The Complete Guide to Becoming An Airline Pilot, Copilot, and Flight Engineer

Chapter 1: What Does a Airline Pilot, Copilot, and Flight Engineer Actually Do?

Let's start with the obvious question: what does an airline pilot, copilot, or flight engineer actually do all day? If you're like most people considering this career, your mental picture probably involves sunglasses, a crisp uniform, and dramatic views of the clouds from 35,000 feet. There's some of that, sure. But if you're going to make a decision about spending years of your life and six figures on training, you deserve the full picture, not the postcard version.

The Job Is Mostly About What Happens Before the Plane Moves

A common misconception is that pilots spend most of their time actually hand-flying the airplane. The truth is, the hands-on flying is a small fraction of what you'll do. On a typical commercial flight, the autopilot is engaged for the vast majority of the flight - in many cases, for 90% or more of it. Your real job is managing the flight: planning it, preparing the aircraft, monitoring systems, making decisions, and communicating with a dozen different people and agencies before you even push back from the gate.

Your day, if you're a captain or first officer on a narrow-body jet like an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737, starts roughly 60 to 90 minutes before your scheduled departure. That's not a suggestion - it's set by federal regulations. You'll show up to the crew room or the aircraft itself, and the first thing you do is review