Pilot Resume Template Example

As a pilot, you’ve invested hundreds of hours of training and education to handle the demands of flight. Your resume must show hiring managers you can navigate all situations and conditions safely as you pilot their aircraft. In this guide, we’ll provide strategies to help you write a pilot resume that secures a spot in the cockpit and prepares your next career move for takeoff.

How To Write a Pilot Resume

Using a premade resume template is the best way to establish a professional, well-structured document. Your pilot resume should include these sections:

  • Contact information
  • Profile
  • Key skills
  • Professional experience
  • Education
  • Flight time, certificates, and ratings

Contact information

At the top of your resume, list your current contact information, including your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Ensure your information is up-to-date and free of typos to clear the runway for further questions and interviews.

Example

Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn

Profile

A pilot resume profile is a summary of your career that sets the trajectory for the rest of your document. It should include your years in the field, how many hours you’ve flown, and any aircraft or flight specializations that could set you apart from other pilots. Consider what the airline or organization is looking for, and describe what makes you the pilot they need to hire.

Example

Airline transport pilot with over five years of experience, 3,500 flight hours, and an advanced degree in aerospace management. Experience as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and second officer flying an Airbus A320 for Spirit Airlines. Possesses a perfect safety record, including extensive experience in multi-engine operations and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

Key skills

Whether you’re a commercial or airline pilot, you rely on a vast array of skills to navigate whatever may come your way during a flight. A key skills list will demonstrate to potential employers that you have the necessary abilities to handle day-to-day operations. Include both technical and interpersonal skills that show you’re ready to take command and lead a crew.

Common hard and soft skills for pilots

Hard Skills Soft Skills
Aircraft navigation systems Calm under pressure
Aviation safety standards and procedures Clear communication
Crew resource management (CRM) Critical thinking
Emergency landing procedures Decisiveness
Flight planning Leadership
ForeFlight Multitasking
Instrument flight rules (IFR) Observant
Pre-flight basic systems inspection Risk assessment
Regulatory compliance Stress management
Visual flight rules (VFR) Teamwork and collaboration

Resume writer’s tip: Use strong action verbs

To effectively communicate your past aviation duties and accomplishments, use action verbs in your professional experience section. Instead of using redundant first-person language like “I was responsible for,” start each bullet point with an action verb. These words will help hiring managers understand exactly what you did at work and how you actively participated in the role. Use action verbs like the ones listed below as you write your pilot resume:

Action Verbs
Analyzed Communicated
Coordinated Directed
Executed Flew
Instructed Navigated
Operated Piloted
Planned Reacted
Supervised Trained
Validated  

Professional experience

This section is like the pilot logbook of your work history. List your most recent positions, along with six to eight bullet points covering key responsibilities and achievements. Describe moments in previous roles relevant to the pilot job you’re applying for, using numbers when you can to quantify your success.

Example

Second Officer, Spirit Airlines, Miramar, FL
September 2020 – present

  • Assist the first officer in navigation and communication on Airbus A320 in compliance with flight paths and airspace regulations
  • Logged 1,200 flight hours without incident or violation, maintaining a 100% safety record for over 250 flights
  • Participate in pre-flight briefings and checks, confirming aircraft readiness
  • Contributed to a 10% increase in on-time departures in Q4 of 2021 through meticulous pre-flight planning and coordination
  • Led the implementation of a new crew resource management training program
  • Monitor and manage aircraft systems during flight to ensure a smooth and secure experience for passengers and crew

 
Certified Flight Instructor, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Hillsboro, OR
June 2018 – August 2020

  • Conducted over 1,500 hours of flight instruction to students as authorized by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations
  • Maintained detailed records and monitored the progress of 145 students
  • Supported flight operations with additional duties like aircraft fueling and maintenance communication
  • Achieved a 95% student pass rate on first-time checkrides
  • Organized and led 40 safety workshops and seminars covering weather hazards, aircraft maintenance issues, and in-flight emergency management

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Metrics offer clear, measurable indicators of your capabilities as a pilot and help to set you apart from other well-qualified candidates. To frame your past responsibilities as accomplishments, use numbers to quantify your experience. Include things like total flight hours, number of flights, improvements in safety and efficiency, or reductions in cost.

Do
  • “Conducted over 1,500 hours of flight instruction to students as authorized by FAA regulations.”
Don’t
  • “Spent a significant amount of time delivering flight instruction sessions to various students according to the standards and guidelines set forth by the FAA.”

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

The job outlook for pilots is bright but competitive, with a projected increase of 4% over the next decade. To stand out from the competition, your pilot resume should be tailor-made for the job you’re interested in. Every resume you submit must be customized to meet the aviation needs of the organization.

Use the job posting as a guide to help you determine the skills, qualifications, and experience an airline or commercial company is looking for in a pilot. To show you meet the requirements of the role, match your abilities with those in the job ad and include them in your resume. This will increase your chances of making it through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and on to hiring managers.

What if you don’t have experience?

Even without direct, paid experience, you’ve spent time developing technical skills during flight school. Display you have the fundamental knowledge necessary by emphasizing relevant coursework, school projects, certifications, flight ratings, and affiliations. Including volunteer work or internships within airports and aviation organizations also proves you have practical experience in the industry.

If you don’t have your 1,500 hours of flying time yet to land a job at a regional or major airline, consider earning time as a CFI. Many new pilots start as instructors and build up their flight logs this way. There are also other opportunities that have lower flight time requirements and could prove better options to earn your minimum flight time.

Education

Your education is the foundation of your aviation abilities. Open the education section by listing the flight school you attended and when you completed your training. If you earned your wings through a degree program, start with your highest degree first. Include the name of the institution, dates of attendance, and any honors you may have received.

Example

Education
Master of Science (M.S.) Aviation and Aerospace Management, September 2017 – May 2018
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Professional Flight, 2013 – 2017
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Flight time, certificates, and ratings

Most piloting positions have minimum flight hour requirements and ratings for applicants. So, it’s essential to detail your time in the sky and include certificate ratings such as airplane instrument, multi-engine landing (AMEL), and airplane single-engine landing (ASEL). Listing your hours and FAA ratings on your resume will help hiring managers immediately capture your experience and abilities.

Example

Flight Hours
Total Flight Time: 3,500 hours

  • Multi-Engine: 1,200 hours
  • Pilot in Command (PIC): 2,000 hours
  • Instrument (Actual and Simulated): 400 hours
  • Cross Country: 800 hours
  • Night Flight: 300 hours

Certifications

Airline Transport Pilot: AMEL
Commercial Pilot: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Certified Flight Instructor: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Private Pilot: ASEL
FAA First Class Medical Certificate

Pilot Resume Template Text Example

Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn

Profile

Airline transport pilot with over five years of experience, 3,500 flight hours, and an advanced degree in aerospace management. Experience as a CFI and second officer flying an Airbus A320 for Spirit Airlines. Possesses a perfect safety record, including extensive experience in multi-engine operations and IMC.

Flight Hours

Total Flight Time: 3,500 hours

  • Multi-Engine: 1,200 hours
  • PIC: 2,000 hours
  • Instrument (Actual and Simulated): 400 hours
  • Cross Country: 800 hours
  • Night Flight: 300 hours

Certifications

Airline Transport Pilot: AMEL
Commercial Pilot: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Certified Flight Instructor: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Private Pilot: ASEL
FAA First Class Medical Certificate

Professional Experience

Second Officer, Spirit Airlines, Miramar, FL
September 2020 – present

  • Assist the first officer in navigation and communication on Airbus A320 in compliance with flight paths and airspace regulations
  • Logged 1,200 flight hours without incident or violation, maintaining a 100% safety record for over 250 flights
  • Participate in pre-flight briefings and checks, confirming aircraft readiness
  • Contributed to a 10% increase in on-time departures in Q4 of 2021 through meticulous pre-flight planning and coordination
  • Led the implementation of a new crew resource management training program
  • Monitor and manage aircraft systems during flight to ensure a smooth and secure experience for passengers and crew

Certified Flight Instructor, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Hillsboro, OR
June 2018 – August 2020

  • Conducted over 1,500 hours of flight instruction to students as authorized by FAA regulations
  • Maintained detailed records and monitored the progress of 145 students
  • Supported flight operations with additional duties like aircraft fueling and maintenance communication
  • Achieved a 95% student pass rate on first-time checkrides
  • Organized and led 40 safety workshops and seminars covering weather hazards, aircraft maintenance issues, and in-flight emergency management

Key Skills

  • Communication
  • Crew resource management (CRM)
  • Emergency procedures
  • Flight management systems (FMS)
  • Flight planning
  • Stress management

Education

Master of Science (M.S.) Aviation and Aerospace Management, September 2017 – May 2018
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Professional Flight, 2013 – 2017
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

A resume should be a forward-looking value proposition that showcases your most relevant accomplishments for a target role — not a rear view summary of your previous roles and responsibilities.

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