Pilot Cover Letter Tutorial

A generic Cover Letter is so easy to spot. Simply changing the company name and a couple of sentences is not good enough, roughly half the Cover Letter will be different depending on which airline you are applying for. Think of the differences between easyJet and Virgin Atlantic. Each airline has unique challenges, one across a short haul operation, one over long haul. Each airline has different values and is probably looking for slightly different attributes from it’s flight crew.

Whereas a CV showcases your skills, qualification and history, a Covering Letter should set out your motivation for joining a specific airline and how you are well suited for that company and type of operation. It should be limited to a single page (again a recruiter only has a finite amount of time to review each application) unless you have extenuating circumstances to make it longer.

Keep it a standard letter format including your address and date. Address is to a specific person within the company if possible, like the recruitment manager of chief pilot.

• What aircraft type you are applying to operate.

• What operating base you are seeking (or stating you’d be prepared to relocate to any of them).

• Highlight that you meeting all the minimum requirements and emphasising any specific qualifications that might ensure you are looking upon favourably (for example holding an A320 type rating when applying to operate that aircraft).

• Why you want to work for that company. Consider its mission statement, values and ethos. Include a quote from one of these, whether it be a slogan or specific statement. This demonstrates you have extensively researched the airline.

• Include a couple of sentences which demonstrate that you have researched the history of the company such as including its formation date and how it has progressed since then.

• Mention your future aspirations in the company. This might include one day being promoted to the role of Captain or joining the training department. You could also tie this in with acknowledge any orders the airline has on order, and the opportunities associated with this.

• Highlight the type of operation and how this is well suited to your aspirations and attributes. For example, multiple aircraft type fleet with both long and short haul operations or maybe a lost cost carrier with a single aircraft type fleet but operating to many destinations. Both have their own advantages (see the section below).

• Address the skills you possess (particularly non-technical skills), how you acquired these skills (through previous employment etc) and how they are well suited for the type of operation of the airline you are applying for.

When writing the Cover Letter, you might consider some of these points depending on the type of airline you are applying to.

• Typically a single a type fleet which can open up a huge number of destinations for crew. This gives a large amount of variation which in turn allows you to build up a dynamic skills set. More destinations (particularly unfamiliar ones) can result in a more challenging and therefore rewarding work environment.

• Low cost airlines are typically expanding and expanding fleet brings with it quick career progression opportunities. For example, you might be able to achieve the position of Captain within 3 or 4 years rather than the 10+ typically found within legacy carriers.

• Low Cost Carriers often have fixed roster patterns and don’t night stop crew. For some this is advantageous.

• Shorter sectors (particularly at regional airlines) can mean a fast paced operation (not as boring!)

• They often have both a narrow and wide bodied fleet which allows for career progression onto long haul fleets with bigger aircraft.

• Terms and conditions are typically more preferable than low cost airlines, particularly over the course of a career when you consider pension, loss of licence insurance, private health insurance etc.
• They typically have seniority lists which provide good roster flexibility once you have been at the company for a while. The longer you are at the company, the more you can dictate your roster.

• You often get to night stop at destinations so get to travel the world and visit places.
  Arguably a better lifestyle with more time off due to minimum rest requirements on long haul.