How To Become A Crew Chief: What It Is and Career Path

What is a crew chief and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The crew chiefs are in charge of the entire helicopter crew. They are in command of everything that happens with the helicopter, and they frequently work for several hours before and after the mission. They are also responsible for instructing the pilots about the preparation of cargo and where they should lie. They likewise drop smoke bombs for landing areas and operate the machine gun and assist in the repair and maintenance of helicopters. They inspect the helicopter for safety, organize any equipment needed for the day's mission, and update the logbook.

If you aspire to become a crew chief, you should pick the right degree first. Basically, you should have at least a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree to gain entry into this field. Associate's degrees and certificates are two other qualifications that can lead you into this position.

On the other hand, you should hope to raise about $98,000 a year as a crew chief. However, by gaining more experience, you could earn even more.

ScoreCrew ChiefUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,616

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 6.92%

Black or African American 14.75%

Hispanic or Latino 18.31%

Unknown 5.56%

White 53.80%

Gender

female 14.63%

male 85.37%

Age - 22

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 22

Key steps to become a crew chief

Explore crew chief education requirements

Most common crew chief degrees

Bachelor's

33.3 %

High School Diploma

28.3 %

Associate

26.7 %

Start to develop specific crew chief skills

Skills	Percentages
Safety Procedures	16.33%
Customer Service	16.09%
GPS	6.48%
CPR	3.50%
Routine Maintenance	3.40%

Research crew chief duties and responsibilities

Manage daily facility evaluations; trained/supervise airmen and local nationals.
Coordinate and manage daily briefings with senior military leadership on status of communication infrastructure and open trouble tickets/work orders.
Work closely with parachute fabrication shop on inspections of parachutes and flotation equipment.
Design, implement and maintain a web site for the NATOPS training program.

Prepare your crew chief resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your crew chief 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 crew chief resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Crew Chief Resume templates

Build a professional Crew Chief 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 Crew Chief resume.

Apply for crew chief jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a crew chief 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

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