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By Soo Kim
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A video of a pilot's mesmerizing view from the sky has captivated users on TikTok, where it has received over 189,000 views at the time of writing.
The clip was posted on August 7 by Pilot Simona (known as @pilot_simona on TikTok), who is an airline pilot, according to the bio on her TikTok profile. The footage shows an ethereal view from the cockpit as the plane soars past a seemingly endless bed of soft cotton candy-like clouds.
A message overlaid on the video reads: "I've seen at least 10 rainbows yesterday...I think this is how heaven looks."
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The viral post comes as the pilot profession was ranked among the "100 Best Jobs" in the latest edition of the annual ranking by U.S. News, coming in at No. 48 in 2023.
The job was placed No. 4 among the listing's "Best Social Service Jobs" and No. 10 among the "Best Paying Jobs". A pilot's median salary in 2021 was reported to be $134,630, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While the pilot profession may be among the world's most coveted by some, the latest viral post comes amid an ongoing pilot shortage. With air travel having returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, the industry has been struggling to keep up with the demand for flights due to the shrinking pool of pilots.
Faye Malarkey Black is the president and CEO of the Regional Airline Association. Back in April, she warned a U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee about "the coming tsunami of pilot retirements."
Black said that "over the next 15 years, nearly 50 percent of the commercial airline workforce will be forced to retire because they will reach the age of 65."
Black added that there are 70 percent more pilots aged 43 to 64 than aged 21 to 42. Pilots who are under 30 years of age form the smallest portion, at around 8 percent of total pilots, reflecting the high cost of flight education and training, Black said.
"This year, 2,225 pilots must retire. Required retirements will peak in 2029 at 3,750, when pilots aged 58 today turn 65. Thereafter, retirements remain high, staying above 2023's rate for the foreseeable future," Black added.
'How I Have Imagined Heaven'
The surreal view from the cockpit in the latest viral video has stunned TikTok users.
Esrin wrote: "this is exactly how i have imagined heaven my whole life."
Alina Buzatu simply posted: "wow, What a view."
User ijad noted: "wow, i think the real paradise deal is inside that plane."
User @nataliesophiex wrote, "How stunning," while Kikky posted: "Sublimmmmmme."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
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