Chief Pilots For Regionals
 

How are chief pilots compensated? Is it hourly like line flying or is it a salaried position? How much are they paid?

This is an interesting question (at least for me). Would love to hear. Additionally, what happens if the pilots strike? Are CP's considered management, and if so, are they "SCABS" for going to work? I have always been fascinated with the dynamics of this. My Grandpa ran the training center for TWA for a time in the 60's. He spoke as if that was a management job, and then he returned to the line for the remainder of his career. When listening to him talk of his non-line flying jobs for TWA (the training center, and G.M. of Saudi Arabian Airlines in the late 60's) he spoke as if it were distinct from being a line pilot. He enjoyed being a line pilot best - and was a huge ALPA supporter as well.

Management.

Speakin of chief pilots, how often do they actually fly?

After reading theses responses, I am sensing that there is a little animosity towards chief pilots. Is that true?

YES - Imagine a person that takes credit every time you do something good and bit#*es you out every time you don't. That's a Cheif Pilot.

There are a few decent ones out there...but most good dudes are found on the line and have no mgmt aspirations.

With a name like ChinsFive you must be a Horizon guy. Either that or ASA's CP is a real ****-bag.

Moderator Input
 

Changing the way you spell a word to bypass the profanity filter is not acceptable here. If you can't say it without using profanity, don't say it all.

Sorry bro... I was just trying to get my point across.

Why is b----- masked but typing crap is ok?

Anyway, back on topic, what's their salary like?

Usually the compensation package isn't really that well known to most people. At both my "regional" jobs, I heard that it was into the 6 figures.

Probably also depends on the company, also, being management they probably get bonuses on top of their regular salary.

I have had the privilege of working under some outstanding chief pilots, and some not so outstanding ones as well. Very few guys are are able to be managements beyotch and keep the pilots in line as well as garner the respect of the majority of the pilot group.

Seems like the good ones don't last too long. It's not a job I would ever want to do.

I've had a lot of CPs in my time.

Two that were actually good guys.

H.S. in NYC at TWA
B.W. at Focus Air

The rest....ahhhhfurgetaboutem.

Chief Pilots are MGT. Their pay is determined by what position they hold. If they are a 320 CA, 320 CA pay, 757 CA, 757 CA pay, etc. They must stay current in the equipment they fly.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but CPs are a little of both as I understand it. Their duties are management, but they must be current and qualified line pilots on the seniority list, and are expected to strike if the pilot's union goes on strike.

Not so at AA
 

Our CP has not flown this century!

Not sure how he can do that , but he is just a office puke.

When Cecil was the CP , he was a mans man and was VERY well respected.

He even looked good in the uniform.

Most chief pilots negotiate their own salary. That's the way it was at Delta when I did an internship in the chief pilot's office. If they just got paid what equipment they could hold, why would anyone do it? Come to work every day or get half the month off? Although I'm pretty sure I make more than our chief pilot with the overtime I'm flying.

I'm on my third airline, and all three of my chief pilots have been great. They don't have as much power as you may think, it's more of a required position the FAA makes airlines have...

Two types of chief pilots...

1. one with balls to stick up for his/her group; and the other

2. one with no balls who will preach and enforce management's mantra and throw his/her brood under the bus to protect their job.

Just as a point of clarification...

I commute often on 3 different legacy carriers and it seems to me that there is a big difference in the pilots' opinions of base chief pilots and the actual "Chief Pilot" (the one my company refers to as VP of Flight). It seems to me that there is universal loathing of the true chief (esp. at AA) while most seem to at least tolerate the base chief.

Just an observation, I admit my observations are by no means scientific

I believe, when my Grandpa did things for TWA that were other than line duty (Manage pilot training, acceptance flight and develop training for DC-9, manage Saudi Arabian Airlines) he was paid "top line pay" - or what the most senior Captain on the biggest airplane made, plus some other incentives. He only did this in bits - the Saudi thing was two years, the Training center was 2 or 3. After his last non-line position, he went back to flying the line - mostly domestic on the DC-9 because he njoyed the airplane and slept at home most nights. I think the money he made in the non-traditional roles helped him by not giving him the need to continually bid larger equipment in out of town bases (NYC, LA).

As a follow up - any old TWA guys know what the deal with Saudi Arabian Airlines was? Seems like a lot of old mechanics and others did at least some time there.

Seems to me in large "top down" organizations like AMR, every department needs a VP. Like CF mentions in his post, our CP shares the VP title as well. Interestingly, the post holds little responsibility regarding the actual running of the AAL flight department. The equivalent position of DO, which probably holds the most relevant description of what a VP of flight responsibilities should be, is about 2 or 3 rungs down the latter. In fact, the VP of flight is just figure head, in charge of "keeping the pilots in line".

Back to the original question: an assistant chief at a local base at AAL starts at about $8250.00 every two weeks, I'm sure it only goes up from there.

That's a nice chunk of change...

The types that unfortunately don't stick around long.

The types that unfortunately, stick around too long

We have a Miami Chief Pilot that sent out a message this year that he is a "Level Eight Cheif Pilot and that is the same as a Full Bird Colonel"

Care to guess what I think of this Bozo the clown?

probably the same thing I used to think about a full bird colonel.

Of course, it's hard not to use profanity when discussing certain CP's!;)

Chief pilots are in the same bag as LCAs. That is, when someone is lobbying for the job or really wants it, that is exactly the kind of guy you don't want as a CP or LCA. It's the guys that are asked and kind of think about it and finally relent and say, "maybe I can do some good or something." Of course they never really can. But if they take the koolaid antedote, they may make it, for a year.

LOL...That was the best comeback I've seen in a long time.