‘The primary role of a pilot is to have a safe flight from point A to B,’ said Captain Hodges. ‘You have to handle the aircraft under all conditions and monitor the navigation to ensure that everything is on track.’

Before the flight, pilots make sure that the weather is perfect and the plane is in good condition. ‘Along the way, you have to keep track of flight instruments, fuel and the engine monitoring system,’ he said. Other responsibilities include checking for flight delays and airport facilities, communicating with air traffic control, ensuring passengers are correctly informed of emergency procedures and monitoring the terrain for potential emergency landing areas.

 

‘If you join a commercial airline, you will start out as a cadet pilot and then become a second officer,' Captain Hodges explained. Second officers, also known as cruise pilots, are essentially apprentices. ‘You will relieve another pilot and will be in charge of monitoring systems, doing the radio, communicating with air traffic control etc.’ 

‘After three to four years, you will become a junior first officer, sitting in the right hand seat. Now you can do take offs and landings,’ he said. With experience, you will be promoted to senior first officer. After that, you can take the ATPL to become a captain and move to the left seat. ‘It takes about 12 to 15 years to get to the position of a captain. If you get that far, you can move on to be a training captain, a senior training captain or a base training captain and of course you can go into management if you desire.’

 

In addition to arithmetic skills, pilots have to be cool and calm under pressure, and have excellent problem solving skills because they can be caught in unpredictable situations such a a typhoon, unexpected weather or technical difficulties. ‘You can't just say “I want to go home” – you have to sort it out.’ Besides that, you also need to have good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team. ‘Large airlines have thousands of pilots and you will be working with people that you may not know, and you have to be able to get along with them.’ You also need leadership skills to stand out and move up the ranks.

 

Apart from airlines, pilots can also work in charter companies, crop spraying, instructing or even take parachutists for sky diving. The starting salary for most pilots is about RM7,000 to RM10,000 a month inclusive of allowances. The figure can increase two to threefold as you move up the ladder.

‘The airline industry fluctuates. So it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time,’ said Captain Hodges. Some years are particularly poor for airlines, making it hard for new candidates to secure a job. Then there are expansion years where airlines have difficultly filling the vacancies. ‘It's not easy to get in but if you are determined, the doors will open for you.’ 

 

Most would assume that the best part about being a pilot would be the opportunity to see the world but for Captain Hodges, nothing beats a good landing. ‘Some of the most rewarding experiences of my career involve having to make quick decisions and having a good outcome from it. However, from day-to-day, if you can do a flight where your descent and landing was spot on, you will walk away feeling satisfied,’ he said.