How To Become A Flight Operation Coordinator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a flight operation coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Flight Operation Coordinators do the necessary albeit often mundane flight operation tasks. Monitoring flight crew coverage, tracking employees' vacation days and sick leave, scheduling flights -- you name it. They have to know the ins and outs of US Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations to ensure strict compliance.

Most employers require their Flight Operation Coordinator to at least have a college diploma. We found the Flight Operation Coordinators commonly pursue degrees in Aviation, Business, Criminal Justice, and Nursing. Other qualifications include excellent math, organizational, and problem-solving skills since their clerical work often includes generating timetables and keeping track of financial documentation.

The average Flight Operation Coordinator in the United States earns a yearly salary of $33,406. That adds up to roughly $16 an hour. However, there are plenty of opportunities for career advancement for people looking for higher-paid positions. Experience as a Flight Operation Coordinator can lead to more lucrative careers as an Aircraft Dispatcher, Operations Agent, and Logistics Coordinator.

ScoreFlight Operation CoordinatorUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,283

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.7

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.62%

Asian 5.38%

Black or African American 8.13%

Hispanic or Latino 18.78%

Unknown 7.06%

White 60.02%

Gender

female 44.94%

male 55.06%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

8.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a flight operation coordinator

Explore flight operation coordinator education requirements

Most common flight operation coordinator degrees

Bachelor's

57.2 %

Associate

21.9 %

High School Diploma

8.8 %

Start to develop specific flight operation coordinator skills

Skills	Percentages
Reservations	14.98%
Quality Standards	9.77%
Ground Transportation	8.92%
FOS	5.77%
International Flights	4.83%

Complete relevant flight operation coordinator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New flight operation coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a flight operation coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real flight operation coordinator resumes.

Research flight operation coordinator duties and responsibilities

Schedule flight crews for assignments, mange corporate aircraft fleet, manage charter customer base, manage record keeping for FAA requirements
Review and monitor all weather conditions, MEL, CDL, aircraft performance limitations, and any potential hazards.
Generate flight releases in accordance with the FARs while ensuring the safe operation of flights.
Joint responsibility with the PIC for the preflight planning, delay and dispatch of a flight in compliance with FARs.

Prepare your flight operation coordinator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your flight operation coordinator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a flight operation coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable flight operation coordinator resume templates

Build a professional flight operation coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your flight operation coordinator resume.

Apply for flight operation coordinator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a flight operation coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do flight operation coordinators rate their job?

-/5

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Flight operation coordinator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2021

Pros

1. Arrangement of daily duty of everyday flight . 2.Surpervise of my staff according to their location. 3.breifing my crew about weather and flight condition or nature.

Cons

cancelling of flight due mismanage