How much does a chief pilot make?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Updated on February 28, 2026
Chief Pilot Salary
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $162,000 | $13,500 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 |
| Average | $78,745 | $6,562 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,500 | $5,041 |
What do chief pilots do?
Chief pilots (aircraft) oversee the overall operations of an aviation department. This includes managing flight and ground personnel, coordinating maintenance, and scheduling flights.
How do you become a chief pilot?
Some chief pilots monitor all day-to-day logistics for their department. This career requires a bachelor’s degree in aviation or a similar discipline. Additional qualifications include between 2,000 and 5,000 hours of flight time, current FAA certification, and excellent management skills.
How much does a pilot for FedEx make?
How much does a Pilot make at FedEx in the United States? Average FedEx Pilot yearly pay in the United States is approximately $202,264, which is 262% above the national average.
What makes a good chief pilot?
A great Chief Pilot is highly knowledgeable (but not all-knowing), demonstrating the curiosity and openness to explore new ideas and concepts brought to them by their team and peers in the industry. And he/she must proactively stay out ahead of technology and trends.
Does a chief pilot fly?
As a chief pilot, your job is to oversee all pilots, ground personnel, and flight attendants. Your duties involve scheduling flights, coordinating aircraft maintenance, and ensuring the department meets all local and federal regulations.
How long does it take to be a chief pilot?
In the case of a person becoming a Chief Pilot for the first time ever, have at least 3 years of experience, within the past 6 years, as pilot in command of a large airplane operated under part 121 or part 135 of this chapter, if the certificate holder operates large airplanes.
What certificates and rating must a chief flight instructor of a FAR Part 141 school possess?
(3) Each instructor to be used for ground or flight training must hold a flight instructor certificate, ground instructor certificate, or commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air rating, as appropriate, with ratings for the approved course of training and any aircraft used in that course.
What are the duties and responsibilities of a chief pilot?
The Chief Pilot is responsible for managing all activities pertaining to the company’s pilots. This includes recruiting, initial and recurrent training, aircraft currency/proficiency, and aircraft operating standards. Responsibilities also include career path management for the pilot workforce and training to ensure operating requirements are met.
What are the different pilot careers?
6 Different Types of Pilots and Their Jobs Airline Transport Pilots. An airline transport pilot flies commercial airlines for a living, and is one of the most common types of pilots. Private Pilots. This is the most common type of pilot. Sport Pilots. These types of pilot only flies light aircraft at low altitudes. Recreational Pilots. Flight Instructors. Commercial Pilots.
What is a job description of a pilot?
Job Description. An airline pilot’s job description is to safely fly an airliner, but a pilot does much more than just fly. A typical day may start with the pilot using computer skills to check weather and flight plans. The plane must be pre-flighted and all aircraft logs reviewed.
What is a pilot career?
Pilot – Career Information and Job Outlook. He or she may work for an airline that transports people and cargo on a fixed schedule or for a company that offers charter flights, rescue operations or aerial photography. The former is known as an airline pilot while the latter is called a commercial pilot. Two pilots typically make up the cockpit crew, but some older planes require a third.
