Have you heard of a bomber pilot? Being a bomber pilot means flying the B-2 stealth bomber and commanding a five-member crew, including a co-pilot, navigator, radar navigator, and electronic warfare officer (EWO).
It takes extraordinary brains and brawn to become a bomber pilot in order to withstand the work pressure it entails. Imagine flying the B-2 stealth bomber aircraft, the nation’s one and only stealth bomber, and feeling the pressure of dropping the weapons. The pressure and mental exhaustion can be too much to bear for us, regular people!
You see, this is where you realize that being a bomber pilot requires more than training and aircraft flying. In addition to the technical abilities required to pilot the B-2 stealth bomber, a bomber pilot must develop a set of mental skills and hone his/her leadership and critical skills to be ready for what’s ahead. If you want to find out the skills of a bomber pilot, make sure to read further!
Mental toughness
This is a crazy world we live in—there’s so much happening and going around, sometimes what we all need is a break from our stressors. What more if the nation’s only stealth bomber aircraft is in your hands? Flying airplanes needs mental toughness. This refers to one’s ability to perform efficiently under pressure and stressful situations. Mental toughness in aviation is a must—beyond passing training and having a pilot’s license, one has to deal with high-stress situations to give you an edge in the field.
Attention to detail
When flying an aircraft, small mistakes can create a huge impact. There’s little room for error when flying an aircraft, so a bomber pilot should possess attention to detail throughout all stages of flight—from preparation to calculating course corrections, a bomber pilot should have impeccable attention to minute details.
Self-confidence
Just any type of pilot, a bomber pilot should have self-confidence—in himself or herself, decisions, and skills. Too much or too low of this can be detrimental to the whole crew. As you see, too much confidence can become arrogance, and a low level of confidence can result in indecisiveness in flight. For instance, an arrogant person can overpower the whole crew, whereas a pilot who has low confidence levels may doubt their own decisions, which hinders their ability to handle emergencies. Excellent bomber pilots must acknowledge their skills, trust them, and use them to make sound decisions in flight.
Communication skills
A bomber pilot must be an effective communicator, especially when handling stressful situations in flight. Ineffective verbal communication between pilots and their crew can be detrimental to the whole aircraft. As you see, miscommunication may lead to unbidden errors, which may result in aircraft accidents. A bomber pilot must convey information clearly and effectively to promote safe flight.
Ability to handle stressful situations
Probably one of the most important traits, a pilot should remain calm and composed in the event of an in-flight problem or emergency situation. Excellent pilots are never easily rattled and panicky, as these traits would only cloud one’s judgments. Instead, an excellent pilot can think clearly in stressful situations, never letting his or her feelings cloud his or her judgment.
A desire for life-long learning
Being a bomber pilot sounds amazing, but sadly, it is not for everyone. Not even those who have dreamt about being one if they do not possess a zest for learning. To become a bomber pilot, first, one must have a flair for learning. An aspiring bomber pilot should embrace the fact that learning doesn’t stop in aviation schools or government-required trainings. They should continuously learn, hone their craft, work on their weaknesses, and keep up with the latest aviation safety information to become better pilots.
Sense of authority
To become a bomber pilot means having a great sense of authority since he or she is the one that will be leading the small crew inside the aircraft. The bomber pilot is confident of his/her skills, abilities, decision-making abilities, and is not afraid to take responsibility for the safety of the entire crew (and even the nation). Having a bomber pilot that has a great sense of authority gives the entire crew peace of mind, knowing that the entire mission and their lives are in good hands.