Hi,
I am looking into becoming an airline pilot. Ever since I was young I’ve always had a stutter. I have a stutter in which I cannot produce sounds so it look and sounds like I forgot what I was going to say. Will this hinder my ability to be hired by an airline? Don’t be afraid to be blunt as I don’t want to invest all this time and energy to only not be hired because of my speech. Any tips, comments or guidance would be very helpful.
Thank you,
Josh,
Others may disagree, but honestly I could see this being a problem. Being a pilot in any capacity requires proficient communication skills. Accepting, complying and requesting ATC clearances is essential. So is communicating one’s position and/or intentions to other nearby aircraft.
If a radio transmission doesn’t make sense it could cause problems for everyone on frequency. At the airline level, the stakes are even higher.
Tory
Josh,
The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is a very important pilot skill. Depending on the level of stutter yes I can definitely see a stutter being an issue. That said I also know (depending again on the level) people who stutter can improve their skills greatly. If flying is your dream, rather than simply giving up, I’d investigate possible remedies.
Adam
Hi Tory/Adam,
Thank you for your input. The cause of stuttering is not completely understood yet, but it is believed to be a miscommunication in the parts of the brain that processes sound and speech. That being said, one treatment that is used improve speech is by having a heading aid like device in your ear that changes the pitch of your voice. Do the headsets that pilots wear in flight change the pitch of your voice? If so the remedy may be built into the job. Also if I have the stutter by just talking to someone, will that hinder my chances while interviewing with an airline even though it may be completely gone when wearing the headset mid-flight? Below is a link to a YouTube video of a pilot who stutters during regular conversation but is fluent while flying. I know smaller aircraft probably have louder cabins than lets say the cockpit of an airliner, but is the feedback in the cockpit of lets say a B737 or A320 enough to cloud out the sound of your voice? Please let me know what your thoughts are.
Thank you,
Josh,
First off thank you for sharing that story and video. I had never heard of such a thing and it’s very cool.
I don’t believe (but I’m really not sure) most aviation headsets change the pitch of your voice but obviously they’re something there that’s working and definitely worth you investigating. As for your interview, obviously it would raise some questions and require an explanation.
I’ve done some Googling and apparently your first obstacle would be obtaining a First Class Medical. I’m thinking a good AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) would be a great resource and might be able to give you better advice and offer possible solutions. Further if you did discover that you could not, at least you’d know for certain. What concerns me is the person in the video is flying a Light Sport airplane. Now it could be because he simply has access to one, but it also could be because he cannot pass the exam and get a medical, as LSA don’t require one.
Adam
Josh,
I am not a doctor, or a hiring manager, but I will be honest with you, I think that you will have a problem obtaining a medical and if you get past that, a harder time getting a job. Sure, there maybe a headset that helps. but many types of airliners do not use large headsets like that and there are many aspects of the job that happen outside of the cockpit. A pilot needs to be able to clearly communicate with gate agents, ramp personnel, instructors, and passengers. Furthermore, one of the most important aspects of a pilot’s job is helping in, and leading, an aircraft evacuation. This is a very stressful situation and instructions need to be delivered very clearly. No headsets can be worn for any of the situations I just mentioned. For these reasons, I think it would be very hard to get past an interview board with any kind of pronounced stutter.
I do not mean to come across as negative, just being honest, but your results may vary.
Chris
Hi Chris,
I really appreciate the honesty. Sometimes the truth may hurt but its for the better. I would rather hit the brakes now than spend a lot of time and money to not get hired or not be able to perform in an emergency if I was. I was looking into becoming an airline pilot because of the combination of my Mechanical Engineering background and my interest in the systems of the plane. The planes are very beautifully designed and engineered. I would like to try to pursue a private pilot license as a hobby or maybe tow banners or skydivers during the summer as a side job. Do you think my stutter might hinder getting the PPL and CPL? If it will, then what path would you recommend so that I could pursue flying as a hobby?
Thank you,
Josh
Josh,
Please do not think that I am not sympathetic, I very much am. My first wife is a Speech Pathologist, so I am very familiar with the struggles and know that there is not always a treatment option that will get the desired results. To fly skydivers or two banners, you will still need a commercial license, which will require a second class medical.
Either way, your first stop should be an appointment with an FAA AME too see about obtaining a medical certificate. They can give you a better idea if you will be able to qualify for a medical, from there you can take some lessons and see how it goes.
Chris