Two F-16 fighter jets raced to intercept a light aircraft straying into restricted airspace near Washington on Monday, November 22^nd. The little Cessna caused a brief security alert at the White House.

The fighter pilots made contact with the single-engine Cessna pilot and instructed him to land under their escort at an airfield in Manassas, Virginia. The pilot was to be interviewed by the Secret Service upon landing. It is suspected that the “suspect” was a student pilot.

Officials said that this sort of incident is not unusual as light aircraft do occasionally stray into restricted airspace, causing security alerts at the White House.

During the alert visitors were prevented from entering or leaving the White House and a military serviceman was seen climbing down from what appears to be a missile battery when the alert was over.

The two F-16 jets were acting under orders from the North American Defence Command (Norad) which protects United States and Canadian airspace.

This incident has come at a time of heightened focus on aviation security, with public dissatisfaction at invasive pat-down searches in airports.

A pilot for budget carrier Ryanair came up with a new money-saving idea Tuesday after the firm suggested axing co-pilots on flights — replace the airline’s boss with a flight attendant.

Captain Morgan Fischer, a senior pilot based in Marseilles, southern France, mounted the rare public challenge after the latest cost-cutting proposal from his boss, Michael O’Leary.

The Irish airline’s outspoken chief executive has generated headlines with a string of ideas that have cemented Ryanair’s reputation as the leading no-frills carrier, from “fat taxes” to coin-operated toilets. But news that he is trying to persuade authorities to let his aircraft fly with just one pilot — claiming that a flight attendant could do the job of a co-pilot if needed — appears to have gone too far for some. In a letter to the Financial Times newspaper, Fischer said he was aware of the company’s desire to reduce costs “whenever feasible” to keep ticket prices down for the travelling public. “I would propose that Ryanair replace the chief executive with a probationary cabin crew member currently earning about 13,200 euros (17,000 dollars, 11,000 pounds) net a year,” wrote the 41-year-old. “Ryanair would benefit by saving millions of euros in salary, benefits and stock options,” he said, adding there would be no need to get approval from regulators for the appointment. In a typically mischievous response, O’Leary conceded that a flight attendant would be a “far more attractive” chief executive and said the suggestion was being seriously examined. “Michael thinks that cabin crew would make a far more attractive CEO than him — this obviously isn’t a very high bar — so we are going to seriously look at the suggestion,” Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara was quoted as saying in the FT. “After all, if we can train cabin crew to land the plane, it should be no problem training them to do Michael’s job as well.” Source : Yahoo News

China is checking the qualifications of all its commercial airline pilots, after it emerged that more than 200 of them lied about their experience. The revelation follows an investigation last year by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Half the pilots worked for the parent company of an airline involved in a recent fatal plane crash. Shenzhen Airlines is the parent company of Henan Airlines, whose aircraft crashed last month killing 42 people.
» Read more: Chinese pilots lied about flying records

A pilot career can be a hugely rewarding way to live your life and it is understandable why people choose to try and find their way into pilot jobs. Pilot jobs however can be one of the hardest jobs to find your way into and it costs thousands of pounds in training to obtain your pilot’s license. If you feel a pilot career is for you however, read this article for more help starting out. How to Start a Pilot Career

• The first thing you need to do before you start a pilot career is to obtain your private pilot’s license (PPL). If you are unsure as to whether you are interested in pilot jobs, many places will let you take a single pilot lesson to get the feel for a pilot career. Your private pilot license will allow you to fly on your own or with passengers but not for commercial reasons (i.e. you don’t get paid).

• The next step in your journey for pilot jobs is to obtain your commercial pilot license. This is much more expensive and time consuming to obtain but it opens up a world of pilot jobs for you. You obtain your commercial pilot license from a certified flying school. Many people also train as a flying instructor as this builds up the number of flying hours required for the commercial license.

• The other main method of finding civilian pilot jobs is to undertake an Airline Transport license and this will open up the opportunity to find pilot jobs within a passenger or freight airline. People looking for an airline pilot job will start as a first officer and then progress to a co-pilot job and finally a pilot job as a captain.

• The military is another method of starting a pilot career and many people have done so using this method. The military pays for all of your training and provides you with thousands of flying hours in return for your period of service in potentially dangerous locations.

• Regardless of which method you use to start your pilot career, you will need to undergo a medical examination and you will need to be both physically and mentally fit. To qualify for pilot jobs you will need to have excellent hearing and eyesight as well as good overall health. Good maths and science skills are also a benefit for pilot jobs.

You can search for a wide range of pilot jobs here on Airline Pilots.

Are you considering a pilot career? If you are then this article will give you some advice on how to get there. After you have decided that a pilot career is right for you, you have the tricky decision about how reach your goal. In years gone by the only way of becoming a pilot was joining the military and then later changing to commercial flights. Now there are more options on how you can reach your pilot career goals. Now there is a split in pilots that have come from both military and civilian backgrounds. There are pros and cons to training with the military. One of the main positive points of training with the air force is the training is much cheaper, you obviously have a more intense lifestyle and are part of the army so have responsibilities above and beyond learning to fly a plane. If you decide that training with the military is not for you then you will find that training is incredibly expensive but you will have more control over your flight training and pilot career. In order to reach your goal and get pilot jobs then you will need to complete your flight training and then build up your flying hours. Some training courses allow you to gain a degree at the same time, this means that your training lasts a lot longer but you do get a degree at the same time so you have a back up if you decide that in the end a pilot career isn’t for you. After you have completed all the tests and have a pilot’s licence then you will be able to begin working towards your commercial pilot’s licence. You will then need to build up your multi engine rating by completing further qualifications. Once you have built up your multi engine rating you will be able to fly single or multi engine aircraft in any weather condition. After racking up plenty of flight hours pilot jobs will finally be in your reach and you can start applying for your dream jobs. You will find many different types of pilot jobs available to you from fractional, airline, cargo and business flights. Browse pilot jobs on Airline Pilot Jobs.

Thinking of becoming a pilot? If you then you have chosen a very exciting career. After you have chosen a pilot career you have to decide how you are going to reach your goal. In the past the only route to pilot jobs was to be in the air force; now you will find both ex-military and civilian pilots. There are benefits to training with both. The civilian training route is a lot more expensive but you will find you have much more control over your flight training and career. If you want to get pilot jobs then you will need to complete flight training and build up your flying hours. Some flight schools will enable you to get a degree while learning to fly. This is a good option as it will give you a degree to fall back on if you decide that you no longer wish to fly. After you earn your pilot’s licence then you can begin to work towards a commercial licence.  There are other qualifications which you can do to further your level in flying if you wish after getting your commercial licence you will begin to build up your multi-engine rating. This means that you will be qualified to fly single or multi-engine aeroplanes in any weather condition. After you have racked up enough flight hours then you will be able to start applying for pilot jobs. You will find many different types of airline jobs available to you in corporate, fractional, airline and cargo.  You will find that each type of pilot jobs have their pros and cons so it is best to do a lot of research before you choose which is right for you. Browse pilot jobs on Airline Pilot Jobs.

Many people dream of a pilot career as it seems to offer it all - the thrill of flying, a chance to see the world and a salary that can't be matched by a 9-5 office job.

While it's true that life as a commercial pilot can be extremely rewarding financially, this particular career will involve plenty of sacrifices early on, both in terms of the finances involved with advanced pilot training and the time it will take to finally reap the rewards of years of training.

In this guide, we profile the salaries involved with pilot careers.

Pilot Careers: Airline Jobs Salary Guide

Advanced pilot career training can cost as much as £50,000 and above, so naturally you may expect a bumper starting salary to account for this fact.

However, this is not always the case - starting salaries tend to be fairly low, but career advancement will be fairly rapid, with salaries rising swiftly within a couple of years. However, entry level salaries still compare extremely favourably with the average office job.

After only a few years in the job, the majority of commercial airline pilots can expect to earn around £60,000 per year. Salaries may vary depending on the airline. In some cases, a pilot with several years of experience in a captain role can earn over £100,000 a year, although it's important to state that this level of salary is the exception rather than the norm even for extremely talented airline pilots.

Find pilot careers on Airline Pilot Jobs

Many people dream of one day becoming a commercial pilot, encouraged by the glamorous image of travelling around the world. However, a pilot career requires plenty of commitment and dedication - both financially and in terms of training - and it's a common misconception that all pilots, with a little bit of training, earn massive six-figure salaries with the minimum of effort.

Yes, it's perfectly possible to achieve a desirable, rewarding lifestyle as a commercial pilot - but you'll take a long old time getting there.

Learn more about pilot career training by reading the advice provided below.

How to Train For Pilot Jobs

• First of all, it's essential to bear in mind that acquiring the necessary experience for pilots jobs will not be a walk in the park - although it's a relatively niche profession, the competition to secure a place on a pilot training scheme can be intense.  Many courses will require some evidence of a passion for aviation - so before you apply, try and expand your knowledge of pilot jobs as much as possible.
• If you have little or no flying experience, you will need to train towards a PPL - a Private Pilot's Licence. Working towards this particular licence should give you some idea as to whether you are cut out for the challenging demands of a pilot job. The financial demands of acquiring this licence will also be far smaller than advanced training - although it will still set you back £5000-7000. It can take up to 2 years or more to work towards this licence.
• Next, it's time to consider advanced pilot training - and it's at stage that you will need to make serious considerations over whether this is the right career path for you. Training can be extremely expensive, with costs averaging from £50,000-£60,000 - although, as touched on above, completing flight training and gaining the qualifications needed to become a commercial pilot can offer you the chance to gain a high basic annual  income in the long term - in some cases over £100,000 a year.
• Medical examinations will naturally be a key component of advanced flight training, and you should expect regular tests throughout the length of the course. In order to complete the training process, you'll need to exhibit a clean bill of health in relation to eyesight and physical fitness.
• Finally, key ground studies explored in pilot career training will include aviation law, flight performance, navigational studies, meteorological studies, operational procedures and communication studies.

Find pilot careers on Airline Pilot Jobs

Are you thinking about applying for pilot jobs but are not sure what is involved? This article will give you some information on what job responsibilities a pilot has other than flying the plane safely to and from different destinations. Education Needed for Pilot Jobs Many pilot jobs require you to have a university degree which is related to aviation in some way. The most important education you would need to get aviation jobs is practical flying experience. After you have a licence you would then have to undergo training every year to make sure you are still safe to fly. Getting a Pilot Licence for Airline Pilot Jobs To get a pilot licence for pilot jobs you will need to complete years of training which is both practical and theoretical. You will also need to pass a medical to make sure you are in good health and have great vision. If you are a pilot you have to be fluent in English as English is the language that is used in air traffic control towers across the world. Skills Needed for Pilot Jobs You have to be physically fit, clear headed and have great attention to detail. It is essential that you can be able to monitor more than one thing at once and stay calm. Benefits of Pilot Jobs Pilots often receive free health and life insurance and excellent retirement benefits. The salary for airline pilots varies greatly but is always well paid. What to Consider Before Training for Pilot Jobs Flying is an extremely exhausting profession and you will have to spend a lot of time away from home. You will feel jet lagged all the time and the training is both time consuming and expensive. If you train with the military then you will find training costs are subsidised. Browse pilot jobs on Airline Pilot Jobs.

Are you considering training for aviation jobs and pilot jobs in particular? If so then this article will give you some valuable information on what is involved in airline pilot jobs. It is fairly obvious what pilot jobs involve in general but there are other job responsibilities which you might not be aware of. Pilot Jobs – Job Responsibilities

• Airline pilots have to fly people and cargo to destinations on a national or international basis.
• Airline pilot jobs also involve flying people around for leisure, business or commercial reasons.
• As an airline pilot you will not have sole control of the aircraft, you will be supported by one, two or three other pilots depending on the length of flight and the size of the aircraft.
• As a chief pilot you would be in charge so you will have overall responsibility of the safety of all those on board the aircraft.
• Aviation jobs also include a lot of preparation work. Airline pilot jobs are not just about flying an aircraft, you have to plan the route and liaise with air traffic control.
• It is also the airline pilot’s job to check the weather conditions and ensure that the aircraft is working correctly before take off.
• As an airline pilot you might work for passenger scheduled services, freight services, charter services and general aviation.
• Other aviation jobs the airline pilot has to contend with are briefing the cabin crew before take off and maintaining contact with the crew throughout the flight.
• The chief pilot also has to speak to the passengers using the public address system during the flight.
• After the flight is over it is the pilots job to update the aircraft log book indicating any issues which occurred during the flight.

Browse chief pilot jobs on Airline Pilot Jobs.