Elpirata:
The CAA will rarely contest a recommend for a chief pilot, unless that person is obviously not up to the job.
Secondly, hours is not totally relevant above a certain minimum. That minimum would be dictated by that particular sector you are looking at : charter (big/small), corporate, emergency services, etc. Each 'sector' comes with its own experience levels.
Head of training (I'm presuming here, that you mean: Training Captain??) needs to be a TRE for starters, along with other minimums.
Pure hours really has no bearing on ability to be a chief pilot..its what that person can bring to the organisation that counts.
Any help?
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Thermal runaway.
[This message has been edited by Thomas coupling (edited 07 May 2001).]