I just thought I'd post on here to see if anyone in the community knew if there were any corporate charters that were looking for or would be open to an internship for a student. Im a Junior at Embry Riddle and will be rated through Multi-Commercial when I'm looking to intern (this coming summer) so I was hoping to find something in a flight operations department. Everyone here at school interns with Airlines so I was hoping to do something a little different to set myself apart. If anyone has any form of guidance on where I could move forward into this process I'd be more than thankful. This is my first post on here so I appologize if this has been posted before, I searched and didn't see anything. Thanks for your time.

Just get an internship anywhere. If you are flight operations, I would still try with all the airlines. Check with regionals. I interned with a regional back in the day and they offered us interviews for pilot slots after the internship. In exchange, the internship was unpaid. This won't happen anymore, but maybe it will help should you need it when you get your ATP mins.

I would also check with NBAA, AOPA, and AAAE. AAAE might not be flight operations, but many airports look for interns which have an operations twist to it.


If push comes to shove, just get a general business internship. It can have an aviation twist or not. I'm a firm believer in having some experience than just flight operations since this industry has huge booms and massive busts (ie 2008). I graduated when airlines were putting tons of pilots on the streets. I was never able to make it to the right seat even though my major was just flight operations (pilot). I was able to make it into the management side of aviation solely due to my internship. It really saved my bacon when I knew numerous guys on the street but I was still able to provide for my family.

Having interned with both a regional airline and a major airline...skip an unpaid regional internship and seek out a major/legacy airline internship (paid or not) if you have even a passing interest in 121.

There are a handful of 91 departments that have done internships in the past - IBM, United Technologies, Coca-Cola and Limited Brands come to mind off the top of my head...there likely are a number of others.

If there is a particular department or location you are interested in, it does not hurt to make contact with the Director of Aviation or Chief Pilot and ask the question - may lead to nothing, may help develop a long-term mentorship or networking contact, might end up with you in an internship.

Which Embry are you attending? I fly for a part 91 department in the Phoenix area and we have been discussing the possibility of having someone intern with us. We have our own facility, maintenance, airplanes and pilots. We operate 1 large cabin and 1 small cabin jet. PM me your information if you like and I will be happy to find out if this might be a possibility. Ultimately the decision wouldn't be up to me as a line Captain, but I know the Chief Pilot has expressed interest in doing this with someone.