"I accepted a job flying for an individual who originally was to use the aircraft for personal use. After 5 weeks his original deal has totally reversed. He now has put the aircraft on a charter certificate and because I expressed my reservations about working under totally different rules as originally agreed to, I am out of a job. Because he was trying to avoid legal costs, he had me work as a 'contractor' and I no longer have unemployment benefits. Do I have a case to sue for breach of the verbal contract that he broke?"

What sort of contract did you have written up? Did you have clauses for that in that contract?

If you were simply an "AT WILL" employee, then there isn't much you can do.

This does not sound like a contract at all. From what you tell us so far there was no time frame on this employment, like Smoothy says, you could be terminated at any time for no cause.

Were you collecting unemployment up until 5 weeks ago?

As for his avoidance of costs, you walked into it with eyes wide open. You could have insisted on being an employee. I suppose he would have found someone else.
I wonder if you were technically allowed to be a contractor in the eyes of the IRS, who has a very long list of requirements for same.
You could hold that over him if it's true - but I would consider that an unfair type of retaliation. He didn't set out to ruin you or your job with him.