Heavy Responsibilities

The job of an airline pilot can seem exciting. Pilots jet around the world, and they are well paid, but the routine involves hard work, a lot of waiting time, and heavy responsibilities. The pilot and first officer’s tasks include fig­uring out a flight plan showing the route, flying height, and fuel capacity. They supervise loading and fueling of the aircraft, brief the cabin crew, and carry out preflight checks. Airline pilots must communicate constantly: with air traffic control before takeoff, during the flight, and while landing, and with their passengers during the flight. They check the aircraft’s technical performance, and position, the weather, and air traffic. At the end of a flight, pilots update the air­craft logbook and write reports about any incidents during a flight.

At all times, an airline pilot must be ready to act promptly should an emergency occur. A pilot is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and its pas­sengers. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York City in September 2001, airspace security was tightened up to protect potential terrorist targets.

О Most airline pilots in the United States belong to the Air Line Pilots Association, a labor union and professional organization for pilots founded in 1931.

Pilots are aware that the FAA may impose temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) to restrict aircraft movements in certain areas, for example around air shows, space launches, forest fires, or presidential visits.

TFRs also protect potential targets, such as military bases and government installations.