Instead of flying large planes to big airports with hundreds of people on board, these pilots are tasked with transporting individual customers to specific destinations.

Many of the most important items for becoming a commercial pilot still hold true, but there are additional things to consider when starting a career as a charter pilot.

Types of Charter Pilots

There are a number of different ways to become a charter pilot.

Among the most common is to operate for a charter company—commercial operators that sell seats or a certain amount of flight time per year on private jets. These firms then hire pilots to operate their aircraft.

• READ MORE: How to Become a Military Pilot

Many charter companies, especially well-known operators such as NetJets or Flexjet, require just as much flight experience as large commercial airlines. Building time as a flight instructor or pipeline patrol pilot, and maybe even flying for a regional airline, is just as important for these companies as it is for career airline pilots.

The range of passengers on a commercial operator like this may be quite substantial. Some may be one-off passengers who need a pilot and plane for one flight or a defined trip. However, pilots can also fly regular customers who have purchased a fractional share of an aircraft for long-term use.

Some charter pilots work for hybrid companies that regularly fly for only one client. These companies, however, sometimes find it practical to charter out their aircraft if it’s not being used for an extended period. These operations give pilots the stability of flying one single airplane, or a small number of the same type, for a familiar customer with the diversity of a charter operation. 

• READ MORE: Pilots’ Favorite and Least Favorite Airports

Still other charter pilots work as full-time contract pilots. These pilots don’t work for a specific operator but instead sell their own time on a day-to-day basis to private aircraft owners or operators who need a pilot for one defined mission.

This may often arise in cases where a regular company pilot is out sick or just left for another position, leaving a temporary vacancy that must be filled. However, sometimes opportunities also lead to long-term partnerships that offer consistent work for a small group of clients.

How to Succeed as a Charter Pilot

Charter companies look at things beyond just total flight time when hiring pilots.

Though, as with the big companies, a certain amount of total time and turbine time is important, charter pilots also need to be cognizant of how much they advertise the amount of time they have in different aircraft types.

Charter pilots often specialize in a small number of aircraft types, often defined roughly by families like the Cessna Citation series. Having more time in a certain type of aircraft allows a pilot, especially a contract pilot, to market themselves to people and companies that operate that specific type of airplane.

Upon reaching a specified amount of total time, pilots often fly for a charter company to build their total time in a certain type of aircraft, thereby making it easier to take other jobs flying that aircraft or other similar ones.

• READ MORE: Private to Professional Pilot: The Value of Volunteering

This does not make it impossible to move from one type to another. Building connections is critically important in charter aviation, and many pilots get new jobs simply because of who they know.

Meeting new people, attending job fairs, and even just hanging around a local airport can be highly beneficial to charter pilots looking to change jobs or move to a new operator.

Charter flying is an incredibly rewarding career path. It allows pilots to fly to an incredibly wide range of airports, fly a range of aircraft, and meet various people.

The path to success is convoluted at times, but building the right experience and making the right connections will do wonders for launching a career into the flight levels.

The post How to Become a Charter Pilot appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Despite the overall slowdown in hiring, many airlines are still looking for new pilots. Here are the airlines that are currently hiring pilots in the United States:

Which Major U.S. Airlines Are Hiring Pilots? 

Most major airlines in the United States have stopped or drastically reduced their hiring plans for the year, but there are some that are still recruiting new pilots.

• Delta Air Lines is the largest airline in the country that is currently hiring new pilots. However, the carrier has stated that it is slowing down pilot hiring for 2024 due to a more normalized post-pandemic growth pattern. The carrier operates a diverse fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft to destinations all around the world.
• JetBlue Airways is currently accepting applications for new first officers, while also recruiting pilots through its “JetBlue Gateways” career development programs. JetBlue is based in New York but has hubs along the East Coast and in California. The airline primarily flies narrowbody Airbus aircraft, while also having a small number of Embraer 190s.
• United Airlines has resumed hiring new pilots following a two-month pause. The airline has cited delays in the delivery of Boeing aircraft as a key reason for its hiring slowdown. United is another global airline that has a fleet of both Boeing and Airbus jets.

Which U.S. Low-Cost Carriers Are Hiring Pilots?

Many low-cost and ultra-low-cost carriers across the country are actively accepting applications for new pilots.

• Allegiant Air is accepting applications for new pilots from its two pathway programs and from the general public. The airline has around two dozen pilot bases spread across the country and a fleet of Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. Allegiant is also slated to take delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX later in 2024.
• Avelo Airlines is hiring both first officers and captains. Avelo has six operating bases split across the East and West Coasts. The airline flies Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
• Breeze Airways is only hiring direct entry captains for its Airbus A220 fleet. The startup airline has six A220 bases across the country.
• Frontier Airlines is currently hiring new pilots, citing a plan to grow to three times its current size over the next ten years. Using a fleet of Airbus narrowbody aircraft, the airline connects airports across the United States, Central America and the Caribbean.
• Sun Country Airlines is hiring new first officers. The airline also runs a college bridge program in partnership with three colleges throughout the Midwest. Its pilots are all based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and fly a fleet of passenger and cargo Boeing 737-800s.

Which U.S. Regional Airlines Are Hiring Pilots?

As major U.S. airlines scale back their hiring, many regional carriers are actively hiring. Some are even offering significant signing bonuses, following a mass exodus of regional pilots to mainline carriers between 2021 and 2023.

• Air Wisconsin is currently hiring first officers and captains. The regional carrier operates a fleet of Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft under the American Eagle brand, out of American’s hubs in Chicago and Philadelphia.
• CommuteAir is hiring first officers and captains. The regional airline flies a fleet of Embraer ERJ-145 jets under the United Express banner, with hubs in Denver, Houston and Washington, D.C.
• Endeavor Air is currently hiring first officers and captains. With bases in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis and New York, the Delta Air Lines subsidiary flies Bombardier CRJ700 and CRJ900 aircraft under the Delta Connection brand.
• Envoy Air is accepting applications for pilot positions from the general public and through its cadet program. Envoy is a subsidiary of the American Airlines Group and flies as American Eagle. The airline operates Embraer 170 and 175 jets out of its hubs in Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Phoenix.
• GoJet Airlines is currently hiring first officers and captains. It also has a career development program and a transition program for rotor pilots. The regional carrier flies a fleet of Bombardier CRJ550s under the United Express brand out of Chicago, Newark and Washington, D.C.
• Horizon Air is only hiring experienced first officers for its fleet of Embraer 175s at all its bases across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Applicants need to have 200 hours of FAA-approved Prior Qualifying Time.
• Mesa Airlines is hiring first officers and captains. The regional carrier flies Bombardier CRJ900s and Embraer 175s for United Express. It has hubs in Cincinnati, Houston and Washington, D.C.
• Piedmont Airlines is hiring first officers and captains and also operates a cadet program. As a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Airlines Group, the carrier flies under the American Eagle Brand. It operates Embraer ERJ-145s with crew bases in Charlotte, Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
• PSA Airlines is accepting applications for first officers and captains. The carrier, which is another American Airlines Group subsidiary, also has a cadet program. From its bases in Charlotte, Dallas, Dayton, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., its pilots fly a fleet of Bombardier CRJ700 and CRJ900 aircraft.
• Republic Airways is hiring first officers and captains. It is only one of two regional carriers that flies for all the “big three” U.S. airlines: American, Delta and United. It has ten bases throughout the Midwest and Northeast and flies Embraer 170s and 175s.
• Silver Airways is seeking both first officers and captains. The airline has pilot bases in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, San Juan and Tampa and flies a fleet of ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprops around the southwestern U.S. and the Caribbean.
• SkyWest Airlines is hiring first officers and captains and also has a rotor transition program. SkyWest is the largest regional carrier and flies under five brands: Alaska Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Connection, SkyWest Charters and United Express. It flies a fleet of Bombardier Regional Jets and Embraer E175s from its bases all across the country.

Which U.S. Cargo and Charter Airlines are Hiring Pilots?

Charter and cargo airlines can offer pilots unique opportunities and dynamic schedules and working conditions. While some of these carriers have paused pilots hiring, others are still actively seeking new hires.

• ABX Air is hiring first officers for its fleet of Boeing 767s. It flies the -200 and -300 variants in all-cargo configurations, primarily for DHL.
• Air Transport International is hiring first officers. The cargo carrier’s fleet consists of Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. It is the largest air carrier in Amazon’s delivery network.
• Amerijet International is hiring first officers, but only through its flight school pathway programs. The cargo airline flies Boeing 767s for DHL, Maersk and under its own brand.
• Atlas Air is accepting applications for new first officers. In addition to providing charter services, the airline has extensive cargo operations. The airline’s fleet of Boeing widebodies and narrowbodies fly under its own brand and for companies like DHL and Amazon.
• Kalitta Air is hiring first officers. The airline currently flies Boeing 747-400F and Boeing 777F aircraft to destinations across the globe.
• Omni Air International is hiring first officers. Omni is a charter airline with Boeing 767s and 777s in both passenger and cargo configurations.

U.S. Airlines Are Hiring Pilots

Although many large airlines in the United States have paused their pilot hiring efforts, there are plenty of companies that are still seeking new pilots. Despite the headlines of a pilot hiring slowdown, there are still many opportunities for aspiring aviators. 

Looking for pilot jobs? FindaPilot.com posts new openings every day. Get a 20 percent discount on any plan. Just use the promo code AG20 when purchasing a plan. You’ll get a 20 percent discount on your first three months as a member.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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