Skydive Pilot Jobs: How to Fly Skydivers

Skydive pilot jobs offer a unique blend of the technical skill of flying with the adrenaline-pumping world of skydiving. Here’s the scene: You’re behind the controls of a small aircraft, cruising through the sky as skydivers prep for their jumps inches away. You get to the right altitude, determine the best spot, and communicate to the jumpers that it’s time to open the door. One by one, they leap out, and suddenly, the energy-packed cabin is silent – it’s just you and the sky. You begin your descent, soak in the sun on your skin, the beauty of the blue, and land only to rev up and do it all again! 

In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about becoming a jump pilot – from the essential training and requirements, to the characteristics that make a great skydive pilot. Whether you’re considering a career in aviation or just curious about this aspect of the skydiving world, we’ll take you behind the scenes of this dream profession.

What Is A Jump Pilot? 

A jump pilot is just the term for a skydive pilot! Are skydiving pilot jobs easy to come by? Can any Joe Blow become a diver driver? Nah, it’s not that easy. Skydive pilots are extremely skilled, professional individuals who fly the airplane that skydivers jump out of. They must be dedicated to providing a safety-first environment for everyone who enters their aircraft, as well as everyone they share the airspace with. 

What Certifications Are Needed to be a Pilot for Skydivers?

What do you need to fly skydivers? Just like the majority of skydiving jobs, becoming a skydiving pilot starts with acquiring the basic credentials and progressing. Here’s a deeper look: 

Learn the basics of flying

Can a private pilot fly skydivers? Nope. Gaining your Private Pilot License (PPL) is the first step when learning to fly totally solo! This means that although Private Pilots are plenty experienced, they’re nowhere near experienced enough to handle the variability and pressure that comes with flying jumpers. 

Build hours

How long does it take to become a skydiving pilot? The aviation industry is all about accumulating flight time, which is also referred to as building hours. When you ask a pilot how long they’ve been flying, they often won’t respond to you with what year they started their aviation journey, but rather how many hours they’ve racked up. Hours and experience are pretty directly correlated.

Achieve your Commercial Rating

Pilot requirements vary depending on the type of aircraft pilot. At a bare minimum, skydiving pilots are required to have a Commercial Single-Engine Land (CSEL) License, which is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Gain an Instrument Rating (not required)

An Instrument Rating (IR) isn’t actually required to be a jump pilot, but it’s recommended and will generally give a pilot priority in the industry. Why? They show experience and expertise! Instrument ratings prove that a pilot can fly by solely using their instruments in the plane. Technically, having an instrument rating proves a pilot is knowledgeable enough to fly around with their eyes closed (which they would never do)! 

How Much Do Skydive Pilots Make? 

What is the average pilot salary, and is it the same for those who fly skydivers? How much do skydive pilots make? Many commercial pilots are paid for their flight time (how much time they actually spend flying) on top of a base salary, plus benefits. Their pay generally correlates to experience. For example, a first officer (co-pilot) will not be making as much as an experienced captain. For commercial airlines, base pay for right seaters could start around $40k/year and captains can make anywhere from $100k to $400k. 

Skydive pilot pay is not as glorious as those who fly commercial jets, but it sure is a ton of fun! Similar to skydiving instructors, who are usually paid per jump, jump pilots tend to be paid per load they fly. This varies greatly on dropzone location, how many loads the pilot is flying, and what type of plane they soar in. Aside from building flight time (hours), many jump pilots come to dropzones to learn about the industry in a flexible work environment – dropzones generally only fly during the day, always during awesome weather, and sometimes just on weekends. 

Characteristics Of A Good Jump Pilot

A compelling pilot job application for a dropzone is very different from that of an airliner. But, they will have some similarities, like being a qualified and dedicated individual. A good jump pilot is someone who is a team player, is passionate about aviation, supports the skydiving industry, and is punctual and reliable. 

Curious about working in the skydiving industry? Check out our jobs page for any open positions at the dropzone. And if you’re ready to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, book your jump online! We can’t wait to see you at Wisconsin Skydiving Center!