From the earliest days of air travel, piloting a plane has always held a magical attraction for many people. As a scientifically proven technology, the ability to lift an aircraft off the ground, rising tens of thousands of feet above the surface of the earth, shouldn't be mysterious or baffling any more. Yet the marvel of seeing a multi-ton jet carrying hundreds of people flying as effortlessly as a small bird still invokes an awe-filled response. How can such a large machine seemingly defy the laws of gravity?

If being aloft in the air is alluring, then being the pilot who controls the plane throughout its flight can also seem glamorous. Flying between cities in just a fraction of the time it would take to travel by land or by sea, visiting exotic capitals nearly anywhere in the world, seeing the world from a bird's eye view, and meeting interesting people from other cultures are all part of the attraction of becoming a pilot. Of course, flying a plane carries a certain amount of risk. But significant technological advances have made flying a plane safer and more comfortable than ever before, and opportunities for careers in aviation have never been better.