Beyond the Resume: Landing a Job in Part 135 Operations

Understanding Fractional Ownership and Part 135 Operations

Before diving into the hiring process, it's essential to understand the landscape of fractional ownership and Part 135 operations. This sector of aviation caters to a wealthy clientele who demand flexibility, luxury, and exceptional service.

Fractional ownership allows individuals to purchase a share of an aircraft, granting them access without the full financial burden of ownership. Meanwhile, Part 135 operations refer to the regulations governing on-demand charter services. These operations require a higher standard of safety and professionalism, making them a desirable choice for pilots looking to elevate their careers.

Phase 1: The Paper Chase and Phone Screen

Sharpen Your Resume and Get Ready for a Phone Call

Before you even think about a cockpit, your digital footprint is scrutinized. The online application is your first handshake. Your resume and logbooks need to be immaculate. These companies look for a history of professionalism, a clean record, and the flight time that demonstrates experience and sound judgment.

If you make the cut, you'll likely have a phone or video interview with HR. This isn't just a formality. They're gauging your personality. Are you articulate? Do you sound like someone who can have a pleasant conversation with a CEO in the cabin before a flight? In this world, customer service skills are just as important as your ability to fly an ILS to minimums.

Phase 2: The On-Site Gauntlet

Be Ready to Shake Hands With Many People

If you're invited to headquarters, be prepared for a full day of evaluations. This typically includes a technical interview and a panel interview.

The Technical Interview

Expect to be grilled on regulations, especially FAR Part 91 and 135. You'll be asked to interpret complex approach plates, discuss weather phenomena, and explain aerodynamic principles. They need to know you have the foundational knowledge to operate safely and legally.

The Panel Interview

This is where they dive into your psyche. Be ready for "Tell Me About A Time" (TMAAT) questions. They want to hear how you've handled difficult crew members, in-flight emergencies, or demanding passengers in the past. Your answers reveal your true decision-making process and your grasp of Crew Resource Management (CRM).

The Crucible: The Simulator Evaluation

It's Time to Fly the Box

This is it. The make-or-break moment. Everything you've done has led to you being strapped into a multi-million dollar, full-motion simulator of an aircraft you may have never flown before. The pressure is immense, but it's vital to understand what's truly being tested.

Let’s be clear: this is not a type-rating checkride. You are not expected to walk in with an encyclopedic knowledge of the specific aircraft’s systems or its performance numbers. Instead, the company provides you with a flight profile and the necessary information to fly it—target airspeeds, power settings, and aircraft configurations. Your primary task is to execute that supplied profile to professional standards. Can you take new information, manage the cockpit, and fly the airplane with precision?

Here’s What’s Really Being Evaluated:

Flying the Profile to Standards

This is the bedrock. From the moment the sim starts moving, your scan is under a microscope. Can you hold altitude within 100 feet, heading within 10 degrees, and airspeed within 10 knots? Can you precisely track a localizer and glideslope? They are measuring your fundamental ability to fly on instruments under pressure, regardless of the specific flight deck.

Crew Resource Management (CRM)

You will be paired with another pilot, often an instructor acting as the Pilot Monitoring. They will not be a passive observer. How do you interact with them? Are you a team player? Do you use standard, clear phraseology? Do you brief your plan of action effectively? A pilot who tries to be a "lone wolf" will fail instantly.

Checklist Discipline

These operations are built on standard operating procedures (SOPs). You are expected to call for and use checklists for everything. Rushing a procedure or performing actions from memory shows a lack of discipline. Your ability to follow the script is paramount.

Problem Solving

At some point, things will go wrong. You might get an engine failure right after your decision speed (V1), a cabin depressurization, or a tricky electrical fault. The evaluators don't want to see panic. They want to see a calm, methodical process: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. Do you maintain control of the aircraft first? Do you have a plan? Do you use your crewmember to help diagnose the problem and execute the solution?

Trainability

The instructor might give you a tip or a correction during the profile. How you receive that feedback is critical. Do you get defensive and flustered, or do you listen, acknowledge, and apply the correction? Showing that you are receptive to instruction is perhaps the single most important trait they are looking for.

Passing the sim isn't about flying a perfect flight or knowing everything about the jet. It's about demonstrating that you are a safe, professional, and adaptable pilot who can be trained to operate at the highest level of business aviation by flawlessly executing a prescribed set of maneuvers. To prepare, focus on chair-flying basic instrument profiles and brushing up on your Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles. Get into the mindset of a methodical, procedure-driven professional. And, of course, we're not going to pass up the opportunity to talk about how Momentum Flight Training can help you achieve exactly that – because, let's be honest, who doesn't love a shameless plug for their own business?

Nail that evaluation, and you'll be on your way to the next stage of your career. Good luck!