pilot of the plane interfere. Basically the flight will be autonomous and I expect this to happen in the next five to six years for freighters.\"\\[*[needs update](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style\/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items \"Wikipedia:Manual of Style\/Dates and numbers\")*\\][\\[6\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-6)\n\nIn August 2017 financial company [UBS](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/UBS \"UBS\") predicted pilotless [airliners](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airliner \"Airliner\") are technically feasible and could appear around 2025, offering around \\$35bn of savings, mainly in pilot costs: \\$26bn for [airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline \"Airline\"), \\$3bn for [business jets](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Business_jet \"Business jet\") and \\$2.1bn for civil [helicopters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Helicopters \"Helicopters\"); \\$3bn\/year from lower pilot training and [aviation insurance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_insurance \"Aviation insurance\") costs due to safer flights; \\$1bn from flight optimisation (1% of global airlines' \\$133bn [jet fuel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jet_fuel \"Jet fuel\") bill in 2016); not counting revenue opportunity from increased [capacity utilization](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capacity_utilization \"Capacity utilization\").\n\nRegulations have to adapt with [air cargo](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_cargo \"Air cargo\") likely at the forefront, but pilotless flights could be limited by [consumer behaviour](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Consumer_behaviour \"Consumer behaviour\"): 54% of 8,000 people [surveyed](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Survey_\$human_research\$ \"Survey (human research)\") are defiant while 17% are supportive, with acceptation progressively forecast.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-UBS7Aug2017-7)\n\nAVweb reporter Geoff Rapoport stated, \"pilotless aircraft are an appealing prospect for airlines bracing for the need to hire several hundred thousand new pilots in the next decade. Wages and training costs have been rapidly rising at regional U.S. airlines over the last several years as the major airlines have hired pilots from the regionals at unprecedented rates to cover increased air travel demand from economic expansion and a wave of retirements\".[\\[8\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Rapoport07Aug17-8)\n\nGoing to pilotless airliners could be done in one bold step or in gradual improvements like by reducing the cockpit crew for long haul missions or allowing single pilot cargo aircraft. The industry has not decided how to proceed yet. Present [automated](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Automated \"Automated\") systems are not [autonomous](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Autonomous \"Autonomous\") and must be monitored; their replacement could require [artificial intelligence](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Artificial_intelligence \"Artificial intelligence\") with [machine learning](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Machine_learning \"Machine learning\") while present certified [software](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Software \"Software\") is [deterministic](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Deterministic \"Deterministic\").[\\[9\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-9) As the [Airbus A350](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airbus_A350 \"Airbus A350\") would only need minor modifications, [Air Caraibes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Caraibes \"Air Caraibes\") and [French Bee](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/French_Bee \"French Bee\") parent Groupe Dubreuil see two-pilot crews in long-haul operations, without a third pilot for rotation, happening around 2024–2025.[\\[10\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-10)\n\nSingle-pilot freighters could start with regional flights.[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-11) The [Air Line Pilots Association](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Line_Pilots_Association \"Air Line Pilots Association\") believe removing pilots would threaten [aviation safety](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_safety \"Aviation safety\") and opposes the April 2018 [FAA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/FAA \"FAA\") Reauthorization Act's Section 744 establishing a [research and development](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Research_and_development \"Research and development\") program to assist [single-pilot](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Single-pilot_resource_management \"Single-pilot resource management\") cargo aircraft by remote and computer piloting.[\\[12\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-12)\n\nFor French aerospace research center [Onera](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Onera \"Onera\") and avionics manufacturer [Thales](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thales_Group \"Thales Group\"), artificial intelligence (AI) like consumer [neural networks](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neural_network_\$machine_learning\$ \"Neural network (machine learning)\") learning from large datasets cannot explain their operation and cannot be certified for safe air transport. Progress towards ‘explainable’ AIs can be expected in the next decade, as the Onera expects \"leads\" for a certifiable AI system, along [EASA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Aviation_Safety_Agency \"European Aviation Safety Agency\") standards evolution.[\\[13\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AvWeek26nov2018-13)\n\n### Africa and Asia\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=6 \"Edit section: Africa and Asia\")\\]\n\nIn some countries, such as [Pakistan](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pakistan \"Pakistan\"), [Thailand](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thailand \"Thailand\") and several [African](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa \"Africa\") nations, there is a strong relationship between the military and the principal national airlines, and many airline pilots come from the military; however, that is no longer the case in the [United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States \"United States\") and [Western Europe](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Western_Europe \"Western Europe\").\\[*[citation needed](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed \"Wikipedia:Citation needed\")*\\] While the flight decks of U.S. and European airliners do have ex-military pilots, many pilots are civilians. Military training and flying, while rigorous, is fundamentally different in many ways from civilian piloting.\n\n### Canada\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=7 \"Edit section: Canada\")\\]\n\nOperating an aircraft in Canada is regulated by the *[Aeronautics Act](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aeronautics_Act \"Aeronautics Act\")* of 1985 and the [Canadian Aviation Regulations](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canadian_Aviation_Regulations \"Canadian Aviation Regulations\") provide rules for [Pilot licensing in Canada](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_licensing_in_Canada \"Pilot licensing in Canada\").\n\nRetirement age is provided by each airline, with some set to age 60, but changes to the [Canadian Human Rights Act](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canadian_Human_Rights_Act \"Canadian Human Rights Act\") have restricted the retirement age set by the airlines.[\\[14\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-14)\n\n### United States\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=8 \"Edit section: United States\")\\]\n\nIn the United States in 2020, there were 691,691 active pilot certificates.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-15) This was down from a high of over 800,000 active pilots in 1980.[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-16) Of the active pilot certificate holders, there were 160,860 Private, 103,879 Commercial, 164,193 Airline Transport, and 222,629 Student.[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-17)\n\nIn 1930, the [Air Commerce Act](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Commerce_Act \"Air Commerce Act\") established pilot licensing requirements for American civil aviation.\n\nCommercial airline pilots in the United States have a mandatory retirement age of 65, having increased from age 60 in 2007.[\\[18\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-18)\n\n## Military\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=9 \"Edit section: Military\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/dd\/USAF_pilot.jpg\/250px-USAF_pilot.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:USAF_pilot.jpg)\n\nA [U.S. Air Force](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_Air_Force \"United States Air Force\") [F-16](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/F-16 \"F-16\") pilot in flight\n\nMilitary pilots fly with the armed forces, primarily the air forces, of a government or [nation-state](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nation-state \"Nation-state\"). Their tasks involve [combat](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Combat \"Combat\") and non-combat operations, including direct hostile engagements and support operations. Military pilots undergo specialized training, often with [weapons](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Weapon \"Weapon\"). Examples of military pilots include [fighter pilots](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fighter_pilot \"Fighter pilot\"), bomber pilots, transport pilots, [test pilots](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Test_pilot \"Test pilot\"), and [astronauts](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Astronaut \"Astronaut\").\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/3d\/Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg\/250px-Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg)\n\nCaptain [Marcel Courmes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marcel_Courmes \"Marcel Courmes\"), French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915.\n\nMilitary pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors. This is due to the different aircraft, flight goals, flight situations and chains of responsibility. Many military pilots do transfer to civilian-pilot qualification after they leave the military, and typically their military experience provides the basis for a civilian pilot's license.\n\nIt was in [France](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/France \"France\") that the world's first bombing group was created, on November 23, 1914. The [Voisin III](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Voisin_III \"Voisin III\") were the only aircraft available for this mission. These could only carry very light loads (between 55–160 kg of bombs), the bombs were rudimentary and the aiming systems remained to be developed. Initially, the bombs were simply thrown overboard by the crew, with necessarily very limited accuracy.\n\nNevertheless, the beginnings of tactical and strategic bombing took place in the first days of the war. Thus, the [Royal Naval Air Service](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Naval_Air_Service \"Royal Naval Air Service\") (RNAS) carried out bombing missions of the hangars of the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne and Friedrichhafen during the autumn of 1914. The formation of the Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende (\"Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment\", name of code of the first German bombing units) carried out bombing missions over the English Channel in December 1914.\n\n## Unmanned aerial vehicles\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=10 \"Edit section: Unmanned aerial vehicles\")\\]\n\nFurther information: [Unmanned aerial vehicle § Degree of autonomy](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle#Degree_of_autonomy \"Unmanned aerial vehicle\")\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/c8\/6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg\/250px-6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg)\n\nA United States Air Force RPA pilot.\n\n[Unmanned aerial vehicles](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Unmanned_aerial_vehicles \"Unmanned aerial vehicles\") (UAVs, also known as \"drones\") operate without a pilot on board and are classed into two categories: autonomous aircraft that operate without active human control during flight and remotely piloted UAVs which are operated remotely by one or more persons. The person controlling a remotely piloted UAV may be referred to as its pilot or operator. Depending on the sophistication and use of the UAV, pilots\/operators of UAVs may require certification or training, but are generally not subject to the licensing\/certification requirements of pilots of manned aircraft. Some UAV's can be bought online and are not in military use.\n\nMost jurisdictions have restrictions on the use of UAVs which have greatly limited their use in controlled airspace; UAVs have mostly been limited to military and hobbyist use. In the United States, use of UAVs is very limited in controlled airspace (generally, above 400 ft\/122m and away from airports), and the FAA prohibits nearly all commercial use. Once regulations are made to allow expanded use of UAVs in controlled airspace, there is expected to be a large surge of UAVs in use and, consequently, high demand for pilots\/operators of these aircraft.[\\[19\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-19)\n\n## Space\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=11 \"Edit section: Space\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Astronaut_Pilot.jpg\/250px-Astronaut_Pilot.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Astronaut_Pilot.jpg)\n\nAn astronaut going through pilot training exercise.\n\nThe general concept of an airplane pilot can be applied to [human spaceflight](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Human_spaceflight \"Human spaceflight\"), as well. The pilot is the [astronaut](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Astronaut \"Astronaut\") who directly controls the operation of a [spacecraft](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spacecraft \"Spacecraft\"). This term derives directly from the usage of the word \"pilot\" in aviation, where it is synonymous with \"aviator\".\n\n## Pilot certifications\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=12 \"Edit section: Pilot certifications\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/5\/5b\/RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg\/250px-RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg)\n\nMilitary aviation training in a [Royal Air Force](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Air_Force \"Royal Air Force\") Nimrod aircraft\n\nFurther information: [Pilot licensing and certification](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_licensing_and_certification \"Pilot licensing and certification\")\n\nPilots are required to go through many hours of [flight training](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_training \"Flight training\") and theoretical study, that differ depending on the country. The first step is acquiring the [Private Pilot License](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Private_Pilot_License \"Private Pilot License\") (PPL), or Private Pilot Certificate. In the United States of America, this includes a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of flight training, the majority of which with a [Certified Flight Instructor](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_instructor \"Flight instructor\").\n\nIn the United States, an LSA ([Light Sport Aircraft](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Light-sport_aircraft \"Light-sport aircraft\")) license can be obtained in at least 20 hours of flight time.\n\nGenerally, the next step in a pilot's progression is [Instrument Rating](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Instrument_Rating \"Instrument Rating\") (IR), or Multi-Engine Rating (MEP) addons. Pilots may also choose to pursue a [Commercial Pilot License](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Pilot_License \"Commercial Pilot License\") (CPL) after completing their PPL. This is required if the pilot desires to pursue a professional career as a pilot. To captain an airliner, one must obtain an [Airline Transport Pilot License](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_Transport_Pilot_License \"Airline Transport Pilot License\") (ATPL). In the United States after 1 August 2013, an ATPL is required even when acting as a first officer.[\\[20\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-20) Some countries\/carriers require\/use a [multi-crew cooperation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Multi-crew_cooperation \"Multi-crew cooperation\") (MCC) certificate.\n\n## Life expectancy\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=13 \"Edit section: Life expectancy\")\\]\n\nThere is a popular belief that airline pilots die earlier than the general population. This belief was not supported by 1990s studies of American Airlines and British Airways pilots.[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_1-21)[\\[22\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_2-22)[\\[23\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Irvine-23) A hoax claiming to show an inverse relationship between retirement age and life expectancy was refuted by Boeing.[\\[24\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-24)[\\[25\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-25) However, a 1992 study of several airline pilot associations' data found evidence of higher mortality.[\\[26\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Muhanna-26)\n\nA 1978 study of military pilots found increased longevity, which was attributed to \"generally good socioeconomic background, the positive genetic influence of long-lived parents, the above average intelligence, and the health and fitness orientation of the military aviator\".[\\[27\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-MacIntyre-27)\n\n## See also\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=14 \"Edit section: See also\")\\]\n\n- [Airline pilot uniforms](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_pilot_uniforms \"Airline pilot uniforms\")\n- [Air safety](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_safety \"Air safety\")\n- [IMSAFE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/IMSAFE \"IMSAFE\") (mnemonic for pilot's fitness to fly)\n- [List of aerospace engineers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_aerospace_engineers \"List of aerospace engineers\")\n- [List of aviators](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_aviators \"List of aviators\")\n- [Pilot fatigue](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_fatigue \"Pilot fatigue\")\n- [Pilot logbook](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_logbook \"Pilot logbook\")\n\n## References\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=15 \"Edit section: References\")\\]\n\n1. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-1)**\n   \"Aeronautics in 1904\". [*Collier's Self-Indexing Annual*](https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6.\n2. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-2)**\n   \"Aeronautics in 1904\". [*Collier's Self-Indexing Annual*](https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6.\n3. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-3)**\n   [\"Airline Pilot Demand Outlook\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170712235720\/http:\/\/www.cae.com\/uploadedFiles\/Content\/BusinessUnit\/Civil_Aviation\/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF). CAE Inc. June 2017. 10-year view. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.cae.com\/uploadedFiles\/Content\/BusinessUnit\/Civil_Aviation\/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF) on July 12, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.\n4. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-4)**\n   [\"Pilot Outlook: 2018 - 2037\"](http:\/\/www.boeing.com\/commercial\/market\/pilot-technician-outlook\/2018-pilot-outlook\/). Boeing. July 23, 2018.\n5. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AIN21nonv2017_5-0)**\n   Lynch, Kerry (November 21, 2017). [\"Bizav Leaders Seeing Shortages in Qualified Pilot Pool\"](https:\/\/www.ainonline.com\/aviation-news\/business-aviation\/2017-11-21\/bizav-leaders-seeing-shortages-qualified-pilot-pool). *AIN*. Retrieved March 8, 2018.\n6. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-6)**\n   [\"Will A Robot Steal Your Pilot Job?\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170105085148\/https:\/\/avweb.com\/news\/pilotless-transport-aircraft-by-2025-says-ubs\/). *AVweb*. January 1, 2017. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.avweb.com\/blogs\/insider\/Will-a-Robot-Steal-Your-Pilot-Job-228279-1.html) on January 5, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.\n7. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-UBS7Aug2017_7-0)**\n   Castle, Jarrod; et al. (August 7, 2017), [\"Flying solo – how far are we down the path towards pilotless planes?\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170817163517\/https:\/\/files.static-nzz.ch\/2017\/8\/7\/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF), *UBS Global Research*, UBS, archived from [the original](https:\/\/files.static-nzz.ch\/2017\/8\/7\/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF) on August 17, 2017, retrieved August 17, 2017\n8. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Rapoport07Aug17_8-0)**\n   Rapoport, Geoff (August 7, 2017). [\"Pilotless Transport Aircraft By 2025 Says UBS\"](https:\/\/www.avweb.com\/avwebflash\/news\/Pilotless-Transport-Aircraft-by-2025-says-UBS-229474-1.html). *AVweb*. Retrieved August 9, 2017.\n   \n   \\[*[permanent dead link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Link_rot \"Wikipedia:Link rot\")*\\]\n9. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-9)**\n   Trimble, Stephen (August 21, 2017). [\"How Boeing is approaching the future of pilotless airliners\"](https:\/\/www.flightglobal.com\/news\/articles\/analysis-how-boeing-is-approaching-the-future-of-pi-440217\/). *Flightglobal*. Retrieved March 8, 2018.\n10. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-10)**\n    Dubois, Thierry (December 11, 2019). [\"Airline CEO Sees Reduced Long-Haul Crew In Near Future\"](https:\/\/aviationweek.com\/awincommercial\/airline-ceo-sees-reduced-long-haul-crew-near-future). *Aviation Week Network*.\n11. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-11)**\n    Freed, Jamie; Hepher, Tim (February 8, 2018). [\"Freight first as jetmakers study single-pilot airplanes\"](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-singapore-airshow-pilotless\/freight-first-as-jetmakers-study-single-pilot-airplanes-idUSKBN1FS0SV). *[Reuters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reuters \"Reuters\")*. Retrieved March 8, 2018.\n12. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-12)**\n    Canoll, Tim (July 31, 2018). [\"Opinion: Why Two Pilots In The Cockpit Remains Essential\"](http:\/\/aviationweek.com\/commercial-aviation\/opinion-why-two-pilots-cockpit-remains-essential). *Aviation Week & Space Technology*.\n13. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AvWeek26nov2018_13-0)**\n    Dubois, Thierry (November 26, 2018). [\"No AI In Cockpit Anytime Soon, Onera, Thales Say\"](http:\/\/aviationweek.com\/defense\/no-ai-cockpit-anytime-soon-onera-thales-say). *Aviation Week Network*.\n14. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-14)**\n    Lu, Vanessa (January 24, 2013). [\"Air Canada pilots can continue flying past age 60 under new rules\"](https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/business\/2013\/01\/24\/air_canada_pilots_can_continue_flying_past_age_60_under_new_rules.html). *Toronto Star*. Retrieved November 5, 2013.\n15. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-15)**\n    [\"U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics\"](https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/data_research\/aviation_data_statistics\/civil_airmen_statistics\/). *www.faa.gov*. Retrieved October 17, 2019.\n16. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-16)**\n    Evans, Jon (April 22, 2018). [\"Where have all the pilots gone?\"](https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2018\/04\/22\/where-have-all-the-pilots-gone\/). *[TechCrunch](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/TechCrunch \"TechCrunch\")*. Retrieved April 24, 2018.\n17. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-17)**\n    [\"U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics\"](https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/data_research\/aviation_data_statistics\/civil_airmen_statistics\/). *www.faa.gov*. Retrieved November 1, 2020.\n18. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-18)**\n    Maxon, Terry (December 15, 2007). [\"Retirement age raised to 65 in nick of time for pilots turning 60\"](http:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/sharedcontent\/dws\/bus\/stories\/DN-pilots_15bus.ART0.State.Edition1.2a48e73.html). *The Dallas Morning News*. Retrieved October 15, 2009.\n19. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-19)**\n    Rooney, Ben (November 25, 2014). [\"Drone pilot wanted: Starting salary \\$100,000\"](https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2014\/11\/25\/news\/drone-pilot-degree\/). *CNN*. Retrieved March 24, 2015.\n20. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-20)**\n    Pope, Stephen (July 11, 2013). [\"FAA Finalizes ATP Rule for First Officers\"](http:\/\/www.flyingmag.com\/news\/faa-finalizes-atp-rule-first-officers). *Flying Magazine*. Retrieved October 15, 2014.\n    \n    \\[*[permanent dead link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Link_rot \"Wikipedia:Link rot\")*\\]\n21. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_1_21-0)**\n    Besco, Robert O.; Sangal, Satya P.; Nesthus, Thomas E.; Veronneau, Stephen J. H. (February 1, 1995). [Longevity and Survival Analysis for a Cohort of Retired Airline Pilots](https:\/\/rosap.ntl.bts.gov\/view\/dot\/21446) (Report). Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. DOT\/FAA\/AM-95\/5. Retrieved March 23, 2024.\n22. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_2_22-0)**\n    Besco, Robert O. (1996). [\"Study suggests longer life expectancy for retired pilots than for their general population counterparts\"](https:\/\/www.flightsafety.org\/hf\/hf_jan-feb96.pdf) (PDF). *Human Factors & Aviation Medicine*. **43** (1). Retrieved March 23, 2024.\n23. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Irvine_23-0)**\n    Irvine, D.; Davies, D. M. (June 1999). \"British Airways flightdeck mortality study, 1950-1992\". *Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine*. **70** (6): 548–555\\. [ISSN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISSN_\$identifier\$ \"ISSN (identifier)\") [0095-6562](https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/issn\/0095-6562). [PMID](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PMID_\$identifier\$ \"PMID (identifier)\") [10373044](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/10373044).\n24. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-24)**\n    [\"Boeing: Let's Retire the Rumor About Life Expectancy 7.30.2004\"](https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/boeing-lets-retire-the-rumor-about-life-expectancy-7.30.2004). June 30, 2004.\n25. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-25)**\n    Gerstle, Frank; Biggs, Mark (November 16, 2011). [\"Reality check: Sandia retirees' life expectancies differ markedly from the 'Boeing' urban legend graph\"](https:\/\/www.sandia.gov\/app\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2001\/11\/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF). *Sandia Lab News*. Vol. 53, no. 23. pp. 12–13\\. [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240327025612\/https:\/\/www.sandia.gov\/app\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2001\/11\/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.\n26. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Muhanna_26-0)**\n    Muhanna, Ibrahim E.; Shakallis, Andreas (June 1992). [\"Preliminary study confirms that pilots die at younger age than general population\"](https:\/\/flightsafety.org\/fsd\/fsd_jun92.pdf) (PDF). *Flight Safety Digest*. Retrieved March 23, 2024.\n27. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-MacIntyre_27-0)**\n    MacIntyre, N. R.; Mitchell, R. E.; Oberman, A.; Harlan, W. R.; Graybiel, A.; Johnson, E. (September 1978). \"Longevity in military pilots: 37-year followup of the Navy's \"1000 aviators\"\". *Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine*. **49** (9): 1120–1122\\. [ISSN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISSN_\$identifier\$ \"ISSN (identifier)\") [0095-6562](https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/issn\/0095-6562). [PMID](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PMID_\$identifier\$ \"PMID (identifier)\") [697677](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/697677).\n\n## External links\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=16 \"Edit section: External links\")\\]\n\n- [![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/4a\/Commons-logo.svg\/20px-Commons-logo.svg.png)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Commons-logo.svg) Media related to [Aviators](https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Category:Aviators \"commons:Category:Aviators\") at Wikimedia Commons\n- [![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/9\/99\/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg\/20px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg) The dictionary definition of [*Pilot*](https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Pilot \"wiktionary:Pilot\") at Wiktionary\n- [U.S. Women Pilots Statistics 1960–2010](http:\/\/www.womenofaviationweek.org\/five-decades-of-women-pilots-in-the-united-states-how-did-we-do\/) [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160506005055\/http:\/\/www.womenofaviationweek.org\/five-decades-of-women-pilots-in-the-united-states-how-did-we-do\/) May 6, 2016, at the [Wayback Machine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wayback_Machine \"Wayback Machine\")\n- Pope, Stephen (October 12, 2019). [\"AI, autonomy, and airpower: the end of pilots?\"](http:\/\/urn.kb.se\/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:fhs:diva-8819). *Defence Studies*. **19** (4): 337–352\\. [doi](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Doi_\$identifier\$ \"Doi (identifier)\"):[10\\.1080\/14702436.2019.1676156](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080%2F14702436.2019.1676156). [S2CID](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/S2CID_\$identifier\$ \"S2CID (identifier)\") [211404933](https:\/\/api.semanticscholar.org\/CorpusID:211404933).\n- Charman, Mark; Mann, Katie (January 2021). [\"The Pilot Survey 2021\"](https:\/\/www.flightglobal.com\/download?ac=76506). *FlightGlobal*.\n\n| [v](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Template:Commercial_air_travel \"Template:Commercial air travel\") [t](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Template_talk:Commercial_air_travel \"Template talk:Commercial air travel\") [e](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:EditPage\/Template:Commercial_air_travel \"Special:EditPage\/Template:Commercial air travel\")[Commercial aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_aviation \"Commercial aviation\") |   |\n|---|---|\n| [Airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline \"Airline\") | [Airline codes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_codes \"Airline codes\") [Airline holding companies](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_airline_holding_companies \"List of airline holding companies\") [Cargo airline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cargo_airline \"Cargo airline\") [Charter airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_charter_airlines \"List of charter airlines\") [Flag carriers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flag_carrier \"Flag carrier\") [Low-cost airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_low-cost_airlines \"List of low-cost airlines\") [Non-scheduled airline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Non-scheduled_airline \"Non-scheduled airline\") [Passenger airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_passenger_airlines \"List of passenger airlines\") [Regional airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_regional_airlines \"List of regional airlines\") |\n| [Alliances](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_alliance \"Airline alliance\") | [Oneworld](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oneworld \"Oneworld\") [SkyTeam](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SkyTeam \"SkyTeam\") [Star Alliance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Star_Alliance \"Star Alliance\") [Value Alliance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Value_Alliance \"Value Alliance\") [Vanilla Alliance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vanilla_Alliance \"Vanilla Alliance\") [U-FLY Alliance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/U-FLY_Alliance \"U-FLY Alliance\") |\n| [Trade groups](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Trade_association \"Trade association\") | International [ACO](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Airline_Cooperative \"The Airline Cooperative\") [ATAG](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Transport_Action_Group \"Air Transport Action Group\") [IATA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Air_Transport_Association \"International Air Transport Association\") [IATAN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Association_of_Travel_Agents_Network \"International Association of Travel Agents Network\") [IFALPA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Federation_of_Air_Line_Pilots%27_Associations \"International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations\") [ISTAT](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Society_of_Transport_Aircraft_Trading \"International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading\") United States [A4A](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airlines_for_America \"Airlines for America\") [RAA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regional_Airline_Association \"Regional Airline Association\") Europe [A4E](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airlines_for_Europe \"Airlines for Europe\") [ASD](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/AeroSpace_and_Defence_Industries_Association_of_Europe \"AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe\") [ECA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Cockpit_Association \"European Cockpit Association\") [EBAA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Business_Aviation_Association \"European Business Aviation Association\") [ERA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Regions_Airline_Association \"European Regions Airline Association\") [ETWF](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Transport_Workers%27_Federation \"European Transport Workers' Federation\") Other regions [AACO](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arab_Air_Carriers%27_Organization \"Arab Air Carriers' Organization\") [AAPA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Association_of_Asia_Pacific_Airlines \"Association of Asia Pacific Airlines\") [AFRAA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/African_Airlines_Association \"African Airlines Association\") [RAAA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regional_Aviation_Association_of_Australia \"Regional Aviation Association of Australia\") |\n| [Aircrew](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircrew \"Aircrew\") | [Pilot in command (Captain)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_in_command \"Pilot in command\") [First officer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/First_officer_\$aviation\$ \"First officer (aviation)\") [Second officer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Second_officer_\$aviation\$ \"Second officer (aviation)\") [Third officer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Third_officer_\$aviation\$ \"Third officer (aviation)\") [Relief crew](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/In-flight_crew_relief \"In-flight crew relief\") [Flight attendant](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_attendant \"Flight attendant\") [Flight engineer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_engineer \"Flight engineer\") [Loadmaster](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Loadmaster \"Loadmaster\") [Aircraft pilot]() [Purser](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purser#Aircraft \"Purser\") [Dead mileage](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dead_mileage \"Dead mileage\") |\n| [Airliner](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airliner \"Airliner\") | [Travel class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Travel_class \"Travel class\") [First class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/First_class_\$aviation\$ \"First class (aviation)\") [Business class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Business_class \"Business class\") [Premium economy class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Premium_economy_class \"Premium economy class\") [Economy class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Economy_class \"Economy class\") [Basic economy class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Basic_economy_class \"Basic economy class\") [Aircraft cabin](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_cabin \"Aircraft cabin\") [Aircraft lavatory](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_lavatory \"Aircraft lavatory\") [Aircraft seat map](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_seat_map \"Aircraft seat map\") [Airline meal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_meal \"Airline meal\") [Airline seat](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_seat \"Airline seat\") [Buy on board](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buy_on_board \"Buy on board\") [Crew rest compartment](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Crew_rest_compartment \"Crew rest compartment\") [In-flight entertainment](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/In-flight_entertainment \"In-flight entertainment\") [Inflight smoking](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Inflight_smoking \"Inflight smoking\") [Galley](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Galley_\$kitchen\$ \"Galley (kitchen)\") [Sickness bag](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sickness_bag \"Sickness bag\") |\n| [Airport](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport \"Airport\") | [Aerodrome](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aerodrome \"Aerodrome\") [Airline hub](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_hub \"Airline hub\") [Airport check-in](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_check-in \"Airport check-in\") [Airport lounge](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_lounge \"Airport lounge\") [Airport rail link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_rail_link \"Airport rail link\") [Airport terminal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_terminal \"Airport terminal\") [Airside pass](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airside_pass \"Airside pass\") [Airstair](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airstair \"Airstair\") [Boarding](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boarding_\$transport\$ \"Boarding (transport)\") [Domestic airport](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Domestic_airport \"Domestic airport\") [Gate](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gate_\$airport\$ \"Gate (airport)\") [International airport](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_airport \"International airport\") [Jet bridge](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jet_bridge \"Jet bridge\") [Low-cost carrier terminal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Low-cost_carrier_terminal \"Low-cost carrier terminal\") [Runway](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Runway \"Runway\") [Transit hotel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Transit_hotel \"Transit hotel\") |\n| [Customs](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customs \"Customs\") \/ [Immigration](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Immigration \"Immigration\") | [Arrival card](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arrival_card \"Arrival card\") [Border control](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Border_control \"Border control\") ([internal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Internal_border_control \"Internal border control\")) [Departure card](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Departure_card \"Departure card\") [Passport](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Passport \"Passport\") [Timatic](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Timatic \"Timatic\") [Travel document](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Travel_document \"Travel document\") [Travel visa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Travel_visa \"Travel visa\") [(Electronic)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Electronic_visa \"Electronic visa\") |\n| [Environmental effects](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Environmental_effects_of_aviation \"Environmental effects of aviation\") | [Hypermobility](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hypermobility_\$travel\$ \"Hypermobility (travel)\") [Environmental effects of aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Environmental_effects_of_aviation \"Environmental effects of aviation\") |\n| [Law](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_law \"Aviation law\") | [Air transport agreement](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_transport_agreement \"Air transport agreement\") [Air route authority between the United States and China](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_route_authority_between_the_United_States_and_China \"Air route authority between the United States and China\") [Bermuda Agreement](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bermuda_Agreement \"Bermuda Agreement\") (UK–US, 1946–1978) [Bermuda II Agreement](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bermuda_II_Agreement \"Bermuda II Agreement\") (UK–US, 1978–2008) [Cross-strait charter](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cross-strait_charter \"Cross-strait charter\") [Beijing Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beijing_Convention \"Beijing Convention\") [Cape Town Treaty](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cape_Town_Treaty \"Cape Town Treaty\") [Chicago Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chicago_Convention_on_International_Civil_Aviation \"Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation\") [Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Convention_on_the_Marking_of_Plastic_Explosives \"Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives\") [European Common Aviation Area](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Common_Aviation_Area \"European Common Aviation Area\") [Flight permit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_permit \"Flight permit\") [Freedoms of the air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Freedoms_of_the_air \"Freedoms of the air\") [EU–US Open Skies Agreement](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/EU%E2%80%93US_Open_Skies_Agreement \"EU–US Open Skies Agreement\") [Hague Hijacking Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hague_Hijacking_Convention \"Hague Hijacking Convention\") [Hague Protocol](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hague_Protocol \"Hague Protocol\") [Montreal Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Montreal_Convention \"Montreal Convention\") [Paris Convention of 1919](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paris_Convention_of_1919 \"Paris Convention of 1919\") [Rome Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rome_Convention_on_Damage_Caused_by_Foreign_Aircraft_to_Third_Parties_on_the_Surface \"Rome Convention on Damage Caused by Foreign Aircraft to Third Parties on the Surface\") [Sabotage Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Convention_for_the_Suppression_of_Unlawful_Acts_against_the_Safety_of_Civil_Aviation \"Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation\") [Tokyo Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tokyo_Convention \"Tokyo Convention\") [Warsaw Convention](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Warsaw_Convention \"Warsaw Convention\") |\n| [Intergovernmental organizations](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_organization \"International organization\") | [ICAO](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization \"International Civil Aviation Organization\") [ECAC](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Civil_Aviation_Conference \"European Civil Aviation Conference\") [Eurocontrol](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eurocontrol \"Eurocontrol\") [EASA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Union_Aviation_Safety_Agency \"European Union Aviation Safety Agency\") [ENCASIA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Network_of_Civil_Aviation_Safety_Investigation_Authorities \"European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities\") |\n| [Baggage](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage \"Baggage\") | [Bag tag](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bag_tag \"Bag tag\") [Baggage allowance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_allowance \"Baggage allowance\") [Baggage carousel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_carousel \"Baggage carousel\") [Baggage cart](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_cart \"Baggage cart\") [Baggage reclaim](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_reclaim \"Baggage reclaim\") [Baggage handler](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_handler \"Baggage handler\") [Baggage handling system](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_handling_system \"Baggage handling system\") [Baggage sizer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_sizer \"Baggage sizer\") [Checked baggage](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Checked_baggage \"Checked baggage\") [Hand luggage](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hand_luggage \"Hand luggage\") [Lost luggage](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lost_luggage \"Lost luggage\") ([WorldTracer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/WorldTracer \"WorldTracer\")) [Luggage lock](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Luggage_lock \"Luggage lock\") |\n| [Aviation safety](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_safety \"Aviation safety\") | [Air rage](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_rage \"Air rage\") [Air traffic control](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_traffic_control \"Air traffic control\") [Air traffic service](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_traffic_service \"Air traffic service\") [Aircraft safety card](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_safety_card \"Aircraft safety card\") [Airport authority](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_authority \"Airport authority\") [Airport crash tender](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_crash_tender \"Airport crash tender\") [Airport police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_police \"Airport police\") [Airport security](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airport_security \"Airport security\") [Airspace class](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airspace_class \"Airspace class\") [Area control center](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Area_control_center \"Area control center\") [Brace position](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Brace_position \"Brace position\") [Civil aviation authority](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Civil_aviation_authority \"Civil aviation authority\") [Control area](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Control_area_\$aviation\$ \"Control area (aviation)\") [Control zone](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Control_zone \"Control zone\") [Controlled airspace](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Controlled_airspace \"Controlled airspace\") [Evacuation slide](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Evacuation_slide \"Evacuation slide\") [Flight information region](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_information_region \"Flight information region\") [Flight information service](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_information_service \"Flight information service\") [Flight recorder](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_recorder \"Flight recorder\") [Instrument flight rules](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Instrument_flight_rules \"Instrument flight rules\") [Overwing exits](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Overwing_exits \"Overwing exits\") [Pre-flight safety demonstration](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pre-flight_safety_demonstration \"Pre-flight safety demonstration\") [Sky marshal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sky_marshal \"Sky marshal\") [Special use airspace](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special_use_airspace \"Special use airspace\") [US](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special_use_airspace_in_the_United_States \"Special use airspace in the United States\") [Special visual flight rules](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special_visual_flight_rules \"Special visual flight rules\") [Terminal control area](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Terminal_control_area \"Terminal control area\") [Terminal control center](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Terminal_control_center \"Terminal control center\") [Uncontrolled airspace](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Uncontrolled_airspace \"Uncontrolled airspace\") [Upper information region](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Upper_information_region \"Upper information region\") [Visual flight rules](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Visual_flight_rules \"Visual flight rules\") |\n| [Airline tickets](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_ticket \"Airline ticket\") | [Airline booking ploys](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_booking_ploys \"Airline booking ploys\") [Airline reservations system](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_reservations_system \"Airline reservations system\") [Airline ticket](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_ticket \"Airline ticket\") [Airline timetable](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_timetable \"Airline timetable\") [Bereavement flight](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bereavement_flight \"Bereavement flight\") [Boarding pass](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boarding_pass \"Boarding pass\") [Codeshare agreement](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Codeshare_agreement \"Codeshare agreement\") [Continent pass](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Continent_pass \"Continent pass\") [Electronic ticket](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Electronic_ticket \"Electronic ticket\") [Fare basis code](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fare_basis_code \"Fare basis code\") [Flight cancellation and delay](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_cancellation_and_delay \"Flight cancellation and delay\") [Frequent-flyer program](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frequent-flyer_program \"Frequent-flyer program\") [Government contract flight](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Government_contract_flight \"Government contract flight\") [One-way travel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/One-way_travel \"One-way travel\") [Open-jaw ticket](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Open-jaw_ticket \"Open-jaw ticket\") Overbooking ([Overselling](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Overselling \"Overselling\")) [Passenger name record](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Passenger_name_record \"Passenger name record\") [Red-eye flight](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Red-eye_flight \"Red-eye flight\") [Round-the-world ticket](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Round-the-world_ticket \"Round-the-world ticket\") [Standby](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Standby_\$air_travel\$ \"Standby (air travel)\") [Tracking](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_tracking \"Flight tracking\") [Travel agency](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Travel_agency \"Travel agency\") |\n| [Ground crew](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ground_crew \"Ground crew\") | [Aircraft maintenance technician](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_maintenance_technician \"Aircraft maintenance technician\") [Aircraft ground handling](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_ground_handling \"Aircraft ground handling\") [Baggage handler](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baggage_handler \"Baggage handler\") [Flight dispatcher](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_dispatcher \"Flight dispatcher\") |\n| Miscellaneous | [Air cargo](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_cargo \"Air cargo\") [Air travel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_travel \"Air travel\") [Aviation taxation and subsidies](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_taxation_and_subsidies \"Aviation taxation and subsidies\") [Mile high club](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mile_high_club \"Mile high club\") [Steffen Boarding Method](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Steffen_Boarding_Method \"Steffen Boarding Method\") |\n\n| [Authority control databases](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Authority_control \"Help:Authority control\") [![Edit this at Wikidata](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/8\/8a\/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg\/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png)](https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q2095549#identifiers \"Edit this at Wikidata\") |   |\n|---|---|\n| International | [GND](https:\/\/d-nb.info\/gnd\/4017678-2) [2](https:\/\/d-nb.info\/gnd\/4216694-9) |\n| National | [United States](https:\/\/id.loc.gov\/authorities\/sh85002673) [France](https:\/\/catalogue.bnf.fr\/ark:\/12148\/cb11937696p) [BnF data](https:\/\/data.bnf.fr\/ark:\/12148\/cb11937696p) [Japan](https:\/\/id.ndl.go.jp\/auth\/ndlna\/00563194) [Czech Republic](https:\/\/aleph.nkp.cz\/F\/?func=find-c&local_base=aut&ccl_term=ica=ph122260&CON_LNG=ENG) [2](https:\/\/aleph.nkp.cz\/F\/?func=find-c&local_base=aut&ccl_term=ica=ph317239&CON_LNG=ENG) [Israel](https:\/\/www.nli.org.il\/en\/authorities\/987007294762105171) |\n| Other | [Yale LUX](https:\/\/lux.collections.yale.edu\/view\/concept\/c7b4e216-f1c5-4e27-950d-b52cf8f1ac2f) |\n\n![](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:CentralAutoLogin\/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1)\n\nRetrieved from \"<https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&oldid=1333678494>\"\n\n[Categories](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Category \"Help:Category\"):\n\n- [Aviators](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Category:Aviators 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Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the [Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.](https:\/\/wikimediafoundation.org\/), a non-profit organization.\n\n- [Privacy policy](https:\/\/foundation.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Special:MyLanguage\/Policy:Privacy_policy)\n- [About Wikipedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:About)\n- [Disclaimers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer)\n- [Contact Wikipedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Contact_us)\n- [Legal & safety contacts](https:\/\/foundation.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Special:MyLanguage\/Legal:Wikimedia_Foundation_Legal_and_Safety_Contact_Information)\n- [Code of Conduct](https:\/\/foundation.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Special:MyLanguage\/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct)\n- [Developers](https:\/\/developer.wikimedia.org\/)\n- [Statistics](https:\/\/stats.wikimedia.org\/#\/en.wikipedia.org)\n- [Cookie statement](https:\/\/foundation.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Special:MyLanguage\/Policy:Cookie_statement)\n- [Mobile view](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile)\n\n- [![Wikimedia Foundation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/footer\/wikimedia.svg)](https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/)\n- [![Powered by MediaWiki](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/resources\/assets\/mediawiki_compact.svg)](https:\/\/www.mediawiki.org\/)\n\nSearch\n\nToggle the table of contents\n\nAircraft pilot\n\n75 languages\n\n[Add topic](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot)","attrs_readable_markdown":"\"Aviatrix\" redirects here. For a discussion of the role of women in aviation and aeronautics, see [Women in aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women_in_aviation \"Women in aviation\").\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/38\/Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg\/250px-Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg)\n\n[U.S. Army Air Forces](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_Army_Air_Forces \"United States Army Air Forces\") test pilot [Lt.](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lieutenant \"Lieutenant\") F.W. \"Mike\" Hunter wearing a [flight suit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_suit \"Flight suit\") in October 1942\n\nAn **aircraft pilot**, or **aviator**, is an individual who controls an [aircraft's](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft \"Aircraft\") flight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as [navigators](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Navigator \"Navigator\") and [flight engineers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_engineer \"Flight engineer\"), are also considered aviators because they assist in operating the aircraft’s navigation and engine systems. Aircrew members like drone operators, [flight attendants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_attendant \"Flight attendant\"), [mechanics](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_maintenance_technician \"Aircraft maintenance technician\"), and [ground crew](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ground_crew \"Ground crew\") are not classified as aviators.\n\nTo recognize pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines around the world award [aviator badges](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviator_badge \"Aviator badge\") to their pilots.\n\nThe first recorded use of the term *aviator* (*aviateur* in French) was in 1887, as a variation of *aviation*, from the Latin *avis* (meaning *bird*), coined in 1863 by [G. J. G. de La Landelle](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=G._J._G._de_La_Landelle&action=edit&redlink=1 \"G. J. G. de La Landelle (page does not exist)\") \\[[fr](https:\/\/fr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/G._J._G._de_La_Landelle \"fr:G. J. G. de La Landelle\")\\] in *Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne* (\"Aviation or Air Navigation\"). The term *aviatrix* (*aviatrice* in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a female pilot. The term *aviator* (*aviateur* in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a male pilot.[\\[1\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-1)\n\nPeople who operate aircraft obtain a *pilot* licence. Aviation regulations referred to *pilots*. These terms were used more in the [early days of aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_history \"Aviation history\"), when airplanes were extremely rare, and connoted bravery and adventure. For example, a 1905 reference work described the [Wright brothers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wright_brothers \"Wright brothers\")' first [airplane](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airplane \"Airplane\"): \"The weight, including the body of the aviator, is a little more than 700 pounds\".[\\[2\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-2)\n\nTo ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early [aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation \"Aviation\") soon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The [Aéro-Club de France](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/A%C3%A9ro-Club_de_France \"Aéro-Club de France\") delivered the first certificate to [Louis Blériot](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Louis_Bl%C3%A9riot \"Louis Blériot\") in 1908—followed by [Glenn Curtiss](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Glenn_Curtiss \"Glenn Curtiss\"), [Léon Delagrange](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/L%C3%A9on_Delagrange \"Léon Delagrange\"), and [Robert Esnault-Pelterie](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_Esnault-Pelterie \"Robert Esnault-Pelterie\"). The British [Royal Aero Club](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Aero_Club \"Royal Aero Club\") followed in 1910 and the [Aero Club of America](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aero_Club_of_America \"Aero Club of America\") in 1911 (Glenn Curtiss receiving the first).\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/ca\/Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg\/250px-Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg)\n\nPilots landing a [Boeing 777](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing_777 \"Boeing 777\")\n\nCivilian pilots fly aircraft of all types privately for pleasure, charity, or in pursuance of a business, or commercially for non-scheduled (charter) and scheduled passenger and cargo air carriers (airlines), corporate aviation, agriculture (crop dusting, etc.), forest fire control, law enforcement, etc. When flying for an airline, pilots are usually referred to as airline pilots, with the [pilot in command](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_in_command \"Pilot in command\") often referred to as the *captain*.\n\nThere were 290,000 [airline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline \"Airline\") pilots in the world in 2017 and aircraft simulator manufacturer [CAE Inc.](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/CAE_Inc. \"CAE Inc.\") forecasts a need for 255,000 new ones for a population of 440,000 by 2027, 150,000 for growth and 105,000 to offset retirement and attrition: 90,000 in Asia-Pacific (average pilot age in 2016: 45.8 years), 85,000 in Americas (48 years), 50,000 in Europe (43.7 years) and 30,000 in Middle East & Africa (45.7 years).[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-3)\n\n[Boeing](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing \"Boeing\") expects 790,000 new pilots in 20 years from 2018, 635,000 for [commercial aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_aviation \"Commercial aviation\"), 96,000 for [business aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Business_aviation \"Business aviation\") and 59,000 for [helicopters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Helicopter \"Helicopter\"): 33% in Asia Pacific (261,000), 26% in North America (206,000), 18% in Europe (146,000), 8% in the Middle East (64,000), 7% in Latin America (57,000), 4% in Africa (29,000) and 3% in Russia\/ Central Asia (27,000).[\\[4\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-4)\n\nBy November 2017, due a shortage of qualified pilots, some pilots were leaving [corporate aviation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Corporate_aviation \"Corporate aviation\") to return to airlines. In one example a [Global 6000](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Global_6000 \"Global 6000\") pilot, making \\$250,000 a year for 10 to 15 flight hours a month, returned to [American Airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_Airlines \"American Airlines\") with full [seniority](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seniority_list \"Seniority list\"). A [Gulfstream G650](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gulfstream_G650 \"Gulfstream G650\") or Global 6000 pilot might earn between \\$245,000 and \\$265,000, and recruiting one may require up to \\$300,000. At the other end of the spectrum, constrained by the available pilots, some small carriers hire new pilots who need 300 hours to jump to airlines in a year. They may also recruit non-career pilots who have other jobs or airline retirees who want to continue to fly.[\\[5\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AIN21nonv2017-5)\n\nThe number of airline pilots could decrease as automation replaces copilots and eventually pilots as well. In January 2017 Rhett Ross, CEO of [Continental Motors](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Continental_Motors,_Inc. \"Continental Motors, Inc.\") said \"my concern is that in the next two decades—if not sooner—automated and autonomous flight will have developed sufficiently to put downward pressure on both wages and the number and kind of flying jobs available. So if a kid asks the question now and he or she is 18, 20 years from now will be 2037 and our would-be careerist will be 38—not even mid-career. Who among us thinks aviation and especially for-hire flying will look like it does now?\" Christian Dries, owner of [Diamond Aircraft](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diamond_Aircraft \"Diamond Aircraft\") Austria said \"Behind the curtain, aircraft manufacturers are working on a single-pilot cockpit where the airplane can be controlled from the ground and only in case of malfunction does the pilot of the plane interfere. Basically the flight will be autonomous and I expect this to happen in the next five to six years for freighters.\"\\[*[needs update](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style\/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items \"Wikipedia:Manual of Style\/Dates and numbers\")*\\][\\[6\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-6)\n\nIn August 2017 financial company [UBS](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/UBS \"UBS\") predicted pilotless [airliners](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airliner \"Airliner\") are technically feasible and could appear around 2025, offering around \\$35bn of savings, mainly in pilot costs: \\$26bn for [airlines](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline \"Airline\"), \\$3bn for [business jets](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Business_jet \"Business jet\") and \\$2.1bn for civil [helicopters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Helicopters \"Helicopters\"); \\$3bn\/year from lower pilot training and [aviation insurance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_insurance \"Aviation insurance\") costs due to safer flights; \\$1bn from flight optimisation (1% of global airlines' \\$133bn [jet fuel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jet_fuel \"Jet fuel\") bill in 2016); not counting revenue opportunity from increased [capacity utilization](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capacity_utilization \"Capacity utilization\").\n\nRegulations have to adapt with [air cargo](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_cargo \"Air cargo\") likely at the forefront, but pilotless flights could be limited by [consumer behaviour](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Consumer_behaviour \"Consumer behaviour\"): 54% of 8,000 people [surveyed](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Survey_\$human_research\$ \"Survey (human research)\") are defiant while 17% are supportive, with acceptation progressively forecast.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-UBS7Aug2017-7)\n\nAVweb reporter Geoff Rapoport stated, \"pilotless aircraft are an appealing prospect for airlines bracing for the need to hire several hundred thousand new pilots in the next decade. Wages and training costs have been rapidly rising at regional U.S. airlines over the last several years as the major airlines have hired pilots from the regionals at unprecedented rates to cover increased air travel demand from economic expansion and a wave of retirements\".[\\[8\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Rapoport07Aug17-8)\n\nGoing to pilotless airliners could be done in one bold step or in gradual improvements like by reducing the cockpit crew for long haul missions or allowing single pilot cargo aircraft. The industry has not decided how to proceed yet. Present [automated](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Automated \"Automated\") systems are not [autonomous](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Autonomous \"Autonomous\") and must be monitored; their replacement could require [artificial intelligence](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Artificial_intelligence \"Artificial intelligence\") with [machine learning](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Machine_learning \"Machine learning\") while present certified [software](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Software \"Software\") is [deterministic](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Deterministic \"Deterministic\").[\\[9\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-9) As the [Airbus A350](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airbus_A350 \"Airbus A350\") would only need minor modifications, [Air Caraibes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Caraibes \"Air Caraibes\") and [French Bee](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/French_Bee \"French Bee\") parent Groupe Dubreuil see two-pilot crews in long-haul operations, without a third pilot for rotation, happening around 2024–2025.[\\[10\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-10)\n\nSingle-pilot freighters could start with regional flights.[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-11) The [Air Line Pilots Association](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Line_Pilots_Association \"Air Line Pilots Association\") believe removing pilots would threaten [aviation safety](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aviation_safety \"Aviation safety\") and opposes the April 2018 [FAA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/FAA \"FAA\") Reauthorization Act's Section 744 establishing a [research and development](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Research_and_development \"Research and development\") program to assist [single-pilot](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Single-pilot_resource_management \"Single-pilot resource management\") cargo aircraft by remote and computer piloting.[\\[12\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-12)\n\nFor French aerospace research center [Onera](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Onera \"Onera\") and avionics manufacturer [Thales](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thales_Group \"Thales Group\"), artificial intelligence (AI) like consumer [neural networks](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neural_network_\$machine_learning\$ \"Neural network (machine learning)\") learning from large datasets cannot explain their operation and cannot be certified for safe air transport. Progress towards ‘explainable’ AIs can be expected in the next decade, as the Onera expects \"leads\" for a certifiable AI system, along [EASA](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Aviation_Safety_Agency \"European Aviation Safety Agency\") standards evolution.[\\[13\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AvWeek26nov2018-13)\n\nIn some countries, such as [Pakistan](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pakistan \"Pakistan\"), [Thailand](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thailand \"Thailand\") and several [African](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa \"Africa\") nations, there is a strong relationship between the military and the principal national airlines, and many airline pilots come from the military; however, that is no longer the case in the [United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States \"United States\") and [Western Europe](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Western_Europe \"Western Europe\").\\[*[citation needed](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed \"Wikipedia:Citation needed\")*\\] While the flight decks of U.S. and European airliners do have ex-military pilots, many pilots are civilians. Military training and flying, while rigorous, is fundamentally different in many ways from civilian piloting.\n\nOperating an aircraft in Canada is regulated by the *[Aeronautics Act](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aeronautics_Act \"Aeronautics Act\")* of 1985 and the [Canadian Aviation Regulations](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canadian_Aviation_Regulations \"Canadian Aviation Regulations\") provide rules for [Pilot licensing in Canada](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_licensing_in_Canada \"Pilot licensing in Canada\").\n\nRetirement age is provided by each airline, with some set to age 60, but changes to the [Canadian Human Rights Act](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canadian_Human_Rights_Act \"Canadian Human Rights Act\") have restricted the retirement age set by the airlines.[\\[14\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-14)\n\nIn the United States in 2020, there were 691,691 active pilot certificates.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-15) This was down from a high of over 800,000 active pilots in 1980.[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-16) Of the active pilot certificate holders, there were 160,860 Private, 103,879 Commercial, 164,193 Airline Transport, and 222,629 Student.[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-17)\n\nIn 1930, the [Air Commerce Act](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Commerce_Act \"Air Commerce Act\") established pilot licensing requirements for American civil aviation.\n\nCommercial airline pilots in the United States have a mandatory retirement age of 65, having increased from age 60 in 2007.[\\[18\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-18)\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/dd\/USAF_pilot.jpg\/250px-USAF_pilot.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:USAF_pilot.jpg)\n\nA [U.S. Air Force](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_Air_Force \"United States Air Force\") [F-16](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/F-16 \"F-16\") pilot in flight\n\nMilitary pilots fly with the armed forces, primarily the air forces, of a government or [nation-state](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nation-state \"Nation-state\"). Their tasks involve [combat](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Combat \"Combat\") and non-combat operations, including direct hostile engagements and support operations. Military pilots undergo specialized training, often with [weapons](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Weapon \"Weapon\"). Examples of military pilots include [fighter pilots](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fighter_pilot \"Fighter pilot\"), bomber pilots, transport pilots, [test pilots](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Test_pilot \"Test pilot\"), and [astronauts](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Astronaut \"Astronaut\").\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/3d\/Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg\/250px-Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg)\n\nCaptain [Marcel Courmes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marcel_Courmes \"Marcel Courmes\"), French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915.\n\nMilitary pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors. This is due to the different aircraft, flight goals, flight situations and chains of responsibility. Many military pilots do transfer to civilian-pilot qualification after they leave the military, and typically their military experience provides the basis for a civilian pilot's license.\n\nIt was in [France](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/France \"France\") that the world's first bombing group was created, on November 23, 1914. The [Voisin III](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Voisin_III \"Voisin III\") were the only aircraft available for this mission. These could only carry very light loads (between 55–160 kg of bombs), the bombs were rudimentary and the aiming systems remained to be developed. Initially, the bombs were simply thrown overboard by the crew, with necessarily very limited accuracy.\n\nNevertheless, the beginnings of tactical and strategic bombing took place in the first days of the war. Thus, the [Royal Naval Air Service](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Naval_Air_Service \"Royal Naval Air Service\") (RNAS) carried out bombing missions of the hangars of the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne and Friedrichhafen during the autumn of 1914. The formation of the Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende (\"Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment\", name of code of the first German bombing units) carried out bombing missions over the English Channel in December 1914.\n\n## Unmanned aerial vehicles\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=10 \"Edit section: Unmanned aerial vehicles\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/c8\/6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg\/250px-6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg)\n\nA United States Air Force RPA pilot.\n\n[Unmanned aerial vehicles](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Unmanned_aerial_vehicles \"Unmanned aerial vehicles\") (UAVs, also known as \"drones\") operate without a pilot on board and are classed into two categories: autonomous aircraft that operate without active human control during flight and remotely piloted UAVs which are operated remotely by one or more persons. The person controlling a remotely piloted UAV may be referred to as its pilot or operator. Depending on the sophistication and use of the UAV, pilots\/operators of UAVs may require certification or training, but are generally not subject to the licensing\/certification requirements of pilots of manned aircraft. Some UAV's can be bought online and are not in military use.\n\nMost jurisdictions have restrictions on the use of UAVs which have greatly limited their use in controlled airspace; UAVs have mostly been limited to military and hobbyist use. In the United States, use of UAVs is very limited in controlled airspace (generally, above 400 ft\/122m and away from airports), and the FAA prohibits nearly all commercial use. Once regulations are made to allow expanded use of UAVs in controlled airspace, there is expected to be a large surge of UAVs in use and, consequently, high demand for pilots\/operators of these aircraft.[\\[19\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-19)\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Astronaut_Pilot.jpg\/250px-Astronaut_Pilot.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Astronaut_Pilot.jpg)\n\nAn astronaut going through pilot training exercise.\n\nThe general concept of an airplane pilot can be applied to [human spaceflight](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Human_spaceflight \"Human spaceflight\"), as well. The pilot is the [astronaut](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Astronaut \"Astronaut\") who directly controls the operation of a [spacecraft](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spacecraft \"Spacecraft\"). This term derives directly from the usage of the word \"pilot\" in aviation, where it is synonymous with \"aviator\".\n\n## Pilot certifications\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=12 \"Edit section: Pilot certifications\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/5\/5b\/RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg\/250px-RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg)\n\nMilitary aviation training in a [Royal Air Force](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Air_Force \"Royal Air Force\") Nimrod aircraft\n\nPilots are required to go through many hours of [flight training](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_training \"Flight training\") and theoretical study, that differ depending on the country. The first step is acquiring the [Private Pilot License](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Private_Pilot_License \"Private Pilot License\") (PPL), or Private Pilot Certificate. In the United States of America, this includes a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of flight training, the majority of which with a [Certified Flight Instructor](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flight_instructor \"Flight instructor\").\n\nIn the United States, an LSA ([Light Sport Aircraft](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Light-sport_aircraft \"Light-sport aircraft\")) license can be obtained in at least 20 hours of flight time.\n\nGenerally, the next step in a pilot's progression is [Instrument Rating](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Instrument_Rating \"Instrument Rating\") (IR), or Multi-Engine Rating (MEP) addons. Pilots may also choose to pursue a [Commercial Pilot License](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Pilot_License \"Commercial Pilot License\") (CPL) after completing their PPL. This is required if the pilot desires to pursue a professional career as a pilot. To captain an airliner, one must obtain an [Airline Transport Pilot License](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_Transport_Pilot_License \"Airline Transport Pilot License\") (ATPL). In the United States after 1 August 2013, an ATPL is required even when acting as a first officer.[\\[20\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-20) Some countries\/carriers require\/use a [multi-crew cooperation](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Multi-crew_cooperation \"Multi-crew cooperation\") (MCC) certificate.\n\nThere is a popular belief that airline pilots die earlier than the general population. This belief was not supported by 1990s studies of American Airlines and British Airways pilots.[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_1-21)[\\[22\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_2-22)[\\[23\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Irvine-23) A hoax claiming to show an inverse relationship between retirement age and life expectancy was refuted by Boeing.[\\[24\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-24)[\\[25\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-25) However, a 1992 study of several airline pilot associations' data found evidence of higher mortality.[\\[26\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Muhanna-26)\n\nA 1978 study of military pilots found increased longevity, which was attributed to \"generally good socioeconomic background, the positive genetic influence of long-lived parents, the above average intelligence, and the health and fitness orientation of the military aviator\".[\\[27\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-MacIntyre-27)\n\n- [Airline pilot uniforms](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airline_pilot_uniforms \"Airline pilot uniforms\")\n- [Air safety](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_safety \"Air safety\")\n- [IMSAFE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/IMSAFE \"IMSAFE\") (mnemonic for pilot's fitness to fly)\n- [List of aerospace engineers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_aerospace_engineers \"List of aerospace engineers\")\n- [List of aviators](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_aviators \"List of aviators\")\n- [Pilot fatigue](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_fatigue \"Pilot fatigue\")\n- [Pilot logbook](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilot_logbook \"Pilot logbook\")\n\n1. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-1)**\n   \"Aeronautics in 1904\". [*Collier's Self-Indexing Annual*](https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6.\n2. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-2)**\n   \"Aeronautics in 1904\". [*Collier's Self-Indexing Annual*](https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6.\n3. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-3)**\n   [\"Airline Pilot Demand Outlook\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170712235720\/http:\/\/www.cae.com\/uploadedFiles\/Content\/BusinessUnit\/Civil_Aviation\/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF). CAE Inc. June 2017. 10-year view. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.cae.com\/uploadedFiles\/Content\/BusinessUnit\/Civil_Aviation\/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF) on July 12, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.\n4. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-4)**\n   [\"Pilot Outlook: 2018 - 2037\"](http:\/\/www.boeing.com\/commercial\/market\/pilot-technician-outlook\/2018-pilot-outlook\/). Boeing. July 23, 2018.\n5. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AIN21nonv2017_5-0)**\n   Lynch, Kerry (November 21, 2017). [\"Bizav Leaders Seeing Shortages in Qualified Pilot Pool\"](https:\/\/www.ainonline.com\/aviation-news\/business-aviation\/2017-11-21\/bizav-leaders-seeing-shortages-qualified-pilot-pool). *AIN*. Retrieved March 8, 2018.\n6. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-6)**\n   [\"Will A Robot Steal Your Pilot Job?\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170105085148\/https:\/\/avweb.com\/news\/pilotless-transport-aircraft-by-2025-says-ubs\/). *AVweb*. January 1, 2017. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.avweb.com\/blogs\/insider\/Will-a-Robot-Steal-Your-Pilot-Job-228279-1.html) on January 5, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.\n7. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-UBS7Aug2017_7-0)**\n   Castle, Jarrod; et al. (August 7, 2017), [\"Flying solo – how far are we down the path towards pilotless planes?\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170817163517\/https:\/\/files.static-nzz.ch\/2017\/8\/7\/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF), *UBS Global Research*, UBS, archived from [the original](https:\/\/files.static-nzz.ch\/2017\/8\/7\/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF) on August 17, 2017, retrieved August 17, 2017\n8. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Rapoport07Aug17_8-0)**\n   Rapoport, Geoff (August 7, 2017). [\"Pilotless Transport Aircraft By 2025 Says UBS\"](https:\/\/www.avweb.com\/avwebflash\/news\/Pilotless-Transport-Aircraft-by-2025-says-UBS-229474-1.html). *AVweb*. Retrieved August 9, 2017.\n   \n   \\[*[permanent dead link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Link_rot \"Wikipedia:Link rot\")*\\]\n9. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-9)**\n   Trimble, Stephen (August 21, 2017). [\"How Boeing is approaching the future of pilotless airliners\"](https:\/\/www.flightglobal.com\/news\/articles\/analysis-how-boeing-is-approaching-the-future-of-pi-440217\/). *Flightglobal*. Retrieved March 8, 2018.\n10. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-10)**\n    Dubois, Thierry (December 11, 2019). [\"Airline CEO Sees Reduced Long-Haul Crew In Near Future\"](https:\/\/aviationweek.com\/awincommercial\/airline-ceo-sees-reduced-long-haul-crew-near-future). *Aviation Week Network*.\n11. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-11)**\n    Freed, Jamie; Hepher, Tim (February 8, 2018). [\"Freight first as jetmakers study single-pilot airplanes\"](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-singapore-airshow-pilotless\/freight-first-as-jetmakers-study-single-pilot-airplanes-idUSKBN1FS0SV). *[Reuters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reuters \"Reuters\")*. Retrieved March 8, 2018.\n12. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-12)**\n    Canoll, Tim (July 31, 2018). [\"Opinion: Why Two Pilots In The Cockpit Remains Essential\"](http:\/\/aviationweek.com\/commercial-aviation\/opinion-why-two-pilots-cockpit-remains-essential). *Aviation Week & Space Technology*.\n13. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AvWeek26nov2018_13-0)**\n    Dubois, Thierry (November 26, 2018). [\"No AI In Cockpit Anytime Soon, Onera, Thales Say\"](http:\/\/aviationweek.com\/defense\/no-ai-cockpit-anytime-soon-onera-thales-say). *Aviation Week Network*.\n14. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-14)**\n    Lu, Vanessa (January 24, 2013). [\"Air Canada pilots can continue flying past age 60 under new rules\"](https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/business\/2013\/01\/24\/air_canada_pilots_can_continue_flying_past_age_60_under_new_rules.html). *Toronto Star*. Retrieved November 5, 2013.\n15. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-15)**\n    [\"U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics\"](https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/data_research\/aviation_data_statistics\/civil_airmen_statistics\/). *www.faa.gov*. Retrieved October 17, 2019.\n16. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-16)**\n    Evans, Jon (April 22, 2018). [\"Where have all the pilots gone?\"](https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2018\/04\/22\/where-have-all-the-pilots-gone\/). *[TechCrunch](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/TechCrunch \"TechCrunch\")*. Retrieved April 24, 2018.\n17. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-17)**\n    [\"U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics\"](https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/data_research\/aviation_data_statistics\/civil_airmen_statistics\/). *www.faa.gov*. Retrieved November 1, 2020.\n18. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-18)**\n    Maxon, Terry (December 15, 2007). [\"Retirement age raised to 65 in nick of time for pilots turning 60\"](http:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/sharedcontent\/dws\/bus\/stories\/DN-pilots_15bus.ART0.State.Edition1.2a48e73.html). *The Dallas Morning News*. Retrieved October 15, 2009.\n19. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-19)**\n    Rooney, Ben (November 25, 2014). [\"Drone pilot wanted: Starting salary \\$100,000\"](https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2014\/11\/25\/news\/drone-pilot-degree\/). *CNN*. Retrieved March 24, 2015.\n20. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-20)**\n    Pope, Stephen (July 11, 2013). [\"FAA Finalizes ATP Rule for First Officers\"](http:\/\/www.flyingmag.com\/news\/faa-finalizes-atp-rule-first-officers). *Flying Magazine*. Retrieved October 15, 2014.\n    \n    \\[*[permanent dead link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Link_rot \"Wikipedia:Link rot\")*\\]\n21. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_1_21-0)**\n    Besco, Robert O.; Sangal, Satya P.; Nesthus, Thomas E.; Veronneau, Stephen J. H. (February 1, 1995). [Longevity and Survival Analysis for a Cohort of Retired Airline Pilots](https:\/\/rosap.ntl.bts.gov\/view\/dot\/21446) (Report). Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. DOT\/FAA\/AM-95\/5. Retrieved March 23, 2024.\n22. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_2_22-0)**\n    Besco, Robert O. (1996). [\"Study suggests longer life expectancy for retired pilots than for their general population counterparts\"](https:\/\/www.flightsafety.org\/hf\/hf_jan-feb96.pdf) (PDF). *Human Factors & Aviation Medicine*. **43** (1). Retrieved March 23, 2024.\n23. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Irvine_23-0)**\n    Irvine, D.; Davies, D. M. (June 1999). \"British Airways flightdeck mortality study, 1950-1992\". *Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine*. **70** (6): 548–555\\. [ISSN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISSN_\$identifier\$ \"ISSN (identifier)\") [0095-6562](https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/issn\/0095-6562). [PMID](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PMID_\$identifier\$ \"PMID (identifier)\") [10373044](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/10373044).\n24. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-24)**\n    [\"Boeing: Let's Retire the Rumor About Life Expectancy 7.30.2004\"](https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/boeing-lets-retire-the-rumor-about-life-expectancy-7.30.2004). June 30, 2004.\n25. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-25)**\n    Gerstle, Frank; Biggs, Mark (November 16, 2011). [\"Reality check: Sandia retirees' life expectancies differ markedly from the 'Boeing' urban legend graph\"](https:\/\/www.sandia.gov\/app\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2001\/11\/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF). *Sandia Lab News*. Vol. 53, no. 23. pp. 12–13\\. [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240327025612\/https:\/\/www.sandia.gov\/app\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2001\/11\/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.\n26. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Muhanna_26-0)**\n    Muhanna, Ibrahim E.; Shakallis, Andreas (June 1992). [\"Preliminary study confirms that pilots die at younger age than general population\"](https:\/\/flightsafety.org\/fsd\/fsd_jun92.pdf) (PDF). *Flight Safety Digest*. Retrieved March 23, 2024.\n27. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-MacIntyre_27-0)**\n    MacIntyre, N. R.; Mitchell, R. E.; Oberman, A.; Harlan, W. R.; Graybiel, A.; Johnson, E. (September 1978). \"Longevity in military pilots: 37-year followup of the Navy's \"1000 aviators\"\". *Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine*. **49** (9): 1120–1122\\. [ISSN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISSN_\$identifier\$ \"ISSN (identifier)\") [0095-6562](https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/issn\/0095-6562). [PMID](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PMID_\$identifier\$ \"PMID (identifier)\") [697677](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/697677).","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	"Aviatrix" redirects here. For a discussion of the role of women in aviation and aeronautics, see Women in aviation . U.S. Army Air Forces test pilot Lt. F.W. "Mike" Hunter wearing a flight suit in October 1942 An aircraft pilot , or aviator , is an individual who controls an aircraft's flight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as navigators and flight engineers , are also considered aviators because they assist in operating the aircraft’s navigation and engine systems. Aircrew members like drone operators, flight attendants , mechanics , and ground crew are not classified as aviators. To recognize pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines around the world award aviator badges to their pilots. The first recorded use of the term aviator ( aviateur in French) was in 1887, as a variation of aviation , from the Latin avis (meaning bird ), coined in 1863 by G. J. G. de La Landelle [ fr ] in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne ("Aviation or Air Navigation"). The term aviatrix ( aviatrice in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a female pilot. The term aviator ( aviateur in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a male pilot. [ 1 ] People who operate aircraft obtain a pilot licence. Aviation regulations referred to pilots . These terms were used more in the early days of aviation , when airplanes were extremely rare, and connoted bravery and adventure. For example, a 1905 reference work described the Wright brothers ' first airplane : "The weight, including the body of the aviator, is a little more than 700 pounds". [ 2 ] To ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early aviation soon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The Aéro-Club de France delivered the first certificate to Louis Blériot in 1908—followed by Glenn Curtiss , Léon Delagrange , and Robert Esnault-Pelterie . The British Royal Aero Club followed in 1910 and the Aero Club of America in 1911 (Glenn Curtiss receiving the first). Pilots landing a Boeing 777 Civilian pilots fly aircraft of all types privately for pleasure, charity, or in pursuance of a business, or commercially for non-scheduled (charter) and scheduled passenger and cargo air carriers (airlines), corporate aviation, agriculture (crop dusting, etc.), forest fire control, law enforcement, etc. When flying for an airline, pilots are usually referred to as airline pilots, with the pilot in command often referred to as the captain . There were 290,000 airline pilots in the world in 2017 and aircraft simulator manufacturer CAE Inc. forecasts a need for 255,000 new ones for a population of 440,000 by 2027, 150,000 for growth and 105,000 to offset retirement and attrition: 90,000 in Asia-Pacific (average pilot age in 2016: 45.8 years), 85,000 in Americas (48 years), 50,000 in Europe (43.7 years) and 30,000 in Middle East & Africa (45.7 years). [ 3 ] Boeing expects 790,000 new pilots in 20 years from 2018, 635,000 for commercial aviation , 96,000 for business aviation and 59,000 for helicopters : 33% in Asia Pacific (261,000), 26% in North America (206,000), 18% in Europe (146,000), 8% in the Middle East (64,000), 7% in Latin America (57,000), 4% in Africa (29,000) and 3% in Russia/ Central Asia (27,000). [ 4 ] By November 2017, due a shortage of qualified pilots, some pilots were leaving corporate aviation to return to airlines. In one example a Global 6000 pilot, making $250,000 a year for 10 to 15 flight hours a month, returned to American Airlines with full seniority . A Gulfstream G650 or Global 6000 pilot might earn between $245,000 and $265,000, and recruiting one may require up to $300,000. At the other end of the spectrum, constrained by the available pilots, some small carriers hire new pilots who need 300 hours to jump to airlines in a year. They may also recruit non-career pilots who have other jobs or airline retirees who want to continue to fly. [ 5 ] The number of airline pilots could decrease as automation replaces copilots and eventually pilots as well. In January 2017 Rhett Ross, CEO of Continental Motors said "my concern is that in the next two decades—if not sooner—automated and autonomous flight will have developed sufficiently to put downward pressure on both wages and the number and kind of flying jobs available. So if a kid asks the question now and he or she is 18, 20 years from now will be 2037 and our would-be careerist will be 38—not even mid-career. Who among us thinks aviation and especially for-hire flying will look like it does now?" Christian Dries, owner of Diamond Aircraft Austria said "Behind the curtain, aircraft manufacturers are working on a single-pilot cockpit where the airplane can be controlled from the ground and only in case of malfunction does the pilot of the plane interfere. Basically the flight will be autonomous and I expect this to happen in the next five to six years for freighters." [ needs update ] [ 6 ] In August 2017 financial company UBS predicted pilotless airliners are technically feasible and could appear around 2025, offering around $35bn of savings, mainly in pilot costs: $26bn for airlines , $3bn for business jets and $2.1bn for civil helicopters ; $3bn/year from lower pilot training and aviation insurance costs due to safer flights; $1bn from flight optimisation (1% of global airlines' $133bn jet fuel bill in 2016); not counting revenue opportunity from increased capacity utilization . Regulations have to adapt with air cargo likely at the forefront, but pilotless flights could be limited by consumer behaviour : 54% of 8,000 people surveyed are defiant while 17% are supportive, with acceptation progressively forecast. [ 7 ] AVweb reporter Geoff Rapoport stated, "pilotless aircraft are an appealing prospect for airlines bracing for the need to hire several hundred thousand new pilots in the next decade. Wages and training costs have been rapidly rising at regional U.S. airlines over the last several years as the major airlines have hired pilots from the regionals at unprecedented rates to cover increased air travel demand from economic expansion and a wave of retirements". [ 8 ] Going to pilotless airliners could be done in one bold step or in gradual improvements like by reducing the cockpit crew for long haul missions or allowing single pilot cargo aircraft. The industry has not decided how to proceed yet. Present automated systems are not autonomous and must be monitored; their replacement could require artificial intelligence with machine learning while present certified software is deterministic . [ 9 ] As the Airbus A350 would only need minor modifications, Air Caraibes and French Bee parent Groupe Dubreuil see two-pilot crews in long-haul operations, without a third pilot for rotation, happening around 2024–2025. [ 10 ] Single-pilot freighters could start with regional flights. [ 11 ] The Air Line Pilots Association believe removing pilots would threaten aviation safety and opposes the April 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act's Section 744 establishing a research and development program to assist single-pilot cargo aircraft by remote and computer piloting. [ 12 ] For French aerospace research center Onera and avionics manufacturer Thales , artificial intelligence (AI) like consumer neural networks learning from large datasets cannot explain their operation and cannot be certified for safe air transport. Progress towards ‘explainable’ AIs can be expected in the next decade, as the Onera expects "leads" for a certifiable AI system, along EASA standards evolution. [ 13 ] In some countries, such as Pakistan , Thailand and several African nations, there is a strong relationship between the military and the principal national airlines, and many airline pilots come from the military; however, that is no longer the case in the United States and Western Europe . [ citation needed ] While the flight decks of U.S. and European airliners do have ex-military pilots, many pilots are civilians. Military training and flying, while rigorous, is fundamentally different in many ways from civilian piloting. Operating an aircraft in Canada is regulated by the Aeronautics Act of 1985 and the Canadian Aviation Regulations provide rules for Pilot licensing in Canada . Retirement age is provided by each airline, with some set to age 60, but changes to the Canadian Human Rights Act have restricted the retirement age set by the airlines. [ 14 ] In the United States in 2020, there were 691,691 active pilot certificates. [ 15 ] This was down from a high of over 800,000 active pilots in 1980. [ 16 ] Of the active pilot certificate holders, there were 160,860 Private, 103,879 Commercial, 164,193 Airline Transport, and 222,629 Student. [ 17 ] In 1930, the Air Commerce Act established pilot licensing requirements for American civil aviation. Commercial airline pilots in the United States have a mandatory retirement age of 65, having increased from age 60 in 2007. [ 18 ] A U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot in flight Military pilots fly with the armed forces, primarily the air forces, of a government or nation-state . Their tasks involve combat and non-combat operations, including direct hostile engagements and support operations. Military pilots undergo specialized training, often with weapons . Examples of military pilots include fighter pilots , bomber pilots, transport pilots, test pilots , and astronauts . Captain Marcel Courmes , French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915. Military pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors. This is due to the different aircraft, flight goals, flight situations and chains of responsibility. Many military pilots do transfer to civilian-pilot qualification after they leave the military, and typically their military experience provides the basis for a civilian pilot's license. It was in France that the world's first bombing group was created, on November 23, 1914. The Voisin III were the only aircraft available for this mission. These could only carry very light loads (between 55–160 kg of bombs), the bombs were rudimentary and the aiming systems remained to be developed. Initially, the bombs were simply thrown overboard by the crew, with necessarily very limited accuracy. Nevertheless, the beginnings of tactical and strategic bombing took place in the first days of the war. Thus, the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) carried out bombing missions of the hangars of the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne and Friedrichhafen during the autumn of 1914. The formation of the Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende ("Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment", name of code of the first German bombing units) carried out bombing missions over the English Channel in December 1914. Unmanned aerial vehicles [ edit ] A United States Air Force RPA pilot. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, also known as "drones") operate without a pilot on board and are classed into two categories: autonomous aircraft that operate without active human control during flight and remotely piloted UAVs which are operated remotely by one or more persons. The person controlling a remotely piloted UAV may be referred to as its pilot or operator. Depending on the sophistication and use of the UAV, pilots/operators of UAVs may require certification or training, but are generally not subject to the licensing/certification requirements of pilots of manned aircraft. Some UAV's can be bought online and are not in military use. Most jurisdictions have restrictions on the use of UAVs which have greatly limited their use in controlled airspace; UAVs have mostly been limited to military and hobbyist use. In the United States, use of UAVs is very limited in controlled airspace (generally, above 400 ft/122m and away from airports), and the FAA prohibits nearly all commercial use. Once regulations are made to allow expanded use of UAVs in controlled airspace, there is expected to be a large surge of UAVs in use and, consequently, high demand for pilots/operators of these aircraft. [ 19 ] An astronaut going through pilot training exercise. The general concept of an airplane pilot can be applied to human spaceflight , as well. The pilot is the astronaut who directly controls the operation of a spacecraft . This term derives directly from the usage of the word "pilot" in aviation, where it is synonymous with "aviator". Pilot certifications [ edit ] Military aviation training in a Royal Air Force Nimrod aircraft Pilots are required to go through many hours of flight training and theoretical study, that differ depending on the country. The first step is acquiring the Private Pilot License (PPL), or Private Pilot Certificate. In the United States of America, this includes a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of flight training, the majority of which with a Certified Flight Instructor . In the United States, an LSA ( Light Sport Aircraft ) license can be obtained in at least 20 hours of flight time. Generally, the next step in a pilot's progression is Instrument Rating (IR), or Multi-Engine Rating (MEP) addons. Pilots may also choose to pursue a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) after completing their PPL. This is required if the pilot desires to pursue a professional career as a pilot. To captain an airliner, one must obtain an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). In the United States after 1 August 2013, an ATPL is required even when acting as a first officer. [ 20 ] Some countries/carriers require/use a multi-crew cooperation (MCC) certificate. There is a popular belief that airline pilots die earlier than the general population. This belief was not supported by 1990s studies of American Airlines and British Airways pilots. [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] A hoax claiming to show an inverse relationship between retirement age and life expectancy was refuted by Boeing. [ 24 ] [ 25 ] However, a 1992 study of several airline pilot associations' data found evidence of higher mortality. [ 26 ] A 1978 study of military pilots found increased longevity, which was attributed to "generally good socioeconomic background, the positive genetic influence of long-lived parents, the above average intelligence, and the health and fitness orientation of the military aviator". [ 27 ] Airline pilot uniforms Air safety IMSAFE (mnemonic for pilot's fitness to fly) List of aerospace engineers List of aviators Pilot fatigue Pilot logbook ^ "Aeronautics in 1904". Collier's Self-Indexing Annual . New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6. ^ "Aeronautics in 1904". Collier's Self-Indexing Annual . New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6. ^ "Airline Pilot Demand Outlook" (PDF) . CAE Inc. June 2017. 10-year view. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 12, 2017 . Retrieved June 21, 2017 . ^ "Pilot Outlook: 2018 - 2037" . Boeing. July 23, 2018. ^ Lynch, Kerry (November 21, 2017). "Bizav Leaders Seeing Shortages in Qualified Pilot Pool" . AIN . Retrieved March 8, 2018 . ^ "Will A Robot Steal Your Pilot Job?" . AVweb . January 1, 2017. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017 . Retrieved July 31, 2017 . ^ Castle, Jarrod; et al. (August 7, 2017), "Flying solo – how far are we down the path towards pilotless planes?" (PDF) , UBS Global Research , UBS, archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2017 , retrieved August 17, 2017 ^ Rapoport, Geoff (August 7, 2017). "Pilotless Transport Aircraft By 2025 Says UBS" . AVweb . Retrieved August 9, 2017 . [ permanent dead link ] ^ Trimble, Stephen (August 21, 2017). "How Boeing is approaching the future of pilotless airliners" . Flightglobal . Retrieved March 8, 2018 . ^ Dubois, Thierry (December 11, 2019). "Airline CEO Sees Reduced Long-Haul Crew In Near Future" . Aviation Week Network . ^ Freed, Jamie; Hepher, Tim (February 8, 2018). "Freight first as jetmakers study single-pilot airplanes" . Reuters . Retrieved March 8, 2018 . ^ Canoll, Tim (July 31, 2018). "Opinion: Why Two Pilots In The Cockpit Remains Essential" . Aviation Week & Space Technology . ^ Dubois, Thierry (November 26, 2018). "No AI In Cockpit Anytime Soon, Onera, Thales Say" . Aviation Week Network . ^ Lu, Vanessa (January 24, 2013). "Air Canada pilots can continue flying past age 60 under new rules" . Toronto Star . Retrieved November 5, 2013 . ^ "U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics" . www.faa.gov . Retrieved October 17, 2019 . ^ Evans, Jon (April 22, 2018). "Where have all the pilots gone?" . TechCrunch . Retrieved April 24, 2018 . ^ "U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics" . www.faa.gov . Retrieved November 1, 2020 . ^ Maxon, Terry (December 15, 2007). "Retirement age raised to 65 in nick of time for pilots turning 60" . The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved October 15, 2009 . ^ Rooney, Ben (November 25, 2014). "Drone pilot wanted: Starting salary $100,000" . CNN . Retrieved March 24, 2015 . ^ Pope, Stephen (July 11, 2013). "FAA Finalizes ATP Rule for First Officers" . Flying Magazine . Retrieved October 15, 2014 . [ permanent dead link ] ^ Besco, Robert O.; Sangal, Satya P.; Nesthus, Thomas E.; Veronneau, Stephen J. H. (February 1, 1995). Longevity and Survival Analysis for a Cohort of Retired Airline Pilots (Report). Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. DOT/FAA/AM-95/5 . Retrieved March 23, 2024 . ^ Besco, Robert O. (1996). "Study suggests longer life expectancy for retired pilots than for their general population counterparts" (PDF) . Human Factors & Aviation Medicine . 43 (1) . Retrieved March 23, 2024 . ^ Irvine, D.; Davies, D. M. (June 1999). "British Airways flightdeck mortality study, 1950-1992". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine . 70 (6): 548– 555. ISSN 0095-6562 . PMID 10373044 . ^ "Boeing: Let's Retire the Rumor About Life Expectancy 7.30.2004" . June 30, 2004. ^ Gerstle, Frank; Biggs, Mark (November 16, 2011). "Reality check: Sandia retirees' life expectancies differ markedly from the 'Boeing' urban legend graph" (PDF) . Sandia Lab News . Vol. 53, no. 23. pp. 12– 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2024 . Retrieved August 18, 2024 . ^ Muhanna, Ibrahim E.; Shakallis, Andreas (June 1992). "Preliminary study confirms that pilots die at younger age than general population" (PDF) . Flight Safety Digest . Retrieved March 23, 2024 . ^ MacIntyre, N. R.; Mitchell, R. E.; Oberman, A.; Harlan, W. R.; Graybiel, A.; Johnson, E. (September 1978). "Longevity in military pilots: 37-year followup of the Navy's "1000 aviators" ". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine . 49 (9): 1120– 1122. ISSN 0095-6562 . PMID 697677 .
Markdown	[Jump to content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#bodyContent) Main menu Main menu move to sidebar hide Navigation - [Main page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page "Visit the main page [z]") - [Contents](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents "Guides to browsing Wikipedia") - [Current events](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events "Articles related to current events") - [Random article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random "Visit a randomly selected article [x]") - [About Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About "Learn about Wikipedia and how it works") - [Contact us](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us "How to contact Wikipedia") Contribute - [Help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents "Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia") - [Learn to edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Introduction "Learn how to edit Wikipedia") - [Community portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal "The hub for editors") - [Recent changes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RecentChanges "A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]") - [Upload file](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard "Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia") - [Special pages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:SpecialPages "A list of all special pages [q]") [![](https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/enwiki-25.svg) ![Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en-25.svg) ![The Free Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en-25.svg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page) [Search](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search "Search Wikipedia [f]") Appearance - [Donate](https://donate.wikimedia.org/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en) - [Create account](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Aircraft+pilot "You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory") - [Log in](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Aircraft+pilot "You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. 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[o]") ## Contents move to sidebar hide - [(Top)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot) - [1 Definition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Definition) - [2 History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#History) - [3 Civilian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Civilian) Toggle Civilian subsection - [3\.1 Airline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Airline) - [3\.1.1 Automation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Automation) - [3\.2 Africa and Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Africa_and_Asia) - [3\.3 Canada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Canada) - [3\.4 United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#United_States) - [4 Military](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Military) - [5 Unmanned aerial vehicles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Unmanned_aerial_vehicles) - [6 Space](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Space) - [7 Pilot certifications](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Pilot_certifications) - [8 Life expectancy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#Life_expectancy) - [9 See also](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#See_also) - [10 References](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#References) - [11 External links](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#External_links) Toggle the table of contents # Aircraft pilot 75 languages - [Afrikaans](https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlie%C3%ABnier "Vlieënier – Afrikaans") - [العربية](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1 "طيار – Arabic") - [Asturianu](https://ast.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilotu_d%27aviaci%C3%B3n "Pilotu d'aviación – Asturian") - [Azərbaycanca](https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Azerbaijani") - [Betawi](https://bew.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tukang_terbang "Tukang terbang – Betawi") - [Български](https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82 "Пилот – Bulgarian") - [বাংলা](https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8_%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%95 "বিমান চালক – Bangla") - [Bosanski](https://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Bosnian") - [Català](https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviador "Aviador – Catalan") - [کوردی](https://ckb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%DA%95%DB%86%DA%A9%DB%95%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86 "فڕۆکەوان – Central Kurdish") - [Čeština](https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Czech") - [Dansk](https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Danish") - [Deutsch](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – German") - [Ελληνικά](https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CE%B9%CE%BB%CF%8C%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%82 "Πιλότος – Greek") - [Esperanto](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloto "Piloto – Esperanto") - [Español](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloto_de_aviaci%C3%B3n "Piloto de aviación – Spanish") - [Eesti](https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lendur "Lendur – Estonian") - [Euskara](https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegazkinlari "Hegazkinlari – Basque") - [فارسی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86 "خلبان – Persian") - [Suomi](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent%C3%A4j%C3%A4 "Lentäjä – Finnish") - [Français](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilote_$aviation$ "Pilote (aviation) – French") - [Frysk](https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloat "Piloat – Western Frisian") - [Gàidhlig](https://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paidhleat "Paidhleat – Scottish Gaelic") - [Galego](https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloto "Piloto – Galician") - [עברית](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%98%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A1 "טייס – Hebrew") - [हिन्दी](https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%95 "वायुयान चालक – Hindi") - [Hrvatski](https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Croatian") - [Magyar](https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pil%C3%B3ta_$l%C3%A9gi_k%C3%B6zleked%C3%A9s$ "Pilóta (légi közlekedés) – Hungarian") - [Հայերեն](https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D5%95%D5%A4%D5%A1%D5%B9%D5%B8%D6%82 "Օդաչու – Armenian") - [Interlingua](https://ia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilota "Pilota – Interlingua") - [Bahasa Indonesia](https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penerbang "Penerbang – Indonesian") - [Italiano](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviatore "Aviatore – Italian") - [日本語](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%91%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AD%E3%83%83%E3%83%88_$%E8%88%AA%E7%A9%BA$ "パイロット (航空) – Japanese") - [Jawa](https://jv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juru_anggegana "Juru anggegana – Javanese") - [ქართული](https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A4%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%98_%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98 "მფრინავი კოსმონავტი – Georgian") - [한국어](https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%B9%84%ED%96%89%EC%82%AC "비행사 – Korean") - [Kurdî](https://ku.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%AElot "Pîlot – Kurdish") - [Latina](https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gubernator_a%C3%ABroplani "Gubernator aëroplani – Latin") - [Limburgs](https://li.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloot_$l%C3%B3chvaart$ "Piloot (lóchvaart) – Limburgish") - [Lombard](https://lmo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgolater "Sgolater – Lombard") - [Lietuvių](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviatorius "Aviatorius – Lithuanian") - [Latviešu](https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidot%C4%81js "Lidotājs – Latvian") - [Minangkabau](https://min.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Minangkabau") - [मराठी](https://mr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95 "वैमानिक – Marathi") - [Bahasa Melayu](https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juruterbang "Juruterbang – Malay") - [नेपाली](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%95 "विमान चालक – Nepali") - [Nederlands](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloot "Piloot – Dutch") - [Norsk bokmål](https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyger "Flyger – Norwegian Bokmål") - [ਪੰਜਾਬੀ](https://pa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A8%AA%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%87%E0%A8%B2%E0%A8%9F "ਪਾਇਲਟ – Punjabi") - [پنجابی](https://pnb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%D9%B9 "پائلٹ – Western Punjabi") - [پښتو](https://ps.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AA%DA%AB%D8%B1 "الوتګر – Pashto") - [Português](https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloto_$avia%C3%A7%C3%A3o$ "Piloto (aviação) – Portuguese") - [Română](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator "Aviator – Romanian") - [Русский](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D1%91%D1%82%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BA "Лётчик – Russian") - [Русиньскый](https://rue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82 "Пилот – Rusyn") - [سنڌي](https://sd.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%DA%BE%D8%A7%D8%B2_%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%BD "جھاز پائليٽ – Sindhi") - [Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски](https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Serbo-Croatian") - [Simple English](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Simple English") - [Slovenčina](https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Slovak") - [Slovenščina](https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Slovenian") - [Shqip](https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piloti_i_avionit "Piloti i avionit – Albanian") - [Српски / srpski](https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82 "Пилот – Serbian") - [Svenska](https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Swedish") - [தமிழ்](https://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF "வானோடி – Tamil") - [తెలుగు](https://te.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B0%B5%E0%B1%88%E0%B0%AE%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%A1%E0%B1%81 "వైమానికుడు – Telugu") - [Türkçe](https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot "Pilot – Turkish") - [Українська](https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D1%8C%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BA "Льотчик – Ukrainian") - [اردو](https://ur.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DB%81%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2 "ہواباز – Urdu") - [Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча](https://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samolyot_uchuvchisi "Samolyot uchuvchisi – Uzbek") - [Tiếng Việt](https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phi_c%C3%B4ng "Phi công – Vietnamese") - [吴语](https://wuu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A3%9E%E8%A1%8C%E5%91%98 "飞行员 – Wu") - [ייִדיש](https://yi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%98 "פילאט – Yiddish") - [閩南語 / Bân-lâm-gí](https://zh-min-nan.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hui-h%C3%AAng-o%C3%A2n "Hui-hêng-oân – Minnan") - [粵語](https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A3%9B%E8%A1%8C%E5%93%A1 "飛行員 – Cantonese") - [中文](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A3%9B%E8%A1%8C%E5%93%A1 "飛行員 – Chinese") [Edit links](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q2095549#sitelinks-wikipedia "Edit interlanguage links") - [Article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot "View the content page [c]") - [Talk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Aircraft_pilot "Discuss improvements to the content page [t]") English - [Read](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot) - [Edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit "Edit this page [e]") - [View history](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=history "Past revisions of this page [h]") Tools Tools move to sidebar hide Actions - [Read](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot) - [Edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit "Edit this page [e]") - [View history](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=history) General - [What links here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Aircraft_pilot "List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]") - [Related changes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Aircraft_pilot "Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]") - 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[Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Aviators) - [Wikidata item](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q2095549 "Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]") Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Person controlling an aircraft in flight For [technical reasons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Naming_conventions_$technical_restrictions$ "Wikipedia:Naming conventions (technical restrictions)"), "Pilot \#5" redirects here. For the 1943 film, see [Pilot No. 5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_No._5 "Pilot No. 5"). "Aviator", "Jet pilot", and "Pilot" redirect here. For other uses, see [Aviator (disambiguation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator_$disambiguation$ "Aviator (disambiguation)"), [Jet pilot (disambiguation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_pilot_$disambiguation$ "Jet pilot (disambiguation)"), and [Pilot (disambiguation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_$disambiguation$ "Pilot (disambiguation)"). "Aviatrix" redirects here. For a discussion of the role of women in aviation and aeronautics, see [Women in aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_aviation "Women in aviation"). \| \| \| \|---\|---\| \| [![icon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/60px-Question_book-new.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg) \| This article needs additional citations for [verification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability "Wikipedia:Verifiability"). Please help [improve this article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Aircraft_pilot "Special:EditPage/Aircraft pilot") by [adding citations to reliable sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners "Help:Referencing for beginners"). Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: ["Aircraft pilot"](https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22) – [news](https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1) · [newspapers](https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks) · [books](https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22+-wikipedia) · [scholar](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Aircraft+pilot%22) · [JSTOR](https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Aircraft+pilot%22&acc=on&wc=on) (March 2015) ([Learn how and when to remove this message](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal "Help:Maintenance template removal")) \| [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg/250px-Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg) [U.S. Army Air Forces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces "United States Army Air Forces") test pilot [Lt.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant "Lieutenant") F.W. "Mike" Hunter wearing a [flight suit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_suit "Flight suit") in October 1942 An aircraft pilot, or aviator, is an individual who controls an [aircraft's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft "Aircraft") flight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as [navigators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigator "Navigator") and [flight engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_engineer "Flight engineer"), are also considered aviators because they assist in operating the aircraft’s navigation and engine systems. Aircrew members like drone operators, [flight attendants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_attendant "Flight attendant"), [mechanics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_maintenance_technician "Aircraft maintenance technician"), and [ground crew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_crew "Ground crew") are not classified as aviators. To recognize pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines around the world award [aviator badges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator_badge "Aviator badge") to their pilots. ## Definition \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: Definition")\] The first recorded use of the term aviator (aviateur in French) was in 1887, as a variation of aviation, from the Latin avis (meaning bird), coined in 1863 by [G. J. G. de La Landelle](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=G._J._G._de_La_Landelle&action=edit&redlink=1 "G. J. G. de La Landelle (page does not exist)") \[[fr](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._J._G._de_La_Landelle "fr:G. J. G. de La Landelle")\] in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne ("Aviation or Air Navigation"). The term aviatrix (aviatrice in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a female pilot. The term aviator (aviateur in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a male pilot.[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-1) People who operate aircraft obtain a pilot licence. Aviation regulations referred to pilots. These terms were used more in the [early days of aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_history "Aviation history"), when airplanes were extremely rare, and connoted bravery and adventure. For example, a 1905 reference work described the [Wright brothers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers "Wright brothers")' first [airplane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airplane "Airplane"): "The weight, including the body of the aviator, is a little more than 700 pounds".[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-2) ## History \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: History")\] \| \| \| \|---\|---\| \| [![\[icon\]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg/20px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) \| This section needs expansion. You can help by [adding missing information](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=). (March 2015) \| To ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early [aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation "Aviation") soon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The [Aéro-Club de France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9ro-Club_de_France "Aéro-Club de France") delivered the first certificate to [Louis Blériot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Bl%C3%A9riot "Louis Blériot") in 1908—followed by [Glenn Curtiss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Curtiss "Glenn Curtiss"), [Léon Delagrange](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_Delagrange "Léon Delagrange"), and [Robert Esnault-Pelterie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Esnault-Pelterie "Robert Esnault-Pelterie"). The British [Royal Aero Club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aero_Club "Royal Aero Club") followed in 1910 and the [Aero Club of America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Club_of_America "Aero Club of America") in 1911 (Glenn Curtiss receiving the first). ## Civilian \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Civilian")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg/250px-Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg) Pilots landing a [Boeing 777](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_777 "Boeing 777") Civilian pilots fly aircraft of all types privately for pleasure, charity, or in pursuance of a business, or commercially for non-scheduled (charter) and scheduled passenger and cargo air carriers (airlines), corporate aviation, agriculture (crop dusting, etc.), forest fire control, law enforcement, etc. When flying for an airline, pilots are usually referred to as airline pilots, with the [pilot in command](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_in_command "Pilot in command") often referred to as the captain. ### Airline \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section: Airline")\] There were 290,000 [airline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline "Airline") pilots in the world in 2017 and aircraft simulator manufacturer [CAE Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAE_Inc. "CAE Inc.") forecasts a need for 255,000 new ones for a population of 440,000 by 2027, 150,000 for growth and 105,000 to offset retirement and attrition: 90,000 in Asia-Pacific (average pilot age in 2016: 45.8 years), 85,000 in Americas (48 years), 50,000 in Europe (43.7 years) and 30,000 in Middle East & Africa (45.7 years).[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-3) [Boeing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing "Boeing") expects 790,000 new pilots in 20 years from 2018, 635,000 for [commercial aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_aviation "Commercial aviation"), 96,000 for [business aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_aviation "Business aviation") and 59,000 for [helicopters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter "Helicopter"): 33% in Asia Pacific (261,000), 26% in North America (206,000), 18% in Europe (146,000), 8% in the Middle East (64,000), 7% in Latin America (57,000), 4% in Africa (29,000) and 3% in Russia/ Central Asia (27,000).[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-4) By November 2017, due a shortage of qualified pilots, some pilots were leaving [corporate aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_aviation "Corporate aviation") to return to airlines. In one example a [Global 6000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_6000 "Global 6000") pilot, making \$250,000 a year for 10 to 15 flight hours a month, returned to [American Airlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines "American Airlines") with full [seniority](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seniority_list "Seniority list"). A [Gulfstream G650](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulfstream_G650 "Gulfstream G650") or Global 6000 pilot might earn between \$245,000 and \$265,000, and recruiting one may require up to \$300,000. At the other end of the spectrum, constrained by the available pilots, some small carriers hire new pilots who need 300 hours to jump to airlines in a year. They may also recruit non-career pilots who have other jobs or airline retirees who want to continue to fly.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AIN21nonv2017-5) #### Automation \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=5 "Edit section: Automation")\] The number of airline pilots could decrease as automation replaces copilots and eventually pilots as well. In January 2017 Rhett Ross, CEO of [Continental Motors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Motors,_Inc. "Continental Motors, Inc.") said "my concern is that in the next two decades—if not sooner—automated and autonomous flight will have developed sufficiently to put downward pressure on both wages and the number and kind of flying jobs available. So if a kid asks the question now and he or she is 18, 20 years from now will be 2037 and our would-be careerist will be 38—not even mid-career. Who among us thinks aviation and especially for-hire flying will look like it does now?" Christian Dries, owner of [Diamond Aircraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Aircraft "Diamond Aircraft") Austria said "Behind the curtain, aircraft manufacturers are working on a single-pilot cockpit where the airplane can be controlled from the ground and only in case of malfunction does the pilot of the plane interfere. Basically the flight will be autonomous and I expect this to happen in the next five to six years for freighters."\[[needs update](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items "Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers")\][\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-6) In August 2017 financial company [UBS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBS "UBS") predicted pilotless [airliners](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliner "Airliner") are technically feasible and could appear around 2025, offering around \$35bn of savings, mainly in pilot costs: \$26bn for [airlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline "Airline"), \$3bn for [business jets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_jet "Business jet") and \$2.1bn for civil [helicopters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopters "Helicopters"); \$3bn/year from lower pilot training and [aviation insurance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_insurance "Aviation insurance") costs due to safer flights; \$1bn from flight optimisation (1% of global airlines' \$133bn [jet fuel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_fuel "Jet fuel") bill in 2016); not counting revenue opportunity from increased [capacity utilization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacity_utilization "Capacity utilization"). Regulations have to adapt with [air cargo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_cargo "Air cargo") likely at the forefront, but pilotless flights could be limited by [consumer behaviour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_behaviour "Consumer behaviour"): 54% of 8,000 people [surveyed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_$human_research$ "Survey (human research)") are defiant while 17% are supportive, with acceptation progressively forecast.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-UBS7Aug2017-7) AVweb reporter Geoff Rapoport stated, "pilotless aircraft are an appealing prospect for airlines bracing for the need to hire several hundred thousand new pilots in the next decade. Wages and training costs have been rapidly rising at regional U.S. airlines over the last several years as the major airlines have hired pilots from the regionals at unprecedented rates to cover increased air travel demand from economic expansion and a wave of retirements".[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Rapoport07Aug17-8) Going to pilotless airliners could be done in one bold step or in gradual improvements like by reducing the cockpit crew for long haul missions or allowing single pilot cargo aircraft. The industry has not decided how to proceed yet. Present [automated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated "Automated") systems are not [autonomous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous "Autonomous") and must be monitored; their replacement could require [artificial intelligence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence "Artificial intelligence") with [machine learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning "Machine learning") while present certified [software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software "Software") is [deterministic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterministic "Deterministic").[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-9) As the [Airbus A350](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A350 "Airbus A350") would only need minor modifications, [Air Caraibes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Caraibes "Air Caraibes") and [French Bee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Bee "French Bee") parent Groupe Dubreuil see two-pilot crews in long-haul operations, without a third pilot for rotation, happening around 2024–2025.[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-10) Single-pilot freighters could start with regional flights.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-11) The [Air Line Pilots Association](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Line_Pilots_Association "Air Line Pilots Association") believe removing pilots would threaten [aviation safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_safety "Aviation safety") and opposes the April 2018 [FAA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAA "FAA") Reauthorization Act's Section 744 establishing a [research and development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_and_development "Research and development") program to assist [single-pilot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-pilot_resource_management "Single-pilot resource management") cargo aircraft by remote and computer piloting.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-12) For French aerospace research center [Onera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onera "Onera") and avionics manufacturer [Thales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales_Group "Thales Group"), artificial intelligence (AI) like consumer [neural networks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_network_$machine_learning$ "Neural network (machine learning)") learning from large datasets cannot explain their operation and cannot be certified for safe air transport. Progress towards ‘explainable’ AIs can be expected in the next decade, as the Onera expects "leads" for a certifiable AI system, along [EASA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Aviation_Safety_Agency "European Aviation Safety Agency") standards evolution.[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AvWeek26nov2018-13) ### Africa and Asia \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=6 "Edit section: Africa and Asia")\] In some countries, such as [Pakistan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan "Pakistan"), [Thailand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand "Thailand") and several [African](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa "Africa") nations, there is a strong relationship between the military and the principal national airlines, and many airline pilots come from the military; however, that is no longer the case in the [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States "United States") and [Western Europe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Europe "Western Europe").\[[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")\] While the flight decks of U.S. and European airliners do have ex-military pilots, many pilots are civilians. Military training and flying, while rigorous, is fundamentally different in many ways from civilian piloting. ### Canada \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=7 "Edit section: Canada")\] Operating an aircraft in Canada is regulated by the [Aeronautics Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautics_Act "Aeronautics Act") of 1985 and the [Canadian Aviation Regulations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Aviation_Regulations "Canadian Aviation Regulations") provide rules for [Pilot licensing in Canada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_licensing_in_Canada "Pilot licensing in Canada"). Retirement age is provided by each airline, with some set to age 60, but changes to the [Canadian Human Rights Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Human_Rights_Act "Canadian Human Rights Act") have restricted the retirement age set by the airlines.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-14) ### United States \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=8 "Edit section: United States")\] In the United States in 2020, there were 691,691 active pilot certificates.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-15) This was down from a high of over 800,000 active pilots in 1980.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-16) Of the active pilot certificate holders, there were 160,860 Private, 103,879 Commercial, 164,193 Airline Transport, and 222,629 Student.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-17) In 1930, the [Air Commerce Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Commerce_Act "Air Commerce Act") established pilot licensing requirements for American civil aviation. Commercial airline pilots in the United States have a mandatory retirement age of 65, having increased from age 60 in 2007.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-18) ## Military \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=9 "Edit section: Military")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/USAF_pilot.jpg/250px-USAF_pilot.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USAF_pilot.jpg) A [U.S. Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force "United States Air Force") [F-16](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-16 "F-16") pilot in flight Military pilots fly with the armed forces, primarily the air forces, of a government or [nation-state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation-state "Nation-state"). Their tasks involve [combat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat "Combat") and non-combat operations, including direct hostile engagements and support operations. Military pilots undergo specialized training, often with [weapons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon "Weapon"). Examples of military pilots include [fighter pilots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_pilot "Fighter pilot"), bomber pilots, transport pilots, [test pilots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_pilot "Test pilot"), and [astronauts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut "Astronaut"). [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg/250px-Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg) Captain [Marcel Courmes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Courmes "Marcel Courmes"), French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915. Military pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors. This is due to the different aircraft, flight goals, flight situations and chains of responsibility. Many military pilots do transfer to civilian-pilot qualification after they leave the military, and typically their military experience provides the basis for a civilian pilot's license. It was in [France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France "France") that the world's first bombing group was created, on November 23, 1914. The [Voisin III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voisin_III "Voisin III") were the only aircraft available for this mission. These could only carry very light loads (between 55–160 kg of bombs), the bombs were rudimentary and the aiming systems remained to be developed. Initially, the bombs were simply thrown overboard by the crew, with necessarily very limited accuracy. Nevertheless, the beginnings of tactical and strategic bombing took place in the first days of the war. Thus, the [Royal Naval Air Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service "Royal Naval Air Service") (RNAS) carried out bombing missions of the hangars of the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne and Friedrichhafen during the autumn of 1914. The formation of the Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende ("Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment", name of code of the first German bombing units) carried out bombing missions over the English Channel in December 1914. ## Unmanned aerial vehicles \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section: Unmanned aerial vehicles")\] Further information: [Unmanned aerial vehicle § Degree of autonomy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle#Degree_of_autonomy "Unmanned aerial vehicle") [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg/250px-6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg) A United States Air Force RPA pilot. [Unmanned aerial vehicles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicles "Unmanned aerial vehicles") (UAVs, also known as "drones") operate without a pilot on board and are classed into two categories: autonomous aircraft that operate without active human control during flight and remotely piloted UAVs which are operated remotely by one or more persons. The person controlling a remotely piloted UAV may be referred to as its pilot or operator. Depending on the sophistication and use of the UAV, pilots/operators of UAVs may require certification or training, but are generally not subject to the licensing/certification requirements of pilots of manned aircraft. Some UAV's can be bought online and are not in military use. Most jurisdictions have restrictions on the use of UAVs which have greatly limited their use in controlled airspace; UAVs have mostly been limited to military and hobbyist use. In the United States, use of UAVs is very limited in controlled airspace (generally, above 400 ft/122m and away from airports), and the FAA prohibits nearly all commercial use. Once regulations are made to allow expanded use of UAVs in controlled airspace, there is expected to be a large surge of UAVs in use and, consequently, high demand for pilots/operators of these aircraft.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-19) ## Space \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=11 "Edit section: Space")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Astronaut_Pilot.jpg/250px-Astronaut_Pilot.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Astronaut_Pilot.jpg) An astronaut going through pilot training exercise. The general concept of an airplane pilot can be applied to [human spaceflight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_spaceflight "Human spaceflight"), as well. The pilot is the [astronaut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut "Astronaut") who directly controls the operation of a [spacecraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft "Spacecraft"). This term derives directly from the usage of the word "pilot" in aviation, where it is synonymous with "aviator". ## Pilot certifications \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=12 "Edit section: Pilot certifications")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg/250px-RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg) Military aviation training in a [Royal Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force "Royal Air Force") Nimrod aircraft Further information: [Pilot licensing and certification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_licensing_and_certification "Pilot licensing and certification") Pilots are required to go through many hours of [flight training](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_training "Flight training") and theoretical study, that differ depending on the country. The first step is acquiring the [Private Pilot License](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Pilot_License "Private Pilot License") (PPL), or Private Pilot Certificate. In the United States of America, this includes a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of flight training, the majority of which with a [Certified Flight Instructor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_instructor "Flight instructor"). In the United States, an LSA ([Light Sport Aircraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-sport_aircraft "Light-sport aircraft")) license can be obtained in at least 20 hours of flight time. Generally, the next step in a pilot's progression is [Instrument Rating](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrument_Rating "Instrument Rating") (IR), or Multi-Engine Rating (MEP) addons. Pilots may also choose to pursue a [Commercial Pilot License](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Pilot_License "Commercial Pilot License") (CPL) after completing their PPL. This is required if the pilot desires to pursue a professional career as a pilot. To captain an airliner, one must obtain an [Airline Transport Pilot License](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_Transport_Pilot_License "Airline Transport Pilot License") (ATPL). In the United States after 1 August 2013, an ATPL is required even when acting as a first officer.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-20) Some countries/carriers require/use a [multi-crew cooperation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-crew_cooperation "Multi-crew cooperation") (MCC) certificate. ## Life expectancy \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=13 "Edit section: Life expectancy")\] There is a popular belief that airline pilots die earlier than the general population. This belief was not supported by 1990s studies of American Airlines and British Airways pilots.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_1-21)[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_2-22)[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Irvine-23) A hoax claiming to show an inverse relationship between retirement age and life expectancy was refuted by Boeing.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-24)[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-25) However, a 1992 study of several airline pilot associations' data found evidence of higher mortality.[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Muhanna-26) A 1978 study of military pilots found increased longevity, which was attributed to "generally good socioeconomic background, the positive genetic influence of long-lived parents, the above average intelligence, and the health and fitness orientation of the military aviator".[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-MacIntyre-27) ## See also \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=14 "Edit section: See also")\] - [Airline pilot uniforms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_pilot_uniforms "Airline pilot uniforms") - [Air safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_safety "Air safety") - [IMSAFE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMSAFE "IMSAFE") (mnemonic for pilot's fitness to fly) - [List of aerospace engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aerospace_engineers "List of aerospace engineers") - [List of aviators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aviators "List of aviators") - [Pilot fatigue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_fatigue "Pilot fatigue") - [Pilot logbook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_logbook "Pilot logbook") ## References \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=15 "Edit section: References")\] 1. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-1) "Aeronautics in 1904". [Collier's Self-Indexing Annual](https://books.google.com/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6. 2. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-2) "Aeronautics in 1904". [Collier's Self-Indexing Annual](https://books.google.com/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6. 3. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-3) ["Airline Pilot Demand Outlook"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170712235720/http://www.cae.com/uploadedFiles/Content/BusinessUnit/Civil_Aviation/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF). CAE Inc. June 2017. 10-year view. Archived from [the original](http://www.cae.com/uploadedFiles/Content/BusinessUnit/Civil_Aviation/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF) on July 12, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017. 4. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-4) ["Pilot Outlook: 2018 - 2037"](http://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/pilot-technician-outlook/2018-pilot-outlook/). Boeing. July 23, 2018. 5. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AIN21nonv2017_5-0) Lynch, Kerry (November 21, 2017). ["Bizav Leaders Seeing Shortages in Qualified Pilot Pool"](https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-11-21/bizav-leaders-seeing-shortages-qualified-pilot-pool). AIN. Retrieved March 8, 2018. 6. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-6) ["Will A Robot Steal Your Pilot Job?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170105085148/https://avweb.com/news/pilotless-transport-aircraft-by-2025-says-ubs/). AVweb. January 1, 2017. Archived from [the original](https://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/Will-a-Robot-Steal-Your-Pilot-Job-228279-1.html) on January 5, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017. 7. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-UBS7Aug2017_7-0) Castle, Jarrod; et al. (August 7, 2017), ["Flying solo – how far are we down the path towards pilotless planes?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170817163517/https://files.static-nzz.ch/2017/8/7/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF), UBS Global Research, UBS, archived from [the original](https://files.static-nzz.ch/2017/8/7/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF) on August 17, 2017, retrieved August 17, 2017 8. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Rapoport07Aug17_8-0) Rapoport, Geoff (August 7, 2017). ["Pilotless Transport Aircraft By 2025 Says UBS"](https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Pilotless-Transport-Aircraft-by-2025-says-UBS-229474-1.html). AVweb. Retrieved August 9, 2017. \[[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")\] 9. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-9) Trimble, Stephen (August 21, 2017). ["How Boeing is approaching the future of pilotless airliners"](https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-how-boeing-is-approaching-the-future-of-pi-440217/). Flightglobal. Retrieved March 8, 2018. 10. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-10) Dubois, Thierry (December 11, 2019). ["Airline CEO Sees Reduced Long-Haul Crew In Near Future"](https://aviationweek.com/awincommercial/airline-ceo-sees-reduced-long-haul-crew-near-future). Aviation Week Network. 11. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-11) Freed, Jamie; Hepher, Tim (February 8, 2018). ["Freight first as jetmakers study single-pilot airplanes"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-airshow-pilotless/freight-first-as-jetmakers-study-single-pilot-airplanes-idUSKBN1FS0SV). [Reuters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuters "Reuters"). Retrieved March 8, 2018. 12. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-12) Canoll, Tim (July 31, 2018). ["Opinion: Why Two Pilots In The Cockpit Remains Essential"](http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/opinion-why-two-pilots-cockpit-remains-essential). Aviation Week & Space Technology. 13. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AvWeek26nov2018_13-0) Dubois, Thierry (November 26, 2018). ["No AI In Cockpit Anytime Soon, Onera, Thales Say"](http://aviationweek.com/defense/no-ai-cockpit-anytime-soon-onera-thales-say). Aviation Week Network. 14. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-14) Lu, Vanessa (January 24, 2013). ["Air Canada pilots can continue flying past age 60 under new rules"](https://www.thestar.com/business/2013/01/24/air_canada_pilots_can_continue_flying_past_age_60_under_new_rules.html). Toronto Star. Retrieved November 5, 2013. 15. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-15) ["U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics"](https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/). www.faa.gov. Retrieved October 17, 2019. 16. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-16) Evans, Jon (April 22, 2018). ["Where have all the pilots gone?"](https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/22/where-have-all-the-pilots-gone/). [TechCrunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TechCrunch "TechCrunch"). Retrieved April 24, 2018. 17. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-17) ["U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics"](https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/). www.faa.gov. Retrieved November 1, 2020. 18. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-18) Maxon, Terry (December 15, 2007). ["Retirement age raised to 65 in nick of time for pilots turning 60"](http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-pilots_15bus.ART0.State.Edition1.2a48e73.html). The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 15, 2009. 19. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-19) Rooney, Ben (November 25, 2014). ["Drone pilot wanted: Starting salary \$100,000"](https://money.cnn.com/2014/11/25/news/drone-pilot-degree/). CNN. Retrieved March 24, 2015. 20. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-20) Pope, Stephen (July 11, 2013). ["FAA Finalizes ATP Rule for First Officers"](http://www.flyingmag.com/news/faa-finalizes-atp-rule-first-officers). Flying Magazine. Retrieved October 15, 2014. \[[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")\] 21. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_1_21-0) Besco, Robert O.; Sangal, Satya P.; Nesthus, Thomas E.; Veronneau, Stephen J. H. (February 1, 1995). [Longevity and Survival Analysis for a Cohort of Retired Airline Pilots](https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/21446) (Report). Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. DOT/FAA/AM-95/5. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 22. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_2_22-0) Besco, Robert O. (1996). ["Study suggests longer life expectancy for retired pilots than for their general population counterparts"](https://www.flightsafety.org/hf/hf_jan-feb96.pdf) (PDF). Human Factors & Aviation Medicine. 43 (1). Retrieved March 23, 2024. 23. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Irvine_23-0) Irvine, D.; Davies, D. M. (June 1999). "British Airways flightdeck mortality study, 1950-1992". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 70 (6): 548–555\. [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_$identifier$ "ISSN (identifier)") [0095-6562](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0095-6562). [PMID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMID_$identifier$ "PMID (identifier)") [10373044](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10373044). 24. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-24) ["Boeing: Let's Retire the Rumor About Life Expectancy 7.30.2004"](https://archive.org/details/boeing-lets-retire-the-rumor-about-life-expectancy-7.30.2004). June 30, 2004. 25. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-25) Gerstle, Frank; Biggs, Mark (November 16, 2011). ["Reality check: Sandia retirees' life expectancies differ markedly from the 'Boeing' urban legend graph"](https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/81/2001/11/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF). Sandia Lab News. Vol. 53, no. 23. pp. 12–13\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240327025612/https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/81/2001/11/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024. 26. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Muhanna_26-0) Muhanna, Ibrahim E.; Shakallis, Andreas (June 1992). ["Preliminary study confirms that pilots die at younger age than general population"](https://flightsafety.org/fsd/fsd_jun92.pdf) (PDF). Flight Safety Digest. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 27. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-MacIntyre_27-0) MacIntyre, N. R.; Mitchell, R. E.; Oberman, A.; Harlan, W. R.; Graybiel, A.; Johnson, E. (September 1978). "Longevity in military pilots: 37-year followup of the Navy's "1000 aviators"". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 49 (9): 1120–1122\. [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_$identifier$ "ISSN (identifier)") [0095-6562](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0095-6562). [PMID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMID_$identifier$ "PMID (identifier)") [697677](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/697677). ## External links \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=16 "Edit section: External links")\] - [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/20px-Commons-logo.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg) Media related to [Aviators](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Aviators "commons:Category:Aviators") at Wikimedia Commons - [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/20px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg) The dictionary definition of [Pilot](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Pilot "wiktionary:Pilot") at Wiktionary - [U.S. Women Pilots Statistics 1960–2010](http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/five-decades-of-women-pilots-in-the-united-states-how-did-we-do/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160506005055/http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/five-decades-of-women-pilots-in-the-united-states-how-did-we-do/) May 6, 2016, at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") - Pope, Stephen (October 12, 2019). ["AI, autonomy, and airpower: the end of pilots?"](http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:fhs:diva-8819). Defence Studies. 19 (4): 337–352\. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_$identifier$ "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1080/14702436.2019.1676156](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F14702436.2019.1676156). [S2CID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S2CID_$identifier$ "S2CID (identifier)") [211404933](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:211404933). - Charman, Mark; Mann, Katie (January 2021). ["The Pilot Survey 2021"](https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=76506). 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[RAA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Airline_Association "Regional Airline Association") Europe [A4E](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airlines_for_Europe "Airlines for Europe") [ASD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroSpace_and_Defence_Industries_Association_of_Europe "AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe") [ECA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Cockpit_Association "European Cockpit Association") [EBAA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Business_Aviation_Association "European Business Aviation Association") [ERA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Regions_Airline_Association "European Regions Airline Association") [ETWF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Transport_Workers%27_Federation "European Transport Workers' Federation") Other regions [AACO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Air_Carriers%27_Organization "Arab Air Carriers' Organization") [AAPA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Asia_Pacific_Airlines "Association of Asia 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Skies Agreement") [Hague Hijacking Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_Hijacking_Convention "Hague Hijacking Convention") [Hague Protocol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_Protocol "Hague Protocol") [Montreal Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Convention "Montreal Convention") [Paris Convention of 1919](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Convention_of_1919 "Paris Convention of 1919") [Rome Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Convention_on_Damage_Caused_by_Foreign_Aircraft_to_Third_Parties_on_the_Surface "Rome Convention on Damage Caused by Foreign Aircraft to Third Parties on the Surface") [Sabotage Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_for_the_Suppression_of_Unlawful_Acts_against_the_Safety_of_Civil_Aviation "Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation") [Tokyo Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Convention "Tokyo Convention") [Warsaw Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Convention "Warsaw Convention") \| \| [Intergovernmental organizations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_organization "International organization") \| [ICAO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization "International Civil Aviation Organization") [ECAC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Civil_Aviation_Conference "European Civil Aviation Conference") [Eurocontrol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocontrol "Eurocontrol") [EASA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Aviation_Safety_Agency "European Union Aviation Safety Agency") [ENCASIA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Network_of_Civil_Aviation_Safety_Investigation_Authorities "European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities") \| \| [Baggage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage "Baggage") \| [Bag tag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bag_tag "Bag tag") [Baggage allowance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_allowance "Baggage allowance") [Baggage carousel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_carousel "Baggage carousel") [Baggage cart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_cart "Baggage cart") [Baggage reclaim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_reclaim "Baggage reclaim") [Baggage handler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_handler "Baggage handler") [Baggage handling system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_handling_system "Baggage handling system") [Baggage sizer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_sizer "Baggage sizer") [Checked baggage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checked_baggage "Checked baggage") [Hand luggage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_luggage "Hand luggage") [Lost luggage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_luggage "Lost luggage") ([WorldTracer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldTracer "WorldTracer")) [Luggage lock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luggage_lock "Luggage lock") \| \| [Aviation safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_safety "Aviation safety") \| [Air rage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_rage "Air rage") [Air traffic control](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_traffic_control "Air traffic control") [Air traffic service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_traffic_service "Air traffic service") [Aircraft safety card](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_safety_card "Aircraft safety card") [Airport authority](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_authority "Airport authority") [Airport crash tender](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_crash_tender "Airport crash tender") [Airport police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_police "Airport police") [Airport security](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_security "Airport security") [Airspace class](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspace_class "Airspace class") [Area control center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_control_center "Area control center") [Brace position](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brace_position "Brace position") [Civil aviation authority](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_aviation_authority "Civil aviation authority") [Control area](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_area_$aviation$ "Control area (aviation)") [Control zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_zone "Control zone") [Controlled airspace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_airspace "Controlled airspace") [Evacuation slide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuation_slide "Evacuation slide") [Flight information region](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_information_region "Flight information region") [Flight information service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_information_service "Flight information service") [Flight recorder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_recorder "Flight recorder") [Instrument flight rules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrument_flight_rules "Instrument flight rules") [Overwing exits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overwing_exits "Overwing exits") [Pre-flight safety demonstration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-flight_safety_demonstration "Pre-flight safety demonstration") [Sky marshal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_marshal "Sky marshal") [Special use airspace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_use_airspace "Special use airspace") [US](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_use_airspace_in_the_United_States "Special use airspace in the United States") [Special visual flight rules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_visual_flight_rules "Special visual flight rules") [Terminal control area](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_control_area "Terminal control area") [Terminal control center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_control_center "Terminal control center") [Uncontrolled airspace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontrolled_airspace "Uncontrolled airspace") [Upper information region](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_information_region "Upper information region") [Visual flight rules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_flight_rules "Visual flight rules") \| \| [Airline tickets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_ticket "Airline ticket") \| [Airline booking ploys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_booking_ploys "Airline booking ploys") [Airline reservations system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_reservations_system "Airline reservations system") [Airline ticket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_ticket "Airline ticket") [Airline timetable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_timetable "Airline timetable") [Bereavement flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bereavement_flight "Bereavement flight") [Boarding pass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boarding_pass "Boarding pass") [Codeshare agreement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codeshare_agreement "Codeshare agreement") [Continent pass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent_pass "Continent pass") [Electronic ticket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_ticket "Electronic ticket") [Fare basis code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fare_basis_code "Fare basis code") [Flight cancellation and delay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_cancellation_and_delay "Flight cancellation and delay") [Frequent-flyer program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequent-flyer_program "Frequent-flyer program") [Government contract flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_contract_flight "Government contract flight") [One-way travel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-way_travel "One-way travel") [Open-jaw ticket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-jaw_ticket "Open-jaw ticket") Overbooking ([Overselling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overselling "Overselling")) [Passenger name record](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_name_record "Passenger name record") [Red-eye flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-eye_flight "Red-eye flight") [Round-the-world ticket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round-the-world_ticket "Round-the-world ticket") [Standby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standby_$air_travel$ "Standby (air travel)") [Tracking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_tracking "Flight tracking") [Travel agency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_agency "Travel agency") \| \| [Ground crew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_crew "Ground crew") \| [Aircraft maintenance technician](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_maintenance_technician "Aircraft maintenance technician") [Aircraft ground handling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_ground_handling "Aircraft ground handling") [Baggage handler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggage_handler "Baggage handler") [Flight dispatcher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_dispatcher "Flight dispatcher") \| \| Miscellaneous \| [Air cargo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_cargo "Air cargo") [Air travel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_travel "Air travel") [Aviation taxation and subsidies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_taxation_and_subsidies "Aviation taxation and subsidies") [Mile high club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_high_club "Mile high club") [Steffen Boarding Method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steffen_Boarding_Method "Steffen Boarding Method") \| \| [Authority control databases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Authority_control "Help:Authority control") [![Edit this at Wikidata](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png)](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2095549#identifiers "Edit this at Wikidata") \| \| \|---\|---\| \| International \| [GND](https://d-nb.info/gnd/4017678-2) [2](https://d-nb.info/gnd/4216694-9) \| \| National \| [United States](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/sh85002673) [France](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11937696p) [BnF data](https://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11937696p) 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Readable Markdown	"Aviatrix" redirects here. For a discussion of the role of women in aviation and aeronautics, see [Women in aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_aviation "Women in aviation"). [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg/250px-Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lt_Mike_Hunter_1.jpg) [U.S. Army Air Forces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces "United States Army Air Forces") test pilot [Lt.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant "Lieutenant") F.W. "Mike" Hunter wearing a [flight suit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_suit "Flight suit") in October 1942 An aircraft pilot, or aviator, is an individual who controls an [aircraft's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft "Aircraft") flight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as [navigators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigator "Navigator") and [flight engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_engineer "Flight engineer"), are also considered aviators because they assist in operating the aircraft’s navigation and engine systems. Aircrew members like drone operators, [flight attendants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_attendant "Flight attendant"), [mechanics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_maintenance_technician "Aircraft maintenance technician"), and [ground crew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_crew "Ground crew") are not classified as aviators. To recognize pilots' qualifications and responsibilities, most militaries and many airlines around the world award [aviator badges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator_badge "Aviator badge") to their pilots. The first recorded use of the term aviator (aviateur in French) was in 1887, as a variation of aviation, from the Latin avis (meaning bird), coined in 1863 by [G. J. G. de La Landelle](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=G._J._G._de_La_Landelle&action=edit&redlink=1 "G. J. G. de La Landelle (page does not exist)") \[[fr](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._J._G._de_La_Landelle "fr:G. J. G. de La Landelle")\] in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne ("Aviation or Air Navigation"). The term aviatrix (aviatrice in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a female pilot. The term aviator (aviateur in French), now archaic, was formerly used for a male pilot.[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-1) People who operate aircraft obtain a pilot licence. Aviation regulations referred to pilots. These terms were used more in the [early days of aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_history "Aviation history"), when airplanes were extremely rare, and connoted bravery and adventure. For example, a 1905 reference work described the [Wright brothers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers "Wright brothers")' first [airplane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airplane "Airplane"): "The weight, including the body of the aviator, is a little more than 700 pounds".[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-2) To ensure the safety of people in the air and on the ground, early [aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation "Aviation") soon required that aircraft be under the operational control of a properly trained, certified pilot at all times, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The [Aéro-Club de France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9ro-Club_de_France "Aéro-Club de France") delivered the first certificate to [Louis Blériot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Bl%C3%A9riot "Louis Blériot") in 1908—followed by [Glenn Curtiss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Curtiss "Glenn Curtiss"), [Léon Delagrange](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_Delagrange "Léon Delagrange"), and [Robert Esnault-Pelterie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Esnault-Pelterie "Robert Esnault-Pelterie"). The British [Royal Aero Club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aero_Club "Royal Aero Club") followed in 1910 and the [Aero Club of America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Club_of_America "Aero Club of America") in 1911 (Glenn Curtiss receiving the first). [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg/250px-Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Transaero_777_landing_at_Sharm-el-Sheikh_Pereslavtsev.jpg) Pilots landing a [Boeing 777](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_777 "Boeing 777") Civilian pilots fly aircraft of all types privately for pleasure, charity, or in pursuance of a business, or commercially for non-scheduled (charter) and scheduled passenger and cargo air carriers (airlines), corporate aviation, agriculture (crop dusting, etc.), forest fire control, law enforcement, etc. When flying for an airline, pilots are usually referred to as airline pilots, with the [pilot in command](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_in_command "Pilot in command") often referred to as the captain. There were 290,000 [airline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline "Airline") pilots in the world in 2017 and aircraft simulator manufacturer [CAE Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAE_Inc. "CAE Inc.") forecasts a need for 255,000 new ones for a population of 440,000 by 2027, 150,000 for growth and 105,000 to offset retirement and attrition: 90,000 in Asia-Pacific (average pilot age in 2016: 45.8 years), 85,000 in Americas (48 years), 50,000 in Europe (43.7 years) and 30,000 in Middle East & Africa (45.7 years).[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-3) [Boeing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing "Boeing") expects 790,000 new pilots in 20 years from 2018, 635,000 for [commercial aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_aviation "Commercial aviation"), 96,000 for [business aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_aviation "Business aviation") and 59,000 for [helicopters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter "Helicopter"): 33% in Asia Pacific (261,000), 26% in North America (206,000), 18% in Europe (146,000), 8% in the Middle East (64,000), 7% in Latin America (57,000), 4% in Africa (29,000) and 3% in Russia/ Central Asia (27,000).[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-4) By November 2017, due a shortage of qualified pilots, some pilots were leaving [corporate aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_aviation "Corporate aviation") to return to airlines. In one example a [Global 6000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_6000 "Global 6000") pilot, making \$250,000 a year for 10 to 15 flight hours a month, returned to [American Airlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines "American Airlines") with full [seniority](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seniority_list "Seniority list"). A [Gulfstream G650](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulfstream_G650 "Gulfstream G650") or Global 6000 pilot might earn between \$245,000 and \$265,000, and recruiting one may require up to \$300,000. At the other end of the spectrum, constrained by the available pilots, some small carriers hire new pilots who need 300 hours to jump to airlines in a year. They may also recruit non-career pilots who have other jobs or airline retirees who want to continue to fly.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AIN21nonv2017-5) The number of airline pilots could decrease as automation replaces copilots and eventually pilots as well. In January 2017 Rhett Ross, CEO of [Continental Motors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Motors,_Inc. "Continental Motors, Inc.") said "my concern is that in the next two decades—if not sooner—automated and autonomous flight will have developed sufficiently to put downward pressure on both wages and the number and kind of flying jobs available. So if a kid asks the question now and he or she is 18, 20 years from now will be 2037 and our would-be careerist will be 38—not even mid-career. Who among us thinks aviation and especially for-hire flying will look like it does now?" Christian Dries, owner of [Diamond Aircraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Aircraft "Diamond Aircraft") Austria said "Behind the curtain, aircraft manufacturers are working on a single-pilot cockpit where the airplane can be controlled from the ground and only in case of malfunction does the pilot of the plane interfere. Basically the flight will be autonomous and I expect this to happen in the next five to six years for freighters."\[[needs update](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items "Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers")\][\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-6) In August 2017 financial company [UBS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBS "UBS") predicted pilotless [airliners](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliner "Airliner") are technically feasible and could appear around 2025, offering around \$35bn of savings, mainly in pilot costs: \$26bn for [airlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline "Airline"), \$3bn for [business jets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_jet "Business jet") and \$2.1bn for civil [helicopters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopters "Helicopters"); \$3bn/year from lower pilot training and [aviation insurance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_insurance "Aviation insurance") costs due to safer flights; \$1bn from flight optimisation (1% of global airlines' \$133bn [jet fuel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_fuel "Jet fuel") bill in 2016); not counting revenue opportunity from increased [capacity utilization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacity_utilization "Capacity utilization"). Regulations have to adapt with [air cargo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_cargo "Air cargo") likely at the forefront, but pilotless flights could be limited by [consumer behaviour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_behaviour "Consumer behaviour"): 54% of 8,000 people [surveyed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_$human_research$ "Survey (human research)") are defiant while 17% are supportive, with acceptation progressively forecast.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-UBS7Aug2017-7) AVweb reporter Geoff Rapoport stated, "pilotless aircraft are an appealing prospect for airlines bracing for the need to hire several hundred thousand new pilots in the next decade. Wages and training costs have been rapidly rising at regional U.S. airlines over the last several years as the major airlines have hired pilots from the regionals at unprecedented rates to cover increased air travel demand from economic expansion and a wave of retirements".[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Rapoport07Aug17-8) Going to pilotless airliners could be done in one bold step or in gradual improvements like by reducing the cockpit crew for long haul missions or allowing single pilot cargo aircraft. The industry has not decided how to proceed yet. Present [automated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated "Automated") systems are not [autonomous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous "Autonomous") and must be monitored; their replacement could require [artificial intelligence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence "Artificial intelligence") with [machine learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning "Machine learning") while present certified [software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software "Software") is [deterministic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterministic "Deterministic").[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-9) As the [Airbus A350](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A350 "Airbus A350") would only need minor modifications, [Air Caraibes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Caraibes "Air Caraibes") and [French Bee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Bee "French Bee") parent Groupe Dubreuil see two-pilot crews in long-haul operations, without a third pilot for rotation, happening around 2024–2025.[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-10) Single-pilot freighters could start with regional flights.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-11) The [Air Line Pilots Association](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Line_Pilots_Association "Air Line Pilots Association") believe removing pilots would threaten [aviation safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_safety "Aviation safety") and opposes the April 2018 [FAA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAA "FAA") Reauthorization Act's Section 744 establishing a [research and development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_and_development "Research and development") program to assist [single-pilot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-pilot_resource_management "Single-pilot resource management") cargo aircraft by remote and computer piloting.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-12) For French aerospace research center [Onera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onera "Onera") and avionics manufacturer [Thales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales_Group "Thales Group"), artificial intelligence (AI) like consumer [neural networks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_network_$machine_learning$ "Neural network (machine learning)") learning from large datasets cannot explain their operation and cannot be certified for safe air transport. Progress towards ‘explainable’ AIs can be expected in the next decade, as the Onera expects "leads" for a certifiable AI system, along [EASA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Aviation_Safety_Agency "European Aviation Safety Agency") standards evolution.[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-AvWeek26nov2018-13) In some countries, such as [Pakistan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan "Pakistan"), [Thailand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand "Thailand") and several [African](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa "Africa") nations, there is a strong relationship between the military and the principal national airlines, and many airline pilots come from the military; however, that is no longer the case in the [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States "United States") and [Western Europe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Europe "Western Europe").\[[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")\] While the flight decks of U.S. and European airliners do have ex-military pilots, many pilots are civilians. Military training and flying, while rigorous, is fundamentally different in many ways from civilian piloting. Operating an aircraft in Canada is regulated by the [Aeronautics Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautics_Act "Aeronautics Act") of 1985 and the [Canadian Aviation Regulations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Aviation_Regulations "Canadian Aviation Regulations") provide rules for [Pilot licensing in Canada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_licensing_in_Canada "Pilot licensing in Canada"). Retirement age is provided by each airline, with some set to age 60, but changes to the [Canadian Human Rights Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Human_Rights_Act "Canadian Human Rights Act") have restricted the retirement age set by the airlines.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-14) In the United States in 2020, there were 691,691 active pilot certificates.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-15) This was down from a high of over 800,000 active pilots in 1980.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-16) Of the active pilot certificate holders, there were 160,860 Private, 103,879 Commercial, 164,193 Airline Transport, and 222,629 Student.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-17) In 1930, the [Air Commerce Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Commerce_Act "Air Commerce Act") established pilot licensing requirements for American civil aviation. Commercial airline pilots in the United States have a mandatory retirement age of 65, having increased from age 60 in 2007.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-18) [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/USAF_pilot.jpg/250px-USAF_pilot.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USAF_pilot.jpg) A [U.S. Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force "United States Air Force") [F-16](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-16 "F-16") pilot in flight Military pilots fly with the armed forces, primarily the air forces, of a government or [nation-state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation-state "Nation-state"). Their tasks involve [combat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat "Combat") and non-combat operations, including direct hostile engagements and support operations. Military pilots undergo specialized training, often with [weapons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon "Weapon"). Examples of military pilots include [fighter pilots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_pilot "Fighter pilot"), bomber pilots, transport pilots, [test pilots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_pilot "Test pilot"), and [astronauts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut "Astronaut"). [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg/250px-Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marcel_Louis_Courmes_en_fourrure_1915.jpg) Captain [Marcel Courmes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Courmes "Marcel Courmes"), French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915. Military pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors. This is due to the different aircraft, flight goals, flight situations and chains of responsibility. Many military pilots do transfer to civilian-pilot qualification after they leave the military, and typically their military experience provides the basis for a civilian pilot's license. It was in [France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France "France") that the world's first bombing group was created, on November 23, 1914. The [Voisin III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voisin_III "Voisin III") were the only aircraft available for this mission. These could only carry very light loads (between 55–160 kg of bombs), the bombs were rudimentary and the aiming systems remained to be developed. Initially, the bombs were simply thrown overboard by the crew, with necessarily very limited accuracy. Nevertheless, the beginnings of tactical and strategic bombing took place in the first days of the war. Thus, the [Royal Naval Air Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service "Royal Naval Air Service") (RNAS) carried out bombing missions of the hangars of the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne and Friedrichhafen during the autumn of 1914. The formation of the Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende ("Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment", name of code of the first German bombing units) carried out bombing missions over the English Channel in December 1914. ## Unmanned aerial vehicles \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section: Unmanned aerial vehicles")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg/250px-6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:6th_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Operator.jpg) A United States Air Force RPA pilot. [Unmanned aerial vehicles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicles "Unmanned aerial vehicles") (UAVs, also known as "drones") operate without a pilot on board and are classed into two categories: autonomous aircraft that operate without active human control during flight and remotely piloted UAVs which are operated remotely by one or more persons. The person controlling a remotely piloted UAV may be referred to as its pilot or operator. Depending on the sophistication and use of the UAV, pilots/operators of UAVs may require certification or training, but are generally not subject to the licensing/certification requirements of pilots of manned aircraft. Some UAV's can be bought online and are not in military use. Most jurisdictions have restrictions on the use of UAVs which have greatly limited their use in controlled airspace; UAVs have mostly been limited to military and hobbyist use. In the United States, use of UAVs is very limited in controlled airspace (generally, above 400 ft/122m and away from airports), and the FAA prohibits nearly all commercial use. Once regulations are made to allow expanded use of UAVs in controlled airspace, there is expected to be a large surge of UAVs in use and, consequently, high demand for pilots/operators of these aircraft.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-19) [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Astronaut_Pilot.jpg/250px-Astronaut_Pilot.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Astronaut_Pilot.jpg) An astronaut going through pilot training exercise. The general concept of an airplane pilot can be applied to [human spaceflight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_spaceflight "Human spaceflight"), as well. The pilot is the [astronaut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut "Astronaut") who directly controls the operation of a [spacecraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft "Spacecraft"). This term derives directly from the usage of the word "pilot" in aviation, where it is synonymous with "aviator". ## Pilot certifications \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aircraft_pilot&action=edit&section=12 "Edit section: Pilot certifications")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg/250px-RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RAF_Pilot_Training_in_Cockpit_of_Nimrod_Aircraft_MOD_45152088.jpg) Military aviation training in a [Royal Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force "Royal Air Force") Nimrod aircraft Pilots are required to go through many hours of [flight training](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_training "Flight training") and theoretical study, that differ depending on the country. The first step is acquiring the [Private Pilot License](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Pilot_License "Private Pilot License") (PPL), or Private Pilot Certificate. In the United States of America, this includes a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of flight training, the majority of which with a [Certified Flight Instructor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_instructor "Flight instructor"). In the United States, an LSA ([Light Sport Aircraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-sport_aircraft "Light-sport aircraft")) license can be obtained in at least 20 hours of flight time. Generally, the next step in a pilot's progression is [Instrument Rating](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrument_Rating "Instrument Rating") (IR), or Multi-Engine Rating (MEP) addons. Pilots may also choose to pursue a [Commercial Pilot License](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Pilot_License "Commercial Pilot License") (CPL) after completing their PPL. This is required if the pilot desires to pursue a professional career as a pilot. To captain an airliner, one must obtain an [Airline Transport Pilot License](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_Transport_Pilot_License "Airline Transport Pilot License") (ATPL). In the United States after 1 August 2013, an ATPL is required even when acting as a first officer.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-20) Some countries/carriers require/use a [multi-crew cooperation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-crew_cooperation "Multi-crew cooperation") (MCC) certificate. There is a popular belief that airline pilots die earlier than the general population. This belief was not supported by 1990s studies of American Airlines and British Airways pilots.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_1-21)[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Besco_2-22)[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Irvine-23) A hoax claiming to show an inverse relationship between retirement age and life expectancy was refuted by Boeing.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-24)[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-25) However, a 1992 study of several airline pilot associations' data found evidence of higher mortality.[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-Muhanna-26) A 1978 study of military pilots found increased longevity, which was attributed to "generally good socioeconomic background, the positive genetic influence of long-lived parents, the above average intelligence, and the health and fitness orientation of the military aviator".[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_note-MacIntyre-27) - [Airline pilot uniforms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_pilot_uniforms "Airline pilot uniforms") - [Air safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_safety "Air safety") - [IMSAFE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMSAFE "IMSAFE") (mnemonic for pilot's fitness to fly) - [List of aerospace engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aerospace_engineers "List of aerospace engineers") - [List of aviators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aviators "List of aviators") - [Pilot fatigue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_fatigue "Pilot fatigue") - [Pilot logbook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_logbook "Pilot logbook") 1. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-1) "Aeronautics in 1904". [Collier's Self-Indexing Annual](https://books.google.com/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6. 2. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-2) "Aeronautics in 1904". [Collier's Self-Indexing Annual](https://books.google.com/books?id=Eb86AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA6). New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 1905. p. 6. 3. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-3) ["Airline Pilot Demand Outlook"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170712235720/http://www.cae.com/uploadedFiles/Content/BusinessUnit/Civil_Aviation/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF). CAE Inc. June 2017. 10-year view. Archived from [the original](http://www.cae.com/uploadedFiles/Content/BusinessUnit/Civil_Aviation/CAE-Airline-Pilot-Demand-Outlook-Spread.pdf) (PDF) on July 12, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017. 4. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-4) ["Pilot Outlook: 2018 - 2037"](http://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/pilot-technician-outlook/2018-pilot-outlook/). Boeing. July 23, 2018. 5. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AIN21nonv2017_5-0) Lynch, Kerry (November 21, 2017). ["Bizav Leaders Seeing Shortages in Qualified Pilot Pool"](https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-11-21/bizav-leaders-seeing-shortages-qualified-pilot-pool). AIN. Retrieved March 8, 2018. 6. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-6) ["Will A Robot Steal Your Pilot Job?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170105085148/https://avweb.com/news/pilotless-transport-aircraft-by-2025-says-ubs/). AVweb. January 1, 2017. Archived from [the original](https://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/Will-a-Robot-Steal-Your-Pilot-Job-228279-1.html) on January 5, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017. 7. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-UBS7Aug2017_7-0) Castle, Jarrod; et al. (August 7, 2017), ["Flying solo – how far are we down the path towards pilotless planes?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170817163517/https://files.static-nzz.ch/2017/8/7/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF), UBS Global Research, UBS, archived from [the original](https://files.static-nzz.ch/2017/8/7/93872795-5ab9-4f94-bb3a-f6ed38c6b886.pdf) (PDF) on August 17, 2017, retrieved August 17, 2017 8. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Rapoport07Aug17_8-0) Rapoport, Geoff (August 7, 2017). ["Pilotless Transport Aircraft By 2025 Says UBS"](https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Pilotless-Transport-Aircraft-by-2025-says-UBS-229474-1.html). AVweb. Retrieved August 9, 2017. \[[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")\] 9. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-9) Trimble, Stephen (August 21, 2017). ["How Boeing is approaching the future of pilotless airliners"](https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-how-boeing-is-approaching-the-future-of-pi-440217/). Flightglobal. Retrieved March 8, 2018. 10. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-10) Dubois, Thierry (December 11, 2019). ["Airline CEO Sees Reduced Long-Haul Crew In Near Future"](https://aviationweek.com/awincommercial/airline-ceo-sees-reduced-long-haul-crew-near-future). Aviation Week Network. 11. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-11) Freed, Jamie; Hepher, Tim (February 8, 2018). ["Freight first as jetmakers study single-pilot airplanes"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-airshow-pilotless/freight-first-as-jetmakers-study-single-pilot-airplanes-idUSKBN1FS0SV). [Reuters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuters "Reuters"). Retrieved March 8, 2018. 12. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-12) Canoll, Tim (July 31, 2018). ["Opinion: Why Two Pilots In The Cockpit Remains Essential"](http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/opinion-why-two-pilots-cockpit-remains-essential). Aviation Week & Space Technology. 13. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-AvWeek26nov2018_13-0) Dubois, Thierry (November 26, 2018). ["No AI In Cockpit Anytime Soon, Onera, Thales Say"](http://aviationweek.com/defense/no-ai-cockpit-anytime-soon-onera-thales-say). Aviation Week Network. 14. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-14) Lu, Vanessa (January 24, 2013). ["Air Canada pilots can continue flying past age 60 under new rules"](https://www.thestar.com/business/2013/01/24/air_canada_pilots_can_continue_flying_past_age_60_under_new_rules.html). Toronto Star. Retrieved November 5, 2013. 15. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-15) ["U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics"](https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/). www.faa.gov. Retrieved October 17, 2019. 16. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-16) Evans, Jon (April 22, 2018). ["Where have all the pilots gone?"](https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/22/where-have-all-the-pilots-gone/). [TechCrunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TechCrunch "TechCrunch"). Retrieved April 24, 2018. 17. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-17) ["U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics"](https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/). www.faa.gov. Retrieved November 1, 2020. 18. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-18) Maxon, Terry (December 15, 2007). ["Retirement age raised to 65 in nick of time for pilots turning 60"](http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-pilots_15bus.ART0.State.Edition1.2a48e73.html). The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 15, 2009. 19. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-19) Rooney, Ben (November 25, 2014). ["Drone pilot wanted: Starting salary \$100,000"](https://money.cnn.com/2014/11/25/news/drone-pilot-degree/). CNN. Retrieved March 24, 2015. 20. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-20) Pope, Stephen (July 11, 2013). ["FAA Finalizes ATP Rule for First Officers"](http://www.flyingmag.com/news/faa-finalizes-atp-rule-first-officers). Flying Magazine. Retrieved October 15, 2014. \[[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")\] 21. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_1_21-0) Besco, Robert O.; Sangal, Satya P.; Nesthus, Thomas E.; Veronneau, Stephen J. H. (February 1, 1995). [Longevity and Survival Analysis for a Cohort of Retired Airline Pilots](https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/21446) (Report). Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. DOT/FAA/AM-95/5. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 22. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Besco_2_22-0) Besco, Robert O. (1996). ["Study suggests longer life expectancy for retired pilots than for their general population counterparts"](https://www.flightsafety.org/hf/hf_jan-feb96.pdf) (PDF). Human Factors & Aviation Medicine. 43 (1). Retrieved March 23, 2024. 23. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Irvine_23-0) Irvine, D.; Davies, D. M. (June 1999). "British Airways flightdeck mortality study, 1950-1992". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 70 (6): 548–555\. [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_$identifier$ "ISSN (identifier)") [0095-6562](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0095-6562). [PMID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMID_$identifier$ "PMID (identifier)") [10373044](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10373044). 24. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-24) ["Boeing: Let's Retire the Rumor About Life Expectancy 7.30.2004"](https://archive.org/details/boeing-lets-retire-the-rumor-about-life-expectancy-7.30.2004). June 30, 2004. 25. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-25) Gerstle, Frank; Biggs, Mark (November 16, 2011). ["Reality check: Sandia retirees' life expectancies differ markedly from the 'Boeing' urban legend graph"](https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/81/2001/11/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF). Sandia Lab News. Vol. 53, no. 23. pp. 12–13\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240327025612/https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/81/2001/11/labnews11-16-01.pdf) (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024. 26. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-Muhanna_26-0) Muhanna, Ibrahim E.; Shakallis, Andreas (June 1992). ["Preliminary study confirms that pilots die at younger age than general population"](https://flightsafety.org/fsd/fsd_jun92.pdf) (PDF). Flight Safety Digest. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 27. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot#cite_ref-MacIntyre_27-0) MacIntyre, N. R.; Mitchell, R. E.; Oberman, A.; Harlan, W. R.; Graybiel, A.; Johnson, E. (September 1978). "Longevity in military pilots: 37-year followup of the Navy's "1000 aviators"". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 49 (9): 1120–1122\. [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_$identifier$ "ISSN (identifier)") [0095-6562](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0095-6562). [PMID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMID_$identifier$ "PMID (identifier)") [697677](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/697677).
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