What does a chief pilot do?
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.
Chief pilot responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real chief pilot resumes:
- Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
- Maintain and operate aircraft to FAA standards for airworthiness and maintenance.
- Take ownership of the entire storage infrastructure, from Compellent SAN to third-party technology products.
- Perform the duties of, flight planning, aircraft utilization and pilot/co-pilot duties in the Caribbean.
- File IFR flight plans with FSS, calculate weight/balance and fuel requirements prior to each flight segment.
- Develop and implement operational and administrative policies to align company policies and procedures with government (FAA) regulatory guidelines.
- Train and evaluate AH-64D MTPs.
- Coordinate with AATD and USMA to assist with visits to the UK.
- Conduct pilot proficiency and standardization evaluations in both A320 aircraft and simulator.
Chief pilot skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Chief Pilots are proficient in Flight Operations, Pilot-In-Command, and PIC. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Problem-solving skills, and Quick reaction time.
We break down the percentage of Chief Pilots that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Flight Operations, 15%
Coordinate with Training/Standards Captain to ensure standardization in Costco's flight operations.
- Pilot-In-Command, 9%
Charter pilot * Pilot-in-Command of all company Air Taxi operations.
- PIC, 8%
Contract PIC flying a King Air 200 and King Air 90.
- Operations Specifications, 6%
Played instrumental role as Chief Pilot in developing required start up FAA Part 135 Operations Specifications.
- Training Programs, 5%
Develop and implement effective training programs to ensure pilot compliance with FAA flight currency requirement.
- ATP, 4%
Deliver quality, dual flight and ground instruction for Private, Instrument, Commercial, ATP, and student pilots.
Most chief pilots use their skills in "flight operations," "pilot-in-command," and "pic" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential chief pilot responsibilities here:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a chief pilot to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what chief pilots do because "pilots must speak clearly when conveying information to air traffic controllers and other crew members." Additionally, a chief pilot resume shows how chief pilots use communication skills: "coordinated communication between air traffic control and pilots. "
Problem-solving skills. Many chief pilot duties rely on problem-solving skills. "pilots must be able to identify complex problems and figure out appropriate solutions," so a chief pilot will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways chief pilot responsibilities rely on problem-solving skills: "design solutions to avoid utilities along alignment checking, quantities survey of structure metro for estimation. "
Quick reaction time. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of chief pilots is quick reaction time. This skill is critical to many everyday chief pilot duties, as "pilots must respond quickly, and with good judgment, to any impending danger." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "track pilot duty times and flight training requirements to ensure faa compliance under far part 135. "
The three companies that hire the most chief pilots are:
- Jet Aviation6 chief pilots jobs
- Dot Foods3 chief pilots jobs
- Executive Jet Management3 chief pilots jobs
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Compare different chief pilots
Chief pilot vs. Air ambulance captain
An aviator, also known as a pilot, operates aircraft for commercial or private use. Although their duties vary upon their company or industry of employment, it usually entails performing regular inspections before and after every flight, coordinating with staff, maintaining an active communication line with air traffic controller, determining routes and schedules, analyzing flight plans, and monitoring the weather conditions. Moreover, as an aviator, it is essential to be proactive and professional in dealing with issues and concerns.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between chief pilots and air ambulance captain. For instance, chief pilot responsibilities require skills such as "flight operations," "pilot-in-command," "pic," and "operations specifications." Whereas a air ambulance captain is skilled in "faa," "ems," "single pilot," and "patient transport." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Air ambulance captains tend to reach similar levels of education than chief pilots. In fact, air ambulance captains are 4.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Chief pilot vs. Plane captain
Each career also uses different skills, according to real chief pilot resumes. While chief pilot responsibilities can utilize skills like "flight operations," "pilot-in-command," "pic," and "operations specifications," plane captains use skills like "hand tools," "cleanliness," "maintenance manuals," and "fod."
Plane captains earn lower levels of education than chief pilots in general. They're 7.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Chief pilot vs. Captain/check airman
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a chief pilot is likely to be skilled in "flight operations," "pilot-in-command," "operations specifications," and "atp," while a typical captain/check airman is skilled in "faa," "passenger safety," "line checks," and "unscheduled."
When it comes to education, captain/check airmen tend to earn similar degree levels compared to chief pilots. In fact, they're 3.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Chief pilot vs. Aviator
Updated January 8, 2025
