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-   -   Requirememnts to be a Chief Pilot (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/18750-requirememnts-chief-pilot.html)

N6724G 11-13-2007 12:39 PM

Thats a personal choice that I have, The same reason I equate being a Colonel with being successful. My goals are just that. Mine. I merely asked for information

CL-65DRIVER 11-13-2007 12:49 PM

You'll make a great chief pilot! Best of luck. ;)

N6724G 11-13-2007 12:54 PM

I have friends outsideof aviation. and I think you are exaggerating just a bit

N6724G 11-13-2007 01:04 PM


Originally Posted by alaska65 (Post 262297)
Well, of our last four chief pilots: three all had military pilot backgrounds to begin with (C-141, P-3, C-130 I think). Three were instructors and check airmen in the training department after having served as First Officers and line Captains, the other was an instructor (but not check airman) and an expert in aircraft performance and airport arrival/departure planning. All four had at least ten years experience on the second floor of the training building as fleet managers, director of performance planning, or some similar staff related duties in addition to instructing and evaluating. One of them was a former Navy squadron commander; another a USAF Academy grad and chief of a USAF C-141 Standardization/Eval section; only one was entirely civil aviation background but he was an exceptionally skilled aviator, instructor, evaluator, and great judge of character. None of these men had a master's degree to my knowledge, but they each had at least 20 years of aviation experience both on the line and in instructing, evaluating, and staff positions before they were placed as Chief Pilot.
Ours is a major airline with about 1500 pilots.

Under my Alaska65 name, are the words "new hire". How do I change that? For what its worth, I am a 58 year old Captain, pretty senior at my airline.

This is the kind of responce I am looking for. Intelligent, to the point and absent of opinion and personal feelings of what they think of CP's.

Thank you very much alaska65

ChinsFive 11-13-2007 02:25 PM


Originally Posted by N6724G (Post 262244)
Ok,I dont want personal opinions of what you may think of Chief Pilots. I am loking for serious information. I am 30 something years old. I could care less if its popular or not. I have a family to take care of and I am the kind of person that wants to be successful.

Being a Cheif Pilot does not equal being successful... I just don't know how you can come on here and ask how to be someone who makes most of our lives/jobs worse and then get angry when you get the backlash.

This is like knocking on the door of someone who just got screwed by the IRS and asking if him to tell you how to become an auditor.

If you want advice without emotion let me say this: Get hired, go to work in the training center or some other part of the management building and then upgrade. Become personal friends with the important people (Director of Flight Ops, Cheif Pilots, ect.) and then look to make a bubba deal.

mregan 11-13-2007 07:43 PM

depending where you are , Chief Pilots eventually becoming Director of Operations or DOs, it s very popular on the 135 Charter side, at the AIrlines you can do the same or move over to a VP of Flight Ops or something like that, all those pos. are M-F and pay well into the 6 figure range , I know several guys in that pos. and let me tell you it s worth it...so most CPs are doing it as a stepping stone or to be home more...

N6724G 11-13-2007 08:17 PM


Originally Posted by ChinsFive (Post 262645)
Being a Cheif Pilot does not equal being successful... I just don't know how you can come on here and ask how to be someone who makes most of our lives/jobs worse and then get angry when you get the backlash.

This is like knocking on the door of someone who just got screwed by the IRS and asking if him to tell you how to become an auditor.

If you want advice without emotion let me say this: Get hired, go to work in the training center or some other part of the management building and then upgrade. Become personal friends with the important people (Director of Flight Ops, Cheif Pilots, ect.) and then look to make a bubba deal.

Everyone has their own definition of success. For some people success is being a 20 year Captain working 12 days a month. For others, success is being the top of our department. For others, success is being happy no matter what you are doing. My father spent 26 years enlisted in the Air Force. To him that was success. Me, I was enliste in the military, now I am an officer. That is success to me. And my next challeneg I want to be aviation and if I go into I want to go as far as I can. i would do that for any career. I used to be a cop. If I were still doing that, I'd want to be the Chief. If I were in education, I'd wantto be a Principle. Success is what the individual defines it as. Not others defining it for him. If you live to make others happy and to impress others, you will never be happy yourself.

And as far as asking people who get crapped on by Management. This is NOT exclusive to Airline pilots. I visit a Law Enforcement message board called leoaffirs.com. Its the same kind of thing. Cops bashing the department heads and the system. SO what I have learned is Not many people are happy with where they are inlife and people just like to complain.

But thank you very much for your advice. I really do appreciate it

CL-65DRIVER 11-14-2007 09:58 AM

Chief Pilot is deffintly not as far as you can go. I think they call that job CEO or something like that. :D

Pilotdude3407 11-14-2007 01:20 PM

I don't think being a CP necessarily means you have to be bad. I think it is in how you become a manager and a leader. You can get your pilot group on your side or you can be againts them...your choice. My Dad was a CP at Suthenjets Intranational for a few years and he was very well like by both management and his fellow pilots. He also made sure to treat everyone fairly and he fought for the pilots along with being fair with management.

wannabepilot 11-14-2007 01:31 PM

what is the salary like for a chief pilot at a regional? how about the salary for a check airman?


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