How to Make Money With a Pilot's License

摘自：http://work.chron.com/make-money-pilots-license-26634.html

Getting a pilot’s license represents a considerable investment of time and money, and it’s only natural to want to get some of that back. Before you start counting the money you can make, remember that there’s more than one kind of pilot’s license. A commercial license is usually the minimum requirement for any paying job, and such jobs often go to the pilots with the most experience.


Commercial Airline Pilots

Getting a commercial airline pilot’s license requires dedication and hundreds of hours of training, sometimes thousands. The field is competitive but the pay is good for those who make it. Many commercial pilots start with small commuter airlines, and those who can make the grade can work their way into jobs flying jets across the country or around the world. The average wage for an airline pilot as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2012 was $128,760.


Air Ambulance and Rescue Pilots

Many places maintain various forms of emergency air transportation for critically ill patients. While in some cases pilots might volunteer to provide transport, frequently this is a paid position. Pilots must be available during their shifts even if no flights are necessary and they must be able to fly in all kinds of weather. Typically air ambulance and rescue pilots need a commercial pilot’s license. They earned an average of $72,510 per year in 2012.

Related Reading: FAA Regulations for Pilot's License & Felonies


Tourism and Sightseeing

Pilots in scenic areas can sometimes find work flying tourists and photographers to areas not accessible by other means, or just to provide tourists with a bird’s-eye view. Such trips are usually made in small planes carrying few passengers and the pilot often narrates the trip as well as handling the flying. Tourism is usually seasonal so income may not be steady year-round. Pilots in this industry made an average of $68,660 in 2012.


Nonscheduled Flights

Nonscheduled flights include many different kinds of jobs and planes. Some examples of work in this field include flying private jets for business or political leaders, research flights, firefighting, sporadic transports and charter flights. The hours a pilot works and how much he earns will vary depending on such factors as the type of plane used, how often and how much he flies. The industry average in 2012 was $77,520.


Training Other Pilots

A pilot with lots of hours in the air and a great safety record can often find work as a flight instructor. He may teach ground school as well as take students for flights and is responsible for making sure that students get the training they need to be able to get their own pilot’s license. Depending on how much expertise he has, an instructor may teach only the beginners or he may provide instruction to more experienced pilots. Pilots working at technical and trade schools averaged $91,330 in 2012.