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Is being a pilot fulfilling ?

What is it like being a pilot? What do you think personality type fits it? I am a very artistic ambitious girl and very free spirited but I find so much interest in the career, I just don't know that it be a good fit. I know with the workload it's a lot but that is the least of my worries because I can apply myself, I am just worried if I would truly be happy.

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David’s Answer

This is a very general question. My experience was primarily in the USAF as a KC-135R pilot. But I also was an F-4E and RF-4C back seater or WSO. I got to experience what it was like to fly a fighter and then with the KC-135R what it was like to fly a heavy jet similar to a modern commercial aircraft. I have over 4000 hours and I truly enjoyed it. So the question is who do you want to fly for? Personal, military, commercial? What type of job? Tourist flying, hauling cargo, passengers, military operations, etc? Do you want to eventually fly internationally? Is long haul flying what you are interested in? What types of aircraft or helicopters? Pick what interests you and then pursue it with everything you have. Being a pilot is not easy. Being well trained and capable makes it more fun but it is fun and it is exciting and worth a career. The best way to find out is try it. Find a place that has a simulator you can try or take an incentive flight or pay $$$$ and fly in a fighter jet or at least a high performance prop plane and feel what its like. If your truly motivated you will do much better than if your just doing it because you think you could or might like it.
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MT’s Answer

Becoming a pilot is a truly rewarding career. If you're interested, explore more about what it takes to be a pilot. Having the right personality and discipline is key to succeeding in this field. If you feel it's the right fit for you, give it your all. No matter your gender, you'll have equal opportunities. You'll discover just how fulfilling this path can be, and your hard work will pay off.

MT recommends the following next steps:

You may read some articles about BAK and see if you could find any interest into it.
Perform some self assessment determine if you are fit for being the commercial pilot.
Try applying airliner cadet pilot programme perhaps it is a short cut for you to earn your pilot license.
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Courtney’s Answer

Hi Julia! You sound just like me when I was your age and I think you have the perfect personality to do this career! It’s a lot of work in the beginning but gets much easier as you go along. The hardest thing is learning new concepts but just start small and ask lots of questions- it’s ok to not know everything; we are always learning. I love being able to travel for work and make calculated decisions but then on my days off, there is freedom to do whatever you want including pursuing creative hobbies. Unlike many careers, we don’t take our work home with us. My degree was in English and it helped
Me read a lot of information in the manuals quickly and effectively. The hardest thing is finding the money to do flight lessons as they’re very expensive. I would join women in aviation and the 99’s. They’re a great community of people who offer insight, friendship and scholarships!
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to this question! I have a few more 1. Is it as much physics and math as people make it to be 2. I want to have kids when I get older I dream to be a mom so is it a hard career to navigate relationships with? in the sense that you know time wise. 3. is the pay relatively well 4. do you feel accomplished and truly happy with being a pilot? thank you so much ! Julia
Thank you comment icon 1.) There is math and physics but it is very very basic and practical. Nothing crazy. 2.) I am a mom of two children and flew with my second child all the way to week 34. My husband is not a pilot as takes care of them while working full time himself. We have them enrolled in daycare and they love it. There is plenty of time off as a pilot to make friends and date and do all the things 3.) Pay used to be terrible but with the pilot shortage, it is much higher now. A first officer (copilot) makes anywhere between $45k and $400k, depending on the job. A Captain makes anywhere between $100k and $1Million 4.) I truly love this job. It is very fulfilling and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! Courtney Crain
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Dennis’s Answer

As a flight instructor, I work with people who have zero experience and help them grow into pilots. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of aviation because you get to see someone go from being unsure to confident in themselves and their abilities. Watching that progress and knowing you were part of it is something I really value.

Having a disciplined personality and the ability to learn continuously are great mindsets for becoming a pilot. There’s a lot of information thrown at you quickly — it can feel like drinking from a fire hose — but with good time management, a grounded mindset, and the ability to stay calm under pressure, you absolutely can succeed.

If you still need help deciding if being a pilot is right for you, I recommend finding a local flight school near you and seeing if they offer discovery flights, which will allow you to experience the profession firsthand!
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