Several airline applications ask if applicants have been a Chief Pilot. Is the Chief Pilot position credited to only previous civilian experience or is there a direct link that is considered Chief Pilot in the AF without holding the specific “Chief Pilot” designation (For example: SQ/CC, DO, Chief of Stan/EVAL, OG/OGV Branch Chief).

There may be risks either way: The alternative is to not click the Chief Pilot box and the AF positions on employment history/resume speak for themselves since the Major Airlines understand these significant AF positions. However, clicking the Chief Pilot box highlights significant experience and may trigger an application review, but at the same time, could be an application killer if the hiring department defines Chief Pilot differently from the applicant.

Is there an FAA regulation that defines what military flying position is equivalent to Chief Pilot? How have others out there handled this one?

Thank you

The airlines know what the military equivalents are, and most will look for that, and grant appropriate credit.

I have never heard of mil folks claiming to have been a "Chief Pilot" in the mil. I wouldn't go there.


If applying to an airline which doesn't see a lot of mil, you could explain it at the interview, but like I said all the big airlines are intimately familiar with military career progression... it's not like the white collar world where you have to try to "translate" your mil experience into civilian.

No.

The FARs do describe "Chief Pilot" in the context of various operating regs (121, 135, 141, etc), and you didn't do any of that.

For Southwest-I asked the hiring team since I was an OGV Chief, and they said I could answer yes to that question.

Chief pilot is a FAR 119 designated position and is different from being a CO. I've done both. Unless told otherwise, I would not click yes. Same with DO/Operations officer.

Chief pilot = Commanding officer of a command that is billeted for aircraft and aircrews..(Squadron/Wing/Group) Not a detachment.

Who says? If the instructions on the app you're filling out state that, sure follow their guidance.

But in general, no. CP has a specific meaning, and in most cases it's defined in the regs. Any mil CO will get full credit for command from any airline (well any airline worth working for), don't need to risk appearing to game the system. Possible, likely, that nobody would care but also posible someone might take offense (say a civilian who really was a CP).

This. I’ve been a CO and a CP. Very different beasts. As I wrote above CP and DO are FAR 119 positions and are designated/approved by name by the FAA. Since the company I worked for is out of business I have a letter from the FAA stating I was a CP/DO. Unless you have been told specifically by the company to do this I would NOT check the CP box for military experience. Not something you read on the internet, not something you read on Facebook, but were specifically told by the company you are interviewing with.

^^^This.^^^

I had to have a face to face interview with our POI and the CMO's Chief Dispatch Inspector before I could be designated by name as Chief Pilot. There is no equivalent position in the US military.

Always a good idea to heed Blackhawk.

And, God help me, but I agree with Packrat. WTH is this world coming to?!

At the 2016 Veterans Hiring Fair for UAL - The Director of Pilot Recruitment at the time (Bill Kennedy) stated that certain military position were worth of clicking the box for CP, Director of Ops, Director of Safety etc. He clearly stated that Squadron CO was equivalent level of responsibility in his eyes albeit different specific duties than a CP. Director of Ops/OpsO and Safety O etc...ok to click those boxes if you held them in the mil. I do not know what the others airlines have said.