Pilot Resume Template, 3 Examples, & Writing Tips

Pilot Resume Template (Text Format)

Start by choosing the best resume format for your pilot resume.

Copy-and-Paste Pilot Resume Template

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: your.email@email.com

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

Resume Summary

Dedicated pilot with [number] years of experience and [number] of [hours/miles/kilometers] of flight experience. Solid understanding of [Airplane Model] technology. Seeking the [Job Title] role at [Airline Name]. Hold all the necessary certifications and licenses for the position. Skilled at [2–3 relevant skills]. A [adjective #1] and [adjective #2] pilot aiming to contribute to the success of [Airline].

Work Experience

Current Job Title (e.g., Pilot in Command)Airline Name, City, State | Month 20XX–Present

• Include a bulleted list of your achievements as a pilot in command
• Start each bullet point with an action verb (like “fly” or “navigate”) to grab attention
• Use the present tense for your current piloting role, unless describing a completed achievement
• Use hard numbers when possible to quantify your accomplishments as a pilot
• Mention how you’ve used some of the piloting skills listed in your skills section to demonstrate your piloting acuity

Previous Job Title (e.g., First Officer)Airline Name, City, State | Month 20XX–Present

• List relevant accomplishments from your previous role as a first officer
• Assuming you’re no longer working in this first officer role, use past tense verbs to describe your work
• Include 3–6 bullet points for each piloting role, both your current one and previous ones
• Skip the pronoun “I” and begin directly with a verb

Education

Degree Name / MajorAviation School, City, State | Graduation Month, Year

• GPA: 3.X/4.0 (optional)
• Latin honors (if applicable)

Skills & Certifications

• List skills and certifications relevant to the piloting job you’re applying for
• Look at the job description for ideas of the skills the employer wants and that are common for the model of airplane you’ll be flying
• Emphasize piloting-specific hard skills and technical skills in this section
• Be as specific as possible by including names of tools, equipment, and software you’ve mastered that are used in aviation

Copy to clipboard

Whether you’re an aspiring aviator or an accomplished aeronaut, you’ll find the right resume sample to get your career off to a strong start.

Entry-level pilot resume

Earn your wings by landing your first pilot job. You’ll need an entry-level pilot resume like this one:

Download This Free Template

Entry-level pilot example highlights

• Required certifications: Airlines require certain certifications, such as an FAA First Class Medical Certificate and a Private Pilot Certificate before they can hire someone as a trainee pilot. In this case, the candidate places them prominently on their resume, so hiring managers at JetBlue can see they fulfill the requirements.
• Detailed coursework and projects: The candidate for this position has plenty of flight experience thanks to their time at aeronautical university. They use this experience on their resume to quantify their accomplishments. For example, hiring managers can see this candidate has already logged at least 120 flight hours.

Senior airline pilot resume

Prove to airlines that you’re a veteran of the skies with the ability to safely and comfortably transport passengers to their destinations.

Download This Free Example

Example highlights

• Specific airplane models: Naming the exact models of planes you’re certified to fly will quickly enable hiring managers to see that you fit the role. This pilot in command specifies they can fly Boeing 777s and Airbus A320s, for example.
• Leadership skills: As a pilot in command, you have total authority over your craft, crew, and passengers, so you need to demonstrate leadership skills. This candidate does so by specifying that they mentor junior pilots, ensure regulations are followed, and lead briefings.

Average pilot salaries in the US

The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data is presented based on the top states in the USA.

How to write a pilot resume

Here’s a full description of the essential components of a pilot resume and how to write them:

1. Emphasize your certifications

The FAA standards for becoming a pilot are rigorous — and airlines enforce them strictly. You’ll need many certifications before you’re allowed in the cockpit, so it’s essential that you showcase them on your resume and let employers see that you’re qualified to fly.

Here’s how your resume certifications and qualifications sections should look:

2. List your piloting skills

It’s vital you add your piloting technical skills to the technical skills section of your resume. You can’t assume hiring managers will know you have them just because you’re an experienced pilot, so:

1. list them in full
2. back them up with examples of when you used them in your work experience section

Here’s a list of skills a commercial pilot resume might include:

And here are the first three skills showcased in the resume’s experience section:

3. Write an effective pilot resume summary

A pilot resume summary should outline your miles flown, positions held, craft flown, and your next career goal.

Here are a few examples of resume summaries you can use on your piloting resume:

4. Quantify your piloting experience

Give some context to hiring managers about your piloting experience by including numbers. It should be easy for you to quantify your resume achievements given that flights are so carefully logged.

Here is some data you should easily be able to find by sifting through airline records. These are all the different types of valuable data you can add to your resume to prove your experience:

Resources for aspiring pilots

Considering a career in aviation? Check out this video by American Airlines pilot Garrett Ray where he discusses five reasons to become a pilot:

Resume examples for different industries

Not sure what your resume should look like? The best way to learn is by taking inspiration from resume examples written by other candidates in your industry.

34 categories

+450 free templates

Browse Resume Examples