Low-Time Pilot Jobs in California
Last updated July 3, 2026
A guide to low-time, hour-building pilot jobs in California — the flight schools, drop zones, aerial survey, banner-tow and Part 135 cargo employers FlyTo1500 tracks, what they typically require, and how to find current openings.
Short answer
California has 89 low-time pilot employers in the FlyTo1500 database across flight instructing, skydiving, aerial survey/pipeline patrol, banner towing, and Part 135 cargo. Hiring varies by employer and season, so this page groups potential employers by category and shows how to find current openings.
California snapshot
- Low-time pilot employers tracked
- 89
- Major areas
- San Diego, San Jose, El Cajon, Riverside, Fresno, Long Beach
- Job types
- CFI, jump pilot, survey/patrol, banner tow, cargo
- Typical entry
- Commercial certificate; CFI is the most common first job
- Hours to airlines
- 1,500 (ATP) — 1,000–1,250 with an R-ATP
- Best for
- Newly-certificated pilots building toward 1,500 hours
Counts reflect employers FlyTo1500 tracks. Requirements and hiring vary by employer, aircraft, and season.
Potential low-time pilot employers in California
Below are employers FlyTo1500 tracks in California. Requirements and current openings vary by employer, aircraft, and season — a listing here does not mean an employer is currently hiring.
Flight schools & CFI employers (64)
Above All Aviation
Santa Barbara, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Aero Tech Academy INC
Redlands, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
American Aviation Academy INC
El Cajon, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
American Helicopter LLC
Fresno, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Anthelion Helicopters
Long Beach, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Archer Air LLC
San Jose, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Av8 Aviation
Redding, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Bay Area Flying Clubs, INC
San Jose, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
California Airways, LLC
Hayward, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
California Aviation Services INC
Riverside, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
California Baptist University
Riverside, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
California Flight Academy
El Cajon, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
California In Nice, INC
San Jose, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Candace A. Larned Enterprises INC
Long Beach, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
CFI Academy INC
Acampo, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Channel Islands Aviation INC
Camarillo, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Civic Helicopters INC
Carlsbad, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Coast Flight Training And Management INC
San Diego, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Corsair Aviation LLC
Van Nuys, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Discovery Aviation INC
Discovery Bay, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Eva Flight Training Academy
Mather, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Executive Flight Institute
Murrieta, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Fallbrook Flight Academy, LLC
Fallbrook, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Fm Aviation INC
Concord, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Helipro INC
San Luis Obispo, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Helistream INC
Costa Mesa, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Iasco Flight Training INC
Redding, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Jb Aeronautics
Fresno, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Jc Air Academy INC
Stockton, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Jet & Rotor Aviation Academy
Sacramento, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Joby Aviation College
Santa Cruz, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Learn To Fly LLC
Redlands, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
M.i. Air Corporation
Chino, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Mach 1 Aviation INC
Van Nuys, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Mach 5 Aviation, LLC.
Auburn, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Nextgen Flight Academy INC
Riverside, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Orange County Flight Center INC
Santa Ana, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Pacific States Aviation, INC
Concord, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Pinnacle Aviation Academy INC
Carlsbad, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Riverside Flight Academy
Riverside, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Rotors And Wings Aviation INC
La Verne, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Sanbarcollbuscom INC
Oxnard, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Sanbarcollbuscom INC
San Diego, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Sanbarcollbuscom INC
Bakersfield, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Scandinavian Flight Academy
El Cajon, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Shier Aviation Corporation
San Diego, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Silver Express Company
Van Nuys, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Silver Express Company
Corona, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Sky Creation INC
Long Beach, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skyview Aviation
Tracy, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Sling Flying Club, LLC
Torrance, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Socal Pilot Center
Thermal, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Squadron Acquisition Corporation
San Jose, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Stratus Aviation LLC DBA Wings Flight School
Vacaville, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Sunrise Aviation Company INC
Santa Ana, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Universal Aviators Academy INC
El Monte, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Volar Corporation
El Cajon, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
William Jessup University
Rocklin, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
World Wide Wings LLC
San Bernardino, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Xing Kong Aviation Service LLC
Atwater, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydiving drop zones (22)
Bay Area Skydiving
Byron, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
GoJump Oceanside
Oceanside, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Madera Parachute Center
Madera, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
NorCal Skydiving
Cloverdale, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Pacific Coast Skydiving
San Diego, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Parachute Center
Acampo, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Silicon Valley Skydive (San Jose Skydiving Center)
San Martin, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
SkyDance SkyDiving
Davis, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive California
Tracy, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Coastal California
Camarillo, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Elsinore
Lake Elsinore, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Golden Gate
Novato, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Hollister
Hollister, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Monterey Bay
Marina, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Perris
Perris, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Pismo Beach
Oceano, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Sacramento
Lincoln, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive San Diego
San Diego, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Santa Barbara
Lompoc, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Surfcity Santa Cruz
Watsonville, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Taft
Taft, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Skydive Yosemite
CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Aerial survey & pipeline patrol (1)
KCSI Aerial Patrol
Bakersfield, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Part 135 cargo operators (2)
Kalitta Charters
CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
West Air
Fresno, CA
Employer FlyTo1500 tracks
Want current openings, not just employers?
FlyTo1500 tracks live listings and matches them to your logbook.
Unlock Current JobsWhat these jobs in California typically require
- A Commercial Pilot Certificate (CFI/CFII for instructing)
- A current medical certificate
- Category/class and any type or tailwheel experience the role needs
- A clean, current logbook and professional resume
- Flexibility on schedule, location, and season
Most of these roles need a Commercial certificate per § 61.129 and a valid medical per § 61.23; airline hiring generally requires 1,500 hours for the ATP per § 61.159.
How to improve your chances in California
- Add a CFII/MEI to widen your instructing options
- A tailwheel endorsement opens up jump and survey flying
- Any turbine or Caravan time makes you far more competitive
- Apply across categories — flexibility gets you flying sooner
- Set up job alerts so you catch new openings early
Focus on one job type in California
Low-time pilot jobs in other states
Related FlyTo1500 resources
- All low-time pilot job types — CFI, cargo, survey, skydive, banner tow and more
- Flight instructor jobs by location — CFI employers by state and metro
- Best pilot jobs to build flight hours and how to get 1,500 hours
Official sources referenced
FAA rules set baseline certificate and eligibility requirements; individual employers add their own aircraft, insurance, and experience preferences. Always confirm current rules with the FAA and the specific employer.
Frequently asked questions
What low-time pilot jobs are available in California?+
California has 89 employers FlyTo1500 tracks across flight instructing, skydiving, aerial survey/pipeline patrol, banner towing, and Part 135 cargo. Flight instructing is usually the most common first job, but the mix depends on where you are.
How many pilot employers does FlyTo1500 track in California?+
Currently 89 low-time-friendly employers in California, grouped by category on this page. Whether any is hiring depends on the employer, aircraft, and season.
What's the fastest way to build hours in California?+
For most pilots it's flight instructing (steady, year-round), but jump flying and survey/patrol can add turbine and PIC time fast. Compare options in our guide to the best jobs for building flight hours.
Do I need a commercial certificate for these jobs?+
Yes — nearly all paid low-time flying requires at least a Commercial Pilot Certificate, and instructing also needs a CFI. A current medical is required too.
Can FlyTo1500 help me find pilot jobs in California?+
Yes. FlyTo1500 tracks these employers and current openings and matches them to your hours, certificates, and goals. FlyTo1500 helps you discover and compare jobs — it does not employ pilots.
Want to know which pilot jobs you actually qualify for?
FlyTo1500 helps you compare low-time pilot jobs based on your hours, certificates, ratings, and job goals — so you can focus on openings that actually match your logbook.
Find Jobs I Qualify ForCancel anytime · Apply directly with employers