Table 1Transition record

second officertocommercial pilot

A second officer already meets 35% of what the commercial pilot role asks for. The move turns on 27 required skills not yet in the profile.

From second officer

35%

Overlap1

To commercial pilot

15 Skills carried over

27 Required, not held

73.7 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 73.7

This move: 73.7 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the commercial pilot role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the second officer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A commercial pilot role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a second officer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held respond to changing navigation circumstances communication, collaboration and creativity
already held undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements assisting and caring
already held ensure ongoing compliance with regulations assisting and caring
already held read 3D displays information skills
already held operate cockpit control panels working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held airport planning engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 15 carried skills, including the 15 the commercial pilot role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 30 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 working with machinery and specialised equipment 7 required

required, not held apply signalling control procedures required
required, not held operate two-way radio systems required
required, not held perform flight manoeuvres required
required, not held perform take off and landing required
required, not held operate radar equipment required
required, not held operate radio equipment required
required, not held operate radio navigation instruments required

02 assisting and caring 6 required

required, not held comply with air traffic control operations required
required, not held ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations required
required, not held follow airport safety procedures required
required, not held follow ethical code of conduct in transport services required
required, not held implement airside safety procedures required
required, not held apply company policies required

03 information skills 5 required

required, not held analyse weather forecast required
required, not held have spatial awareness required
required, not held identify airport safety hazards required
required, not held perform risk analysis required
required, not held read maps required

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held work in an aviation team required
required, not held execute flight plans required
required, not held use different communication channels required
required, not held write work-related reports required

optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
optional, not held listen actively optional

05 services 4 required

required, not held air traffic control operations required
required, not held civil aviation regulations required
required, not held pre-flight procedures for IFR flights required
required, not held visual flight rules required

06 handling and moving 1 required

required, not held balance transportation cargo required

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a commercial pilot role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 15 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held air transport law knowledge
already held aircraft flight control systems knowledge
already held airport planning knowledge
already held apply airport standards and regulations skill
already held aviation meteorology knowledge
already held common aviation safety regulations knowledge
already held ensure ongoing compliance with regulations skill
already held geographic areas knowledge
already held make independent operating decisions skill
already held operate cockpit control panels skill
already held perform routine flight operations checks skill
already held read 3D displays skill
already held respond to changing navigation circumstances skill
already held undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements skill
already held use meteorological information skill

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held create a flight plan optional

3 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held create a flight plan optional
optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
optional, not held listen actively optional

21 held skills the commercial pilot role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role address aircraft mechanical issues skill
not needed by the target role airport safety regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role carry out navigational calculations skill
not needed by the target role comply with checklists skill
not needed by the target role consider economic criteria in decision making skill
not needed by the target role deal with challenging work conditions skill
not needed by the target role electrical systems used in transportation knowledge
not needed by the target role electronics knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure aircraft compliance with regulation skill
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with airport security measures skill
not needed by the target role ensure public safety and security skill
not needed by the target role ensure smooth on board operations skill
not needed by the target role follow verbal instructions skill
not needed by the target role geostationary satellites knowledge
not needed by the target role handle stressful situations in the work place skill
not needed by the target role have computer literacy skill
not needed by the target role inspect aircraft skill
not needed by the target role interpret visual literacy skill
not needed by the target role launching of satellites into orbit knowledge
not needed by the target role perform aircraft maintenance skill
not needed by the target role undertake procedures to meet helicopter flight requirements skill

4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held air traffic control operations required
required, not held civil aviation regulations required
required, not held pre-flight procedures for IFR flights required
required, not held visual flight rules required

Index

Other moves recorded from second officer

Full index of moves from second officer

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.