Commercial Pilot
Role lens
Commercial pilots navigate flight of fixed-wing and multi-engine aircrafts for the transport of passengers and cargo.
As a commercial pilot, your days are filled with meticulous planning and execution. You’ll be responsible for pre-flight checks, navigating aircraft, communicating with air traffic control, and ensuring the safety and comfort of everyone on board. The role demands constant vigilance, quick decision-making, and adherence to strict safety protocols. You’ll spend significant time in the air, but also dedicated to pre-flight preparation, post-flight procedures, and ongoing training to maintain your skills and knowledge.
- • Planning flight routes and monitoring weather conditions.
- • Conducting pre-flight inspections and ensuring aircraft are in optimal condition.
- • Operating aircraft safely and efficiently, adhering to regulations and procedures.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Science and engineering associate professionals — 267 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg.
Longest-running shortage: Latvia, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $123,220 2025-05 | +5.1% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +13.7% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £107,712 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for commercial pilot
The outlook for commercial pilot reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could commercial pilot change as AI adoption grows?
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- apply company policies
- follow ethical code of conduct in transport services
- ensure ongoing compliance with regulations
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- use meteorological information
- perform risk analysis
- have spatial awareness
Tasks most exposed to automation
- write work-related reports
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a commercial pilot
09 09:00 · Morning apply airport standards and regulations
10 10:30 · Mid-morning apply signalling control procedures
12 12:00 · Midday balance transportation cargo
14 14:00 · Afternoon comply with air traffic control operations
15 15:30 · Late afternoon ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations
17 17:00 · Wrap-up follow airport safety procedures
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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apply company policies
Apply the principles and rules that govern the activities and processes of an organisation.
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follow ethical code of conduct in transport services
Carry out transport services according to accepted principles of right and wrong. This includes principles of fairness, transparency, and impartiality.
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ensure ongoing compliance with regulations
Conduct tasks and procedures to ensure that aviation certificates maintain their validity; undertake safeguarding measures as appropriate.
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comply with air traffic control operations
Act in compliance with instruction provided by air traffic controllers.
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apply airport standards and regulations
Know and apply the accepted standards and regulations for European airports. Apply knowledge to enforce airport rules, regulations, and the Airport Safety Plan.
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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.
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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.
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operate radio navigation instruments
Operate radio navigation instruments to determine the position of aircraft in the airspace.
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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.
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operate radar equipment
Operate radar screens and other radar equipment. Ensure that aircraft fly at a safe distance from one another.
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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.
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perform flight manoeuvres
Perform flight manoeuvres in critical situations, and associated ‘upset’ manoeuvres, in order to avoid collision.
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perform take off and landing
Perform normal and cross-wind take-off and landing operations.
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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.
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have spatial awareness
Be aware of your position and the space around you. Understand the relationship of objects around you when there is a change of position.
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read maps
Read maps effectively.
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read 3D displays
Read 3D-displays and understand the information they provide on positions, distances, and other parameters.
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implement airside safety procedures
Apply a series of airfield safety rules and procedures to ensure a safe working environment for airport crew.
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follow airport safety procedures
Comply with airport safety procedures, policies and legislation to ensure a safe working environment for all employees, and to ensure the safety of passengers.
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perform risk analysis
Identify and assess factors that may jeopardise the success of a project or threaten the organisation's functioning. Implement procedures to avoid or minimise their impact.
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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.
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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.
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work in an aviation team
Work confidently in a group in general aviation services, in which each individual operates in their own area of responsibility to reach a common goal, such as a good customer interaction, air safety, and aircraft maintenance.
air traffic control operations
The procedures for organising air traffic, preventing collisions and ensuring smooth operations during flights, and the tasks performed by air traffic controllers, including Interaction and effective communication between aircraft and air traffic controllers.
air transport law
The rules and regulations governing air transport, including international law.
aircraft flight control systems
The setting, features and operation of aircraft flight control systems such as flight control surfaces, cockpit controls, connections, and operating mechanisms required to control the flight direction of an aircraft.
airport planning
The principles and procedures that govern the development of airports in order to meet the demand for aviation services and comply with the applicable regulations.
aviation meteorology
The scientific field of study that interprets the impact of weather on air traffic management (ATM) and 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.
civil aviation regulations
The body of regulations, rules and signals that apply to the field of civil aviation, including marshalling signals.
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.
pre-flight procedures for IFR flights
The pre-flight duties required while preparing an IFR flight as provided in the flight manual.
- geographic areas
- visual flight rules
Path to become a commercial pilot
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Short-cycle tertiary education
273 programmes in 21 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 41 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Pilot Studies
South East Technological University · Ireland
Bachelor in Aviation
Katholieke Hogeschool Vives Noord · Belgium
These are 6 of 314.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 3. Source: Hogeronderwijsregister, Flemish government (hogeronderwijsregister.be). Flemish Community of Belgium only.
- 4. Source: Study with New Zealand (studywithnewzealand.govt.nz), Education New Zealand. Copyright in the material is owned by Education New Zealand (All content (c) Education New Zealand). Listings are provided by the education providers, are for information and promotional purposes only, and are not endorsed by Education New Zealand; each provider is responsible for its own content.
- 5. Source: Study in Korea, National Institute for International Education (NIIED) (studyinkorea.go.kr).
- 6. Source: Malta Qualifications Registry, Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (qualifications.mfhea.gov.mt).
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does commercial pilot fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of training is required to become a commercial pilot?
What are the typical working conditions for a commercial pilot?
Can I be a commercial pilot and own my own business?
Is there a shortage of Commercial Pilot in Europe?
How much does Commercial Pilot pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data