![Flying for Part 135 operators can provide pilots a fulfilling alternative from the major airlines. [Credit: Unsplash]](https://flyingmag1.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/photo-1657409845150-f31d72aff3a0.jpg?width=2371&height=1581)
For many aspiring pilots, a career as an airline captain is the ultimate goal.
However, as with most careers, the original objective doesn’t always end up being the end result, and if it does the journey along the way seldom follows a linear trajectory. This is where the allure of pursuing a career as a pilot really shines.
Even if the major airlines don’t wind up being the final destination for the hopeful aviator, there are a number of different avenues pilots can explore for means of making a living. A plethora of opportunities are out there, featuring various different lifestyle choices and levels of compensation for pilots willing to step beyond the more traditional pathways.
Part 91 vs. Part 135
FAA Part 91 is the part of the Code of Federal Regulations that establishes the flight rules governing noncommercial, general aviation operations in the U.S.
Part 91 regulates things like general operating flight rules such as ATC compliance, weather condition adherence, equipment and certification requirements, and maintenance responsibilities pilots must follow. Traditionally, these rules create a flexible framework for owner-operators to follow that are often left up to a pilot’s best judgement.
All civil aircraft in the U.S. are subject to Part 91 rules. As aspiring pilots continue to climb the ranks and conduct higher-level operations, like charter flights or flying at a major airline, each operational level is governed by a stricter set of subsequent rules and regulations—for example, Part 135.
FAA Part 135 are the set of rules that typically govern commercial charter, commuter, and air taxi operations. Those conducting flights under Part 135 are subject to a much more stringent set of regulations.
Pilots are required to follow specific rules regarding rest and duty time, flight planning protocols, and weather conditions.
Companies that manage Part 135 flight must also apply for and receive FAA approval to conduct such operations. Before receiving that approval, most large Part 135 operators must develop and maintain manuals and training protocol related to their operations, as well as staff the required management positions—a director of operations, chief pilot, and director of maintenance.
While most every flight under Part 91 is restricted to being noncommercial, there are some exceptions where a pilot can receive compensation. Interestingly, one of the most common and luxurious career pathways in aviation falls under Part 91 ops—flight instruction and serving as a private pilot for hire for a family or business.
The FAA specifies specific commercial operations that can be conducted under Part 91, and the reason these two careers do not require an air carrier certificate or fall under Part 135 operations deals mainly with intent.
When a student pays a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), they are paying for the educational opportunity, not transportation that comes with learning to fly. Similarly, if a pilot is hired to fly business executives in a company aircraft, the flight must be “incidental” to the company’s actual business, meaning the flying cannot coincide with the actual business the company is conducting.
Whether a pilot chooses to fly under Part 135 or 91 operations will largely depend on where they are at in their aviation journey.
Flying as a CFI is one of the most common pathways for young pilots, particularly when they are looking to build time as they look to pursue larger opportunities. To make money as a pilot, having a commercial pilot license (CPL) is a nonnegotiable, but once the 250-hour threshold is achieved and the requisite tests passed, a pilot can immediately start flying as a CFI for a living.
To operate as a pilot on a Part 135 chartered turboprop, such as a King Air, requires at least 500 hours. To serve on larger jets, like a Gulfstream, requires at least 1,500 hours, with many large charter companies requiring double that before they will take on a new hire.
Lifestyle
Those working under Part 91 operations as a CFI can expect every day to look different. Depending on where each particular student is during their educational journey, the day could consist of heavy flying or more work done in the classroom.
CFIs are also at the mercy of the weather. If inclement conditions are inbound, flight instruction likely isn’t happening.
For those lucky enough to land a Part 91 job as a private pilot for a specific owner or corporate flight department, life can hang in the balance.
The flying might be very lucrative and minimal. The plane flies when the boss wants to fly, which might only be 150 hours a year. In that case, a pilot is getting paid a full salary to sit at home for 300 days.
On the flip side, if the aircraft owner decides to sell the jet next Tuesday, the pilot is unemployed next Wednesday. There is no seniority list or job security as a fallback.
Part 135 charter pilots have their plans a little more mapped out. Due to rest and duty restrictions with those ops, most are scheduled for rotations of eight days on, six days off, or 15 days on, 13 days off.
While the increased structure can be good for some pilots, the longer rotations can prove to be a grind for others.
Unlike at the airlines, this type of career is much more social and operational in nature. It involves greeting the passengers as they arrive at the FBO, ensuring that bags are stored properly, and making sure performance standards are up to par.
Compensation
For decades, the standard advice to new pilots was simple: Want to make money? Go to the airlines. In 2025, that wisdom is officially outdated.
Driven by a pilot shortage and aggressive pay hikes at regional airlines, business aviation has entered into a compensation arms race of sorts. Whether a pilot chooses the path of Part 135 or 91 ops, fair wages can be expected.
Most CFIs are paid by the hour rather than a fixed salary. While $30 an hour is a reasonable expectation for those looking to be an instructor, earning potential can vary based on the given weather during a particular time of year, if an instructor is certified to give instrument instruction (CFII), or whether they’re teaching at a Part 141 flight school or as an independent Part 61 instructor.
On average, CFIs bring home $30,000-$60,000 per year, with most working as instructors while they build flight time.
Salaries for corporate private pilots typically range from anywhere between $80,000-$200,000 annually, as most business executives like familiarity with who they’re flying with and someone that can learn their idiosyncrasies.
But again, jobs like these are incredibly hard to secure, often requiring preexisting relationships, and come with job security that is here today and gone tomorrow.
Captains for major Part 135 charter operators, like NextJet or Flexjet, often see compensation packages that rival what major airline pilots make, with first-year captains making around $115,000 annually. That number can rise to $200,000 plus after a period of usually 10 years. First officers start at around $70,000 for their first year and go upward from there.
While the airline industry is sometimes thought of as a pilot’s only path, it’s important to remember that those pursuing a career in aviation have many alternatives at their fingertips.
