A group of pilots in general is referred to as a flight crew in commercial aviation.
In commercial aviation, the crew responsible for operating and controlling the aircraft are called flight crew.
The A-10, also known as the Warthog, is designed for close air support of ground forces combating adversarial ground forces, including tanks and other armored vehicles. ( U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt.
The A-10 was designed to provide close air support (CAS) to ground troops by attacking enemy armored vehicles, tanks, and other ground forces; it is the only production-built aircraft designed solely for CAS to have served with the U.S. Air Force.
John “Karl” Marks, retired after a 37-year career and 7,500 hours behind the stick of the Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the Warthog.
Pilots making $200k+ annually are typically captains at major airlines, especially on long-haul/widebody aircraft, or experienced cargo/corporate pilots, with earnings increasing significantly with seniority, flying larger jets, and potentially including substantial bonuses, profit-sharing, and allowances. For example, a first-year captain at a major US airline might hit $200k, while senior widebody captains can exceed $400k-$500k+ with experience, benefits, and bidding strategies.
U.S. Air Force pilots use call signs as personal identifiers. Each pilot earns their call sign, usually voted on by the squadron's members, based on memorable moments or inside jokes. Captain Nicolas “Gaucho” Hillmann and Captain Dominico “Vector” Vacanti tell us how they earned their call signs.
The A-10's GAU-8 30 mm rotary cannon is arguably its most famous feature. Mounted in the nose, this Gatling gun is one of the most powerful fitted to an aircraft to date. Its rapid bursts are responsible for the A-10s famous raspy sound, which comes from its seven barrels firing 65 rounds per second.
Her tour with the Blue Angels lasted two years through the end of the 2024 season. She returned to the fleet in late 2024 to serve as a department head at VFA-87, where she was working on the squadron's 2025 deployment aboard the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R.
Another disadvantage of the A-10 is its lack of maneuverability in an air-to-air or defensive posture. A lack of turn radius and lack of an afterburner on the engines limit how the aircraft can bank and turn to confuse missiles that are in the air.
A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting (close range aerial combat).
Kim “KC” Campbell is a retired Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Army Aviation Warrant Officers are highly trained and technically proficient pilots and tactical experts, responsible for the operation and command of Army aircraft, both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, across the spectrum of military operations.
Summary of pilot salary ranges
Entry-level pilot roles often start around $35,000–$60,000. Mid-level regional airline jobs range between $55,000 and $100,000. High-level positions at major airlines or cargo carriers can exceed $200,000.
You're right: the pilot in command of a civilian aircraft, whether it's a piper cub or a huge jetliner, is addressed as “Captain.” The co-pilot is called the first officer but can also be addressed as Captain since both can change places during flight in midair.
Pilots making $200k+ annually are typically captains at major airlines, especially on long-haul/widebody aircraft, or experienced cargo/corporate pilots, with earnings increasing significantly with seniority, flying larger jets, and potentially including substantial bonuses, profit-sharing, and allowances. For example, a first-year captain at a major US airline might hit $200k, while senior widebody captains can exceed $400k-$500k+ with experience, benefits, and bidding strategies.
The 3:1 rule in aviation is a rule of thumb for descent planning: for every 1,000 feet of altitude to lose, you need 3 nautical miles (NM) of horizontal distance, assuming a standard 3-degree glide path, making it easy to calculate when to start descending. For example, to descend 6,000 feet, a pilot starts descending 18 NM out (6 x 3 = 18). It helps maintain a consistent descent rate, critical for passenger comfort in older planes and for fuel efficiency in modern jets, and aligns with standard approach systems like ILS/VASI.
The Eagle took its maiden flight in July 1972, and entered service in 1976. It is among the most successful modern fighters, with 104 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by the Israeli Air Force.
Aircraft Location: Barksdale AFB, La.; Boise Air Terminal, Idaho; DavisMonthan AFB, Ariz.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Fort Wayne Arpt., Ind.; Martin State Arpt., Md.; Moody AFB, Ga.; Nellis AFB, Nev.; Osan AB, South Korea; Selfridge ANGB, Mich.; Whiteman AFB, Mo. Active Variant: •A-10C.
The Air Force only began retiring A-10s in earnest in 2023. For years, members of Congress had actively blocked the retirement of Warthogs, in part over questions about the ability of other aircraft, especially stealth F-35s, to fill in any potential gap in close air support capacity.
Women pilots were also formerly called "aviatrices" (singular "aviatrix"). Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry.
Pickle. Slang reference by pilots to the release of ordnance (bombs and canisters) over a target, one at a time in close sequence, on one pass. Such a release allowed the ordnance to cover a larger linear area.
Bandit – identified enemy aircraft. Bogey – unidentified (possibly unfriendly) aircraft. Buster – radio-telephony code phrase for 'maximum throttle' or full power climb.