flyExclusive Pilot Interview: Multi-Stage Process Tests Technical, CRM, and Customer Service Skills
Why It MattersCharter and fractional operators competing for captain-qualified pilots are increasingly screening for customer-facing and CRM skills alongside technical proficiency, not technical skill alone.
What happened
Pilots applying to flyExclusive go through a multi-stage interview process that starts with a phone screening conducted by a line pilot, followed by an in-person panel interview combining behavioral and technical questions. Indoctrination takes place in Kinston, North Carolina, followed by a type rating at FlightSafety in Orlando and two 8-day initial operating experience rotations. The Citation Sovereign is used for the type rating at FlightSafety Orlando.
flyExclusive operates a fleet that includes the Citation CJ3+, XLS+, and Sovereign+, as well as the Challenger 300, HondaJets, and Caravans. The company is certificated under FAR Part 135 and is ranked the number-one Part 135 operator in North America by hours and flights as of May 2026. It trades on the NYSE under the ticker FLYX, is founder-led, and is headquartered in Raleigh, with flight operations, MRO, and training based in Kinston.
flyExclusive reported revenue for the first nine months of fiscal year 2025 up 15% year-over-year and achieved its first positive Adjusted EBITDA in Q4 2025. An acquisition closed in July 2026. Interviewers probe knowledge of Part 135 charter operations, crew resource management philosophy, and flyExclusive's safety culture and business model, with technical questions covering subjects including VMC and multi-engine fundamentals. The company primarily seeks captain-qualified applicants, and because two captains may crew together, first officer slots are limited.
Industry impact & what to watch
flyExclusive's hiring process reflects a broader pattern in high-end charter and fractional flying, where the pilot is also the primary point of customer contact for the trip. Emphasizing customer service alongside CRM and technical knowledge signals that operators serving premium clientele treat cabin experience as part of the pilot's job description, not a separate function.
The captain-heavy staffing model, where two captains can crew together and first officer slots are limited, shapes how pilots plan a path into this kind of operation: captain qualification opens far more seats than a first-officer track does. This works because Part 135 charter and fractional programs value command experience that lets either seat carry full authority during high-touch missions.
What happens next for flyExclusive depends on how its financial trajectory, including the positive Adjusted EBITDA reported in Q4 2025 and the acquisition closed in July 2026, translates into fleet growth and pilot demand at its Kinston base.
