A Little Bit of Everything
By Tom Hoffman, FAA Safety Briefing Magazine
If you’re like many nascent or prospective flyers (myself included at the time), you’re likely to be drawn to the glamor and excitement that a professional airline pilot career offers. Many an aviator has caught the airline flying “bug” at an early age, watching in awe, a 400-ton aluminum giant depart as gracefully as a swan. Or maybe it was during one of your very first commercial flights while catching a glimpse of a uniformed crew member calmly attending to a maddening array of buttons and switches on the flight deck. It’s a natural fascination.
I, for one, am grateful for having such inspirational aviation experiences early in life that would later steer both my education and career choices. And while there is a lot to be said for our compatriots flying heavy metal to destinations far and wide, let’s not forget there are literally hundreds of other flying career options out there, no less important, and certainly no less exciting — and maybe a few you never knew existed. Let’s take a brief look at some of the many general aviation (GA) flying career options out there.
Aviation Education
The role of a certificated flight instructor (CFI) is undoubtedly the initial go-to career path for aspiring aviators, no matter what their aviation end game may be. In addition to providing a sound foundation of aviation knowledge and airmanship, being a CFI also provides the opportunity to sharpen your people skills and gain experience in a variety of aircraft. Read this article for some additional insight into a flight instructor career.
While some may regard teaching merely as an inescapable means of gaining the hours needed to hop to the next flying job, others regard this noble profession as a rewarding and personally satisfying career. At some larger flying schools, like many university flight programs, CFIs have opportunities for advancement, including roles as chief flight instructor or director of flight operations. Another appealing aspect of being a CFI is the flexibility to work full- or part-time and sometimes just on the weekends. Whatever your motivation is, flight instructing is truly a rewarding craft that can help mold safe practices and decision-making skills for generations of future pilots.
Flying for Hire
If you don’t see an instructional career in your future, there are a slew of other commercial flying activities that can help you pay the bills. Examples include aerial photography, surveying, banner towing, glider towing, skydiving operations, aerial fish spotting, and sightseeing tours. Agricultural aviation is another commercial endeavor — also covered in this issue’s feature “Harvesting Safety in the Skies” — that plays a vital role in protecting and aiding the production of food, fiber, and biofuel. Agricultural pilots must have a commercial certificate to work for hire and meet the requirements of 14 CFR part 137, which allows for more risky, low-level operations. If being a flying crop doctor piques your interest, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) offers several great resources for aspiring ag pilots (agaviation.org/career).
“Chartering” Your Next Career
Another avenue for pilot careers is corporate or charter flying. This type of “on-demand” flying requires some schedule flexibility and can involve short hops or multi-day layovers. The aircraft used could vary from a light single-engine plane to a large business or commercial jet. Depending on how the fleet’s ownership is set up, you could find yourself flying under parts 91 (and section 91k), 125, or 135 regulations. See faa.gov/charter for more resources.
Just Because …
Although volunteer pilot operations are typically unpaid, there are numerous non-monetary benefits you can gain through flying for a good cause. In addition to providing direct value to the organization you’re flying for, volunteer flying can also help sharpen your skills, expand your aeronautical experience, and enhance the public’s perception of general aviation. Examples of service-oriented flying include disaster relief, Civil Air Patrol search and rescue, missionary support, animal rescue, and transporting medical patients. For more on volunteer flying, including many of the associated safety and regulatory concerns, see this issue’s feature, “Philanthropic Flying.”
It’s clear to see that the availability and vast diversity of GA operations here in the U.S. provide a lot to think about when choosing a flying career. So, whether you’re just getting started in aviation, or have been flying for years and are considering a change, take a look at what the wide world of GA offers.
Tom Hoffmann is the editor of FAA Safety Briefing. He is a commercial pilot and holds an A&P certificate.
