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What is a chief pilot and how to become one
As a Chief Pilot, you are responsible for managing the day-to-day safe operations of the aviation department. This involves assigning and supervising the duties of all pilots, flight attendants, and ground personnel, coordinating aircraft maintenance, scheduling flights, and ensuring that the airline adheres to the local and federal flight regulations.
The role of a Chief Pilot is a highly demanding job - one that requires you to have an in-depth understanding of every detail of the organization.
A successful Chief Pilot has exceptional leadership skills, problem-solving skills, an understanding of the Federal Aviation Regulations, and a sound knowledge of aircraft systems and performance principles. Chief Pilots can be employed by commercial airlines, the government, or even privately by individuals.
Avg. Salary $86,920
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 6%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%
Asian 2.75%
Black or African American 2.67%
Hispanic or Latino 6.95%
Unknown 5.52%
White 81.85%
Genderfemale 4.37%
male 95.63%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Chief Pilot career paths
Key steps to become a chief pilot
Explore chief pilot education requirements
Start to develop specific chief pilot skills
Skills 
Percentages Flight Operations 14.59% Pilot-In-Command 9.34% PIC 8.45% Operations Specifications 5.93% Training Programs 4.73% Complete relevant chief pilot training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chief pilots learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a chief pilot based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chief pilot resumes.Research chief pilot duties and responsibilities
- 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.
Get chief pilot experience
Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a chief pilot. The most common roles before becoming a chief pilot include captain, pilot team lead and flight instructor.Prepare your chief pilot resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chief pilot resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a chief pilot resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Chief Pilot Resume templates
Build a professional Chief Pilot resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Chief Pilot resume.
Apply for chief pilot jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a chief pilot job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Chief Pilot Job
Are you a Chief Pilot?
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Average chief pilot salary
The average Chief Pilot salary in the United States is $86,920 per year or $42 per hour. Chief pilot salaries range between $59,000 and $126,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do chief pilots rate their job?
Chief Pilot reviews
challenges career opportunities learning opportunities
Workload 24/7 availability
nothing at all. The way i look at it its kind of nonsense. best da.
Every day at work was different. Each flight was different and flying an airplane well is challenging. When an airline pilot has completed their flight assignment they go home and do not think about the job until the next time they go to work. The FAA regulations require rest periods and days off for pilots. A normal flight schedule offers 8- 20 days off per month. A pilot can choose to fly trips that are 1- 12 days long. Most airlines have a seniority system. This means that the airplane and crew position are determined by the date you were hired. Generally speaking, Senior pilots are Captains that fly the airplane with highest pay rate. Senior pilots also have the best flight schedule. Starting pay at the major airlines in 2019 is about $85,000 year. Senior pilots flying wide-body airplanes can earn up to $600,000 year flying an international schedule
Jet-lag. Fatigue is a fact of life for an airline pilot. Domestic flying often includes trips that depart at 11:00 PM and arrive early in the morning. International trips fly all over the world at all hours of the day. Pilots learn to deal with jet-lag and fatigue, but it remains a fact of life for most aviators
Updated January 8, 2025
