Airline pilots are held to an exceptionally high standard because they’re scrutinised constantly. From the minute they step out of their car in the pilots’ car park to the moment they strap themselves back in for the drive home, they’re being observed by someone.

Any person in uniform catches the eye − and people instinctively assess them. You could be driving to work, walking through a shopping centre, dropping your kids off at school or walking through an airport – no matter where you are, you are being evaluated.

The public’s perception matters

Walking through a mall in your airline uniform, unshaven, with your tie pulled loose and your top button undone is not going to instil confidence in the public you’d like to fly with you. “Scruffy guy” or “messy operator” is what they’ll be thinking.

Flying passengers around is a huge responsibility. They want to feel safe. And in order for them to do so, they need to know that this serious job is being done by a serious person who pays attention to detail and takes pride in their work.

Your employer’s assessment

From a work perspective, you are also being assessed constantly. For the 21 years that I was fortunate enough to fly for South African Airways, we were required to do two ratings a year and an annual check ride. Each rating consisted of two four-hour simulator sessions preceded by a lengthy briefing and a thorough debrief after each session.

Our training department would create a training package that would be given to all the pilots. The onus would be on each pilot to familiarise themselves with the material and prepare for the rating. A Training Captain would run the training session, assessing the crew on anything from basic handling and general emergencies to more complex emergencies and scenarios. 

Your annual line check flight requires you to conduct a normal line flight while being assessed by a Check Captain. The Check Captain’s job is to assess your day-to-day operation, ensuring that it’s aligned to the way in which the airline wants you to operate. He will make comments regarding where and how your operation may need to be “nipped and tucked” and, on rare occasions, an intervention may be required.

These are the mandatory and official checks of an airline pilot, but the assessments don’t start and finish there.

Colleague evaluation

You are being subtly assessed from day one. Being in an airline is like being in a watered down version of the military. When signing on you are assessed by your peers and colleagues: How is he or she dressed? Are they neat and tidy?

When you arrive at dispatch for your pre-flight briefing you are assessed again. If you are a co-pilot, you will be given the once over by your Captain for the day. He will notice the time of your arrival at sign on. Were you late, on time or early? Are you  dressed correctly? Is your briefing adequate and as per company “SOP”.

All the answers to these assessments are stored in the back of pilots’ heads and if a problem or question mark arises, you will probably be given a pass. However, if your lack of attention to detail becomes habitual, it will be addressed somewhere by someone. Whether it be by a peer, a friend or a superior, it will be addressed.

Your team pays attention

On the flight deck on any given day and flight you are being assessed by your fellow cockpit crew members and other members of the crew. As an airline pilot you’re always trying to maintain a high standard. You don’t want to be labelled a weak operator, so your guard is always up.

Everybody has their bad days, and if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re lying. If you’ve made a less-than-great impression, hopefully you’ll get the opportunity to fly with the same person again and rectify their perception of the way you operate. Unfortunately, you may not get that chance, which is why it’s so important to try to maintain a high standard at all times.

I thought that once I became a Captain, the scrutiny would end. How wrong I was! Your game as a Captain has to be tighter than ever. Nothing will eat you alive quite like a co-pilot who has tasted blood. Any weakness and you may be along for the ride.

Apart from the Navy Seals, SAS and other special forces operators, I’m not sure if there is another industry or profession that is monitored quite as intensely as the airline industry. It was great to be part of it for so long, and I hope to be part of it once again. It is very satisfying to be held to such a high standard.