Linking age and career success among pilots in Thailand: Does it depend on pilot types?

บทคัดย่อ

Little research attention has been given to the factors that influence career success among pilots. In this study, we aim to examine the relationship between pilots’ age and their career success measured in terms of monthly earnings. We also ask whether this relationship depends on the type of pilots (i.e., airplane pilots versus helicopter pilots). Survey data were collected from 593 pilots from
seven major airline companies in Thailand, and moderated multiple regression (MMR) and simple slope test were used for the analyses. The results showed that pilots’ age was positively related with earnings. However, in comparison to helicopter pilots, airplane pilots enjoy a steeper growth in their monthly earnings. Total flight time also emerged as the most influential factor in determining pilots’ earnings. Despite the anecdotal reports that airplane pilots generally make more earnings in the long term in comparison to helicopter pilots, this study is among the very first to provide direct empirical evidence about the differences in their career trajectories.