Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Transportation and Material Moving · SOC 53-2011
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 53-2011 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 62/100
- High friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $232,140
- H-1B offered wage $197,538; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 9,100
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +3.9%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 45
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 13,860 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~35.2% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.
Common titles: Airbus Captain, Airline Captain, Airline Pilot, Captain, Check Airman, Co-Pilot
Representative Tasks
- •Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
- •Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
- •Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
- •Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
- •Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Pilot aircraft.
- •Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.
- •Report vehicle or equipment malfunctions.
- •Respond to transportation emergencies.
- •Inspect aircraft or aircraft components.
Tools & Technologies
Related Occupations
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Outlook | Average | 20% Bright |
| Median Salary | $232,140 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |