Qualified pilots,
on standby.

Pilot Standby connects aircraft owners and corporate flight departments with verified contract and full-time pilots, and with flight instructors who train in your own aircraft.

Get early accessHow it works
For aircraft owners & flight departments

The right pilot for your aircraft, when you need one.

Search pilots by aircraft type, ratings, experience, and location. Hire for a single trip or fill a full-time seat.

🔎

1. Search

Filter by type rating, certificates, total and turbine time, medical class, and how far the pilot will travel.

📋

2. Review

See complete profiles with certificates, ratings, current medical, hours, and resume, plus each pilot's verification status.

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3. Book or hire

Send a trip request for contract work, or post a full-time opening and contact pilots directly.

For pilots

Get found by owners who need you.

  • Build one professional profile: certificates, ratings, type ratings, medical, hours, and resume.
  • Set your home base and travel range: a radius, specific states, or nationwide.
  • Choose contract trips, full-time roles, or both.
  • Earn a Verified badge to stand out.
  • Get reminders before your medical, flight review, and currency expire.
For flight instructors

Teach owners in their own aircraft.

  • List your CFI, CFII, and MEI ratings and the aircraft you instruct in.
  • Get matched with owners who need transition training, instrument work, flight reviews, or IPCs.
  • Owners can search for instructors near where their plane is based.
  • Set your own rates and availability.
Location search

Search where your aircraft is.

Find pilots and instructors by state, by region, or within a set distance of any airport. Pilots tell you how far they'll travel, so you only see people who can actually get to you.

By stateBy regionRadius from airportPilot travel rangeNationwide
Verification & trust

Know who's flying your aircraft.

Pilots can earn a Verified badge after their credentials are reviewed. You can see the status of each item on a profile, along with expiration dates.

  • FAA certificates and ratings checked against the FAA airmen registry
  • Medical class and expiration date reviewed
  • Type ratings and logged experience documented
  • Background check (planned for Verified pilots)
  • Alerts when a medical or currency is about to lapse
✔ Verified pilot

Verification shows that the documents a pilot provided were reviewed. Owners and their insurers still decide who is qualified to fly their aircraft.

Early access

Join the Pilot Standby waitlist.

We're launching soon. Tell us who you are and where you fly, and we'll reach out when Pilot Standby opens in your area.

We'll only use your email to tell you about Pilot Standby. No spam.

You're on the list. ✈

Thanks for your interest in Pilot Standby. We'll email you when we open in your area.

FAQ

Common questions

What is Pilot Standby?

Pilot Standby is a pilot staffing and matching service. We help aircraft owners and flight departments find pilots and flight instructors for their own aircraft. Pilot Standby is not an air carrier or charter broker, does not provide aircraft, and does not arrange charter flights.

Can I hire for one trip, or for a full-time job?

Both. Book a contract pilot for a single trip or a few days, or post a full-time position and connect with interested pilots.

Can I find an instructor to train in my own airplane?

Yes. Search CFIs, CFIIs, and MEIs near where your aircraft is based for transition training, instrument training, flight reviews, and IPCs.

How is pricing going to work?

Creating a pilot or instructor profile will be free. Owners and flight departments will pay a service fee when they book. We'll share details before launch.

Who is responsible for the flight?

The aircraft owner or operator remains responsible for operational control, insurance, and making sure the pilot meets their insurer's requirements.