AIN’s Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit (CALS) West brought together business aviation leaders to examine and discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the industries. Topics addressed during the event in Scottsdale, Arizona, included insurance & risk, managing generational differences, recruiting & hiring, legal matters, skills retention, safety, training and FBO surcharges.

Here are the main conclusions from the roundtable discussion on recruiting and hiring in private aviation, which was led by Linda Herzog with Herzog Leadership Consulting.

Private aviation serves a clientele demanding bespoke, flexible, and luxurious travel experiences. This distinct mission shapes the recruiting and hiring processes for pilots, maintenance personnel, and flight attendants, requiring a blend of technical expertise, adaptability, and exceptional interpersonal skills. The landscape of private aviation reflects both opportunity and challenge, driven by a global demand for skilled professionals, competitive pressures, and the need to balance operational excellence with client satisfaction. 

Pilots in private aviation are tasked with ensuring safety, precision, and a seamless experience for high-net-worth individuals, executives, or leisure travelers. Recruiting begins with identifying candidates who possess not only the requisite flight hours and certifications—typically an airline transport pilot (ATP) license and type ratings for specific aircraft—but also the temperament to thrive in an unpredictable, client-facing environment. 

The importance of pilot diversity is clearly important and kept coming up in the roundtable sessions. Many pilots shared their frustrations around keeping all the balls in the air at one time. Owners seek pilots who embody professionalism and customer service, as they often interact directly with passengers, sometimes even assisting with luggage or coordinating ground logistics. Interviews assess not just type ratings but also soft skills, such as communication and discretion, critical for handling VIPs who value privacy. 

Retention

Retention challenges loom large, as airlines aggressively recruit experienced pilots with lucrative salaries and structured career paths. Flight departments encounter this by emphasizing quality of life, offering schedules that, while variable, can sometimes provide more downtime than the relentless pace of airline operations. Companies also highlight the prestige of flying cutting-edge aircraft and the opportunity to build long-term relationships with clients, appealing to pilots who value variety over the monotony of commercial routes.

Several flight departments at the roundtable emphasized stock options as part of compensation packages, with some of these reportedly as high as 30% of pay. Further options were very creative, including tiered bonuses, flexibility in PTO allowances, higher pay for pilots says agreeing to be a safety officer, and $1,000 in cash for those working on days off.

Recruitment

It is still a frustration for some flight departments to work with their companies’ human resources departments. They feel HR colleagues do not understand aviation, compensation packages, and how to recruit pilots, maintenance and flight attendants. As a result, some flight directors will handle these tasks themselves. That said, some have “trained” and worked closely with their HR person and that has helped to free them from that job.

Many flight directors used the term “mind the gap.” While they might not have excessive turnover of personnel, when it does happen, they do not want to be out in the cold. So, several stated that they recruit and/or keep people in the loop. Other said they were not happy with recruitment firms and the quality was not of a high standard.

“Poaching” Staff

This was a hot topic in the roundtable discussions, with several differing viewpoints expressed. Some companies are clearly more aggressive than others when it comes to poaching staff from other organizations.

In private aviation, poaching” is viewed as the practice of luring talent from rival operators. It’s seen as both a strategic maneuver and an ethical tightrope. On the one hand, the practice a natural byproduct of a competitive market where skilled pilots, mechanics, and attendants are prized assets. Companies view it as a legitimate tactic to bolster their ranks, especially when airlines siphon off talent with hefty salaries and benefits.

A director might discreetly tap a competitor’s star pilot, offering a better deal—including higher pay, newer jets, or a saner schedule—and framing it as a win for both parties. Yet, there’s a shadow of disdain for poaching as it disrupts team cohesion and can sour relationships within the tight-knit private aviation community, where reputation is currency.

Operators grumble about the cost of training replacements—sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars per pilot—casting poachers as opportunists who reap talent where they didn’t sow. It’s not illegal, but it’s a whispered grievance at industry gatherings and viewed as a breach of an unspoken code among peers who’d rather grow talent than steal it. The perception shifts with context: a desperate grab for a rival’s crew might be scorned, but a pilot jumping ship for a clear career boost is often shrugged off as ambition. In this high-stakes game, poaching is a double-edged sword—effective yet divisive, and a evidence of the industry’s relentless hunger for excellence.

The 3 S’s – Salary – Schedule – Stability

One flight department vice president shared this is the motto they adhere to in retaining pilots. Think of these as the wind beneath a pilot’s wings, keeping them soaring loyally with their employer rather than drifting toward the siren call of airlines or rival private aviation operators.

Salary: The Golden Altimeter. Picture a pilot’s paycheck as the altimeter that gauges their worth. In private aviation, competitive salaries—often tiered with bonuses for flight hours or milestones—act as a gravitational pull. It’s not just about the numbers; it’s the promise of reward for skill and dedication, a golden thread that ties pilots to the cockpit.

Schedule: The Compass of Freedom. A pilot’s schedule is their compass, guiding them through the turbulence of work and life. Private aviation offers a map less rigid than airline grids—fewer red-eye flights, more days to recalibrate at home. While spontaneity is part of the gig, smart operators chart predictable downtime, ensuring pilots can navigate personal milestones without losing courses. It’s the freedom to fly and rest that acts as a rhythm that keeps them tethered to the organization.

Stability: The Horizon Line. Stability is the steady horizon pilots crave amid industry storms. It’s the assurance of a well-maintained fleet, a supportive crew, and a company that won’t vanish in a downdraft. Private aviation paints this picture with career growth—upgrades to larger aircraft, mentorship roles, etc—and a culture that values their wings. When pilots see a clear, unwavering horizon, they’re less likely to chase distant skies.

Together, these three S’s craft a retention symphony: a melody of wealth, a rhythm of balance, and a harmony of trust. In private aviation’s cockpit, they’re the controls that keep pilots flying true.