Matthew Inman flies the Airbus for a major US airline

“What can physicists do? ” is an interview series that profiles physicists who opted for careers outside of academia.

What were you looking for in a job?

I got my private pilot’s license at age 17, and by the time I finished college, I was teaching others to fly. I wanted to take a year off before graduate school. In January 2001, I was hired by a regional carrier. A few years later, I watched my wife, Jen, go through grad school and thought it was good I didn’t do that. I’m still a pilot.

Do you use your physics as a pilot?

Yes. The degree taught me how to think and to solve problems. I triage and solve problems all day long: questions related to weather, rerouting, fuel consumption.

During our annual trainings, we learn about aircraft systems and emergencies—for example, how to handle an engine fire. For many pilots, training is the most stressful part of the career: If you fail, you lose your job. I think that because of my physics background, trainings don’t stress me as much.

What new skills did you need to learn?

How to travel well, from packing a bag to never passing up food or a bathroom—you never know when your next opportunity will be. You might get to a hotel after all the restaurants are closed. You have to learn to be flexible.

And we have to learn the intricacies of each aircraft type we fly; you think about the specific operational and engineering design systems.

How do you spend your time?

I work about 15 days a month. We have no set routes, so I fly from Washington, DC, all over North America. We can fly up to 9 hours a day and be on duty 16 hours. When we’re not in the air, we spend time waiting at airports or staying at hotels in different cities each night. We only get paid when the jet moves, so the more flight hours, the better the paycheck.

What do you like most about your job?

I love flying. Sometimes, I still can’t believe they pay me to fly these big, beautiful airplanes.

Is there anything you’d like to add?
Traveling so much has been very tough for raising a family. Pilots bid for trips and time off on a monthly basis and get our monthly schedules with two weeks’ notice. Schedules and pay get better with seniority.

See also the interview with Matthew’s wife, Jennifer Inman, a project manager at NASA.