On April 26, World Pilot Day is celebrated around the world with the aim of raising public awareness of the dedication and courage of pilots around the world and drawing attention to a profession that is relatively little talked about.
On this occasion, the Croatian Union of Transport Pilots (HSPP) released a short documentary film “Office above the clouds” about a typical working day of a passenger plane pilot.
The Croatian Union of Transport Pilots points out: “It is important to know who the people are who are in the cockpit, and whose knowledge, skills and experience play a decisive role in giving a seal to air transport as by far the safest form of transport today.
“And on today’s World Pilot Day, we will work with a daily rhythm, and a large number of pilots will spend it at the controls of their aircraft, performing their usual tasks somewhere up high. Although because of this, today may not seem any different from the others, World Pilot Day, a day dedicated to our profession should be used to remember the indescribable excitement and feeling of freedom from the first independent flight, the gratitude because we had the opportunity to live our childhood dream and to be proud that we are members of a small and specific group of people”, says Vladimir Bošnjak, president of the Croatian Union of Traffic Pilots.
Croatian national airline employs 130 pilots, namely 124 pilots and 6 female pilots. Around 100,000 flights take place around the world every day, around half a million people are in the air at any given time, and billions of passengers are transported annually by airplanes. From the first unsafe but historic flight of the Wright brothers in 1903, until today, aviation has experienced a rapid development that, in addition to connecting every corner of the world, is imperative to achieving a high level of safety with the lowest possible risk of mortality.
The profession of pilots definitely needs to be demystified, you need to know more about the challenges and specific risks they face in the work environment. Although it is a profession that could be called a vocation rather than a profession, pilots must be both physically and mentally fit to be able to fly a plane regularly.
However, during their working life, and especially during the season (from spring to autumn), pilots are exposed to increased levels of stress and often struggle with fatigue. It should also be mentioned that their work takes place in a work environment that is extremely unphysiological, from rarefied air and its reduced humidity, to noise, vibrations, and ionizing radiation, which exposes them to various health risks.
We sincerely believe that in the coming period we will bring our profession closer to the public, and the short documentary film “Office above the clouds” is only the first step on that path.
And finally, we send our sincere congratulations to all pilots, both civil and military, sports and transport (cargo), on the occasion of World Pilot Day.
“Apart from calm skies, wise and correct decisions and professional success, I wish all pilots to forever manage to keep part of that childhood enthusiasm for airplanes, to continue nurturing their love for flying and to always, regardless of age and experience, continue to find those small challenges that will allow them to enjoy every flight. My dear colleagues, happy World Pilot’s Day!”, says Bošnjak.” – from the press release of the HSPP.
The editors of the AvioRadar portal join in congratulating us and wish all pilots peaceful skies and as many happy take-offs and landings as possible.
