Career Pathways

Airline Pilot/ Cargo Pilot

Most people get into aviation with a view to becoming an airline pilot. This is a very rewarding career but it is also a goal that will take a while, in some cases quite a while, to achieve.

To work as an airline pilot you will first need to hold a NZ Commercial Pilot Licence, and also a current Multi-Engine Instrument Rating. For larger aircraft types (turbo-props and jets) you will also need a Basic Gas Turbine rating.

To become an airline pilot you are first going to have to go through many different jobs to get the experience you need.

Depending on the airline you wish to join and the type of aircraft that they operate, this experience you will require could vary enormously. At the top level of the aviation industry in New Zealand, Air New Zealand currently requires for pilots a minimum of 2000 hours including 100 hours on Air Transport Operations. That is only a minimum requirement however. Most people that are successful in applying to Air New Zealand have over 3,000 hours, including 500 hours on Air Transport Operations and over 500 Multi-engine hours as pilot in command. This is obviously more restrictive than the lower level carriers such as Eagle or Air Nelson. You will need a CPL or ATPL still, but these airlines look for around 1000 hours total flight time and about 200 hours multi-engined flight time. They will prefer that you have ATPL theory credits, and may require that you have experience on air transport operations.

In many cases this experience is gained by working as an instructor after you have gained your CPL and then proceeding into the airlines, although people may progress onto the airlines from any area of flying.

One of the biggest things you need to consider with a career in the airlines are the personal qualities that they will be looking for. As with all aviation in New Zealand, personal qualities are extremely important, even to the extent of being more so than experience, to a degree at least. For starters, airline operations are two pilot operations, so you will need good communication skills, and be a team player. On the smaller airlines you may well be greeting passengers as they board the aircraft, and so may need customer service skills as well. For the Air New Zealand group, you will have to fit their overall brand as well, as they see you as representing the airline and the brand with their passengers.

There are also other requirements that you are going to have to consider. For example, Air New Zealand requires that you are either a New Zealand or Australian citizen, or hold a permanent New Zealand or an Australian residency permit. For many airlines you can find out more about their selection criteria by visiting their websites or calling their human resources departments.

As a pilot for the airlines you could be based anywhere around the country, and overnight duties may be required on occasion.

Flight Instructor / Flight Examiner

Many people become flight instructors in order to gain experience and flying hours so that they can join the airlines or otherwise progress with their flying. This is not always the case, and there are many instructors in New Zealand that have made a very enjoyable career for themselves teaching other people to fly.

Becoming a Flight Instructor is in most cases a progression from your CPL within the same training organisation. You will complete extra study and also develop the ability to pass that information on to others as well. You will then be required to sit another flight test with a flight examiner, demonstrating your ability to teach, both in the air and on the ground. This will give you your C-Cat instructors rating. As a C-Cat instructor, you can only work under supervision from a B-Cat instructor, and cannot send a student first solo.

When looking to employ an instructor, most aero clubs and flight training organisations will look first at instructors that they themselves have trained to a C- Cat standard. This is because they will have experience of what a pilots personal qualities are like, whether they are a ‘team player’ and what their communication skills are like. The same can be said of those aero clubs in New Zealand that do not train their own flight instructors. Personal qualities such as initiative and enthusiasm are primary as is the willingness to get your hands dirty doing odd jobs such as cleaning aircraft, or manning reception.

Gaining employment as a flight instructor is firstly dependant on student numbers, so when selecting an institution to train as a flight instructor, you may want to consider what their requirement for instructors is likely to be by the time you have finished your training.

If you want to continue as an instructor, then you can become a B-Cat instructor, an A-Cat instructor and then a Flight Examiner. There are also student loan funded courses offered that can take you through these various levels. Each of these extra qualifications brings further privilege and responsibilities and increases your employability as a Flight Instructor. You can also gain extra ratings and become an instructor on multi-engined aircraft, in aerobatic or night flight, or under IFR.

It is a low paying job for a new instructor, but it definitely gives you the satisfaction of introducing your passion to other people, and watching them “catch the aviation bug”.

Charter Pilot

For many people wishing to eventually fly for the airlines, an important link between their training and their goal are the smaller charter operations as they provide valuable experience on more complex aircraft, as well as more hours.

Although the aircraft are smaller, maybe only carrying 6-8 passengers, it requires the same level of professionalism as any other operation, and sometimes more. You are likely to be flying single pilot operations, and the challenging flying conditions that are regularly experienced in New Zealand mean that charter operators may require experience in single pilot IFR prior to your employment. It is a very different experience the first time you fly single pilot IFR on an operation compared with your training.

Another approach is for operators to take you on and then train you to meet their specific needs. You may need to pay for this training, but even if you don’t you will be being assessed throughout to ensure that your skills and attitude are right for the company. Most smaller operators cannot afford to have people in their organisation that do not fit within the company either in terms of skills or attitude. There is a benefit to this however. Generally operators will look for 500+ hours and MEIFR ratings, but if you are the right person for the organisation then you may be taken on board without quite these levels of experience as long as your attitude and enthusiasm meet requirements 

This will be dependant on the other pilots employed in the organisation however, as most companies will want to maintain a decent experience level throughout the company. If the company already has a few experienced pilots then they may be more prepared to take a lower hour pilot on board.

Given that attitude is so important, what then are operators looking for? This will vary between operations, and having ratings for their aircraft types would be an advantage, as would multi-engine time and time on air operations. In general though, they are looking for someone enthusiastic, adaptable, and ready to learn. Because of the small size of these operations, you must be prepared to “get your hands dirty” with the organisation. Chances are that you will be involved in roles within the company other than just flying such as greeting passengers on the aircraft, briefing them loading the aircraft and working the front desk.

You should be professional and well presented; and you should know a bit about the company before the interview. The money may not be great flying for these types of operations, but the experience you gain will more than make up for the effort.

Agricultural Pilot/ Agricultural Instructor

Working as an agricultural pilot in New Zealand is a demanding job, and you have to be precise with your flying as you will be operating very close to the ground. It is also helpful if you have knowledge of agriculture previously although this is less important than having an enthusiastic attitude. Many agricultural operators are also involved in many other roles as well, such as fire-fighting, search and rescue, and aerial photography so operators are looking for pilots that are flexible and adaptable as well.

If you’re a new pilot, some operators may want you to work for them as a loader driver so that they can get experience of the type of person you are, and what qualities you possess. This period may last anywhere from 6 to 18 months before they decide that you’re suitable to be trained as an agricultural pilot.

Once you start your training, you will study on ground course and also a course of agricultural flight training. If you’re going to need a student loan for training, you will need to show that you have a flying position with an agricultural operator upon successful completion of the training program. If you are receiving a student loan then you will also be assessed during your training to ensure you are maintaining the appropriate standard. This will be done by the chief pilot of the operator you are going to work for; or an independent E-Cat instructor if you’re training with the same organisation that you eventually want to work for. At the intermediate stage of your agricultural rating if you are not yet at an acceptable standard then you will have to do further training and undergo a reassessment. At this point, if you still haven’t met the standards required you will be removed from your course. This is done to ensure that you’re not spending a lot of money training for a career that you may not be suitable for.

After you’ve completed your training you will be required to pass a test with a flight examiner, who will test you on your flying skills and your knowledge. In order to work as an agricultural pilot you will also need to have completed a chemical rating allowing you to drop chemicals from an aircraft.

Once you have gained either your Grade 2 or Grade 1 agricultural rating, you may wish to continue further and become an instructor yourself. Once you have 2000 hours flight time on agricultural operations, you can sit your E-Cat instructor rating. You will need to hold a Commercial Pilots Licence, and have at least 100 hours on topdressing operations if you want to instruct in topdressing operations, or 100 hours on spraying operations if you want to instruct in spraying operations. Your instructor rating will require further study and also another flight test in which you will be tested on those parts of the oral examination and flight test that are relevant to the instruction to be undertaken, either topdressing or spraying, or both, as appropriate.

Skydiving Operations

Skydiving in New Zealand is an integral part of the tourism industry in New Zealand, with many operators around the country. They realise that they represent New Zealand with their attitudes and quality of service and this is reflected in what they look for in pilots for their operations. Some operators look for younger pilots, some for older, and hour requirements also depend on the individual operator, but while the requirements for pilots for these operations may vary widely all look for a very enthusiastic and ‘can do’ attitude.

To become a pilot for a skydiving operation you will certainly need your CPL, but you may need various ratings as well. For example, most drop aircraft in New Zealand are currently turbine aircraft, which would mean that you will have to get a turbine rating. You may not need one for a specific operation, but it will definitely increase your overall chances of gaining employment in a skydiving operation. Depending on the operator, you may also need an instrument rating as a safety backup.

Due to the weather, and the nature of the operation, some days you may be flat out working, while other days there may be nothing to do at all. Skydiving operations tend to be rostered flying and most operators require that on the days that you are rostered to work you either have to be on site at the airport or close by regardless of weather or demand. Other duties that may be required of you as a pilot in a skydiving operation are likely to involve cleaning the aircraft and making sure that it is ready to receive passengers.

There are benefits to flying for a skydiving operation. Although the number of hours that you fly may be variable, if you’re flying a turbine aircraft then that type of time is valuable should you wish to progress on to the airlines later on. Even if you don’t want to go to the airlines a skydiving operation will allow you to meet many different people and fly in some of the most scenic areas of the country.

Adventure Aviation

Although the definition of adventure aviation encompasses many different types of flying, such as warbirds, gliding, parasailing and so on, the only one that has professional pilots in New Zealand is currently aerobatics.

To become an aerobatic pilot you must be very passionate about flying itself. It is a significantly different type of flying than anything else you are likely to do, and also it’s hard work both physically and mentally.

The first thing you should do if you want to become an aerobatic pilot is go and get an aerobatic rating, to get a taste of the type of flying. Some people find they are completely unsuited to it, others find it not what they expected. The other main contrast to most other types of flying is that aerobatic aircraft are quite often tail-dragger types, such as the Pitts special. Given that, you may also want to get some initial experience in this type of aircraft before going on to the higher performance types.

Once you are ready to apply for a position as an aerobatic pilot, there will be a good chance you will have to relocate, as the aerobatic operations are generally concentrated in the tourist centres of the country.

Even more than ratings and experience though, operators are looking at who you are as a person. This is especially true of the smaller operations, where they will look at you attitude as a team player, and the other types of skills you can offer them, as well as your ability to drum up more business. This will not only contribute to their business by bringing more customers in, but it will also keep you busy when you’re not flying. 

The hours you can expect to work flying for an aerobatic operation will vary throughout the year as it is seasonal work, dependant on weather and customers. Most of the flying will be done in the tourist seasons, summer and winter, and flights are kept short, about 15-20 minutes, although you are likely to be at work throughout the day, about 8-9 hours per day, 3 days a week.

Military Pilot

If you want to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force or the Royal New Zealand Navy as a pilot on either fixed or rotary wing aircraft, then there are many aptitude and pre-selection tests that you will have to undergo before being accepted. For detailed information on joining the RNZAF or the RNZN please go to their websites, www.airforce.mil.nz; www.navy.mil.nz; or contact your local recruiting office.

Air Rescue/ Air Ambulance

Everyone in New Zealand recognises the need for our Air Rescue and Air Ambulance pilots. Whether its helicopters picking up accident victims and flying them to hospital, search aircraft helping to locate people lost in the bush or at sea, or aircraft carrying patients around the country, these pilots provide an invaluable role to our society. They have to be able to fly in all kinds of weather and conduct their operation safely and effectively with sometimes critically injured people depending on them to succeed.

These often stressful conditions are recognised by specific standards that you have to meet in order to become an Air Ambulance or Air Rescue pilot. The criteria vary with the complexity of the operation from the most restrictive operations, such as a pressurised IFR capable fixed wing aircraft used as an intensive care air ambulance to those criteria required for a search pilot on a fixed wing aircraft. As a minimum however, you will need your CPL, knowledge of search techniques and 300 hours flight time for a fixed wing aircraft or 1000 hours with 15 hours cross-country night flying and additional operation specific experience as a helicopter search pilot.

More information on the specific requirements for all the various types of air ambulance or search and rescue operations can be found in the Air Rescue/ Air Ambulance standards manual on the aia website.

Whatever the specific role that you wish to undertake in Air Rescue or Air Ambulance flying, you will have to undergo a pilot training course once you have been employed. These are quite extensive, and you will also need to undergo review training every six months to ensure continued competency.

Police

The police use civilian pilots supplied by their lease company to fly their Eagle patrols. These pilots have no police training, but must have a minimum of 3000 hours, and varied experience.

Deer Hunting and Retrieval

Many people in New Zealand will associate flying with deer recovery, shooting the deer from helicopters and then slinging the deer underneath the helicopter to bring it out of the bush. Although not a career in itself anymore, these operations are still undertaken today by a handful of organisations around the country as a secondary role.

Similarly to Agricultural flying if you want to get involved in this type of flying, you need a fairly specific set of skills, due to the nature of the task. These skills include knowledge of animals and how they will react to the helicopter and significant low flying experience. One of the best ways to get this type of experience is by doing a period of cattle mustering in Australia. These pilots operate close to the ground for extended periods of time, using their aircraft to herd the animals. This type of experience is seen as valuable if you want to get into deer recovery in New Zealand although you will also need an appreciation of the type of country in which you will be flying, such as an understanding of how the wind and weather will affect which valleys you should or should not go into under the prevalent conditions.

Operators involved with these types of tasks are generally looking for someone that can work as part of a team, has a country background and is responsible and level headed, as when you are operating in those types of conditions you need to be “switched on” all the time, thinking about your surroundings.

Other

There are other roles as a pilot in New Zealand aviation that are not specific career paths, as there is not the opportunity to become solely employed in these operations. These include aerial photography, firefighting, ferrying aircraft, frost protection work and many others. While they are not careers in themselves in New Zealand there are many organisations that undertake these occupations as the need arises. Companies such as Wanganui Aero Work and other agricultural operators undertake firefighting duties, while most of the helicopter operations around the country are involved with many aviation roles. Aerial photography is also undertaken around New Zealand, by many operations both fixed and rotary wing.

As these operations are conducted at the discretion of individual operators there are not specific requirements regarding flight time or personal qualities. If you wish to get involved with a career that would include these types of operations you can contact the Aviation Industry Association or CAA who can then put you in touch with operators involved in the area you are interested in.