Airline Pilot Job Description

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Attracting the right candidates starts with an excellent airline pilot job description. First, you’ll need to set clear expectations about the role. Create a specific list of duties, responsibilities, and qualifications, taking the time to review them and prioritize what’s most important. Make sure each element reflects the job accurately in clear, simple language.

You can also use your job description as an opportunity to introduce the culture and values of your organization. This will help candidates see if their ideals align with yours. Above all, be direct and concise.

Sample airline pilot job description

At [Company X], we connect people around the world. To that end, we are seeking an expert airline pilot to ensure our valued customers get an incredible flight experience. The airline pilot will perform pre-flight checks to ensure optimal safety. They will develop a flight plan accounting for aircraft performance, altitude, fuel, and weather. They must consistently work with flight attendants and copilots to understand passengers’ needs and calm their concerns over the intercom. In doing so, the airline pilot will help [Company X] achieve better flights and happier passengers.

Objectives of this role

Offer customers unrivaled flight experiences
Create a comfortable work environment to enable smoother, more efficient processes
Uphold [Company X]’s reputation as one of the world’s safest air travel companies
Ensure stability and integrity of aircraft before and after transit
Optimize overall efficiency of [Company X]’s flight strategy
Keep flight crew and air traffic controller informed of plane before, during, and after flight

Responsibilities

Develop flight plans to understand aircraft performance, altitude, and weather conditions
Perform pre- and post-flight checks to ensure aircraft meets specifications
Choose routes that are safe and efficient
Analyze for potential risks throughout the flight
Maintain flight records to comply with rules and regulations
Ensure cargo weight doesn’t exceed aircraft limits

Skills and qualifications

Expert-level flying skills
Intuitive time-management skills
Excellent problem-solving techniques
Ability to perform multiple tasks under a high degree of pressure
Clear, confident communication abilities
Comfortability with long work hours

Preferred qualifications

Ability to mediate and mitigate interpersonal conflicts
Knowledge of pre- and post-flight check processes
Ability to develop thorough flight plans
Adept understanding of in-flight etiquette
Business-level fluency in multiple languages
Significant leadership experience

How to write an airline pilot job description