Dating a Pilot: Get Ready For Love To Take Off
Have you ever dreamed of dating a pilot? If so, you’re definitely not alone!
They’re often portrayed as the epitome of romance and adventure, and they always seem to be leading a glamorous life jetting off to some amazing destination. There seems to be a lot of generalizations about pilots out there, but it can’t be ignored that many people can’t help but find pilots to be very attractive.
And it’s not hard to see why.
Before you do start a potential relationship with a pilot though, there are definitely a few things you should know about first. Dating a pilot can of course be an exciting and rewarding experience, but there are some unique considerations to keep in mind.
In this blog post, we’ll cover everything from the pros and cons of dating a pilot to what you can expect when you’re dating one. We’ll even give you some tips on how to make your relationship with a pilot work.
So if a seriously cute pilot has captured your attention, and you want to know what it’s really like to date one, read on!
Pros Of Dating A Pilot
Dating a pilot can be an exciting and unique experience. They are individuals with a great sense of adventure, intelligence, and hard work ethic.
Pilots are often very passionate and adventure-oriented, which can be a great asset in a relationship. They also have a lot of intelligence, which can be useful when it comes to problem solving.
Many pilots find that they have increased knowledge and understanding of the world around them through their travels, and will often seem to have a lot of life experience in comparison to the average person.
They can be interesting conversationalists, and are usually very open-minded. Additionally, many pilots find that they meet a whole range of interesting people while they are working.
Opportunity to Travel & Flight Benefits
As there are many different types of pilots out there, you may get the opportunity to travel if you are lucky to date one.
If they fly for an airline, their policies often allow aircrew to be able to nominate people for special benefits. You may be to accompany them on some spontaneous trips, allowing you to visit new and unique places you wouldn’t normally get to see.
Also, if you’re really lucky and get added to the ‘coveted list’, you might even get the chance to upgrade to business class when you travel for holidays and receive other benefits like friends and family discounts.
Good Salary and Benefits
Although dating someone just because they earn good money is not ideal, it is good to know that due to a pilots training, skill and experience, they are usually on a high salary. As they are required to be responsible for people’s lives in the sky and be capable of dealing with unexpected emergencies, experienced pilots are paid very well.
Also, because of what they do, pilots are required to be in top physical health. They have regularly medical checks to ensure that they are physically capable of doing their job. As their health is very important, they will often have very good benefits, especially if they work for large commercial airlines.
What’s also a positive is that the demand for pilots around the world is very high. Although most people think of commercial pilots in the first instance, there are many roles in general aviation flying smaller planes in just about every country around the world. It’s a very niche profession with a lot of opportunities available for those who have chosen a career in aviation.
Although they are not the most important things when getting to know someone, these aspects are a major benefit and can provide a good sense of security if you are considering a longer term relationship with them.
Learn More About Aviation
A great way to get to know a pilot during a first date is to be open minded about their job and ask questions about how they got into flying or why they chose to fly. Pilots have a love of aviation, you don’t become one without a passion for it, and are therefore more than happy to talk about their jobs and flying in general.
One of the great perks of dating a pilot is that you will get the opportunity to learn about the fascinating world of aviation. Although you may not intentionally want to learn the ins and out of the aviation industry, because of their passion, you won’t be able to help picking up a whole range of flying and aircraft trivia!
Learning about aviation can be a fun and educational experience for both you and your pilot!
Maintaining A Level Of Independence
Although some may see it as a negative, a relationship with a pilot helps ensure you maintain a level of independence. Pilots often value independence highly and what to know that their partner back at home will be ok without them there all the time.
You will be responsible for your own social life, otherwise you will end up spending a lot of time on your own. Make sure you spend quality time with your friends and family when your partner is away.
One of the biggest mistakes someone entering a new relationship can do is stop doing the things they love. If you don’t already have any hobbies, spend your free extra time to try to find activities that you can do without your partner around so that he/she has some down time while he/she is adjusting to the new time zone.
Having your own personal life, you will have new and exciting things to share with him when you can spend time together. This will help to build rapport and strengthen the relationship as you share your individual passions.
They Are Intelligent and Critical Thinkers
Pilots also tend to be highly intelligent and creative people. This is because the demands of their jobs require them to think critically about problems and come up with solutions quickly. As a result, pilots make great partners because they are always eager to learn new things and explore new interests together.
Cons Of Dating A Pilot
However, it needs to be said, there are definitely also some downsides to dating a pilot.
Dating a pilot can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. When dating a pilot, you’ll likely face unique challenges and opportunities that you may not find in other relationships.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
Stressful Job With A Lot Of Responsibility
Pilots are held to a higher standard of expectations and must always maintain a professional attitude while on and off the job. Working as a pilot can be very stressful as there is a lot of responsibility that comes with being in control of an aircraft and people’s lives.
As flying can be stressful and tiring, the physical demands of flying can be challenging for couples. Even when they have time off, they often need time away from their spouses to focus on their work and extra training needed to stay up to date with all the regulations. If you are not careful, this couldlead to arguments once they get home.
Additionally, being a pilot often means having to deal with big issues quickly and efficiently, which may not always be the best thing for someone who wants to talk about things in detail and doesn’t like dealing with stress.
Needing To Maintain A Flexible Schedule
When you are dating a pilot, expect their schedule to be anything but routine. The classic 9-5 schedule gets thrown out the window. As a partner of a pilot, you should be prepared to be flexible and understanding of their demanding schedule.
Although pilots often get their intended flight schedule 2-4 weeks in advance, their scheduled hours can often be erratic due to night flights, and can also change on short notice when there are delays due to weather, or unexpected aircraft maintenance, plus having to be on standby in case another pilot gets sick.
Pilots typically have to regularly be away from home, whether that’s overnight trips for domestic pilots, or for numerous nights if they are a long-haul airline pilot and needing to do layovers. Spending so much time away from each other can be difficult to manage. It is important to have realistic expectations and to be aware of the impact of a pilot’s work schedule on the relationship.
Even when they are home, pilots may need to rest as they are frequently tired due to the demanding nature of their job. This also means that pilots may not have a lot of free time when they are home but still working their planned roster.
This can be hard on relationships and can take a toll on your own mental and emotional health.
Dealing With Odd Sleep Patterns
Even when they are home, pilots may not have a lot of free time during their scheduled roster, as they need to ensure they rest and prepare for their next flight. It is important that they get enough sleep to ensure they are at their best when needing to fly. This makes dating a pilot quite difficult because they cannot get away with being a bit tired or a little hung over the next day.
Finally, be understanding if your partner wants to rest after a long flight, especially during their overnight layovers. They are often dealing with irregular sleeping schedules while they are away, and it is important they get adequate rest in order to fly safely and effectively.
Be understanding if your partner gets home and wants to rest after being away. After a long journey, many pilots just want to relax and take it easy for a few hours before re-adjusting to their new time zone. Give your partner his or her space – let them adjust at their own pace without feeling rushed or pressured.
Health Issues
Being medically fit is extremely important for a pilot. Certain illnesses and injuries could mean that they lose their pilots licence. Therefore they may be more cautious with their physical health to ensure they don’t jeopardise their pilots licence and their desired career choice.
Due to the nature of their job, they are also at risk of longer term medical issues such as circadian rhythm disruption due to experiencing regular jet lag, blood clots and DVT due to the high altitude, hearing loss from jet engine noise and even viruses from being regularly in a confined space with a large number of people sharing the same circulated air.
What To Expect When Dating A Pilot
Pilots are highly trained professionals responsible for ensuring the safety of passengers on every flight, and their duties extend well before and after flights. To understand the unique challenges and rewards of being in a relationship with a pilot, it is important to understand the demanding lifestyle of a professional aviator.
Constant Communication Challenges
While they are working, it is not unusual for aircrew to go for many hours without any form of communication as they are busy focusing on the task at hand. Plus, with their unpredictable schedule, it is important to find a way to stay connected when your significant other is away for long periods of time, otherwise feelings of loneliness and disconnections can start to set in.
As a result, it is important to maintain open communication between you and your partner about what you need so that you can stay connected even when they are away. Consider scheduling a time to video chat or send messages to stay in touch. If they are a long-haul pilot, just remember this might be hard depending on the time difference.
However, this irregularity also tends to make pilots very responsive and attentive to their partners when they do have free time. Even if they cannot spend every moment with you, pilots are typically very dedicated and supportive partners who will do anything to make your life easier when they are around.
Aviation Often Comes First
Being supportive of your pilot partner is one of the most important elements of dating a pilot.
It’s important to understand that being a pilot is a demanding job that can take your partner away for long periods of time, or even put them in dangerous situations. They also tend to work long and irregular hours, are often away from home, and regularly crossing in and out of different timezones.
It’s essential to remain supportive throughout the highs and lows of a pilot partner’s career, and to provide your partner with the emotional support they need. Just remember not to get jealous or try to compete with their job—you will always lose!
If you can remain understanding and patient through the unique challenges of dating a pilot, you can build a strong, loving and most importantly, a healthy relationship that can last for years.
What It Takes To Start Dating A Pilot
Good Communication Skills
Communication is key in any relationship, and boyfriend and girlfriend pilot relationships are no exception.
It is important to have good communication skills, and this is especially true in cases where one partner is away for a long periods of time.
Make sure you communicate with your partner regularly while they are away. This way, both of you will be aware of what’s going on in each other’s lives and won’t feel like you’re missing out on important information.
Understanding Their Dedication To The Job
It can be tough for some who isn’t a pilot to understand the level of dedication it takes to be a successful as an airline pilot. Often, pilots will not want to take a lot of time off from their jobs unless it is absolutely necessary.
Another thing to remember is that you will need to embrace their love for aviation—it’s a huge part of their life and it’s something that is really important to them! Although it might not always be your favorite topic of discussion, don’t try to change them or get upset when they end up talking about flying all the time. You wouldn’t want your partner to get annoyed with you talking about your passion!
Instead, make the effort to take an interest in their job. Ask questions about how they got into flying or why they chose to fly. This will give you a better understanding of their passion and what makes them happy on the job.
Willingness To Compromise – Regularly!
The life of a pilot is unpredictable, which can make it difficult to plan dates. Pilots often have very irregular schedules, so it’s important to be flexible. They always seem like they are coming and going, so it will be important for you to try and schedule dates that work with their availability as much as possible.
For a lot of pilots, it’s also not unusual for them to be away from home quite a lot, so being able and willing to adjust your plans for when they are around is essential.
Where ever possible, try to keep your schedule flexible. You may have to change plans at the last minute due to travel restrictions or weather conditions. However, just remember it doesn’t mean that you can’t set boundaries. Once they are at home, if they are not willing to be flexible and attempt to work in with your regular schedule, then you might need to reassess whether you want to keep dating your particular pilot!
Future With A Pilot
Maybe you have been dating your pilot boyfriend for sometime now and things are starting to get serious. What type of future can you expect with a pilot as a husband?
Well, for the day to day stuff, probably alot more of the same! As pilot relationships are unique and require special care and attention, as time goes on you may find that you get use to the lifestyle, or it actually gets harder. Make sure you have all the bases covered and you are happy with the situation before getting more seriously involved.
As for family and the possibility of having children together, you will need to be okay with regularly being a solo parent, especially if they are a long-haul pilot. Spending long periods of time away from home can be difficult for both parents and the children. Some pilots may try to get a different job where they may be able to be home more regularly, but each situation is different.
Get Ready For Love To Fly
Overall, dating a pilot can be an interesting and rewarding experience. A new relationship is always fun and exciting and this new adventure with a pilot takes it to a new high!
While there are definitely some downsides to the aviation lifestyle, it’s still an opportunity few people will ever have. If you’re looking for an adventure and want to date someone who is intelligent, driven, and has a great work ethic, then a pilot boyfriend may be the perfect choice for you!
Dating a pilot is not for everyone. There are many challenges that come along with it, as well as some downsides. However, if you are willing to put in the work, dating a pilot can be an incredibly rewarding experience. So if you are up for the challenge, go ahead and ask that cute pilot out on a date!
