Richard Yeomans

There has been a reported forecast of a shortage of pilots for the expanding global aviation industry. The reality very different. Unless you have thousands of hours in command of heavy jets and you are type rated and current and willing to travel to the other side of the world, there are precious few aviation jobs around. The flying schools have been producing hundreds of freshly qualified pilots very month and that makes the competition very tough for the few flying jobs out there.

It has always been the age old problem in the aviation industry, what aviation jobs are available for qualified pilots whilst they are looking for work flying? I will explore some possibilities that are open for people to work within the industry and hopefully build some contacts on the way.

Baggage Handler. The most easily available aviation job is that of the baggage handler. It appears to be pretty mundane but you will get an airside pass and spend time on aircraft. You will gain a greater understanding of how large aircraft work and the importance of correct mass and balance loading. There are opportunities to move into other ramp based jobs that may utilise you acquired skills as a pilot.

Aircraft Dispatcher. A friend of mine was ‘between jobs’ and applied to become a check in assistant but was told she was over qualified and was offered a job as a dispatcher. This is a very busy job that will require all your skills as a pilot plus other qualities. You will make decisions with the aircraft commander as to the safety and economic viability of the flight. You will check the flight plan, check the mass and balance and discuss the fuel load and weather with the captain. This job will place you in the cockpit and it is the place you really need to be. You will meet the right people and you will hear first if there is going to be any expansion and recruiting in the airline. Your skills will be enhanced and you have some relevant experience to bring up at interview.

Handling Agent. Many small operators don’t have their own ground staff and they use handling agents. They assist the crew with all the jobs that have to be done when an aircraft needs to be turned around. They deal with passengers, fuel, weather and catering. They assist the crews and can make a big difference to the smoothness of the operation. As an handling agent you will use all the skills you learnt when you were planning flights at flight school. You will interact with the crews and will be able to build a relationship with some of the pilots. They can assist in putting you CV forward and you interview will be considerably better if you know the person interviewing you! If you are looking for jobs within the general aviation sector, this could be a good option for you.

Flight Attendant. There are very many pilots I know who started out as cabin crew. This will give you experience of how an airline works and you will know when and if the airline is looking for more pilots. You will have shown a degree of commitment to the company by working as cabin crew and a reference from someone with the airline will be worth it’s weight in gold. As a qualified pilot you will bring some real awareness to the role and your safety critical functions will be better performed as a result of your pilot training.

There are many more jobs out there for the jobless pilot that will enhance any CV. At www.flightcrewfinder.com there are some non flying jobs that can be applied for. Good luck with looking for you new job in aviation!