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6 Hot Jobs for Pilots Outside of the Standard Airlines

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Being a pilot sounds like a glamorous job, but at first glance, it may also seem limiting. Can you get a job as a pilot doing anything other than flying with commercial airlines, or is that really the only career option out there? Fortunately for those looking to keep their options open, and if you have been to flight school, there are plenty of jobs for pilots besides a standard airline contract. Here are six things a licensed pilot could do if they were seeking an outside-the-box job.

Fortunately for those looking to keep their options open, and if you have been to flight school, there are plenty of jobs for pilots besides a standard airline contract.

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1. Delivery Pilot

Some companies that have to ship physical items across the country fast rely on their own private pilots rather than outside delivery companies. You would be responsible for safely transporting their cargo from your location to anywhere it needs to go. No dealing with passengers — just the deliveries!

How Much They earn – How much money does a UPS or Fed Ex pilot earn?

Delivery Pilot Jobs

2. Flight Instructor

If you like helping people and teaching, you may want to consider teaching others how to fly. There are many options available for this, such as giving private flight lessons on your own or being hired as a teacher at a flight school.

How Much They earnFlight Instructor Salaries

3. Charter Planes for Tourists

This pilot job may involve a little bit more passenger-pilot interaction than most, depending on the size of the charter plane. Piloting aerial tours of local attractions can be a very profitable job, especially if you have your own small plane and don’t have to go through someone else.

How Much They earnHow much does a charter pilot get paid?

4. Private Business Planes

We hear about businessmen taking their private jets all over the world for international business meetings, so why not aim to work with them? Your work schedule may be more erratic, but you get to travel all over the place, so it’s a good trade. You can get a job flying JetSuite private jets for those who travel frequently.

How Much They earnSalaries for Private Airplane Captains

5. Military

Being a military pilot is an extremely tough career, but knowing you’re protecting your country can also make it an incredibly rewarding one. If you have enough experience under your belt, you can apply for military pilot jobs, or you can go to an Air Force academy or military flight school to get the training you need. This is often a good option for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money on flight school, just remember the requirements to get into military flight school are quite strict.

How Much They earnHow much do USAF fighter pilots make a year?

6. Emergency Medical Services

This is another career path where you would be actively helping people. You could be airlifting someone from one hospital to another, carrying rescue workers into natural disaster zones, or transporting someone from the scene of an accident to receive medical help.

How Much They earnEMS Helicopter Pilot (Emergency Medical Service Helicopter Pilot) Salaries

Emergency Medical Services Pilot Jobs

With air travel becoming more common and affordable for private individuals, the possibilities for piloting jobs just keep growing. You can pursue that dream, confident that you’ll always have options when it comes to where you want to work.




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