Looking to Be a Corporate Pilot? The Playbook Starts Here

What should freshly qualified pilots consider if they’re looking to go corporate?

Tuesday, March 01, 2022 at 11:25 AM ET

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For more pilots than not, becoming a corporate pilot has seemed more obscure than getting a job with the airlines. [File Photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The search for a corporate pilot job is akin to picking stocks, requiring extensive due diligence to uncover suitable opportunities beyond the most obvious or "unicorn" departments.
Corporate piloting is often perceived as more obscure than airline careers due to fewer positions, less structured career paths, and a job search heavily reliant on networking rather than traditional recruitment.
Unlike airline jobs, corporate pilot job security is directly tied to the financial health of the underlying business, compelling pilots to understand the company's sector and market.
Achieving an enduring corporate flying career requires pilots to look beyond the aircraft to the supporting business, applying principles of due diligence, discipline, and patience similar to an investor.

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I recently spoke to a friend, a corporate pilot, who reflected on his career with me, and we landed on the analogy that the search for the right corporate flight job is akin to picking stocks in the financial markets.

Everyone knows the winners, the unicorn departments that they’d like to fly for. But just like expensive stocks they are out of reach—for the most part. Instead, pilots must perform due diligence to find the diamonds in the rough, in the not-so-obvious companies. This searching turns some people away, but those who do it right can string together a remarkable flying career.