Airline Pilot: What is the worst part

As an airline pilot, there are several things that most aviators hate about our profession. In this video I discuss the 5 most common things I hear pilots talk about or refer to while in the cockpit or hanging out. These are the things I personally think are the worst parts about being a pilot.

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Music: Flume - Say It [feat. Tove Lo]

[in-motus]

As for the number Two, to be good at any job and profession means continuous study throughout your career. It is a must!

[luisguillermoballesteros]

I do really like the way to address these topics. Excellent sense of humor!

[colingoldthorpe]

I see you guys and girls in the same hotels as I stay in for work. After 10 years I called it quits, took a pay cut and found a job that I can be home every night. Being away on the road is brutal, thanks for flying me safely around the US and Canada.

[FlyLeah]

I’m still going to be a pilot, been a dream so there’s nowhere else i’ll get that satisfaction than the job itself. So far I’m just a pilot student :)

[Airplanegeek]

The constant changes in your sleeping pattern means that I’m always more tired than I felt prior to being an airline pilot. One week I may be getting up at 3-4am and (trying) to go to bed at 9pm; the following week it may be starting work at 5pm and finishing at 3am. Since we work by rosters, this isn’t fixed and changes all the time as well!

The other difficult thing is staying in shape. Being a pilot means sitting down for long periods of time and even the luxury of just getting up and going to the bathroom isn’t as easy as it is in most other jobs! Combined with feeling tired means it becomes very difficult to motivate yourself to go to the gym as well.

I still love the job though :)

[rikschaaf]

4:46 "That being said, it can happen"

It happened!
Divination 100

[simonwallace]

Great video. I would imagine that being an airline pilot can be tough on family life. I used to travel a lot for IT consulting work for about 5 years at its worst as you had to fly a lot to chase the work (especially in Australia where the geographic separation is huge) and I would often see the same pilots in the airport every couple of days around the country so I can sympathise. I can imagine that you wouldn't swap the job for anything though! Keep that motivation up mate - these videos are great.

[MagnumMike]

Thanks for the information. I wanted to be an airline pilot when I was about 5 or 6, plus seeing and flying on those beautiful Boeing 707s and 727s in the mid 1960s just gave me a lot of encouragement. But, unfortunately I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just after I turned 12, and we all know how the FAA feels about people with medical conditions who want to be pilots. Oh well. :-)

[triflyr]

I loved my flying career. 24 years of flying before being medically disqualified from the flightdeck from a random autoimmune disease. So it doesn't really matter if you think you keep yourself in shape and healthy, anything can happen. Being a pilot is physically and mentally demanding. The job of actually flying becomes routine because you are so well trained and doing it so often. Thank goodness for the daily obstacles of weather, maintenance, delays, etc. The real stressors of being a pilot are like 74 Gear says; always continuing education and training, sleep deprivation due to constantly swapping time zones and lack of layover times, being away from home and family (which places a heavy burden on the spouse), failing a medical exam and worrying constantly about loosing a career. Things have changed a great deal with the job availability currently. I never in my career saw anything like what is currently happening in the industry. In fact, when I was hired it was only 20 months before my 1st of 3 furloughs took place. There were guys hired 11 months ahead of me that made captain within 3 years. It took my class 15 years. Things change for the worse in a second in this field. Also there is the commuting factor. Very few pilots get hired into a job that is based in their home town. So usually right off the bat you'll be relocating (or commuting) to some less-than-desirable city. Commuting isn't fun. It cost you time from your days off to get to and from work and it's unpaid time. Many times the flights are full and you are stuck up front in a jumpseat so don't plan on resting.

Despite all the negatives it is still the best office in the world. I mean, you're flying at the peak level of the profession, what could possibly be better?

[Tackleberry]

Name me 5 worst things about being an airline pilot and I will name you 20 worst things having a 9-5 job.

[nicflatterie]

I am in IT. Studying, I have to relearn my entire job every 5 years, technology changes. Jobs, same thing, fired, contract ends, company goes to sh@#, ... training, well degree, university fees, working at the same time. But I get to sleep, have regular hours and if I mess something up, I just shutdown and reboot ;-) love the channel !

[Audiogeek-kfez]

My father had the unglamorous job of air freight for North Central, Republic, and NWA. All on 34th st on the west side of MSP international for 35 years of his 38. Years in the airline industry. He would do weight and balance for cargo in any aircraft in his head. He enjoyed his job. He was a person who in the late 50s and early 60s would put 100 hours a week in the rapidly expanding industry. Not alk the employees of airlines are pilots.but they still enjoyed themselves as much.

[Arkeze]

The worst thing about being an airline pilot is not being an airline pilot.

[carmcarm]

Cool to see your old videos and all they way you have come improving the quality.

[weakbruteforce]

My new favorite channel! Keep up the good work!

[dondash]

I think your 'bad' is far outweighed by the 'good' but I do agree the costs would be the worst. In my opinion, it is like working on a cruise ship waiter. Long hours for little pay. But it's still something people accept when they want to pilot a 747 or any commercial plane. Good for you Kelsey.
When I lived in northern Canada, I was speaking with a retired 747 captain. I was telling him about the Aurora Borealis & he replied "I flew to Europe regularly. Try looking at them over the Arctic at 37, 000 feet." You could see the love in his eyes. That's why it's worth it.

[amalgamatenull]

5:24 I wouldn’t be able to know how good of a pilot you are but I can tell you a lot of people love you!

[cdreid]

Seeing how hard you study and how you work to constantly improve honestly makes me 1000 times more secure in how good professional pilots are. Im working to get my pilots certificate and have just begun to understand the sheer volume you guys have to learn and constantly relearn


And airlines should select who flies the biggest jets etc like the trucking industry does. Im a very experienced trucker with a very good record. So if a company wants me they have to pay for that. The most senior guys at that company will get the 'best' routes.. ie dedicated home daily high paying etc. But i wont be competing with a newbie or a guy with a years experience. They know i have people trying to blow up my phone to hire me.. he doesnt really.

[Jopanaguiton]

I’m working as a survey pilot to build time making 39K annual and I fly 80 hours a month. So even if it takes longer than working as CFI I love what I do and for me that’s what matters.

[daddyhotpockets]

THEAE VIDEOS ARE AMAZING! This channel is underrated!