Pilot Careers

Charter Pilot or Air Taxi Pilot

• These pilots fly passengers and cargo, anywhere and at any time -- usually on short trips -- on single- or twin-engine planes. Some of these pilots work for a company with a fleet of planes and can count on regular schedules and routes. Salary and benefits vary. Jobs for these pilots are located at major airports, where there is a sufficient passenger load. Air taxis provide service to outlying towns and cities, where larger airlines do not fly. The need for taxi pilots will continue to grow, as larger airlines abandon less-profitable routes.
  

Corporate Jet Pilot

• A corporate pilot flies the company's jet, carrying executives and employees. A corporate pilot must be a commercial pilot, know multi-engine planes, be a flight instructor and have a top rating for each jet he flies. As of early 2011, a corporate pilot can make an annual salary of $95,000 or more, after 10 years of service.
  

  Agricultural Pilot

  • An agricultural pilot flies specially designed planes or helicopters to apply herbicides, seeds and fertilizers on crops, forests and swamps. Some also fight forest fires. These pilots fly at low levels carrying heavy loads, sometimes carrying cargoes of poisonous liquids or chemicals. Agricultural pilots need excellent flying, planning and decision-making skills. Salaries vary. Agricultural pilots are in demand mostly in California and southern states during crop-growing seasons, but they go where the work is available and when the weather is right.