Aviation & maritime CV guide
Licences, type ratings and medical class go first, with expiry dates. State total hours, hours on type and PIC hours (pilots) or sea time and vessel types (seafarers).
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Sections to include
| Section (in this order) | How important |
|---|---|
| Profile | Recommended |
| Licences, ratings & medical | Expected |
| Experience | Expected |
| Aircraft / vessel types & hours | Recommended |
| Training | Recommended |
| Education | Recommended |
Tips
- Licences, type ratings and medical class go first, with expiry dates.
- State total hours, hours on type and PIC hours (pilots) or sea time and vessel types (seafarers).
- Seafarers: STCW certificates, Certificate of Competency and flag state.
Registration by country
Regulated jobs need the local registration or licence on the CV, or a note that the application is in progress. Confirm current requirements with the regulator.
| Country | Profession | Registration or licence |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Pilots | UK CAA licence (ATPL/CPL), type ratings, Class 1 medical |
| United States | Pilots | FAA certificate (ATP/commercial), ratings, first-class medical |
| Canada | Pilots | Transport Canada licence |
| Australia | Pilots | CASA licence |
| New Zealand | Pilots | CAA NZ licence |
| Germany | Pilots | EASA licence (LBA) |
| France | Pilots | EASA licence (DGAC) |
| United Arab Emirates | Pilots | GCAA licence |
| Saudi Arabia | Pilots | GACA licence |
| Singapore | Pilots | CAAS licence |
| United Kingdom | Seafarers | MCA Certificate of Competency and STCW |
| United States | Seafarers | USCG Merchant Mariner Credential |
Questions
What should an aviation and maritime CV include?
An aviation and maritime CV needs your contact details, experience and licences, ratings and medical, and usually profile, education, aircraft / vessel types and hours and training. Lead with what employers in this field check first, and back it up with specific examples. Licences, type ratings and medical class go first, with expiry dates. The CV Atlas readiness check flags anything this field expects that your CV is missing.
What order should the sections of an aviation and maritime CV be in?
Use this order for an aviation and maritime CV: Profile, Licences, ratings & medical, Experience, Aircraft / vessel types & hours, Training and Education. Put the most important evidence for this field near the top, and list entries within each section with the most recent first. Contact details and your name always come first, in the header. Some countries change the order, for example Japan lists history oldest first, and CV Atlas applies that automatically.
How long should an aviation and maritime CV be?
It depends on the country more than the job. An aviation and maritime CV in the United States should be 1–2 pages; in the United Kingdom, 2 pages; in Australia, 2–4 pages. Keep recent roles detailed and older ones brief, so your strongest evidence sits on the first page. Pick your target country in CV Atlas and it applies the local length and paper size.
How do I make an aviation and maritime CV stand out?
State total hours, hours on type and PIC hours (pilots) or sea time and vessel types (seafarers). Seafarers: STCW certificates, Certificate of Competency and flag state. Be specific: name the systems, settings and results, start each bullet with a verb, and keep it to one line where you can. Show the scale of your work with numbers where it helps. Tailor the first lines of your profile and each role to the job advert.
Which jobs does the aviation and maritime CV guide cover?
This guide covers 25 job titles, including Airline pilot, First officer, Captain, Helicopter pilot, Flight instructor, Drone pilot, Cabin crew / flight attendant and Air traffic controller. They share the same CV structure and checks. If your exact title is not listed, type it into CV Atlas and pick the closest field. Country rules such as photos, length and references are added on top when you choose where you are applying.
Jobs this guide covers
Airline pilot · First officer · Captain · Helicopter pilot · Flight instructor · Drone pilot · Cabin crew / flight attendant · Air traffic controller · Aircraft dispatcher · Airport ground staff · Airport operations officer · Baggage handler · Aviation security officer · Ship captain / master mariner · Deck officer · Marine engineer officer · Able seaman · Cruise ship crew · Yacht crew · Fisherman / deckhand · Harbour master · Marine pilot · Offshore worker · Commercial diver · Air traffic safety electronics technician
Country guides
Photo, date of birth, length and paper size change by country. Start with United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, or see all 200 countries.
Open the builderYour first CV is free. The builder applies these rules and checks your CV before you download it.
Guidance checked October 2026. General information for most employers, not legal or immigration advice. A job advert’s own instructions always come first. CV Atlas is not affiliated with any regulator or professional body named.