Four habits of successful professional pilots

Park your ego and show respect. No matter how good you are, it’s important to be humble and have respect for everyone you meet, especially at the airport. Just because a guy fuels airplanes and lays out a carpet at the door of the Beechcraft King Air you fly doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be treated with as much respect as the CEO you flew in. In fact, many “rampers” I’ve met over the years were pilots themselves who worked the jobs while training. It’s an extremely important job, and you shouldn't torque the guy who takes care of your airplane in your absence.

Respect and professionalism for other pilots, mechanics, and FBO representatives, as well as toward the equipment you fly, will go a long way in creating a good impression. As a flight instructor, if you leave your trainer looking like you evacuated it in an emergency, the next instructor or student will not be happy to tidy up after you. It also sets a lousy example for your student.

Finally, the mantra “a good pilot is always learning” is an excellent guide to keep your ego in check. Although I have nearly 14,000 hours of flight time in many types of airplanes, I am constantly reminded that I don’t know it all. Hearing a 500-hour CFI acting like the ace of the base at the FBO should make one cringe.

Be motivated. Lots of pilots complain about their jobs but make little effort to move on. Moving up the career pilot ladder is a lot of work. It requires effort to remain up to speed on changing rules, regulations, knowledge of different equipment, networking, logbook and application updates, et cetera. Complacency is not only a killer of pilots, it’s also a killer of careers.

Over the years, I’ve offered many pilots recommendations to get hired at my airline, and when I ask them if they have all their “stuff” in order, I can immediately tell whether they’re motivated to move on. They might say, “Well, you know, it’s not bad at Regional Express and I haven’t updated my logbook in the last few years.” Right away, I can tell that these pilots lack the motivation to further their career, and I will not risk my reputation for someone who doesn’t show the willingness to make it happen. One pilot was enthused but handed me a résumé full of spelling and grammatical errors. I asked him to fix it and get it back to me. I never heard from him again.

I have to give kudos to women when it comes to not being complacent about flying careers. I’m not sure why, but in my 16 years in the airline business, I’ve found that women are generally far more motivated to advance their careers than men. I’ll leave it up to the psychiatrists to figure that one out.

Network and be prepared. Just being friendly and upbeat goes a long way toward making a positive impression on prospective employers. Most people who own or operate airplanes are pretty successful; that’s how they got to the point they can afford airplanes. Introduce yourself and talk airplanes, but don’t pry into their business. Stay humble and show your enthusiasm for flying. You never know whom you’ll meet. One day I talked to a guy at an Ohio airport T-hangar working on his Cessna 140. It turns out he was the chief pilot for one of the largest grocery store chains in the country.

The airport café is also a great networking opportunity. Not only is the restaurant a hub for all airport users, it is a magnet for corporate and charter pilots who are waiting for their passengers. Owner/pilots of turbine airplanes also fly in to frequent the restaurant.

Being prepared for a chance encounter is key. Have some business cards at the ready and don’t be shy to ask for one in return. Keep your résumé up to date so that it’s ready to email. It also won’t hurt to have some printed résumés handy. Finally, jot down flight details in your logbook. Every interview will likely include some “tell-me-about-a-time” questions that will require you to recall flight experiences, and notations can jog your memory during future logbook “surf sessions.”

Be a smooth operator. Practice smooth flying. Pilots who make quick, twitchy corrections (or worse, overcorrections) impart a sense of nervousness and unpreparedness, and will stress out their passengers and co-pilots. The smooth pilot creates an aura of calm professionalism in a stressful environment. There are no quick snaps to wing-in-the-ground turns and back to level. Imagine your terrified grandmother is riding in the back, and you’ll be on your way to smoother flying in no time. Most airlines conduct a simulator evaluation; if you are the type of pilot who thinks the yoke has to be moving to call it flying, then there’s a good chance you’ll raise some eyebrows in the back of the box. Worse, the sim operator may be reaching for a barf bag.