The term “ Aviator Pilot” is consigned to the person who controls, directs, guides, or commands an aircraft in flight. The concept arises in the French Literary Work “Aviation ou Navigation Aérienne” written by Guillaume Joseph Gabriel de La Landelle in 1863 and the original term was “Aviateur” which translated into English is Aviator, also appears in this work for the first time the use of the word “Aviation” from the French translation “Aviation“.
Today the concept of Pilot Aviator is rarely used, instead the public inside and outside the aviation industry uses only the word “Pilot” to recognize the person responsible for safety, operational safety who is in command of the controls of the aircraft.
The title of Pilot according to the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) has no grammatical gender, so the correct way to mention it verbally is “the pilot” and currently these are divided into two main branches: military and civilian and in both is the highest figure in the echelon of command in an air operation.
In order to practice piloting in civil aviation, it is required to hold an Aeronautical Personnel License, in one of the categories of Pilot, this license must be granted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) through theoretical and practical evaluations to the person requesting it and thus become a pilot.
The applicable aeronautical regulations for obtaining a pilot’s license in a CAA, whose state is a contracting state or signatory to ICAO, must follow the guidelines of the standards and recommended methods of Annex 1. These guidelines generally require that prior to the person’s application he/she must meet a minimum age, be in good physical and mental health, have proven knowledge, acquired experience and demonstrable skills.
Regardless of the category of their license, all pilots must begin their career on land through theoretical studies. “The Ground School” has a study curriculum that reaches up to 120 teaching hours and includes all topics related to aircraft flight, such as: Aeronautical Laws, Meteorology, Aerodynamics, Weight and Balance, Performance, Aircraft Systems, Engines, Airports, Airspace, and Aeronautical Communications.
In some Aviation Schools they have extended the ground course to more than 200 hours including subjects of study such as: Human Factors, Risk Management, Aviation Safety, Cabin Resource Management, Aviation Accidents, etc…
The pilot license categories according to ICAO Annex 1 are: Student Pilot, Private Pilot, Commercial Pilot, Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Instructor Pilot and as of 2016 Drone Pilot, except for the Drone Pilot license, to each of these licenses may be added ratings according to the meteorological condition of flight and the class, category and type of aircraft.
Flying an aircraft is a high risk activity, no matter if the pilot flies for fun, personal business or professionally, he/she carries a great responsibility that is not only valued in material goods both in the air and on the ground, but in human lives that are invaluable, for this reason the pilot license constitutes an explicit legal responsibility and an implicit ethical conduct that the CAA will be constantly evaluating, in general the categories of pilot licenses have the following limitations and privileges.
Student Pilot: It is the certificate that allows flight practice with the supervision of a qualified flight instructor authorized by the CAA.
Private Pilot: It is the license that allows a person to fly for pleasure, personal business or simple fun.
Commercial License: It is the license that allows piloting as a profession and in a remunerated manner either in a private corporation or an airline and grants the authority to be captain of aircraft of less than 12500 lbs of maximum take-off weight (Class and Category of Aircraft), and to act as first officer or co-pilot in type of aircraft.
Airline Carrier License: grants authority to the holder to engage in paid airline work as captain on aircraft over 12500 lbs maximum takeoff weight (Type of Aircraft).
Flight Instructor Certificate: with this certificate the holder can give flight practice to students in different flight conditions to which he/she is authorized.
Flying is a constant challenge, an eternal learning, and as a pilot you never finish learning, studying and teaching and regardless of the reason for the flight or the function of commanding or helping to command an aircraft that you may exercise at a given moment of your useful life “The Aviator Pilot ” must always maintain a high standard of judgment, morals, and ethics with respect to their knowledge, skills, qualifications.