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The differences between chief pilots and corporate pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a chief pilot and a corporate pilot. Additionally, a corporate pilot has an average salary of $87,661, which is higher than the $86,920 average annual salary of a chief pilot.
The top three skills for a chief pilot include flight operations, pilot-in-command and PIC. The most important skills for a corporate pilot are FAA, pilot-in-command, and PIC.
| Chief Pilot | Corporate Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $86,920 | $87,661 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $42.14 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,638 | 12,371 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Chief Pilot assigns and oversees the duties of flight and ground personnel. They ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, including federal aviation regulations.
Typically working for large companies, a corporate pilot's role is to operate company aircraft for official work trips. Their responsibilities include coordinating with airports, directing and overseeing flight crew, preparing and processing documentation, and adhering to all the protocols and safety checks to ensure safety and efficiency. There are also instances where they must meet and greet passengers, file itinerary plans, and resolve issues and concerns. Furthermore, a corporate pilot must perform regular inspections and maintain an active communication line with staff on land and within the aircraft.
Chief pilots and corporate pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Pilot | Corporate Pilot | |
| Average salary | $86,920 | $87,661 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $126,000 | Between $63,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | NetJets | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a chief pilot and a corporate pilot in terms of educational background:
| Chief Pilot | Corporate Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chief pilots' and corporate pilots' demographics:
| Chief Pilot | Corporate Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 94.0% Female, 6.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |