Career Corner Life as an... Airline Pilot

For starters, you will need to get yourself an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence - a full-time course to get it will take around 18 months. Before this however, you will need to have a medical check and prove you have a good standard of physical fitness, hearing, and eyesight. Good GCSE and A-Level results will also come in handy. You may be able to apply for an apprenticeship - click here for more info.

A number of abilities will be required to become a pilot. These include having good coordination, being a great communicator, having problem-solving and leadership skills, and - don't panic - the ability to keep calm in a high-pressure situation.

Day-to-day tasks might include carrying out checks on the plane engine, the fuel, and general safety systems, before you head for the skies. You'll also be following instructions from air traffic control and will work out the best route to your destination based on reports from them; the route to your destination may also need to be adjusted mid-flight and you will be required to inform passengers and crew about any changes, as well as the journey's progress. Any issues will be recorded in reports. On short flights, you'll generally be able to return home each day, but for long-haul flights you will need to spend 1 or 2 nights away from home. Accommodation will be provided.

A starter salary would be somewhere between £20,000 and £30,000. A captain could earn around £140,000 and benefits could include bonuses and insurance.

So what does a career path look like as an aviation pilot? You'll begin training to become a co-pilot and once at least 1500 hours of flight have been completed, you can apply for a full ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot Licence) and qualify to be a captain. Bear in mind that you must be at least 21 to have a full ATPL. Later on down the line, you could go on to become a flight instructor.