How to Write an Aviation Cover Letter

It probably won’t apply to all jobs in the industry, but a cover letter a good way to distinguish yourself from the pack.

Sam Weigel

Friday, April 01, 2022 at 03:03 PM ET

Verified

[File photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

While not always required by large airlines, cover letters are crucial for corporate positions, smaller companies, unsolicited applications, and networking, as they enhance your resume by showcasing personality and professionalism beyond mere credentials.
A well-written, neat, and personalized cover letter introduces you as an organized and intelligent candidate; if writing is not your strong suit, seek assistance from others to ensure clarity, correctness, and readability.
The letter should be a one-page, semi-formal business document, personalized for each job, stating your purpose, summarizing relevant experience uniquely (not just reiterating the resume), demonstrating company knowledge, and ending with a clear call to action for an interview.

See a mistake? Contact us.

So far in this series, we have covered how to write an aviation resume and how to apply for a pilot job online. There is a third career media skill that is important to know, though it won’t apply to all positions, and that is how to write a cover letter.

The cover letter may seem like a bit of an anachronism, and in some ways it is. Few large airlines ask for one anymore; you may have noticed that the AirlineApps base application doesn’t even allow you to attach a cover letter (or a resume, for that matter). At large airlines doing a great deal of hiring, the process is quite data-driven, and the computer that spits out your name to be interviewed by a human will have zero appreciation of a well-crafted cover letter. Still, even at these companies you will bring your resume to the interview, and this should be accompanied by a cover letter—even if it seems destined to languish, unread, in the interviewer’s file folder.