While it was fascinating to learn about airport operations and pilot licenses, the part of the Rose Cafe that I found most interesting was learning about pilots’ lifestyles. Instead of working nine to five, like most Americans, they have shifts of several days with multi-day breaks in between. There are strict restrictions on when they can work so that they do not become fatigued, as an impaired pilot could pose a huge safety risk. However, even with these restrictions it seems that pilots are still really pushed to their limits. Getting ten hours for a hotel stay really doesn’t seem like much. Assuming that a pilot needs eight hours of sleep to be operating at 100%, that only leaves 2 hours for changing, eating, showering, exercising, or relaxing. From how Mr. Comella describes his lifestyle, a pilot’s obligations can also leak into their time off the clock, as he has to work out and eat healthy in order to ensure that he is in peak physical condition and can handle the long, sedentary hours better.

The social conditions also seem less than ideal. Flight crews are randomized, so a pilot generally flies with a different crew every trip. Mr. Comella mentioned that talking to one’s coworkers can feel like Harold Ramis’s Groundhog Day. He finds himself asking every coworker the same questions as he gets to know a new person each flight.

Personally, I don’t think I would be able to handle a pilot’s lifestyle. I would enjoy being able to visit new places, and I do like the technical aspect of the job. However, going on multiple-day shifts with strangers and spending so many nights in hotels would break me. In addition, the stress of being responsible for passengers’ lives and and the time-sensitivity of the job would be too much.