Career Choice Motivation for Professional Pilots

This study identified key motivational factors of current flight training students to better understand how individuals are motivated to pursue a career in aviation. The theoretical framework used in this study was based upon self-determination theory, as originally introduced by Deci and Ryan (2000).The research approach for this study was a semi-structured interview process where students were asked eight foundational career motivation source questions and their responses were organized into career choice motivation categories. Results showed most participants became motivated to pursue a piloting career at a very young age. This early motivation was largely due to influence from third parties who had experience in aviation. However, the data also uncovered that the initial influence was not the primary factor in the career choice decision making process. Most participants described the job rewards, such as salary and lifestyle, as being the primary motivation factor in choosing to pursue a career as a pilot.