A captain is the highest-ranking official on an aircraft who operates the airplane and monitors the safety of everyone on board. Captains can perform all the same job duties as co-pilots, but they also maintain additional responsibilities as the first-in-command on each flight.
A Captain is typically the highest rank. However, in some airlines, there is a role of a Training Captain – an experienced pilot who not only performs regular captain duties, but also takes on the responsibility of training and evaluating other pilots (they also wear four Captain stripes).
Alternative titles for this job include Aircraft pilot, co-pilot, first officer, captain. Airline pilots fly passengers and cargo to destinations around the world.
What Do the stripes mean? | Pilot Ranking Explained
What is the lead pilot called?
The terms Lead, leader, flight leader, #1, and lead pilot are used interchangeably—all these terms refer to the same individual—the pilot in command responsible for leading an individual formation.
A First Officer in aviation is a commercial airline pilot who helps navigate and operate flights. They work in the cockpit with the Captain to assist them with the flight. They sit in the right seat and are the second in command (SIC), while the Captain sits in the left seat and is the pilot in command (PIC).
Airline Seniority Explained. Seniority is everything as an airline pilot. Airlines operate on a seniority-based system, where the pilot employed the longest is the highest on the pilot seniority list and the most newly-hired pilot is lowest. When hired by an airline, pilots get a seniority number.
So, to recap, airline pilot is a mostly working-class profession that requires middle-class credentials and that once upon a time allowed pilots to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.
Often, they are names that make them laugh, smile, or just feel more relaxed. Some funny nicknames for pilots that come to mind include Captain Crunch, Sky Walker, Birdman, Sky Pilot, and Fly Boyz. These names reflect the fun, humorous side of aviation professionals.
Using nicknames instead of a pilot's name was easier and protected their identities. By World War II, the use of call signs grew in popularity. Pilots and other aviation officers had names based on their appearance, personality, background or some pop-culture reference.
Women pilots were also formerly called "aviatrices" (singular "aviatrix"). Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to "travel alone on unprecedented journeys".
Highest salary that a Pilot can earn is ₹64.4 Lakhs per year (₹5.4L per month). How does Pilot Salary in India change with experience? An Entry Level Pilot with less than three years of experience earns an average salary of ₹16.3 Lakhs per year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median U.S. pilot salary at $211,790 in 2022. This means 50% of pilots earn more than this, and 50% earn less. However, there are pilots working for major airlines making more than $700,000 per year.
Gold collar workers have traditionally been classified as white collar. These individuals are highly-skilled and in high-demand. Surgeons, engineers, anesthesiologists, lawyers, and airline pilots are all examples of gold collar workers.
How long does it take to get seniority as a pilot?
It does not matter how long they've been flying and how much experience they have, rather only the time they've been employed at that airline. Once someone has been hired onto an airline, they immediately receive a seniority number which then stays with them throughout their entire career at that airline.
Three stripes on a pilot's uniform signal that he or she is a First Officer/co-pilot or the second in command. Depending on the airline, most pilots are given three stripes as soon as they become First Officers.
Being promoted from the rank of First Officer to Captain (or Co-Pilot to Pilot) can take anywhere from about 4 to 20 years from joining an airline, depending on the type of operation and the competency of the pilot.
Two Stripes are worn by flight engineers or second officers. Aside from being the third line of command, they are also qualified to fly planes. Three Stripes indicate that the person is the co-pilot or second in command. They assist the captain through flight planning and updating communication and flight mechanisms.
Pilots, also called captains, and co-pilots are essential for safe and timely air travel. Both pilots and co-pilots can help fly an airplane, and they typically have very similar responsibilities.
Just as ship captains aren't universally granted the power to perform marriage ceremonies, neither are pilots. And airspace poses problems for those hoping for an "official" service. “Getting married in the air is not something you should leave up in the air," Greenfield says.
PILOT leaders are students who have mastered the material for the courses they support. They are also dedicated to creating an environment where participants feel comfortable problem solving in front of their peers.
