Why it’s great to be a pilot

[audio:http://aviationenglishblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/11greattobeapilot.mp3|titles=Why it’s great to be a pilot]TOPIC: Why it’s great to be a pilot

You can always spot a pilot…even when he/she is not on the airport property. It’s something about the way they carry themselves and they way they react to everything that has to do with flying. They are the ones that don’t complain about “airplane noise” and actually prefer to live close to an airport. Whenever an airplane flies overhead, all pilots will look up and try to identify the kind of aircraft…guaranteed. This I what truly makes aviators a breed apart from the rest of the population.

The ability to travel in a three-dimensional environment so totally different from our ground perspective is the main draw. Pilots enjoy the best view that any office building would never even come close to. The aviator works in another world and enjoys seeing our world from a completely different perspective. In this world, we have the opportunity to enjoy the planet in an environment that is mostly free from the signs of human interference.  There is something about flying through the clouds that detaches you from everything that is happening on the ground.

Of course, a flying career brings other rewards: a sense of achievement; the chance to operate complex machines; study weather; and traveling extensively. Depending on the kind of flying they are doing, pilots can expect to visit many kinds of places domestically and abroad. As you gain seniority, you will have the opportunity to select flight that take you to exotic locales that you might have always wanted to visit but weren’t able to.

Finally, there is the paycheck. While junior pilots won’t earn a lot of money, senior airline pilots can expect to make a very nice salary. In fact, the more you earn, the less hours you’ll have to fly to make the big salary. But in the end, it’s not about the money for most pilots. They have chosen to fly professionally because they are able to do what very few people on the planet are allowed to do: Soar among the clouds and get paid for it!

Exercise : Watch the following videos about flight, and then proceed to Exercise #3

1. A wonderful, musical look at the beauty of flight

Watch Video

2. Actor Harrison Ford talks about being a pilot

Watch Video

3. Ride along with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels!

Watch Video

Exercise : Answer the following questions based on the text and videos you have studied so far.

1. True or False: One of the best things about being a pilot is the Monday through Friday “9 -5 “schedule.
a) True
b) False

2. A flying career brings other rewards: a sense of achievement; the chance to operate complex machines; study weather; and _______
good medical benefits

1. traveling extensively
2. steady schedules
3. None of the above

1. A great sense of responsibility and purpose.
2. Invincible
3. Like a better human being
4. Rebellious

4. When did Harrison Ford take his first flying lesson?Just a couple of years ago

1. While at college
2. When he was a teenager
3. None of the above

5. In addition, to the people and machines, Harrison Ford says that he also loves _____ of aviation.

1. the money
2. the free time
3. the freedom
4. All of the above

Answers:

1) a

2) b

3) a

4) b

5) c

www.globalaviationenglish.com