Being a pilot is fulfilling and flying an aircraft is fun. For some people, it's the perfect job. It has been said that a pilot's job is several hours of boredom occasioned by brief periods of fright. This is perhaps an exaggeration, though sometimes you can’t but agree. It is really fascinating to see someone who controls a gigantic machine, flies it off the ground and then safely returns it. They wonder what it is like to be responsible for hundreds of lives or goods worth millions. When people see the inside of a cockpit, they are amazed. They stare at the aircraft’s dashboard of dials and ask more questions than have answers. Pilots are the end operators in a team of highly trained professionals. They are the movie stars of the air transportation show, because they are the most visible people to the public, while most of the other team members remain behind the scenes.

Piloting is a serious business. To be a pilot with a certificate for hire purposes, one needs a commercial certificate. You can fly to be certified by making sure that you pass the pilot school after logging no less than 250 flight hours. Thereafter, you will have to also pass a regulatory body’s test, where the supervisor asks you to initiate a flight, quizzes you on flights and aviation matters and subsequently accompanies you on a flight testing. The testing is similar to a driver’s test where driver's licenses are issued after successful tests. The supervisor requires you to perform certain flight stunts while directing your moves. If everything goes well, the supervisor then issues you a commercial pilot's certificate.

A pilot certificate is valid for a lifetime, but to use certain flight privileges, i.e. to fly certain types of planes and to in particular conditions, a pilot must have a minimum level of experience. So if you haven't flown a type of airplane for a while, you can't just hop in and take a ride. Additionally, a commercial pilot for hire needs a valid medical certificate, instrument and multi-engine rating inclusive. For you to receive a medical certificate, a certified Aviation Medical Practitioner must verify that you meet the stipulated health and fitness requirements to fly as a pilot. The instrument rating is useful for flying at low visibility. But to fly airplanes with multiple engines, the pilot needs to pass through a thorough multi-engine test. At some point, most airline pilots must acquire a transport pilot certificate. This is the highest pilot certificate that allows you to be the pilot in charge, or the captain of a large commercial aircraft.

To be hired by an airline, you need flight experience which is usually based on the number and complexity of aircrafts you have flown, plus other factors. On a plane, the captain is the pilot in the left seat; s/he flies the airplane, makes all the flight’s decisions and is normally held responsible for the flight's safety which is a big responsibility. Sometimes s/he may face tough decisions that need more than flight skills to handle especially in times of danger. As the flight crew’s head and a team leader, a pilot must ensure a friendly atmosphere among crew members.

Depending on the specifics of the airline and one’s personal situation, a pilot could be away from home for a very long period. It takes a resolute family to cope with the cherished absence of its breadwinner. A pilot's work day largely depends on the airline’s flight schedule and quite a number of factors, such as the number of pilots a plane needs for long and short hauls. Pilots have a stressful job and follow a difficult career path, but according to most of them, they would not be happy doing any other job outside the skies. It is rare to find accomplished pilots without a deep passion for flying. Lots of people think it would be a great career or vocation to fly, but the ones who eventually make it to the cockpits are extremely determined and dedicated to make it there. There are many hurdles and obstacles on the road to becoming a pilot but those tough times never last, only tough pilots do.