West Texas pilot jobs and flight schools
11 pilot employers and flight schools across El Paso, the Permian Basin, Lubbock, the Panhandle, Abilene and San Angelo: who is hiring, what they pay, and where to train. Every fact comes from the operator's own job posting or site; anything not published says so. Updated Nov 4, 2026.
West Texas is where Texas air medical pays the most. Rural bases from Fort Stockton to Pampa carry the highest published helicopter base pay we found in the state, and GMR runs King Air air ambulance crews out of Amarillo, Lubbock and San Angelo. The trade-off is location: most of these are 7 on / 7 off rural bases, so many pilots commute.
Air medical helicopter jobs
| Name | Where in West Texas | What | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Methods Helicopter operators | El Paso (Native Air, 1771 Shuttle Columbia Dr) and Snyder (AirLife TX, 5305 Etgen Blvd) | Air medical helicopter, VFR: El Paso EC130 (posting 10684), Snyder Bell 407 (posting 9972) | El Paso $82,900–$93,251 plus $30,000 base stipend, up to $12,000 experience stipend and $15,000 sign-on; Snyder $10,000 annual stipend, off-duty housing and $15,000 sign-on (base not published in the posting) |
| Med-Trans Helicopter operators | Fort Stockton, Pecos, Odessa, Seminole, Lubbock, Plainview, Pampa, Childress, Amarillo | HAA helicopter pilot, 9 West Texas and Panhandle postings (Nov 4, 2026); Lubbock and Amarillo list EC135 | $125,260–$137,789 at Fort Stockton, Pecos, Odessa, Seminole, Lubbock, Plainview and Pampa; Childress $109,174–$117,791 (23% geo, $15K sign-on); Amarillo $102,072–$112,280 (15% geo) |
| Air Evac Lifeteam Helicopter operators | Big Spring and Abilene | HAA helicopter pilot, 7 on / 7 off; GMR postings 60733 (Big Spring, posted Oct 20) and 61426 (Abilene, posted Oct 15) | Big Spring $115,387–$126,926 (incl. 30% geo), $15K sign-on, $40K retention after 3 years; Abilene $91,421–$100,564 (incl. 3% geo) |
Fixed-wing air medical jobs
| Name | Where in West Texas | What | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Medical Response (GMR) Helicopter operators | Amarillo, Lubbock and San Angelo | Fixed-wing air medical, King Air 200; postings 61581 (Amarillo, 14/14), 62340 (Lubbock, 7/7) and 60777 (San Angelo, 7/7) | Amarillo $120,888–$132,977; Lubbock $113,821–$125,203; San Angelo $94,851–$104,336 |
Government and law enforcement
| Name | Where in West Texas | What | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (Air Interdiction Agent) Government & law enforcement | El Paso air branch; Alpine unit; San Angelo national air security center (MQ-9, PC-12) | Air Interdiction Agent (GS-1881), airplane and helicopter; duty location assigned after assessment | GS-11 $88,509–$163,996; CBP example up to $159,127 (year 2) and $189,223 (year 3) at UAS sites incl. San Angelo with a 25% retention incentive |
| Texas Department of Public Safety, Aircraft Operations Division Government & law enforcement | El Paso, Midland, Lubbock, Amarillo and Alpine air stations | State police aviation; pilots must already be DPS commissioned officers (Trooper II+) | Not published |
Flight schools in West Texas
| Name | Where in West Texas | What | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hub City Aviation Flight schools | Lubbock (6004 N Cedar Ave) | Airplane, Part 141 and 61; Private through CFII | Private pilot estimated $10,000–$12,000 |
| Raider Aviation Flight schools | Slaton Municipal (F49), near Lubbock | Airplane; Private through CFI and multi-engine | Not published (Edly financing up to $82,000) |
| Skyline Aviation Training Academy Flight schools | San Angelo (Mathis Field, KSJT) and Abilene Regional (KABI) | Airplane (Part 141/61) and helicopter (Part 61) | Not published |
| Angelo State University, Commercial Aviation Flight schools | San Angelo (Mathis Field) | Bachelor of Commercial Aviation; Part 141 flight training with Skyline | Tuition plus flight hours; extra hours $222.37 each |
| Coyote Flight Centers Flight schools | Tradewind Airport, Amarillo | Airplane; Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI | Private $8,400–$12,600; commercial about $52,500 |
Sources: each listing page links its sources with the date checked. Med-Trans pay from GMR postings 58697, 58695, 60050, 60633 and 61967; Air Evac 60733 and 61426; GMR fixed wing 61581, 62340 and 60777; Air Methods 10684 and 9972; Texas DPS air stations; CBP on USAJOBS. Postings close; check the employer's site before applying.
Plan your path
- Helicopter pilot jobs in Texas (pay by town)
- HEMS pilot jobs
- Hours to ATP / R-ATP tracker
- DFW pilot jobs
- San Antonio pilot jobs and flight schools
- Austin pilot jobs and flight schools
- Houston pilot jobs and flight schools
- All Texas pilot employers and schools
FAQ
Where are the best-paying helicopter pilot jobs in Texas?
On the postings we checked Nov 4, 2026, the highest published helicopter base pay in Texas was in West Texas. Med-Trans listed $125,260–$137,789 at Fort Stockton, Pecos, Odessa, Seminole, Lubbock, Plainview and Pampa. Air Evac Lifeteam's Big Spring posting listed $115,387–$126,926 including a 30% geo modifier, with a $15,000 sign-on and $40,000 retention after 3 years.
What does "$220,000 Total Potential" mean on Med-Trans postings?
Several Med-Trans West Texas postings advertise a total potential of $190,000 to $245,000. That figure adds bonus potential on top of the base salary (the Pampa posting, for example, says up to $55,000). Plan around the base range, which is what we list in the table.
Are there fixed-wing pilot jobs in Amarillo, Lubbock or San Angelo?
Yes. Global Medical Response had King Air 200 air medical postings in Amarillo ($120,888–$132,977, 14 on / 14 off, posted Oct 22, 2026), Lubbock ($113,821–$125,203, 7/7, posted Nov 2, 2026) and San Angelo ($94,851–$104,336, 7/7, posted Sep 22, 2026). GMR's fixed-wing minimums include an airplane multi-engine commercial certificate, 2,500 hours total, 1,000 PIC and 500 multi-engine.
Is there a helicopter pilot job in El Paso?
Air Methods (Native Air) had an El Paso EC130 VFR posting (posted Oct 2, 2026) at $82,900–$93,251 base plus a $30,000 base stipend, an experience stipend up to $12,000 and a $15,000 sign-on, on 7 on / 7 off with 12-hour shifts. CBP Air and Marine Operations and Texas DPS also list El Paso aviation locations.
Can I fly for Texas DPS or CBP in West Texas?
Texas DPS lists air stations in El Paso, Midland, Lubbock, Amarillo and Alpine, but its pilots must already be DPS commissioned officers (Trooper II or above). DPS pay is not published on its aviation pages. CBP lists an El Paso air branch, an Alpine unit and a San Angelo center flying MQ-9 drones and PC-12s; CBP's own example says San Angelo pay can reach $159,127 in year 2 and $189,223 in year 3 with a 25% retention incentive.
Where can I learn to fly in West Texas?
Hub City Aviation (Lubbock) and Raider Aviation (Slaton, near Lubbock) train airplane pilots through CFI. Skyline Aviation trains airplane and helicopter pilots in San Angelo and Abilene and is the flight partner for Angelo State University's commercial aviation degree. Coyote Flight Centers trains at Tradewind Airport in Amarillo. We have not yet verified an El Paso or Midland–Odessa school against its own site.
How much does flight school cost in Lubbock or Amarillo?
Hub City Aviation estimates $10,000–$12,000 for a Part 141 private pilot certificate. Coyote Flight Centers lists about $8,400–$12,600 for private and about $52,500 for commercial (250 hours, including private and instrument). Raider and Skyline did not publish tuition on the pages we checked.
Know a West Texas operator or school we're missing? Suggest a listing or correction