Airline flying has become astonishingly safe—but what about the rest of commercial aviation? In this week’s installment of “V1 Rotate,” we take a deep dive into the data to explore the safety of a pro pilot career. You’ll hear my own experiences as a young commercial pilot, and you’ll get advice on how new pro pilots can stay safe as they build experience.
Just How Dangerous is a Flying Career?
Flying for an airline is incredibly safe, but what about for the rest of commercial aviation?
By
Sam Weigel

Is being a pilot still a dangerous job? It depends.
Sam Weigel has been an airplane nut since an early age, and when he's not flying the Boeing 737 for work, he enjoys going low and slow in vintage taildraggers. He and his wife live west of Seattle, where they are building an aviation homestead on a private 2,400-foot grass airstrip.