Cautious Optimism About An Aviation Career Path During Coronavirus Pandemic

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There were a couple of big takeaways from our most recent survey, this one on Aviation As A Career, and at first glance, the views our readers expressed might not seem consistent, as they expressed pessimism about the outlook for air carriers, but guarded optimism about aviation as a career choice.

That pessimism, reflected in your answers to our first question, "How long will it be before airline flying returns to its pre-pandemic heights?" was sobering. A total of 72% of respondents thought it would take at least two years, and 8% said it would never return. So 80% of participants thought that airline business would be shaky for the near term or longer, if it came back at all, while 57% thought that the airlines would begin laying off large numbers of pilots as soon as the CARES Act money runs out, at the end of September.

When it came to the question of whether a young (or not-so-young) person should pursue an aviation career, our respondents were far more hopeful. Around 70% of you said that while there were no guarantees, it still makes sense to follow your dreams, though of that number, about a third thought the risks were very high.

Finally, our last question, about the future of aviation as a career overall, showcased the wide variety of views on the future of the industry, with 37% seeing a smaller, stronger aviation career environment emerge, while about an equal number felt that aviation would simply never be the same.

Thanks to all who participated.

Plane & PilotStaff