Airline Pilot Job Description

Do you wonder what the tasks of an Airline Pilot include? The Airline Pilot (or Aviator) is the main person responsible for the operation of the aircraft, its crew, and the flight plan.

Scroll down for our free Airline Pilot job ad template.

What is in an Airline Pilot's Job Description?

The role of an Airline Pilot involves a lot of responsibility as well as technical expertise. The Airline Pilot not only creates the flight plan and controls the aircraft throughout the flight, but they are also responsible for the rest of the cabin crew and all passengers on board.

Essential parts of an Airline Pilot’s job description:

Airline Pilots can work in a variety of sectors and in many types of aircraft. Common examples include commercial, passenger airlines and freight aircraft to transport goods.
More experienced Airline Pilots tend to fly longer-haul flights that are performed with a larger aircraft (like a Boeing 787 Dreamliner), while more Junior Pilots tend to fly smaller distances and aeroplanes.
Airline Pilots are responsible for safely flying and navigating the aircraft from the starting point to the final destination.
Airline Pilots are generally part of a crew and can be either the flight captain or the co-pilot.
Potential Employers can be either Airlines, Tour Operators, Forwarding Companies, or Military Organisations.

Interview questions available

Also see our Airline Pilot Interview Questions

Airline Pilot Job Description Example

Be clear in your description. Know the tasks of the role and ideally who the candidate should be.
This means you won’t need to read through too many CVs to find your superstar.
You might be tempted to use bullet points in this section, but resist the urge! Tell a story, show off all the cool things they would be responsible for, and get them excited to apply.
You should be more focused on your company culture and what your mission is, instead of their daily tasks.

About the role

English

Deutsch

Are you a seasoned Airline Pilot with experience flying commercial and freight aircraft intercontinentally? Do you easily build rapport with members of your crew? Are you reliable, trustworthy, and a stable commanding force both on and off the ground? Then we are looking for you!

We are [Company Name], we are currently looking for an experienced Airline Pilot to join our ever-expanding team and help our fleet reach new heights and destinations. You will be in charge of the aircraft, the cabin crew, and the flight plan for your route.

You don’t just transport passengers and cargo. You also determine what’s the safest / the best route depending on weather conditions, you calculate fuel, and inspect all equipment before and after your flight.

Does that sound like you? Then don’t wait any longer and apply now!

Du bist ein erfahrener Pilot und mit den Abläufen im Interkontinentalverkehr mit Verkehrs- und Frachtflugzeugen bestens vertraut? Es fällt dir leicht, ein gutes Verhältnis zu den Mitgliedern deiner Crew aufzubauen? Du bist zuverlässig, vertrauenswürdig und eine stabile Führungspersönlichkeit, sowohl am Boden als auch in der Luft? Dann bist du bei uns genau richtig!

Wir sind [Name des Unternehmens] und suchen derzeit einen erfahrenen Piloten (m/w/d), der unser ständig wachsendes Team verstärkt und unsere Flotte zu neuen Höhen und Zielen führt. Du bist verantwortlich für das Flugzeug, die Kabinenbesatzung und den Flugplan für deine Route.

Du beförderst nicht nur Passagiere und Fracht. Du bestimmst auch die sicherste/beste Route in Abhängigkeit von den Wetterbedingungen, berechnest den Treibstoffverbrauch und kontrollierst die gesamte Ausrüstung vor und nach deinem Flug.

Hört sich nach dir an? Dann zögere nicht länger und bewirb dich jetzt!

This section is all about your candidate's experience and responsibilities. You should outline very clearly what they should expect from the job role, not from the company itself.
You should use language that speaks to the candidate directly, use of “you”, “we” and “our” are all positives.
Hard skills in this section are important, but don’t overlook the significance of soft skills, like communication and being a team player, these can make a huge difference to the way people work alongside each other and gel professionally.
What do you believe in, and what are your core values?

Airline Pilot Responsibilities

English

Deutsch

Remember these are example responsibilities, not all of these will be relevant to your specific Airline Pilot job ad. Please edit the text to match your company’s needs.

• Fly the aircraft from location A to location B
• Create and oversee the flight plan, taking weather conditions and the best routes into consideration
• Perform safety and systems checks and inspections, both before and after your flight
• Communicate effectively and clearly with air traffic controllers
• Communicate effectively and clearly with cabin crew and passengers on board your flight
• Ensure you are always well-rested and focussed on the job; there are no days when you don't bring your A-game
• Know safety protocols and procedures and how to implement them in the case of an emergency

Denken Sie daran, dass es sich hier um Beispielaufgaben handelt, die nicht alle für Ihre spezifische Stellenanzeige für Piloten relevant sein werden. Bitte passen Sie den Text an die Bedürfnisse Ihres Unternehmens an.

• Du fliegst Flugzeuge sicher von Ort A nach Ort B.
• Du erstellst und überwachst den Flugplan und berücksichtigst dabei die Wetterbedingungen und die besten Routen.
• Du führst Sicherheits- und Systemchecks sowie Inspektionen vor und nach deinem Flug durch.
• Du kommunizierst effektiv und klar mit Fluglotsen.
• Du kommunizierst effektiv und klar mit der Kabinenbesatzung und den Passagieren an Bord deines Fluges.
• Du stellst sicher, dass du immer ausgeruht und konzentriert bei der Sache bist.
• Du hältst dich über Sicherheitsprotokolle und -verfahren sowie deren exakte Anwendung in Notfällen auf dem Laufenden.

This section is essential to finding the candidate with the skills and qualifications that will help them in their job role.
This should be clear and concise and set boundaries for submissions.
The more information you add to your skills section, the less candidates you’ll have to sift through to find the right one.
This would waste both your time and the potential candidate so avoid being wordy as much as possible. Think about what would be an essential part of this role, and what would the applicant need to be successful in the job?

Airline Pilot Requirements

English

Deutsch

Remember these are example requirements, not all of these will be relevant to your specific Airline Pilot job description. Please edit the text to match your company’s needs.

• Pilot licence and all necessary training and education
• At least 5 years of experience flying commercial or freight aircraft for an airline
• Impeccable technical knowledge and expertise; you know your aircraft inside and out
• Great understanding of maths and physics
• Ability to remain calm and make snap decisions during emergency situations
• Excellent coordination skills
• Great communication and interpersonal skills
• Extremely disciplined and committed to the safety of the crew and your passengers

Denken Sie daran, dass es sich hierbei um Beispielanforderungen handelt, die nicht alle auf Ihre spezifische Stellenbeschreibung für einen Piloten zutreffen werden. Bitte bearbeiten Sie den Text entsprechend den Anforderungen Ihres Unternehmens.

• Du bringst eine Pilotenlizenz und alle erforderlichen Ausbildungen mit.
• Du verfügst über mindestens 5 Jahre Erfahrung im Fliegen von Verkehrs- oder Frachtflugzeugen für eine Fluggesellschaft.
• Du besitzt einwandfreie technische Kenntnisse und Expertise; Du kennst Dein Flugzeug in- und auswendig.
• Du verfügst über hervorragende mathematische und physikalische Kenntnisse.
• Du bleibst in Notsituationen ruhig und triffst schnell und effektiv angemessene Entscheidungen
• Du bringst ausgezeichnete Koordinationsfähigkeiten mit.
• Du zeichnest dich durch hervorragende kommunikative und zwischenmenschliche Fähigkeiten aus.
• Du bist äußerst diszipliniert und die Sicherheit der Crew und deiner Fluggäste liegt dir am Herzen.

Need inspiration?

Your job description will not attract talent all on its own. So when putting together your job post, be sure to show what it's like working at your company not just textually but visually!

Remember, attracting a candidate is just as much about your company culture as the job role itself. Make sure to include points that make you seem desirable too!
Add photos that show off your office space, team events and your team having a great time.
Maybe you could include a video of some team members explaining why they love coming to work, or why they like their role.
Include a grid of attractive perks with some nice illustrations. Maybe you have unlimited holidays, or you have an attractive parental leave cover - show off!
Why not embed your company's Instagram feed to give a IRL overview of the day-to-day.