Airline Pilot, Co-Pilot, or Flight Engineer
$190KHigh match
Very high demand
Live · Guide v1.01385 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
Home/Career Guides/1385
NAVY · 1385Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.1385.R.04
1385 · NAVY · OfficerNaval
Naval
Aviator.
Navy 1385 (Naval Aviator). 1,200 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $75K–$190K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours1,200DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEVaries by platform. Up to 30 semester hours recommended in aviation technology and related fields.
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/5direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 1385 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 1385 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have05
- 01Situational Awareness→ System Monitoring & Incident Response
- 02Rapid Prioritization→ Task Management & Decision-Making
- 03Procedural Compliance→ Adherence to Development Standards & Regulations
- 04Team Synchronization→ Agile Team Collaboration
- 05NALCOMIS experience→ ERP Systems Knowledge
To learn08
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Linux fundamentals+Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or GCP)+Scripting (Bash or Python)+Configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible, Chef, or Puppet)+Project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum)+Jira or similar project tracking software+Business analysis fundamentals+SQL and database concepts
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Commercial Pilot
$95KHigh match
High demand
Airfield Operations Specialist
$75KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Specific FAA certifications related to airfield management
- — Knowledge of civilian aviation regulations
Aerospace Engineer
$125KModerate match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering
- — CAD software proficiency
- — Knowledge of aerospace design principles
Air Traffic Controller
$135KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Air Traffic Control certification
- — Experience with civilian air traffic control systems
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 1385 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Situational Awareness
Naval Pilots must constantly monitor their surroundings, including weather conditions, aircraft performance, and the positions of other aircraft or ships, to make safe and effective decisions in dynamic environments.
Transfers to
The ability to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the environment and anticipate potential changes or threats is transferable to roles requiring constant monitoring and quick responses.
Rapid Prioritization
Pilots must quickly assess and prioritize tasks and threats, especially during emergencies or combat situations, to maintain control of the aircraft and complete the mission effectively.
Transfers to
Quickly assessing situations and prioritizing tasks under pressure translates to effective decision-making in high-stress environments, such as project management or emergency response.
Procedural Compliance
Naval aviation relies heavily on strict adherence to procedures and checklists to ensure safety and operational effectiveness. Pilots are trained to follow these protocols meticulously.
Transfers to
The discipline to follow established procedures and protocols is highly valued in roles requiring precision, consistency, and risk management, such as compliance or quality assurance.
Team Synchronization
Pilots often work as part of a larger team, coordinating with air traffic control, maintenance personnel, and other crew members to achieve mission objectives. Effective communication and coordination are critical.
Transfers to
The ability to effectively communicate and coordinate within a team environment is essential for successful collaboration in various industries, including project management, logistics, and operations.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Pilots are trained to handle malfunctions and equipment failures, adapting to degraded operational modes to safely recover the aircraft and complete the mission when possible.
Transfers to
The capacity to adapt and problem-solve under pressure when systems fail is valuable in roles requiring troubleshooting and crisis management, such as technical support or disaster recovery.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Air Traffic Controller
SOC 53-2011.00You've been responsible for the safe operation of aircraft in complex and demanding environments. Your skills in situational awareness, rapid prioritization, and procedural compliance make you an ideal candidate for managing air traffic and ensuring the safety of civilian aircraft.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161.00You've demonstrated expertise in coordinating resources and responding to emergencies, often under intense pressure. Your experience in degraded-mode operations and team synchronization will enable you to effectively plan and execute disaster response strategies.
Adjacent · MatchProject Manager (Aviation/Defense)
SOC 11-9021.00You've developed a deep understanding of aviation operations, resource management, and team coordination. Your ability to adhere to strict procedures and maintain situational awareness will be invaluable in managing complex aviation or defense projects, ensuring they are completed safely and efficiently.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API)
Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL; Primary Flight Training, various Naval Air Stations; Advanced Flight Training, various Naval Air Stations1,200hHours
78wkWeeks
ACECredit
Varies by platform. Up to 30 semester hours recommended in aviation technology and related fields.
Topics · 8
- Aerodynamics
- Aircraft Systems
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Flight Physiology
- Basic and Advanced Flight Maneuvers
- Formation Flying
- Instrument Flying
Partial coverage · 2
- Commercial Pilot License (CPL)70%
Differences in FAA regulations, specific aircraft type ratings, and potentially some cross-country flight planning requirements.
- Airline Transport Pilot (ATP)40%
FAA regulations, specific aircraft type ratings, and logged flight hours as PIC (Pilot in Command) required by the FAA. Additional study of civilian aviation safety standards is recommended.
Recommended next · 03
- Certified Aviation Manager (CAM)Adjacent
- Project Management Professional (PMP)Adjacent
- Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM)Adjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar | Advanced weather and navigation radar systems used in commercial aviation | Signals |
| Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) | Augmented reality display systems for industrial or aviation applications (e.g., for equipment maintenance or flight guidance) | Operations |
| Link 16 Tactical Data Link | Secure, real-time data communication networks (e.g., financial trading networks, emergency response systems) | Operations |
| AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) System | Advanced threat detection and countermeasures systems used in VIP aircraft or high-value asset protection | Operations |
| Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS) | Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for aviation maintenance and supply chain management (e.g., SAP, Oracle) | Networking |
| Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) | Secure data communication and networking systems used in emergency services or disaster response. | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 1385 into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.