Pilot Resume Examples: 5 Best Samples & Why They Work

As commercial travel picks up again, pilots are in high demand—and the industry continues to expand.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for pilots promises to grow by over 6% in the coming years.

Are you having trouble standing out in such a flourishing industry? Don’t worry! Although the industry is relatively competitive, you can easily land a job as a pilot with the proper resume.

This guide contains everything you need to know about writing a solid pilot resume—complete with the best examples to inspire you as you write your own.

Pilot Resume Examples

Once you have had flight training and met all of the Federal Aviation Administration’s requirements, you are ready to apply for a job as a pilot.

Pilots spend their days flying and navigating airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft. They typically oversee operations on the plane and manage any additional capabilities related to the flight.

If working as a pilot sounds appealing to you, you can use the following resumes—classified according to specialty—to write your own.

Entry-Level Pilot Resume Example

Entry-level pilots typically hold the same responsibilities as experienced pilots, including take-off, travel, and landing. They might act as copilots or flight engineers in addition to their piloting duties.

Objective

Certified, credentialed, and FAA-compliant pilot seeking an entry-level pilot position where I can apply my strong passion for aviation, exceptional flight skills, and commitment to safety while gaining valuable experience and further developing my career in the aviation industry.

Work Experience 1: Junior Aerial Engineer at Alpha Industries

• Job Description: Analyzing and developing mechanical plans and specifications, performing inspections, calculating fabrication costs, and improving production processes.
• Outcomes: Met 150% of my monthly quota, corrected 98% of product errors, reduced process deficiencies by 45%, and earned the “Employee of the Month” award.
• Additional Capabilities: Performed initial and ongoing design reviews, managed CAD/CAM software, and developed competencies in aerial engineering.
• Other: Managed a team of 10 other Junior Engineers and received commendations from senior engineers.

Work Experience 2: Mechanical Engineer Intern

• Job Description: Managed collection and maintenance of project documentation, worked collaboratively with other interns to supervise project completion, and provided detailed reports and progress analyses.
• Outcomes: Increased on-time project deliveries by 15% and completed reports and documentation with 100% accuracy.
• Additional Capabilities: Utilized company CRM to monitor projects, timelines, and clients.
• Other: Implemented a new digital documentation system, reducing documentation time by 34%.

Project Experience

• Building Drones: I made, launched, and monitored fully operational drones at Alpha Industries. Learned to pilot drones and manage flight plans.
• Website Design: Worked as a freelance website designer for independent contracts.
• Documentation Systems: In my previous positions, I developed documentation systems for tracking and managing reports, improving efficiency by 30% on average.

Skills

• Firm grasp of math and physics
• Spacial awareness
• Mapping and charting flights
• Takeoff and landing
• Engineering skills

Education

• Flight School of Arizona: I obtained my pilot’s license from the Flight School of Arizona with a 4.0 GPA and 40 hours of flight.
• Bachelor’s Degree: I obtained my bachelor’s degree of science in engineering from the University of Santa Fe with a 3.89 GPA.
• High School Diploma: Obtained a high school diploma from Santa Fe high school with a GPA of 3.94.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Licensed Commercial Pilot with the Federal Aviation Administration
• Licensed Drone Pilot with the Federal Aviation Administration
• CPR/AED Certified

Why This Resume Works

This resume showcases an exemplary entry-level pilot application. The candidate possesses a solid engineering background with a degree and experience in related fields. While not mandatory for pilots, gaining experience in relevant areas is highly recommended. A bachelor’s degree is typically required by employers, alongside flight training for piloting.

This application also provides a substantial list of skills. Although most applications contain a balance of hard and soft skills, this pilot chose to provide mainly technical skills. Demonstrating one’s technical abilities is a strong advantage for an entry-level pilot.

Additionally, the candidate showcases their passion for aviation through independent projects that align with their interests, like building and flying drones in a previous role. While formal experience holds its importance, projects and volunteer experience can serve as valuable substitutes to make up for any gaps in the candidate’s background.

Airline Pilot Resume Example

Airline pilots typically work for commercial airlines, flying passengers around the country—or the world. They operate and control the aircraft, plan and manage takeoff and landing, and monitor critical metrics throughout the flight. Most commercial pilots also know how to respond quickly in emergencies and can handle pressure.

Objective

Credentialed and experienced pilot with 3k+ hours of flight time seeking a full-time position as an airline pilot for Southwest Airlines in which I can leverage my knowledge of flight safety and emergency response to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

Work Experience 1: Commercial Airline Pilot

• Job Description: Served as a pilot in command for commercial airline flights, creating flight plans and operating Boeing planes 747-400.
• Outcomes: Flew 1,500 hours, accrued 840 nights and 1,500 hours as Pilot in Command, minimized delays by 32%.
• Additional Capabilities: Conducted pre-flight inspections and collaborated with the first officer to develop emergency response plans.
• Other: Accrued 570 cross-country flight hours, 800 second-in-command hours, and 200 hours in poor weather conditions.

Work Experience 2: Commercial Airline Pilot

• Job Description: Served as second in command, providing flight and navigation support to the Pilot-in-Command.
• Outcomes: Flew 1,700 hours, accrued 420 nights and 1,200 cross-country hours, and minimized delays by 25%.
• Additional Capabilities: Adjusted flight map to account for poor weather conditions and unexpected delays, coordinated with PiC to ensure the safety of passengers, and monitored compliance with federal regulations.  
• Other: Performed safety inspections and interfaced with ground teams to develop adjusted flight plans.

Project Experience

• Flight Plans: Created over 2,000 detailed flight plans, adjusting and improving for poor weather conditions and other unexpected delays.
• Volunteer Mentor: Volunteered as a mentor for disadvantaged youth at a shelter in Bakersfield, California.
• Engineering: Assisted with minor projects on various plans, including Boeing planes 747-400.

Skills

• Plane types: Airbus A320neo, Boeing B737 MAX, Boeing 737-400
• Communication
• Leadership
• Engineering
• Flexbility and adaptivity

Education

• Flight Training: Trained as a pilot at the California Aeronautical University in Bakersfield, CA.
• Bachelor of Science: I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science from California Aeronautical University with a GPA of 4.0.
• High School Diploma: Graduated from Berkeley High School with a 4.0 GPA and a partial scholarship to California Aeronautical University.

Licenses & Accreditations

• FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate
• Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating (CFII)

Why This Resume Works

This pilot chose to list their accomplishments in quantifiable terms, such as flight hours and percentages. Flight hours are an essential aspect of any professional pilot resume, and including your flight hours lets your prospective employer know that you have relevant experience in the field.

Additionally, quantifying your accomplishments works to develop a clearer picture of your competencies and abilities, making your successes clear. Use numbers and metrics to describe your accomplishments in previous positions when you can.

This writer’s “skills” section is a testament to their capabilities. They chose to include their familiarity with various plane types, which is a definite advantage in this field.

Professional Pilot Resume Example

Professional pilots are those with experience and credentials who typically work for an airline or other flight company. While some pilots specialize in a particular field, others have experience across several industries.

Objective

Experienced, FAA-compliant pilot with 12+ years of experience and 6k+ hours of flight time seeking a full-time position operating and maintaining an Airbus A350 aircraft.

Work Experience 1: Pilot in Command

• Job Description: Served as Pilot in Command for American Airlines international flights, planning and adjusting flight maps, collaborating with other pilots, and communicating with ground control.
• Outcomes: Executed 600+ flights as pilot in command, accrued 3k+ flight hours as pilot in command with 1,250 night hours and 800 cross-country hours.
• Additional Capabilities: Managed the second in command and crew, evaluated performance, provided coaching, and communicated with passengers.
• Other: Earned the “Pilot of the Year” award from American Airlines two years in a row and was awarded by the FAA for compliance with federal regulations.

Work Experience 2: Pilot in Command

• Job Description: Served as Pilot in Command for Delta Airlines, managing and communicating with the crew, adjusting flight maps, and adhering to company and FAA policies.
• Outcomes: Executed 450+ flights as pilot in command, accrued 2,500+ flight hours as pilot in command with 1,000 night hours and 500 cross-country hours.
• Additional Capabilities: Gained experience with variable weather conditions and several aircraft types, including Airbus A350 and Boeing 400.
• Other: Earned “Pilot of the Year” award and recommendations from senior pilots and executives.

Project Experience

• Soup Kitchen Volunteer: Served as a Mid City Soup Kitchen volunteer, working with clients to develop their resumes and help them apply for jobs.
• Volunteer Tutor: Volunteered as a tutor for middle school students, teaching STEM classes and providing resources to parents.
• FAA Trainer: Worked with the FAA to train other pilots in flight instruction and aviation medicine.

Skills

• Fluent in Mandarin and French
• Proficient in Spanish
• Communicative
• Organized
• Disciplined

Education

• Houston Aerospace Institute: Trained at the Houston Aerospace Institute with a 4.0 GPA and a stellar record of takeoffs and landings.
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering: I obtained my bachelor’s degree from Rice University with a 4.0 GPA and a specialty in aviation engineering.
• High School Diploma: Graduated from Austin High School with a 3.89 GPA and a partial scholarship to Rice University.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
• Certified FAA Aviation Medic
• Integrated  Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA)

Why This Resume Works

This resume opens with a strong resume objective. A resume objective should give a short, concise, and clear overview of your capabilities and experiences and explain your intentions in applying for the job.

This applicant also indicates an excellent ability to communicate. They chose to list languages under their resume’s “skills” section. As a pilot, you’ll need to speak fluently with diverse types of people. Additional language proficiencies are an advantage, but you can also develop other communication skills.

Lastly, consider listing your awards and achievements. Like this writer, you can provide examples of awards you’ve received from notable institutions or previous employers. Doing so helps to boost your resume above others and testifies to your superior capabilities.

Helicopter Pilot Resume Example

Helicopter pilots are skilled aviation experts who crew helicopters for the military, commercial flights, or private enterprises. They fly the aircraft, conduct pre-flight inspections, and report to ground control.

Objective

Skilled, credentialed helicopter pilot and aviation engineer seeking a full-time position as a helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army in which I can leverage my expertise in engineering and aeronautical decision-making (ADM).

Work Experience 1: Commercial Pilot

• Job Description: As a commercial helicopter pilot, planning and completing flights using various single and multi-engine airplanes and helicopters.
• Outcomes: Completed over 600 and 200 cross-country trips with 1,200 hours of flight, 600 hours of nighttime flying, and 450 hours of cross-country flight.
• Additional Capabilities: Developed systems knowledge to utilize airplane automation, maintained high safety standards for passengers and developed engineering capabilities and aeronautical decision-making.
• Other: Earned the “Pilot of the Year” award and was promoted to pilot in command within two years of working for the company.

Work Experience 2: Offshore Helicopter Pilot

• Job Description: Utilized a Bell 407 to transport cargo safely and passengers to and from offshore oil rigs.
• Outcomes: Maintained a 100% safety record with no reported incidents, conducted 500 hours of flight time with 75 hours of night-time flight.
• Additional Capabilities: Maintained 500h hours of over-water experience and developed exceptional ADM due to inclement weather and unpredictable flight conditions.
• Other: Maintained constant in-flight calculations to adjust for unpredictable conditions and developed a new protocol for checking machinery before flying, reducing inefficiencies by 50%.

Project Experience

• Pre-Flight Protocol: Developed numerous improved pre-flight protocols for various companies, reducing inefficiency and improving passenger safety conditions.
• ADM Trainer: Provided aeronautical decision-making training to junior pilots throughout my previous positions.
• Pilot Medic: I obtained my medical certification and volunteered as a helicopter medic during local emergencies.

Skills

• Flexibility
• Aeronautical decision-making
• Helicopter engineering skills
• Pre-flight protocol
• Communication skills

Education

• Flight Training: I obtained my pilot’s license at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ, with a 98% accuracy rate and 200+ hours of flight training.
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering: I obtained my bachelor’s degree from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a 3.46 GPA.
• High School Diploma: Graduated from Prescott High School with a 3.93 GPA.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Commercial Certificate for Rotorcraft-Helicopters
• First Class Medical Certificate
• Instrument Rating Certificate

Why This Resume Works

This resume is highly optimized for the aviation industry. First, the writer created a narrative throughout their resume, detailing their specialty in helicopter piloting and aeronautical decision-making.

The writer also emphasized their engineering skills and how they leveraged them in various positions. Like this writer, you can emphasize your recurrent skills and capabilities to create a coherent narrative throughout your resume.

Additionally, this writer chose to discuss what they learned on each job site. Including your learning experiences on your resume is a great way to demonstrate your flexibility and adaptiveness and informs your employer of your various capabilities.

Lastly, this resume boasts a variety of volunteer experiences and project experiences that testify to its capabilities and initiative.

Showing initiative is an excellent way to boost your resume since many prospective employers seek highly driven and motivated individuals to work for them. Discuss your project experiences and any initiatives you launched throughout your prior positions.

Drone Pilot Resume Example

Drone pilots are slightly different than traditional pilots. They are responsible for manning drones, so they typically don’t fly but control them from the ground. They are adept in in-flight surveillance, aerial photography, and other specialized skills.

Objective

Certified, credentialed drone pilot with 4,000 hours of flight experience seeking a full-time position as a drone operator for special events and aerial photography.

Work Experience 1: Drone Pilot for the U.S. Military

• Job Description: Served as a drone pilot for the U.S. Military in Iraq and Afghanistan, performing aerial reconnaissance and mapping territories.
• Outcomes: Accrued 2,000 hours of flight experience with a 98% accuracy rate and 1,000 hours of night-flying experience.
• Additional Capabilities: Planned drone routes to gather measurements of sites, maintained aerial reconnaissance logs, tested new equipment, adjusting course according to weather patterns.
• Other: Trained as an aerial photographer and trained other pilots on equipment, mission, and briefing.

Work Experience 2: UAV Pilot

• Job Description: Served as a UAV pilot for a private defense organization, performing daily surveillance and territory mapping.
• Outcomes: Accrued 2,000 hours of flight with 1,500 hours of night-time flight and maintained an accuracy rate of 95%.
• Additional Capabilities: Created flight plans and adjusted schedules according to variable factors.
• Other: Created a UAV training program for new pilots and received commendations from senior pilots for my work.

Project Experience

• Drone Photography: Developed and launched a private practice taking photographs for special events and concerts.
• Photo Editing: Developed capabilities in photo editing and adjustments for special events and concerts.
• Coding: Developed new drone software to execute reconnaissance missions and flight mapping better.

Skills

• Coding and computer science
• Drone hardware and software engineering
• Mapping and flight planning
• Reconnaissance
• Night-time flights
• Leadership

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science: Obtained a bachelor’s degree
• Bachelor of Arts in Communication: Obtained a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of New Hampshire with a 3.95 GPA.
• High School Diploma: Graduated from Haverford High School with a 3.57 GPA and a full scholarship to the University of New Hampshire.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Remote Pilot Certification
• FAA UAV Pilot License
• Drone Analyst Certification

Why This Resume Works

First, this writer highlighted their drone piloting competencies and provided several examples of their specialization in night-time flights and reconnaissance.

Having a specialty is a great way to distinguish your resume from the rest, boosting your application above others. Employers are always seeking pilots with specialized skills and relevant experience.

Additionally, this writer has several certifications related to drone piloting. Although they lack formal flight training, they can demonstrate their competencies using credentials. If you don’t have the same experience as other applicants, you can compensate for this by accruing relevant credentials in your field. Many certifications are easy to obtain online.

Lastly, this writer’s “skills” section aligns with claims made elsewhere in their resume. Maintaining consistency throughout your resume is essential so that your prospective employer has a better idea of your areas of expertise.

If you can, ensure that your “skills” section aligns with other aspects of your resume. Like this writer, you can emphasize skills you learned on the job to demonstrate your willingness to learn new skills.

Common Skills & Action Verbs for Pilot Resumes

Nowadays, many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS). These systems scan the resumes of prospective employees to search for relevant keywords, skills, and action verbs.

For this reason, you must include the most common keywords and skills in your application.

Consider the following common skills and action verbs for pilot resumes.

Common Skills for Pilot Resumes

• Detail-oriented skills
• Communication skills
• Technical knowledge
• Spatial awareness and coordination
• Teamwork
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Calm under pressure
• Situational awareness
• Stress management
• Multitasking
• Focus
• Leadership
• Flexibility
• Decision-making

Common Action Verbs for Pilot Resumes

• Lead
• Manage
• Oversee
• Plan
• Test
• Maintain
• Perform
• Resolve
• Spearhead
• Earn
• Organize
• Collaborate
• Adjust
• Fix

Tips for Writing a Better Pilot Resume

Writing a great resume often takes time and effort.

However, you can draw from industry-leading tips and research-backed strategies to fast-track your resume writing skills.

Consider the following tips for writing a better pilot resume—quickly and efficiently.

1. Write an Objective or Summary

Resume objectives and summaries allow your employer to understand who you are so they can quickly determine if you’ll be a good fit for their organization.

A resume summary summarizes your experiences and qualifications, typically arranged in bullet-point format. A resume objective details your qualifications and states your intentions for the position. It is generally formatted as a single sentence.

To assess an example of a good resume objective, check out our most frequently asked questions below.

2. Include Your Flight Metrics

Pilot’s resumes are typically different from others in that they feature flight metrics and statistics.

Most pilot’s resumes include the following:

• Flight hours
• Night hours
• Cross-Country hours
• Pilot-in-Command hours
• Second-in-Command hours

Remember to include each of these categories on your resume.

3. List Your Relevant Experience

While listing every job you’ve ever had may be tempting, piloting is a specialized skill, and prospective employers are likely looking for relevant work experience.

Remember to emphasize your relevant work experience, and don’t be afraid to leave something out if it doesn’t fit the job you are applying for.

4. Tailor Each Resume

Writing a good resume takes time, but you must tailor your resume to the demands of each job you are applying for.

Because piloting is a specialized skill, employers seek pilots who can perform according to the job specifications.

Adjust your resume to the demands of each position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Consider the answers to our most frequently asked questions for more information about pilot resumes.

“Experienced, FAA-compliant pilot with 12+ years of experience and 6k+ hours of flight time seeking a full-time position operating and maintaining an Airbus A350 aircraft.”

Similar Resume Types to Reference

If you enjoyed this article, consider exploring similar resume types in the following guides.

• Flight Attendant Resume: Flight attendants work closely with pilots to ensure that the passengers have the best experience possible. Consider this guide to write your own flight attendant resume.
• Delivery Driver Resume: Deliver drivers are in high demand nowadays. Consider this resume type if you enjoy driving and have a flexible schedule.
• EMT Resume: EMTs provide life-saving services to those in need and are crucial in delivering emergency medical services. If you want to apply for a job as an EMT, consider this resume guide.

Wrapping Up

Pilots are in high demand and will continue to enjoy a strong job market. If you want to become a pilot, your chances are good. Remember to obtain the necessary credentials and curate your resume according to the specifications in this guide.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it with someone in need. As always, leave your comments below and share your thoughts!