Pilots and swimming

[Matt Dyer]

Hey all,

I am wondering, to be a pilot for a air operator such as Eagle Air, is it critical to be able to swim to become a pilot??

Cheers,

Matt

[Kelburn]

it's probably not enforced that you take swimming lessons but I'm guessing just have basic skills. I mean can all passengers swim?

[creator2003]

I would say it would be a good skill to have ,and in choppers flying over water they give you life jackets etc...but the whole point of flying is staying up in the sky and wouldnt think that this would be a must or anything unless you did something to do with water ops
be intresting to find out

[benwynn]

Im not sure about Eagle, but for most airlines you have to be atleast be able to swim 100metres

[A185F]

Na only gotta be able to swim in the airforce. No way is there any requriement to be able to swim for any civvy airline !! I cant swim to save myself

[Brennanx]

For Air New Zealand you need to be able to swim. For instance you have to be able to get in the life raft when its on the water. My Dad has to go to the pool where they do all the swimming stuff once every 4 months or something and do things like that. Also has to do more but i forgot them

[HardCorePawn]

Not sure about the tech crew, but I know the cabin crew have to be able to swim etc... they make them practise in the pool getting into liferafts etc.

I would assume they would want the tech crew to be able to do the same...

Having said that, I have not seen anything in any of the regulations or license requirements that specify that you need to be able to swim to hold PPL/CPL etc...

I would recommend that you learn anyway, its a great skill to have... especially in a country like NZ with all the water!