Flight Crew International
Flight Crew International is a Plano, Texas-based aviation staffing firm, founded in 1993, that recruits pilots and aviation professionals for commercial airlines, business aviation, MROs, cargo operators, and VIP clients across 163 countries through permanent placement, crew leasing, and payroll services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersPlano, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Flight Crew International does
Flight Crew International (FCI) is a Plano, Texas-based aviation recruitment and crew leasing firm founded in 1993 that places pilots, flight attendants, engineers, schedulers, dispatchers, mechanics, instructors, and drone operators for commercial airlines, business and corporate aviation departments, cargo operators, MROs, aircraft lessors, and VIP clients. Its portfolio spans permanent recruitment, contract-to-hire, on-demand temporary staffing (under the FlighTemps sub-brand), crew leasing with FCI acting as Employer of Record, payroll and HR outsourcing, ferry and delivery flight services, and pilot training arrangements. The company's core asset is a proprietary crew candidate database covering 163 countries, accessed and replenished through a multilingual staff distributed across 11 country offices in North America, Europe (Dublin, Madrid), South Asia (Mumbai), East Asia (Beijing), Southeast Asia (Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Jakarta), West Africa (Lagos), and LATAM.
Revenue is generated through a mix of professional-services fees for permanent placements, managed-services margins on contract and contract-to-hire engagements, ferry flight billings, payroll/HR outsourcing mark-up, and referral-program channels. FCI is family-owned and led by President and CEO Aasiya Shaikh, with no disclosed outside funding; it operates under WBENC, SBA Small Business, and Minority-Owned certifications that allow clients to count engagements toward diversity-spend targets. Distribution is sales-led and direct, with 24/7 phone, email, and WhatsApp inside-sales coverage, regional schedulers and recruiters positioned globally, and marketing amplified through social, content, and a clearly-rated 4.8/5 client satisfaction score that earned the 2025 ClearlyRated Best of Staffing Award.
Customer concentration is moderate rather than monolithic: the public logo list spans more than twenty named airlines and operators across multiple continents, including American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, Peach Aviation (since 2017), Ethiopian Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietjet, SpiceJet, EVA AIR, Indigo, GoAir, Lucky Air, Royal Air Maroc, Air Peace, ArkeFly, Jet2.com, WingsAir, National Air Cargo, and Crystal-Cut business-aviation brands such as Clay Lacy, Wheels Up, Million Air, Silver Airways, Cutter, and Priester. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and headcount sits in the 101-250 employee band, all of which together support positioning as a mid-sized, niche aviation workforce specialist rather than a generalist staffing platform.
Flight Crew International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Flight Crew International
- Legal name
- Flight Crew International
- Website
- https://fci.aero
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Flight Crew International is a Plano, Texas-based aviation staffing firm, founded in 1993, that recruits pilots and aviation professionals for commercial airlines, business aviation, MROs, cargo operators, and VIP clients across 163 countries through permanent placement, crew leasing, and payroll services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Flight Crew International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plano
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Flight Crew International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Crew Leasing / Contract Staffing: FCI provides on-demand contractors, temps, and temp-to-perm crews for aviation departments on retainers of any duration. They assume employer responsibilities including HR and payroll, functioning as the Employer of Record.
- Full-Time Recruitment / Permanent Placements: FCI invests in finding the right candidate that fits the culture of the client's team, delivering stability, lower costs, and reduced attrition. This is a one-time placement fee model.
- Contract-to-Hire: Clients initially hire aviation professionals as contract employees for a specified time. If satisfied with performance, clients can convert leased crews to full-time direct employees — bridging contract and permanent placement revenue.
- Ferry Flight Services: FCI specializes in moving aircraft worldwide for delivery flights, demonstration flights, post-maintenance test flights, acceptance flights, and observation flights, charging for crew and logistics services.
- Payroll Management / HR Outsourcing: FCI acts as Employer of Record, assuming payroll processing, tax compliance, worker's compensation, and HR administrative responsibilities for clients' aviation personnel.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Flight Crew International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Flight Crew International (FCI) is an aviation workforce solutions provider that supplies pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, and other aviation personnel to airlines, corporate flight departments, and cargo operators on a contract, contract-to-hire, or direct-hire basis. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Plano, Texas, FCI also delivers complementary services including crew leasing/outsourcing, payroll and HR administration, aviation training and consulting, and ferry flight services. The company operates across 11 countries and maintains a candidate database spanning 163 countries.
Product overview
Flight Crew International (FCI) is a global aviation recruitment and crew leasing firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of staffing services. The core offering centers on Aviation Recruitment and Crew Leasing, supplemented by the FlighTemps on-demand staffing brand for temporary needs. These are complemented by add-on modules including Pilot Training, Crew Support (screening preparation, insurance, contract management), Payroll Management (Employer of Record services), Contract to Hire (temp-to-perm), and Ferry Flight Services. Business Aviation Staffing and Contract Pilot Services round out the offering for private/corporate aviation clients. The portfolio functions as a unified service suite where recruitment feeds into crew leasing, with administrative services (payroll, support) layered on top.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FlighTemps: On-demand temporary staffing division providing aviation professionals for commercial, business, and private aviation industry.
Products and services
- Crew Leasing / Contract Staffing
Quantifiable outcome
- One of the fastest growing providers of HR solutions and skilled personnel to the global aviation industry
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Flight Crew International
Customer profileNamed customers26 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Flight Crew International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Flight Crew International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- American AirlinescoreAmerican Airlines is listed among FCI's trusted partners. FCI recruits pilots and aviation professionals for American Airlines' flight department and operational needs.
- Vietnam AirlinescoreVietnam Airlines is a key airline client where FCI has supported pilot recruitment, including school agreements for pilots with families at SGN base and placement of expat pilots.
- Turkish AirlinescoreTurkish Airlines is a major airline partner where FCI recruits A330 commanders and other flight crew, providing comprehensive pilot recruitment support.
- Jetstar PacificcoreJetstar Pacific is a longstanding partner of FCI. FCI has recruited pilots for Jetstar Pacific since 2017, managing the full recruitment process and providing ongoing support to placed pilots.
- Peach AviationcorePeach Aviation has partnered with FCI for pilot recruitment since 2017. FCI is described as detail-oriented, organized, and responsive to urgent pilot and law-related cases.
- Wizz AircoreFCI urgently recruits A320 Type Rated and Non-Type Rated First Officers and Captains for Wizz Air UK, with immediate assessment dates offered.
- Clay Lacy AviationsecondaryClay Lacy Aviation is listed as a trusted partner, with FCI providing business aviation staffing solutions.
- Wheels UpsecondaryWheels Up is listed as a trusted partner where FCI provides aviation staffing services.
- Million AirsecondaryMillion Air is listed as a trusted partner where FCI provides aviation staffing services.
- Silver AirwayssecondarySilver Airways is listed as a trusted partner where FCI provides aviation staffing services.
- CuttersecondaryCutter is listed as a trusted partner where FCI provides aviation staffing services.
- PriestersecondaryPriester is listed as a trusted partner where FCI provides aviation staffing services.
- GoAircoreGoAir (Go Airlines India) is a long-standing partner. FCI recruits pilots for GoAir, which operates over 230 daily flights on Airbus A320 family aircraft from hubs in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Kannur.
- Lucky AircoreLucky Air is a Chinese airline partner. FCI recruits captain positions for Lucky Air's fleet of Boeing 737NG, Airbus 319/320, and Airbus 330 aircraft, including placement of foreign captains.
- National Air CargosecondaryNational Air Cargo is listed as a trusted partner where FCI provides aviation personnel recruitment.
- EVA AIRcoreEVA AIR is a key airline partner where FCI recruits pilots and provides ongoing crew support.
- IndigocoreIndigo is listed as a trusted partner where FCI recruits pilots and provides ongoing crew support.
- Bamboo AirwayscoreBamboo Airways is a key airline partner where FCI recruits A320 captains and provides ongoing crew support, including taking care of candidates until they are on board.
- Ethiopian AirlinescoreEthiopian Airlines is a major partner where FCI recruits B767 and B737NG captains. FCI is noted as trustworthy, processing payroll on time and finding good solutions for pilot requests.
- Air PeacecoreAir Peace is a Nigerian airline partner where FCI recruits E190 type-rated captains and first officers, including G200 pilots.
- Royal Air MaroccoreRoyal Air Maroc is a key partner where FCI urgently recruits B737NG/MAX captains and first officers for Feb/March 2026 and B787 Dreamliner first officers for April/May 2026.
- WingsAirsecondaryWingsAir is an airline partner where FCI has recruited ATR-72 captains for operations.
- NBAA (National Business Aviation Association)secondaryFCI is a member of the NBAA, demonstrating commitment to the business aviation industry.
- NATA (National Air Transportation Association)secondaryFCI is a member of NATA, the National Air Transportation Association.
- Flight Safety FoundationsecondaryFCI is affiliated with the Flight Safety Foundation, demonstrating commitment to aviation safety standards.
- National Minority Supplier Council (NMSC)secondaryFCI holds minority-owned business certification through NMSC, supporting diversity supplier goals for clients.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Flight Crew International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Morson Group: Large UK-headquartered engineering and aerospace staffing group with aviation recruitment capabilities. Overlaps with FCI's aviation/MRO staffing but operates at greater scale and across adjacent sectors.
- Avia Solutions Group: Lithuanian-headquartered aviation services conglomerate spanning crew leasing, training, MRO, and charter. Comparable to FCI's integrated service stack but operates at significantly larger scale with broader geographic footprint.
Direct peers
- Brookfield Aviation International: Aviation crew leasing and recruitment firm with strong presence in Africa and Asia, serving commercial and cargo operators. Comparable to FCI's geographic mix and crew leasing/EOR model.
- Total Aviation Staffing: US-based aviation staffing and crew leasing firm serving airlines and business aviation operators. Closely comparable to FCI's FlighTemps on-demand staffing and contract pilot services.
- Sigma Aviation Services: Aviation recruitment firm specializing in pilot and cabin crew placement for airlines, corporate flight departments, and lessors. Comparable niche, customer profile, and contract/leasing services to FCI.
- Rishworth Aviation: Established aviation recruitment firm specializing in pilot, cabin crew, and technical staff placement globally. Directly comparable to FCI's aviation recruitment and crew leasing offering across commercial and business aviation.
- Aeropeople: Aviation recruitment and workforce solutions provider covering pilots, engineers, and maintenance staff for airlines and MROs. Directly comparable to FCI's aviation recruitment and contract staffing offering.
- JMC Aviation: Aviation recruitment and consultancy firm placing pilots, engineers, and operations personnel. Closely comparable to FCI's recruitment and crew-leasing services for commercial operators.
- GOOSE Recruitment: Aviation-specific recruitment firm placing pilots, engineers, and aviation professionals worldwide. Closely comparable niche focus and customer base to FCI's core recruitment and contract crew business.
- Zenon Aviation: Aviation recruitment firm supplying pilots, engineers, and cabin crew across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Directly comparable to FCI's geographic and customer profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Flight Crew International social profiles
Digital presenceFlight Crew International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Flight Crew International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Flight Crew International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Flight Crew International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Flight Crew International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Flight Crew International
What does Flight Crew International do?
Flight Crew International (FCI) is an aviation workforce solutions provider that supplies pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, and other aviation personnel to airlines, corporate flight departments, and cargo operators on a contract, contract-to-hire, or direct-hire basis. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Plano, Texas, FCI also delivers complementary services including crew leasing/outsourcing, payroll and HR administration, aviation training and consulting, and ferry flight services. The company operates across 11 countries and maintains a candidate database spanning 163 countries.
Is Flight Crew International a public or private company?
Flight Crew International is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Flight Crew International founded?
Flight Crew International was founded in 1993. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Flight Crew International based?
Flight Crew International is headquartered in Plano, United States, in the North America region.
How does Flight Crew International make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Crew Leasing / Contract Staffing is the primary driver. The others are full-Time Recruitment / Permanent Placements, contract-to-Hire, ferry Flight Services and payroll Management / HR Outsourcing.
Who are Flight Crew International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Morson Group and Avia Solutions Group. Direct peers are Brookfield Aviation International, Total Aviation Staffing, Sigma Aviation Services, Rishworth Aviation, Aeropeople, JMC Aviation, GOOSE Recruitment and Zenon Aviation.
Does Flight Crew International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Flight Crew International.