How to Become a Corporate Pilot

The path requires time and hard work, but there are exciting and rewarding career opportunities in the field.

Andrew Chen

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 10:14 AM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

Many corporate pilots work for charter companies that operate private aircraft. [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Corporate piloting is a distinct aviation career path, serving non-aviation companies, wealthy individuals, or charter clients, offering diverse travel opportunities and aircraft types.
Becoming a corporate pilot requires obtaining private and commercial pilot certificates, accumulating approximately 1,500 flight hours (often through initial flying jobs), and potentially an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate.
The cost to earn a commercial pilot certificate is around $100,000, and with full-time flying, the required experience can be gained in about two years, leading to competitive salaries ranging from $70,000 for new first officers to over $300,000 for senior captains.

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Beyond the hustle and bustle of a busy airport terminal, there is a whole other world of passenger aviation in our skies. Corporate aircraft and their pilots serve travelers all around the globe each and every day.

Although it is easy to assume that being a pilot means working for an airline, corporate aviation also offers exciting careers for aviators. Corporate pilots have unique opportunities when it comes to their lifestyle, workplace, and travel destinations. Here is what you need to know about becoming a corporate pilot.