Pilot CV Example
Updated 17 June 2026
A pilot CV is a technical document screened first for minimum requirements, then read for operational experience. Airlines need your licence details, flight hours broken down by type and role, recency metrics, and medical validity up front. This guide shows you how to structure a pilot CV that passes ATS screening and gets you to interview.
Pilot CV examples
Cadet / Low-Hour Pilot
entryShifts focus from total hours to training quality, ATPL theory scores, and certifications when flight time is under 500 hours.
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First Officer (Regional / Short-Haul)
midQuantifies sectors flown, on-time performance, and recency metrics. Flight hours broken down by type with PIC/SIC split and currency dates.
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Captain / Senior First Officer
seniorDemonstrates command authority, PIC hours, fleet leadership, and line-training responsibilities. Metrics show safety, efficiency and mentoring impact.
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Feb. 2019-
Jul. 2016-
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How to write a pilot CV
Format and length
UK and EASA-region pilot CVs run 2-3 pages, saved as a text-based PDF with no photo, no date of birth, and no multi-column layouts that break ATS parsers. Contact details go in the body, not a header or footer.
Section order
- Personal statement (3-4 lines): licence type, total hours, hours on target type, PIC split, medical expiry, English level, LPC currency, availability.
- Licences, Medical & Certifications (dedicated section): ATPL/CPL/MPL number, Class 1 Medical expiry, ICAO English level, IR, ME, MCC, UPRT, each type rating with LPC/issue date.
- Flight Hours (table or structured list): per-aircraft-type grid with columns for Total, PIC, SIC, Multi-Engine, IFR, Night, plus last flight date and a TOTAL row. State recency (last 90 days, last 12 months) and list simulator hours separately.
- Experience: reverse-chronological work history. For each role, state operation type (Commercial / Cargo / VVIP), position, company, location, dates. Quantify sectors flown, on-time performance, training responsibilities.
- Education: flight training pathway (integrated vs modular) and school, ATPL theory scores if 90%+, then academic degrees.
- Additional: languages, interests, volunteering, availability.
What to include per section
| Section | Junior (0-500h) | Mid (500-3,000h) | Senior (3,000h+, Command) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Frozen ATPL, total hours, training quality, availability | ATPL, total + type hours, PIC split, LPC currency | ATPL, command hours, TRI/LTC status, fleet leadership |
| Licences | CPL + frozen ATPL, IR, ME, MCC, UPRT, Medical, English Level 6 | ATPL, type ratings with LPC dates, Medical, English Level 6 | ATPL, type ratings, TRI/TRE/SFI endorsements, Medical |
| Flight Hours | Total <500h, split by training aircraft, state ATPL theory scores | Per-type grid with PIC/SIC, recency last 90d/12m, sim separate | Per-type grid, emphasize PIC hours, command sectors, recency |
| Experience | Instructor/ramp ops/dispatch roles, training achievements | F/O sectors, on-time performance, line-training mentoring | Command sectors, zero-incident record, TRI/LTC responsibilities |
| Education | Lead with flight school, ATPL theory %, first-time pass rates | Flight school, then degree | Flight school, advanced courses (CRM, TEM, SMS), degree |
Personal statement examples
A320 First Officer with 2,450 total hours (1,820h on type). EASA ATPL, Class 1 Medical to 03/2027, ICAO English Level 6. Current on LPC (01/2026). Proven record of 98.2% on-time departures across 1,200 sectors and 38 European bases. Available from 06/2026.
Experienced and safety-focused pilot looking for a First Officer role with a reputable airline. Strong communication skills and a passion for aviation. Team player with a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
Writing your experience
The result-plus-metric pattern
Airlines want to see sectors flown, on-time performance, safety record, and training impact. Every bullet should answer: what did you fly, how much, and what was the outcome?
Weak: Performed flying duties as First Officer on A320 aircraft.
Strong: Operated 1,200 sectors as F/O on A320 across 38 European bases, maintaining 98.2% on-time departure rate.
Weak: Responsible for training new pilots.
Strong: Mentored 4 line-training cadets through release to line, with all achieving first-time LPC pass.
Weak: Flew regional routes on ATR 72.
Strong: Flew 580 sectors on ATR 72-600 across UK domestic and Irish routes, achieving 97.5% schedule reliability and operating into 14 challenging airfields including Barra and Tiree.
Action verbs for pilot CVs
Operated, commanded, mentored, supervised, led, completed, achieved, maintained, conducted, delivered, participated, acted as, qualified as, supported.
Before/after examples
| Before (duty-focused) | After (outcome-focused) |
|---|---|
| Responsible for pre-flight checks and flight planning. | Completed 1,200 sectors with zero technical delays attributed to flight crew in 2025. |
| Worked as part of a multi-crew team. | Acted as Safety Pilot on 12 positioning flights, supporting fleet operational flexibility. |
| Provided instruction to cadet pilots. | Delivered 450 hours of dual instruction, achieving 95% first-time skill-test pass rate across 18 students. |
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Flight training
List your flight school, training pathway (integrated vs modular), and dates. If you are a cadet or low-hour pilot, state your ATPL theory average when it is 90% or higher and mention first-time skill-test pass rates. This signals training quality when total hours are low.
Example: Meridian Flight Academy, Integrated ATPL(A) Training, 2023-2025. ATPL theory: 92% average across 14 subjects (first attempt). CPL skill test passed first time with above-standard performance in all sections.
Academic qualifications
List degrees in reverse-chronological order after flight training. Include the degree name, field of study, institution, and classification (e.g. 2:1 Honours, First Class). Aerospace, engineering, physics and maths degrees are valued but not required.
Certifications that matter
- ATPL / CPL / MPL: State the licence type, number, and issuing authority (e.g. EASA ATPL(A), UK.FCL.012345).
- Type Ratings: List each type rating with its LPC expiry or last check date (e.g. A320 Family, LPC valid to 01/2027).
- IR, ME, MCC, UPRT: Essential for multi-crew jet operations. State issuer and date.
- Class 1 Medical: State expiry date and any restrictions. This is a hard stop for recruitment.
- ICAO English Language Proficiency: State your level (4, 5, or 6). Level 6 is preferred; Level 4 is the minimum.
- TRI / TRE / SFI / Line Training Captain: For senior pilots, these endorsements signal leadership and training authority.
Common mistakes to avoid
Giving a single lumped total flight time without per-type breakdown or PIC/SIC split.
Present flight hours as a per-aircraft-type grid with columns for Total, PIC, SIC, Multi-Engine, IFR, Night, plus last flight date and a TOTAL row. This is the single most important table on your CV.
Omitting recency metrics (last 90 days, last 12 months).
State hours flown in the last 90 days and last 12 months. Airlines use this to estimate line-training and simulator time needed and to confirm you are actively flying.
Blending simulator hours into total flight time.
List simulator hours separately. Many airlines exclude sim hours from minimums, so inflating totals disqualifies you at verification.
Burying licence and medical details in a generic 'Qualifications' section at the end.
Create a dedicated 'Licences, Medical & Certifications' section immediately after your personal statement. Recruiters screen for this first.
Leaving unexplained gaps in employment timeline.
Account for every month of the last 5 years. Airline background vetting halts on a single undocumented month. If you were unemployed, state it plainly.
Using generic type names ('Airbus', 'Boeing') instead of exact designations.
Use exact type-rating designations (A320, B737-800, A330) for ATS keyword matching. Mirror the job posting's exact phrasing.
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with frozen ATPL, total hours under 500, training quality (ATPL theory %, first-time pass), and availability. | Leads with command hours, PIC total, TRI/LTC status, zero-incident record, and fleet leadership responsibilities. |
| Flight hours presentation | Total hours broken down by training aircraft (PA-28, DA40, DA42). Emphasize ATPL theory scores and MCC/UPRT completion. | Per-type grid with heavy emphasis on PIC hours, command sectors, and recency. Simulator hours listed separately with TRI session counts. |
| Experience section | Instructor, ramp ops, or dispatch roles. Quantify students taught, first-time pass rates, and operational insight gained. | Command sectors, on-time performance, zero-incident record, line-training supervision, TRI responsibilities, fleet safety leadership. |
| Certifications | CPL + frozen ATPL, IR, ME, MCC, UPRT, Class 1 Medical, ICAO English Level 6. | ATPL, multiple type ratings with LPC dates, TRI/TRE/SFI endorsements, Line Training Captain qualification, Class 1 Medical. |
| Tone and focus | Training quality, transferable skills, eagerness to build multi-crew jet experience. | Command authority, safety leadership, mentoring impact, operational decision-making under pressure. |