When the original Midway Airlines closed its doors a few decades ago, they took away one of the best flying jobs I’d ever had up to that point. Luckily, the opportunity to fly right seat on a business jet appeared, though I knew next to nothing about business aviation at the time. The chief pilot was nice enough to give me a chance—despite my airline experience, he said. I thought he was kidding but soon learned the only thing the two flying jobs had in common was how the flight controls moved. As it turned out, the opportunity that chief gave me opened the door to an entirely different segment of the aviation world, one that I’ve been pretty much glued to ever since.
Becoming a Business-Aviation Pilot
Key Takeaways:
- Business aviation presents a growing and viable career alternative to airline piloting, distinguished by a hands-on approach where pilots are responsible for all flight details, passenger interaction, and logistics, unlike more specialized airline roles.
- The culture and operational demands in business aviation emphasize customer service and personal connection, making airline pilots who lack this experience often less desirable hires.
- Business aviation offers competitive compensation and benefits, a dynamic schedule with diverse destinations often to non-hub airports, and opportunities for commercial-rated pilots with lower flight hours through in-house training and merit-based advancement.
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