As an airline pilot, you combine technical mastery and situational awareness to effortlessly navigate any challenges the skies throw at you. Your precision, expertise, and calm demeanor make your passengers feel safe and at ease throughout all your flights.
You watch the weather patterns like a hawk and keep on top of precise air traffic control communications. Good news: attention to detail and the ability to be concise will come in handy when writing cover letters and your resume!
If you’re unsure where to start, we’re here to help select the ideal resume templates, while our airline pilot resume examples and tips will help your career soar to new heights!
Related resume examples
What Matters Most: Your Diverse Skill Set & Aircraft Experience
From flight management and control systems to weather tracking software and navigation databases, your skill set covers the entire spectrum needed to thrive as an airline pilot. As such, filling out this part of your resume is going to be easier than you might think.
Get into the specifics of the tools that enhance your ability to pilot successful flights, and let the job description be your guide as to which ones to put at the top.
Don’t forget to talk about avionics systems such as Rockwell Collins Flight2, traffic surveillance systems like Rockwell Collins TSS, and weather radars like Primus 660.
9 best airline pilot skills
- Aerodynamics
- Raytheon Primus 660
- Rockwell Collins Flight2
- FltPlan Go
- Navigation Databases
- Electronic Flight Bag
- Emergency Handling
- Fuel Management
- Regulatory Adherence
Sample airline pilot work experience bullet points
You have an impressive skill set, from planning out each of your flight routes using flight mapping tools like FltPlan Go to leveraging integrated avionics systems, automated flight control systems, and weather tracking software—all while assisting the flight crew.
However, no matter how thrilling your job is, don’t just talk about your responsibilities as a pilot. Instead, focus on your career highlights and the impact you’ve had, throwing in some quantifiable metrics for good measure.
For instance, talk about how you’ve negotiated complex air traffic scenarios using ATC communications tools and highlight your 96% on-time arrival record. Similarly, highlight how the weather adaptation flight plan you developed led to a 33% reduction in weather-related delays.
Here are a few options:
- Used APDB (Automatic Performance Database) to decrease fuel burn and improve operational costs by 19%
- Leveraged Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems to identify aircraft malfunctions, reducing unscheduled maintenance by 22%
- Incorporated crew resource management techniques, leading to a 22% improvement in coordination and communication
- Logged 1,200+ flight hours on commercial aircraft, utilizing advanced navigation systems and following regulations
Top 5 Tips for Your Airline Pilot Resume
- Highlight your leadership
- As a pilot, recruiters seek candidates who can effectively lead a crew. Show them you have what it takes by detailing how you’ve mentored co-pilots and worked with cabin crews to improve overall team performance and passenger satisfaction scores.
- Emphasize your flight safety
- Given the importance of flight safety as a pilot, highlighting your experience in conducting rigorous pre-flight checks and managing in-flight safety protocols is a great idea. Detail the tools you used, such as advanced flight management systems.
- Show your ability to thrive under pressure
- Your ability to make quick decisions in emergency situations is crucial as a pilot. Emphasize it by mentioning any unexpected weather changes or technical failures you went through.
- Showcase your navigation skills
- Flaunt your ability to navigate the skies with tools like GPS and FMS. Get into the specifics of how you’ve successfully planned and executed complex flight paths in various weather conditions.
- Detail your regulatory adherence
- Compliance with aviation regulatory standards is a crucial element of being a successful pilot. Showcase your knowledge of FAA regulations, mentioning measures you’ve taken to consistently comply with them and ensure safe and legal flight operations.
Discuss how you leverage tools like weather tracking software to make informed navigation decisions, ensuring passenger safety and comfort despite challenges. This will show your ability to adapt.
Use it to do a little deep dive into the contents of your resume and tailor it to the job description. For instance, talk about how you remained level-headed while handling emergencies mid-flight.
As a pilot, you never really stop learning. To show that you’re aware of this, highlight any additional certifications you’ve received, such as Instrument Rating or Type Ratings for specific aircraft, and detail how they’ve enhanced your ability as a pilot.
