Airline Pilot, Co-Pilot, or Flight Engineer
$150KHigh match
Very high demand
Live · Guide v1.0155F · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
Home/Career Guides/155F
ARMY · 155FCareer Guide · Aviation · VWC.CG.155F.R.04
155F · ARMY · EnlistedJet Aircraft
Jet Aircraft
Pilot.
Army 155F (Jet Aircraft Pilot). 260 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $80K–$150K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours260DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours recommended in Aviation Flight Technology
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/5direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 155F 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 155F training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have05
- 01Situational Awareness→ Ability to quickly assess complex situations and make informed decisions under pressure.
- 02Rapid Prioritization→ Effectively manage competing demands and focus on critical issues in fast-paced settings.
- 03Degraded-Mode Operations→ Remain calm and troubleshoot problems, adapting quickly to changing circumstances.
- 04System Modeling→ Analyze complex systems, identify key variables, and develop effective strategies.
- 05Procedural Compliance→ Strong work ethic, attention to detail, and commitment to quality standards.
To learn08
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Cloud computing fundamentals (AWS, Azure, or GCP)+Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation)+Linux server administration basics+Scripting with Python or Bash+SQL and database querying+Data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI)+Network security principles+Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems
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
Air Traffic Controller
$135KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Air Traffic Control certification
Flight Instructor
$80KGood match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating
Aerospace Engineer
$125KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering
- — Civilian engineering principles
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 155F training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Situational Awareness
As a pilot, you constantly monitor your surroundings, aircraft systems, weather conditions, and potential threats to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the operational environment and ensure flight safety.
Transfers to
This heightened awareness translates to an ability to quickly assess complex situations, anticipate potential problems, and make informed decisions under pressure in dynamic environments.
Rapid Prioritization
During flight, you're trained to quickly assess and prioritize multiple tasks and potential hazards, such as system malfunctions, changes in weather, or enemy threats, to maintain control of the aircraft and accomplish the mission.
Transfers to
This skill translates to an ability to effectively manage competing demands, delegate tasks, and focus on the most critical issues, ensuring timely and effective decision-making in fast-paced settings.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Pilots are rigorously trained to handle emergency situations and system failures, maintaining control of the aircraft and executing emergency procedures to ensure the safety of the crew and aircraft.
Transfers to
This experience equates to the ability to remain calm and effective under pressure, troubleshoot complex problems, and adapt quickly to changing circumstances, maintaining operational effectiveness even in challenging situations.
System Modeling
You develop a deep understanding of aircraft systems, including their interactions and limitations, which allows you to predict performance, troubleshoot malfunctions, and optimize flight parameters for different mission requirements.
Transfers to
This translates to the ability to analyze complex systems, identify key variables, and develop effective strategies for achieving desired outcomes, whether it be in project management, logistics, or operations.
Procedural Compliance
As a pilot, you adhere to strict procedures and regulations to ensure safety and mission success, demonstrating a commitment to following established protocols and maintaining high standards of performance.
Transfers to
This translates to a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and commitment to adhering to quality standards, ensuring consistent and reliable performance in regulated industries.
/ 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 trained to manage complex aerial situations, understand flight patterns, and make quick decisions under pressure. Your situational awareness and communication skills honed as a pilot make you an ideal candidate for ensuring the safe and efficient flow of air traffic.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161.00You've been in charge of managing risk, planning, and executing missions under varying conditions. As an emergency management director, you’ll use your rapid prioritization skills, your expertise in degraded-mode operations and system modeling to mitigate and manage disaster response.
Adjacent · MatchLogistics Manager
SOC 11-3071.00You've been responsible for planning flights, managing resources, and ensuring the safe and efficient transportation of personnel and equipment. This background equips you with the skills necessary to excel in optimizing supply chains, coordinating transportation, and managing inventory in the logistics industry.
Adjacent · MatchBusiness Continuity Planner
SOC 13-1199.05You're accustomed to planning for contingencies, mitigating risks, and ensuring operational readiness. Your experience in degraded-mode operations and system modeling is highly valuable in developing and implementing business continuity plans, safeguarding organizations against disruptions and ensuring continued operations.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Fixed Wing Qualification Course
Fort Novosel260hHours
6wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 6 semester hours recommended in Aviation Flight Technology
Topics · 7
- Aircraft systems and performance
- Aeromedical evacuation procedures
- Electronic surveillance techniques
- Intelligence gathering operations
- Mission planning and briefing procedures
- Emergency procedures
- Crew Resource Management (CRM)
Partial coverage · 2
- FAA Commercial Pilot License70%
Differences in FAA regulations, specific aircraft type ratings, and civilian operational procedures need to be studied.
- Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)50%
Focus on FAA flight training regulations, civilian flight training techniques, and practical application of instructional methods.
Recommended next · 03
- Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) CertificateAdjacent
- Certified Aviation Manager (CAM)Adjacent
- Project Management Professional (PMP)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/ARC-231 Skyfire Radio | Commercial aviation VHF/UHF communication radios | Operations |
| AN/APN-209 Radar Altimeter | Civilian aircraft radar altimeters | Signals |
| Joint Airspace Management System (JAMS) | Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems | Operations |
| Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) | High-precision GPS receivers | Operations |
| Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) | Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems | Operations |
| AN/AVS-9 Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS) | High-end night vision goggles | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 155F 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.