Oh boy this is going to be a good one. Every know and then somebody posts a corker and this is really going to stir it up.
I can't resist commenting. I think (believe, opinion etc etc) the answer is that the two aren't directly related. I think flight deck skills are basically technically based skills. Management skills tend to be people based skills. But both fields require the ability to think laterally (in huge amounts).
Somebody who has the drive and commitment to make it to the flight deck (and stay there) would probably make a better manager than somebody who has stayed in an unskilled job but that dosen't make the pilot a good manager automatically, and visa versa.
I was a manager of about 80 people in a technical environment before I changed to flying as a career so I have been on the 'sharp end' and it is very hard for somebody to see how difficult it can be to juggle the emotions and needs of a large number of people while keeping the wolves at bay unless you really try it for a few years. I did a reasonale job but never found it easy. I do feel for anyone in a job like fleet manager (which would probably equate to the position I held in terms of responsibility).
However, the real juicy debate here is how many pilots have completely hoofed up in management roles and how many 'civilians' have done a good job. And, can we draw any conclusions from the stats? Are flying skills a prerequisite to manage flyers?
[This message has been edited by Bomber Harris (edited 14 June 2001).]