← All 785 jobsFile 53-2011
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Also filed here: Pilot, Airline pilot, Co pilot
Lightly edited
AI performs some of this work. Most of it still needs a person. The BLS expects 8.3% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- #328 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +8.3% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $232,140 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 104,600 in the US, with about 11,200 openings a year
The work, 18 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Operate transportation equipment or vehicles25%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Communicate with others about operational plans or activities16%
AI performed this in about 1 in 354 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Monitor equipment operation11%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Notify others of emergencies or problems6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Inspect vehicles6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Manage control systems or activities5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Resolve personnel or operational problems4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Determine operational methods or procedures3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 461 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Maintain operational records3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Train others on operational or work procedures2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 348 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI helps with this: Provide information to guests, clients, or customers2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 75 conversations, and it got them there 91% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
AI helps with this: Test performance of equipment or systems1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,100 conversations, and it got them there 92% of the time.
Still yours: Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Schedule operational activities1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Maintain vehicles in working condition1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Plan work activities1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 720 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 108 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 11,200 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 61% of the workCommercial Pilots16% AI does, against 22% here+5.2% by 2035 · $123,220 · Postsecondary certificate
- Shares 47% of the workRailroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers5% AI does, against 22% here+0.8% by 2035 · $68,840 · High school diploma
- Shares 42% of the workBus Drivers, School16% AI does, against 22% here+0.7% by 2035 · $47,920 · High school diploma
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.10, higher than 34% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 53-2011 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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