Besides knowing how to fly an aircraft, airplane and helicopter pilots must have a konwledge of meteorology, a working knowledge of aircraft engines, instruments and radio equipment, and must be skilled in navigation. You might work in air photography, surveying, fire-ranging, crop dusting or marine rescue, as well as commercial passenger transport. Helicopter pilots in particular work a great dealin the oil, mining and forestry industries. As a flight engineer, you would operate and monitor the various electronic and mechanical systems on large aircraft. In any of these jobs, your hours could be long and irregular; and you may be away from home for several days at a time.

WHAT YOU NEED:

To become a pilot or flight engineeer, you must have completed secondary school and have a commercial pilot's license and a radio-telephone operators certificate before being licensed. The usual career path for a commercial pilot leads from flight engineer through co-pilot to captain, providing experience in all aspects of flying.

SALARY:
$56,000 to $71,000