Do Pilots Have Stable Careers?

When selecting a career field an individual will likely consider a variety of factors. Ranging from salary and potential for career advancement to location and quality of life. One of the biggest factors people consider in this search is job stability. It is no small secret that job security is commonly criticized at the airlines as many factors impact a pilot's ability to fly for hire that are beyond their control. This leads many to question if the pilot job market is as volatile as many in the media want you to believe. 

In this article, we will take a deeper look into the various segments of aviation that pilots may find themselves working in and assess their overall stability. There are of course other concerns when it comes to pilot job stability that need to be addressed on an individual level, such as whether a not a certain pilot can hold and maintain a medical certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). We will not be looking into these individual details today but instead will focus on developing a better understanding of market stability. 

Passenger Airlines

The most common job many people think of when they think of being employed as a pilot is that of flying for a major passenger airline. This is the career field that most new pilots aspire to join as it tends to offer the highest pay and in time, can offer an incredible quality of life. But is it a stable career? If we take a look at the industry over the past several decades we can conclude that overall the airlines do offer a relatively stable career. However, that is not to say that the industry does not have downturns. 

The airline industry is commonly compared to the stock market. It has ups and downs, but overall, it typically remains healthy and gradually expands over time. The same could be said for the airline industry. There are times when airlines are rapidly hiring while pay and benefits continuously climb such as what we saw from 2022 to 2024. There are times when pilots are furloughed and pay stagnates such as what we saw during the pandemic or following the 2008 recession. 

Contrary to what many might think, the airlines spend most of their time in a fairly steady state where they see gradual growth and expansion. During these times airlines typically hire new pilots in batches, and new pay and benefit agreements are drawn up and settled on every few years or so. With the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots being 65 at the time of this writing, there is typically a steady flow of pilots going to and from these airlines making these jobs fairly stable whilst offering many opportunities for career progression.

Business Aviation

The business side of aviation tends to be far more complicated and greater variation is seen between companies. Business aviation typically refers to air transit operations that operate under Part 91 or Part 135 regulations and fly business class jets. We will not get into the specifics of each Part in this article as we will focus primarily on the overarching stability of the combined business aviation market. 

Similar to commercial airlines, business aviation frequently conforms to the performance of the stock market, although with a few differences. Business class jets are typically owned and funded by companies or individuals and are generally used for business, although personal use for leisure travel is not uncommon. When a company is doing well financially, it is likely that said company will better utilize private jets. However, when the company is performing poorly, these jets will see less use and may even be sold. In this situation, the pilot, or pilots employed by the company are typically let go. 

While it may seem like a less financially safe option to fly business jets as they tend to pay less than the major airlines and no company is completely secure from financial hardships, it can offer a great quality of life, and if you are willing to move, there are usually other companies hiring. Unlike with the airlines, if a certain company were to downsize or even go bankrupt, it is typically just the one company that is struggling. While if an airline is going under, the others are likely not doing very well either. 

Flying business class jets can come with an array of benefits, with one of the largest being additional type ratings. Pilots must hold type rating to operate any aircraft above 12,500 pounds. These type ratings are proof that a pilot has trained and qualified on that specific type of aircraft. While airline pilots also obtain type ratings, these ratings do not carry as much value when applying to other airlines as the new airline will put you through their training to ensure all pilots operate at the same skill level and flight operations run smoothly. While business jet operators will also put you through their training (or an outsourced third party’s training), pilots with a type rating for the aircraft they will fly, will be more competitive candidates as the length of time they will spend in training is typically reduced. Saving the company time and money. All this being said, all pilots, especially business jet pilots, are continuously building their resumes (whether they realize it or not), giving themselves a better chance at being hired at another company should the need arise. 

Cargo Airlines

There are a wide variety of cargo operators ranging from small aircraft operating on behalf of one specific company under Part 91 regulations to large Part 121 operators comparable to legacy carriers. With such variety, pay, benefits, and quality of life will vary tremendously. But job security tends to be among the highest in the industry. Whether it requires flying a Cessna Caravan to remote airports, or a Boeing 777 around the world, cargo always needs to be moved. While the future is never certain (contracts change, economies struggle, and foreign trade policies vary), the cargo industry generally intakes a steady flow of pilots to meet growing demand as world trade expands and becomes more integrated into our lives every year. 

Cargo airlines generally offer a stable career for pilots but in doing so these jobs are typically accompanied by slow career progression. Many pilots flock to air cargo operators with their sights set on a steady job with a consistent schedule and rarely leave this segment of the industry voluntarily. While this is great for stability, it can limit a pilot's ability to gain seniority over others quickly making flying for an air cargo carrier one of the most stable jobs in the industry in every sense of the word. 

Flying for Emergency Services

From air ambulance to wildfire fighting services, these jobs tend to be some of the most stable the industry has to offer. These flight crews provide life-saving services and have one of the toughest, yet most rewarding jobs in aviation. Work in each segment and at different employers (some government, some private), will vary tremendously making it difficult to describe this entire segment of aviation in just a couple paragraphs. But there are some commonalities between jobs that should be noted. 

These jobs tend to be very demanding and tend to require a higher level of attention to detail and piloting skills than many other operations. Many of them are seasonal and require pilots to spend large amounts of time on the road. Despite all of these challenges, these are some of the most rewarding jobs in the industry and it is unlikely that demand for these services will diminish in the foreseeable future. While layoffs and furloughs have happened in these industries (most commonly due to government budget cuts) they are rare, making this segment a very stable career choice. However, it should be noted that like other stable operations, such as air cargo, career progression can be slow. 

Concluding Thoughts

The aviation industry is a messy one. It is unlike anything else out there, and unless you have spent a year or two working in the industry it can seem quite complicated and even bizarre. Even after spending years in the industry, you will still be learning new things as aviation is ever-changing. Both in terms of regulations and business operations. With that in mind, we can take a look back through recent history and see that for the most part, pilots do have stable careers but that they are not insulated from turbulence. 

Each segment of the industry operates outside of the scope of the others but all are interconnected to one another in some way. Despite these connections, certain segments undoubtedly offer more or less stable careers.  The passenger airlines tend to offer more stable jobs in a less stable market. Meaning that if one airline begins layoffs or furloughs, it is likely that others are doing the same, or are at least, not actively hiring. Business aviation on the other hand tends to offer less stable jobs in a more stable market. Suggesting that if a business jet pilot gets furloughed or laid off, there is usually a plethora of additional vacancies looking for experienced business jet pilots. 

More stable career segments such as air cargo and emergency services can be a good alternative but can have high barriers to entry, lesser benefits, and slower career progression. The aviation industry is one of trade-offs and is not ideally suited for those looking to make the most money or have the highest quality of life. While those things can come, for most a love of flying is required to help them excel in this field. For those who can't imagine a life without flight, the industry offers incredible opportunities and a generally stable career. 

Have questions about the current state of airline hiring? Want to learn about the other sub-segments of the industry not discussed in this article? Or ready to pursue flight training? Give us a call or shoot us a text at (262)297-4568. Or email us at info@flyaxiom.com