Corporate Aviation Needs Pilots Too
Published Jun 18, 2012 on Pilot Jobs
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For many aspiring professional pilots, getting a job as a corporate pilot is the final goal. Flying for a Corporate flight department can be a very rewarding career as long as you understand what corporate aviation is all about. Corporate pilots work for companies that own and operate their own aircraft to fly company passengers to and from business meetings, trade shows, to pick up or drop off clients, and for personal travel for employees and their families.
In the last decade, fractional and time-share operations have expanded and many companies have opted to utilize these operators instead of purchasing their own aircraft and hiring their own corporate flight departments. If you work for a fractional or time-share operation, your job description will be very similar to a corporate flight department pilot, with the exception of making even more flights per week, and completing more repositioning flights.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that jobs for corporate pilots will grow 12% between now and 2018 due to economic growth, population increases, and higher demand for travel. Pilots with the most experience and the best flight training will have an advantage in being hired as a corporate pilot. Pilots with the most education will also have an easier time getting hired, but the most compelling thing required on your resume will have to be Multi-engine experience. Get as much of it as you can, because employers are looking for it.
Aspiring corporate pilots can expect strong competition along the way, so the sooner you begin earning your licenses and ratings, the better. You'll also need to build flight time as fast as possible, especially multi-engine time so be sure to take your flight training at a school where you train from the beginning to fly as a professional, and that training gives you a lot of Multi time.