
Read original NBAA article regarding retiring commercial airline pilots.
Business aviation can offer a welcome and lucrative option for pilots who want to keep flying after retiring from, or otherwise exiting, the commercial airlines. However, they may run into unexpected challenges if they arenāt fully prepared for that transition.
David Keys, chief pilot of Peace River Citrus Products and vice chair of the NBAA Flight Operations Committee, said he found āa completely different worldā when he first moved from a now-defunct commercial carrier in the 1980s to flying for a Part 91 flight operation.
āBusiness aviation is more about relationships than the mechanics of the job,ā he said. āItās about customer service; you will load luggage and ask your passengers if theyād like drinks. You will clean up after them. Itās a lot more involved than merely showing up and flying the airplane.ā
āYour support network isnāt very large at all compared to an airline,ā added Lisa Archibald, CAM, and a commercial airline first officer whoās also worked in business aviation. āIn fact, it may just be you!ā
Like Keys, Archibaldās past duties ranged from lining up catering to arranging fuel loads, international permits and ground handlers. āI worked for some well-established business aircraft operators, and Iād say 90% of a successful trip was thanks to the pilots,ā she added. āOur little team made it all happen.ā
Pilots moving over to business aviation may also run into procedural and technological challenges. āThereās a lot more technology available to business aviation pilots,ā Keys said, āand we need it. We donāt have the support network behind us that we did at the airlines.ā
Those differences often become known during training. āYou donāt want to stick out in ground school by saying, āthatās not how we did it at the airlines,āā Keys said. āIf you keep comparing it to what you used to fly, you will struggle.ā
Hands-On Work
Jay Johnston flew for nearly 25 years with a commercial airline before mandatory retirement. He moved three years ago to a Part 91 operator based in the northern U.S.
āBusiness aviation is a lot more hands-on, and of course you need to keep your primary happy,ā Johnston said. āIf he decides to stay an extra day somewhere, itās āyes sirā followed by what can be a lot of rearranging your personal schedule on the back end.ā
Prior to retirement, Johnston consulted with a 20-year industry veteran. āI knew a lot going in about what to expect,ā he said. āSome of that I learned from my friend, and some was from simply envisioning the operation and thinking about what would be required.ā
Johnston found that business aviation offered several upsides. āFirst and foremost, the owners are great people,ā he said. āThatās a big factor when flying Part 91; you get to know them, youāre traveling to the same fun places they go to and youāre usually staying at or near the same hotel.
āYouāre in the neighborhood of their lifestyle,ā Johnston continued. āWe can select our hotels that are usually much nicer than airline accommodations and optimize [rewards] points for hotels and rental cars.ā
Archibald agreed. āBusiness aviation crews are often very well taken care of. Nice hotels, nice meals and perks that can be much better than airlines offer.ā
Like Archibald, Johnston had to get used to performing his own flight planning and monitoring his flight hours to stay ahead of training requirements.
āThe airline tracks your hours and currency, and advises when youāre due for training,ā Johnston said. āIn this world, the chief pilot may call me and say I need to take an online international flying course and itās up to me to select the provider and ensure Iām current.ā
With that greater responsibility also comes what Johnston termed a sizable pay disparity. āThatās really the only thing Iād change,ā he said. āThe airline did pay me a lot more, but this is the job that keeps me flying and Iāve met some fantastic people.ā
Building Relationships
Keys and Archibald agreed the ability to develop those personal relationships is a definite advantage in making the move to business aviation.
āThe airlines were a lot different when I first started flying,ā Keys said. āBack in the 1980s we could interact a lot more with the flight attendants and ground crews. Now, we just lock ourselves behind the cockpit door.
āBusiness aviation is a lot more fun,ā he continued. āHad I stayed with the airlines, Iād not have near the number of friends I have in business aviation today.ā
āItās nice to get to know someone and make that connection, especially in retirement,ā Archibald agreed. āYou never know where you might be able to help someone, or someone may help you.ā
Archibald also noted that the nature of business aviation flying appeals to many pilots. āType A people enjoy new challenges, and each flight can offer a puzzle or two that requires solving,ā she said. āThat can be so much fun!ā
āI just fell in love with business aviation,ā Keys added. āSure, itās not glamorous to carry bags or empty the lavatory, but it is fulfilling work. You donāt simply check in and check out; you are contributing to all aspects of the operation.ā
āWe all play a role outside the flight deck,ā Archibald agreed. āIt may be small ā scheduling pilot training, managing an EFB subscription ā but in business aviation, those roles must usually be completed by the pilot.
āI love being involved, so Iām involved outside the flight deck [at the airline] but that is my choice,ā she continued. āIt is not a choice in business aviation.ā
Overcoming Misperceptions on Both Sides
Those making the move to business aviation from commercial airline flying may discover some flight operations are reluctant to consider them for the job. Jennifer Pickerel, vice president at Aviation Personnel International, offered several tips to overcome that challenge.
āThere are misperceptions on both sides of the hiring desk,ā she said. āFlight departments believe airline pilots lack the customer service skills necessary in our industry ā and those are not easily taught ā and some airline pilots expect business aviation flying to be easier.
āItās generally not enough to simply say, āIām retiring but not ready to stop flying,ā Pickerel continued. āYou need the desire to work in the business aviation environment and be receptive to what that requires. You must contribute to the operation beyond the flight deck.ā
As a result, Pickerel noted, some clients will not consider applicants from the commercial airlines unless they also have previous experience in business aviation.
āThat said, I encourage them to lean into that stigma,ā she added. āDemonstrate respect for what the job requires and do your research. State upfront that you donāt want to be part of that stigma, but you acknowledge that it exists.ā
An effective cover letter can also help convince a recruiter to take a closer look at your application. āMake it compelling and show your personality,ā Pickerel said. āShow them youāve done your research. Sell yourself enthusiastically and leave them wanting to learn more.
āItās true that you will have a higher bar to clear,ā she concluded. āJust because weāre in the same industry doesnāt mean the requirements are the same. Business aviation is a far more delicate dynamic, but you can acknowledge those differences and celebrate them.ā