Requirememnts to be a Chief Pilot
 

How does one become a Chief Pilot at an airline? Do you have to have a Masters degree in business or something? This is a serious question so please only serious responses. I have never been one to sit and stay at one level. If I do become an airline pilot I dont jst want to fly for 20 to 30 years.

That's exactly why I asked my original question. I have exactly the same thoughts as you.

I don't know if you need any more special requirements other than perhaps seniority, it's not something you can really get experience at. I've seen notices around asking about interest in the position with no special requirements. It doesn't seem to be one of the most popular positions to have, as it basically puts you in between a rock and a hard place with the pilot group looking at you as management, and management looking at you as still a pilot. That's only my very basic understanding from what I have seen.

At the joint I work for, you have to kiss a lot of butt. A LOT. It is all about who you know and whose butt you have kissed and how well you have kissed it. It really has nothing to do with record or ability- I know of a CP who had a big time violation before becoming a CP. CP's make their buddies the asst CP, who then make their buddies the IOE pilots. Again, there is little to do with ability beyond the basics. In fact, I know of at least one IOE CA who is a total a$$ and has no instructional ability. Go figure.

Do you really want to babysit the whiners and clean all the dirty diapers in your pilot group? And be the disciplinarian? :confused: Lame. Do you want to see your pay go to salary, and not even be competitive with the captains at the top of the seniority list? Not to mention becoming top managements whipping boy and the 'bad guy' to the pilots. I've seen all this happen to guys trying to pad their resume, and you know what? Regular line guys (including myself) got the better jobs much faster while they regretted their choice from behind their desk. Just my opinion, but I'm in this business to move metal. And I don't mean a #2 pencil through training folders and employee files.

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.

Right, so why do you associate being the CP as successful?

Then get a job where you can upgrade as fast as you can, become a check airman, then a sim instructor, then an APD. Then if you want to move on to the legacys/majors, apply, and repeat the cycle.

The only thing is, at some legacy/majors you don't have to be able to hold CA to be a sim instructor.

As far as the FAR requirements to become a 121 CP, click here and scroll down to B;

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Gu...5?OpenDocument

Good point, sometimes it's the "screw up-move up" principle at work.

If being successful is losing all your friends overnight then chief pilot may be a good fit for ya.