Career Pathways Aren’t Linear: How to Keep Moving When Aviation Gets Weird with Dave Jesurun

Feeling stuck in your aviation career and wondering what your next move should be? In this episode, host Adam Uhan sits down with Dave Jesurun to talk about real career pathways for pilots who feel behind. Dave shares his journey from Air Force Special Operations Command to building High Country Air Service in Albuquerque. They discuss practical steps pilots can take today to regain momentum, from building versatile experience to networking with the right people. The key message is simple: hours matter, but employers also value adaptability, initiative, and a strong story that shows commitment to aviation.

Dave Jesurun founded High Country Air Service in 2016, following a distinguished 24-year military career, spent primarily in Special Operations. He began his military career at the United States Air Force Academy in 1992, graduated in 1996 and was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force. After completing pilot training in the T-34C and T-44A (King Air C90) in 1998, Dave spent the next 4 years flying the C-130H. With experience in North/Central/South America, Europe, and the Middle East, Dave then transferred to Air Force Special Operations Command where he flew the AC-130H for nearly 7 years. A veteran of deployments to South America and Afghanistan, Dave was selected to attend the United States Air Force Weapons School, the Air Force's version of Top Gun. Upon graduation, he was then selected to return as a Weapons Instructor, teaching the best flight instructors and leaders in the Air Force to be more effective, more efficient, and more lethal.

Connect with Dave: Web: https://highcountryairservice.com/home Email: dave@hcas.pro

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(0:18) Career pathways, industry challenges, and guest introduction (1:22) Versatility, storytelling, and credibility in aviation (1:50) Dave Hesserun's background and military to civilian transition (5:28) Operations at High Country Air Service (7:10) Addressing concerns of low time and civilian pilots (10:16) Options and advice for noncurrent and returning pilots (15:34) Networking and experience in aviation career progression (19:23) Mentorship and what employers seek in pilots (25:12) Common career advancement mistakes and importance of CFI certification (30:04) Identifying stepping stone vs. dead end jobs in aviation (33:43) Role of hours and logbook maintenance in career progression (37:26) Strategies for pilots feeling stuck and misconceptions (41:22) Immediate actions to enhance pilot career prospects