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Pilot Resume Examples

Pilots are the pillars of the aviation industry. They’re responsible for managing a plane’s cockpit, staying fully knowledgeable of FAA regulations and, of course, safely carrying passengers and cargo to their destinations. Airline and commercial pilots are compensated well for taking on these high-responsibility roles, having made a median annual salary of $121,430 in 2019.

Whether you’re on the path to earning your pilot’s license or you’re a seasoned pilot looking for a new role, LiveCareer is here to help. Our pilot resume example, written by our certified resume writers, shows you what it takes to grab a recruiter’s attention and land an interview.

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What is a Pilot ?

Pilots operate aircraft to fly passengers and cargo from one point to another for business and commercial purposes. Aircraft are usually operated by two pilots; a captain, also known as the “pilot,” is in command while the co-pilot supports them as their first officer.

A pilot’s duty is to ensure the safety and smooth operation of aircraft while analyzing flight plans, calculating fuel consumption, determining weather conditions and inspecting operational systems before takeoff. Becoming a commercial pilot requires a high school diploma and commercial pilot’s license from the FAA. Airline pilots in particular also need to earn a bachelor’s degree and an FAA-issued Airline Transport Pilot certificate.

What Makes This a Great
Pilot Resume Example?

Our certified resume writers wrote our pilot resume example as a guide for improving your resume. They craft each of our examples to show you how to frame your skills and experience in the way most likely to grab the attention of hiring managers.

Here’s how our pilot resume example can give you an edge over other applicants:

  • An engagingly written resume: Our resume writers know how to use strategic phrasing to appeal to recruiters. The above example includes terms like “preflight inspection” and “navigation charts” to show you how to pull critical keywords directly from job descriptions. For more writing tips, our Resume Builder offers pre-written content suggestions, which are completely customizable.
  • Making the most of resume formats: Framing your achievements in the most attention-grabbing way requires choosing the right resume format. Entry-level pilots may want to use a functional format thanks to its emphasis on skills over work experience. Meanwhile, highly experienced pilots can use a chronological format to elaborate on their long work history.
  • Avoiding mismatched templates: Pick a resume template that suits the employer you want to work for. Before applying for a new position as a pilot, consider the company culture of the airline. Whether that calls for a more traditional design like in this example or a more creative choice, our wide selection of templates has you covered.

3 Pilot Professional Summary Examples

A professional summary is meant to immediately demonstrate your most notable and relevant experience and skills. Follow our pilot resume example’s lead to learn how to lay out these qualifications quickly, or borrow our Resume Builder’s pre-written content for extra assistance.

Here are three professional summary examples our builder might recommend:

  1. Passionate commercial airline pilot with fifteen years of experience. Thorough understanding of safety protocols and navigation systems. Developed training curricula for four classes of entry-level pilots as flight instructor. Specialize in aircraft operations for aerial mapping, sightseeing and aerial photography.
  2. Detail-oriented pilot with over 8,000 hours of flight experience. Experienced piloting VIP flights, emergency flights and medical evacuation flights. Developed performance management system to evaluate progress of and mentor co-pilots.
  3. Marine aviation pilot with two decades of experience in personnel management and development in U.S. Navy. Designed and implemented training programs to mentor new aviators in using navigation instruments for different aircraft. Experienced coordinating logistical and administrative support for deployment of U.S. military forces.

3 Pilot Work Experience Examples

In addition to reading over your previous responsibilities, recruiters also want to learn how you contributed to past employers. Our pilot resume example outlines what belongs in this section and our Resume Builder’s pre-written text can be easily customized with your own impressive metrics.

Here are three more work experience examples to learn from:

  1. Mentored a team of 22 trainee pilots using a new grading system, attaining 12% turnover decrease and increasing rate of promotions by 8%.
  2. Contributed to a team of 15 specialist aviators in redesigning SOPs, increasing airline profits by 13% over two years.
  3. Accrued more than 1,000 flight hours, including 150 hours of Orion experience and piloting Seaeye Panther Plus.

Top Skills for Your Pilot Resume

To get noticed, your resume must contain skills that recruiters look for in top pilots. Our pilot resume example provides a list of hard and soft skills to include in your resume, as do our pre-written suggestions.

Hard Skills

  • FAA regulations knowledge
  • Navigational systems operation
  • Interpreting weather conditions
  • Aeromechanics

Soft Skills

  • Situational awareness
  • Strong communication skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Teamwork

Building Your Pilot Resume with Our Builder:

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Pilot FAQs

How long does it take to train a commercial pilot?

If you choose integrated training, you will usually complete your intensive course with a Flight Training Organization (FTO) in approximately 18 months. If you opt for modular training, you can complete training at your own pace. The latter typically takes an average of two to five years, depending on each individual trainee.

What are the different types of pilots?

The most common type of pilots are commercial pilots who may carry passengers and cargo, participate in air rallies, aeromodelling, air racing or other adventure sports involving aircraft. Other types of pilots include military pilots, subdivided into air force pilots, army pilots and navy pilots. These pilots support the armed forces and defend the country when the need arises. There are also corporate pilots hired by private companies to fly private jets and helicopters for private needs.

What is a type rating?

A type rating is a qualification to fly a specific model of aircraft. A type rating course comprises instruction from a technical ground school involving educating pilots about aircraft systems and performance. It also includes a simulator course where one learns to fly an aircraft in normal and emergency situations over approximately 30 hours.