Eva Lucas takes us behind the scenes of her glamorous yet challenging life at 30,000 feet

At the age when most individuals are navigating their way through college, Eva Lucas charted a different course, taking her first flying lesson at 17 and deciding at 19 to make piloting her career. Now, at 23, Lucas provides a sneak peek into her exhilarating life as a private jet pilot, sharing some of the most memorable experiences.
Lucas’s schedule deviates significantly from the typical 9-to-5 grind, working a unique pattern of 20 days on and 10 days off. During those 20 days, she remains on standby, ready to take flight whenever a client beckons. Her clientele varies, and she might find herself soaring beyond the US borders, having jetted off to destinations like South Korea, France, and the UK from her Florida base.
While the prospect of a 20-day work streak may not appeal to many, the perks of Lucas’s job are undoubtedly wild by conventional standards. Starting with a salary that kicks off at approximately $60,000 and can escalate to an impressive average of $225,000, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lucas enjoys additional privileges.
Staying at Marriott hotels, Lucas has a substantial budget of $75 for domestic food and $125 for international cuisine. While clients may not extend dinner invitations to pilots, Lucas occasionally finds herself partaking in surreal aspects of their lives.
Recounting one particularly wild experience, Lucas shared flying a renowned DJ to a concert in Denver, Colorado, where she was not only invited to witness the show for free but also handed a VIP pass granting backstage access. Nonchalantly, she added, “And then the following day, we just flew him back.”
While many of her peers are grappling with post-graduation struggles, Lucas is living the high life both figuratively and literally, soaring above the clouds with a front-row seat to the extraordinary experiences her job unfolds.