Airline Jobs Key Terms

Take off on a flight career with airline jobs lingo

By Darcy Chadwick

Employment in the airline industry is diversified and can benefit both those who wish to fly through the air and those who would be better suited on ground. Pilots require numerous hours in the classroom and up in the air, whereas airline crew members spend countless hours working on the most important pieces of the plane's mechanics. Before you invest large amounts of time and money in schooling, you should familiarize yourself with some common airline jobs and their definitions.

Commercial pilot

Becoming either a commercial or private pilot requires numerous of hours both in a classroom and up in the air. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a commercial pilot cannot fly more than 100 hours per month or 1,000 hours per year. This is only one of the rules that a commercial pilot has to abide by to have this prestigious position.
Try: Learn more about becoming a commercial pilot and how the pilot is part of the entire flight crew at the Air Line Pilots Association, International.

Copilot

Also called the first officer, the copilot is trained and qualified to fly the airplane in case of an emergency. The copilot backs up the pilot, assisting in numerous communication aspects between the plane and the towers needed during the flight.
Try: Learn more about the copilot's job at Airline Job Finder from M&L Research.

Flight dispatcher

A flight dispatcher plans and monitors air traffic. From the planning stages until the completion of the flight, the flight dispatcher is in charge, along with the pilot, of ensuring a safe flight. How both parties do this is by filing a detailed flight plan.
Try: Read more about what a flight dispatcher does and the responsibilities involved in the job at the Airline Dispatchers Federation.

Flight attendant

As a flight attendant, your job is to ensure the safety of all passengers within the airplane. With safety as the main function, you end up spending more time with passengers than anyone else on board. You are also responsible for making sure passengers are comfortable, assisting with any reasonable needs they may have.
Try: Visit AVjobs to learn more about what it takes to become a flight attendant.

Baggage handler

The baggage handler takes the freight and luggage and passes it through the airport, ultimately handing it over to the airplane's underbelly. Working closely with a freight handler, the two groups of people manage to get all goods on board the aircraft.
Try: Learn more about education training and requirements for a baggage handler at State University.

Aircraft mechanic

An aircraft mechanic inspects, fixes and service airplanes, whether they're for commercial or private use. Additionally, the mechanic might specialize in a certain area of the aircraft, requiring the use of an entire crew to manage an air fleet.
Try: Learn more about what schedules are mandated by the FAA from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics under the Occupations in the Industry subhead.