Pilot Personalities?

[limesoda]

Just a quick one...

Would it be said that a pilot's personality is introvert, or not? Im just curious as to what kind of a personality flight schools like Oxford or CTC look for.

Also, why do pilot's have to wear short sleeves? I know its a stupid question, just interested!

Cheers

[Bealzebub]

Pilots have a whole range of personalities from introvert to extrovert and everything inbetween. The schools accept candidates with the whole range of these personalities.

Pilots don't have to wear short shirts, and many don't. On a flight deck where the temperature is usually well controlled, short shirts may be preferable.

[speedrestriction]

Generally the "ideal" is extrovert but that does not necessarily mean bubbly. There are all sorts of people in the flightdeck introvert, extrovert, quietly spoken, brash, funny, serious. The bottom line is you must be able to communicate and you must be able to get along with your fellow crewmembers. Short sleeved shirts don't take so long to iron

[redsnail]

Short sleeves are easier to keep clean.

The general trend for pilots if you're classifying from the Myers-Brigs is "stable-extrovert" - but, that covers a wide range and if you're "introvert" then that is not a fail point.
It's how you come across in the interview that counts for a lot more.

[LVL_CHG]

redsnail is right

I've been taught that employers after a "stable extrovert"

Whereas the other end of the scale would be an unstable introvert. Then ofcourse you have the other combinations available.

[pudoc]

Being both goal and person orientated was something that came up in HPL.

So in an interview try to convey that you set long and short terms goals for yourself but that you like people and teamwork.

[limesoda]

Thank you very much for the comments. It interesting to hear! Well anyway i will hopefully see you guys on the other side! So long as Oxford don't eat me

[B2N2]

Pilot personalities?
Most of 'em are @ssholes....







Sorry, couldn't resist.....I'll get my coat

[limesoda]

I guess my dad is an A**H*** then?

[LVL_CHG]

Interesting your dad is sending you through OAA at a time like this.

Does he think the upturn will have come by the time you come out the other side?

[Gazeem]

Extrovert?

I thought I was until I met Cabin Crew who an talk non stop on a two hour transfer after a 12 hour flight!!

[sevenstrokeroll]

short sleeve shirts vs. long sleeve? simple...short sleeve are cheaper...pilots are usually cheap.
as far as personalities...I agree with B2n2...many are a#$holes, or shall I say apu tailpipes?

and maybe your dad is, in the cockpit, how would I know?

Some pilots are dumb, some are super smart (yours truly), many tried being nice and it backfired on them.

don't change your personality, study hard and think and be good at flying planes...don't worry about what oxford thinks of you. many other places to learn how to fly!

[Memphis_bell]

Sevenstrokeroll:

A+++++++ response !!! I got to second that !

[corsair]

would say the following:

Mature, confident but not arrogant, decisive but consensual, leader and team-player, listener who knows when to act, focussed but not nerdy, worldly and can talk to the customers on a level.

ENTJ is the classic, but basically not someone at extreme personality types.

Bottom line - someone whom you don't mind sitting next to for 12 hours and then sharing a beer with.

Go to uni and get life experience - it will add hugely to your personality, plus the market is dire at the moment and will continue to be so for at least a couple more years.

Pretty much sums it up. It's beem my experience to select a pilot lately and it pretty much sums up as above. The guy hits all the high points at the moment. I was impressed. But I can't wondering how well he would have worked out if there was some kind of flexibility in the market.

[limesoda]

Haha Im only joking about my dad, just sounded like a sweeping statement. But hey, maybe i can be the first non-@sshole pilot? Thank you for the advice ... i most definitely will NOT be changing my personality. Cheers city flyer, but the problem i will have is, how will i fund going to flight school after university? I would rather get out into the world of aviation sooner to be honest. I wouldnt be trained for another 3 years i don't think, so hopefully with the 787 and other factors like retirements, there may be a string of jobs. Im going to try my best, even if it means working as ground staff for a while!

[Groundloop]

hopefully with the 787 and other factors

What difference is the 787 going to make to the pilot job market? It does not need any more pilots to fly it!

[BigGrecian]

Personality plays a bigger part in training than people normally realise - particuarly the CPL.

You need to be positive, organised and a decision maker. Some people don't have these skills in their personality and really struggle in the CPL because of it. It's obvious when your completing your CPL training on the ground who around you will stuggle and need more hours than some of the stronger characters. However, this is true in any career.

[jez d]

A maxim that has proved itself time and again is that pilots' egos are inversely proportionate to their flying experience. Hopefully you will buck that trend

Short sleeve, always, unless you enjoy time spent at the ironing board.

[limesoda]

I'm not sure really groundloop? I'm genuinely curious on all of these topics. The more information i know, the better. Even if most of it is pointing towards not training, or at least waiting. What i don't understand, is why going to flight school is totally unrecommended or at least not encouraged by most people on this forum. At a solid flight school, with good links, surely the chances of me getting a job are above 0%? I have a couple of friends who both went through Oxford and they now both have positions as first officers at Easyjet. Are my chances really that bleak?

[BerksFlyer]

It's the timing. If you look at past threads from around 2006 the advice given would have been different.