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The differences between corporate pilots and air tour pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a corporate pilot and an air tour pilot. Additionally, an air tour pilot has an average salary of $101,440, which is higher than the $87,661 average annual salary of a corporate pilot.
The top three skills for a corporate pilot include FAA, pilot-in-command and PIC. The most important skills for an air tour pilot are PIC, customer service, and UAV.
| Corporate Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $87,661 | $101,440 |
| Hourly rate | $42.14 | $48.77 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 12,371 | 3,885 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Typically working for large companies, a corporate pilot's role is to operate company aircraft for official work trips. Their responsibilities include coordinating with airports, directing and overseeing flight crew, preparing and processing documentation, and adhering to all the protocols and safety checks to ensure safety and efficiency. There are also instances where they must meet and greet passengers, file itinerary plans, and resolve issues and concerns. Furthermore, a corporate pilot must perform regular inspections and maintain an active communication line with staff on land and within the aircraft.
Air Tour Pilots fly and navigate helicopters, planes, or any other aircraft providing rides to tourists. The pilot's transport passengers between local destinations, answer queries regarding the areas they pass by, or explain sightseeing opportunities. They usually work for certain companies to transport cargo on their fixed schedules. They conduct safety audits for operations specifications to ensure that the aircraft operates within the safety margins. Also, they take part in station leadership teams representing flight operations.
Corporate pilots and air tour pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Corporate Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Average salary | $87,661 | $101,440 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $120,000 | Between $78,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a corporate pilot and an air tour pilot in terms of educational background:
| Corporate Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between corporate pilots' and air tour pilots' demographics:
| Corporate Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.0% Female, 6.0% | Male, 97.1% Female, 2.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |