Profession air force pilot

Air force pilots operate aircrafts in combat missions, patrol missions, or search and rescue missions. They ensure aircraft maintenance, and communicate with air force bases and other vessels to ensure safety and efficiency in operations.

Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.

Knowledge

• Civil aviation regulations

  Know civil aviation regulations, rules and signals, including marshalling signals.

• Aircraft flight control systems

  Know the setting, features and operation of aircraft flight control systems. Manage flight control surfaces, cockpit controls, connections, and operating mechanisms required to control the flight direction of an aircraft. Operate aircraft engine controls in order to change aircraft speed.

• Air transport law

  Know air transport laws and regulations. Due to the nature of aviation, knowledge of air transport laws partially overlaps with knowledge of international law.

• Air traffic control operations

  Understand the tasks performed by air traffic controllers, including Interaction and effective communication between aircraft and air traffic controllers; execution of follow-up activities, and ensuring smooth operations during flights.

• Visual flight rules

  Types of flight rules which are a compilation of regulations that allow pilots to fly aircrafts in clear as well as unclear weather conditions whereby it is declared that outside visual reference to the ground and other obstructions are not safe.

• Air force operations

  The operations, procedures and compliant behaviour of a military air force, and of a specific air force base.

• Surveillance radars

  Know that Mode A/C Secondary Surveillance Radar stations continuously interrogate all aircraft within their range. Know that Mode S Secondary Surveillance Radar stations carry out interrogations of aircraft within their coverage.

• Common aviation safety regulations

  The body of legislation and regulations that apply to the field of civil aviation at regional, national, European and International levels. Understand that regulations aimed at protecting citizens at all times in civil aviation; ensure that operators, citizens, and organisations comply with these rules.

• Aviation meteorology

  Understand aviation meteorology to deal with the impact of weather on air traffic management (ATM). Understand how thorough changes in pressure and temperature values at airports can create variations in head and tail-wind components, and may impose low visibility operating conditions. Knowledge of aviation meteorology can help to reduce negative impact on the ATM system by diminishing disruption and the consequent problems of disturbed flow rates, lost capacity and induced additional costs.

• Military aviation

  The rules and regulations concerning military aviation procedures, such as military air space, aviation procedures in civilian air space, and specific military aviation equipment.

• Geographic areas

  Know the geographic area in detail; know where different organisations carry out operations.

Skills

• Adapt to changing situations

  Change approach to situations based on unexpected and sudden changes in people's needs and mood or in trends; shift strategies, improvise and naturally adapt to those circumstances.

• Ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations

  Ensure best practice standards are adopted and all regulatory requirements met

• Operate radio navigation instruments

  Operate radio navigation instruments to determine the position of aircraft in the airspace.

• Operate cockpit control panels

  Operates control panels in the cockpit or flight deck according to the needs of the flight. Manage on-board electronic systems to ensure a smooth flight.

• Perform routine flight operations checks

  Perform checks before and during flight: conduct pre-flight and in-flight inspections of aircraft performance, route and fuel usage, runway availability, airspace restrictions, etc.

• Operate radio equipment

  Set up and operate radio devices and accessories, such as broadcast consoles, amplifiers, and microphones. Understand the basics of radio operator language and, when necessary, provide instruction in handling radio equipment correctly.

• Perform take off and landing

  Perform normal and cross-wind take-off and landing operations.

• Use different communication channels

  Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.

• Implement airside safety procedures

  Apply a series of airfield safety rules and procedures to ensure a safe working environment for airport crew.

• Perform flight manoeuvres

  Perform flight manoeuvres in critical situations, and associated ‘upset’ manoeuvres, in order to avoid collision.

• Operate radar equipment

  Operate radar screens and other radar equipment; ensure that aircraft fly at a safe distance from one another.

• Use meteorological information

  Use and interpret meteorological information for operations dependent on climatic conditions. Use this information to provide advise on safe operations in relation to weather conditions.

• Read maps

  Read maps effectively.

• Comply with air traffic control operations

  Act in compliance with instruction provided by air traffic controllers.

• Execute flight plans

  Listen to the briefing given by the captain or the crew manager; understand service requirements and apply the commissioned tasks in an appropriate manner.

• Apply signalling control procedures

  Control train movements; operate railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, on correct routes, and on time.

• Apply military aviation regulations

  Apply the procedures and regulations present in military aviation operations and missions, ensuring compliance with policies, safety and security.

• Undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements

  Ensure that operation certificates are valid, guarantee that take-off mass is a maximum of 3,175 kg, verify that the minimum crew is adequate according to regulations and needs, ensure that the configuration settings are correct, and check if engines are suitable for the flight.

• Read 3D displays

  Read 3D-displays and understand the information they provide on positions, distances, and other parameters.

• Apply air force procedures

  Apply the procedures present in a military air force and on a specific base and being compliant with all the regulations and policies.

• Ensure ongoing compliance with regulations

  Conduct tasks and procedures to ensure that aviation certificates maintain their validity; undertake safeguarding measures as appropriate.

• Operate two-way radio systems

  Use radios that can receive and transmit sound signals in order to communicate with similar radios on the same frequency such as mobile phones and walkie talkies.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB