Chief Pilot Approval

[Lickmine]

Has any pilot been knocked back for a Chief Pilot approval? I am after some information as to what I need to know in order to satisfy the regulators!

[bigbrother]

you can find a booklet published by CASA on what is expected of a Chief Pilot which will point you in the right direction. Depending on which state you intend to CP you will find varying degrees of support. What you won't find is anyone telling you that if you take on the role of the Chiefy you become responsible for just about everything, and I mean everything which happens in the company, in the air and on the ground. Taking on CP role is one not to be entered into lightly and certainly you would really want a package of $70K plus a car and extras these days for that kind of responsibility. YOu want get it of course but you have to be confident that the pilots you have working for you are competent and will not lead you straight to the coroners office for a meeting, cap in hand. If you are confident in yourself and your capacity to manage, and that includes having the support of the company owner so that when you say "I need a new engine/ADF/etc...." you will get it. Go for it. Leadership starts at the top. If you set a good example and your team can see you won't break the rules, and you have a good team, you may enjoy it. If not, you can expect a whole heap of pain from CASA, and a reputation which will follow you for the rest of your career.

HOpe this helps. Good luck

[maxspeed]

Did mine successfully a couple of years ago. Two short comments on the interveiw( which is basicly an attitute test because CASA has already done there homework on you)

1/ Know the Op's Manual backwards
2/ And the goldern answer to all those curly questions to do with pilots f!@king up ie busting duty times, incorrect paper work, overloading, drunk ect.

Just make sure your answer includes "I would refreash him of his responibilitys" and you should be sweet..... mabey:uhoh:

[John Eacott]

A quick search on casa.gov.au gives the Chief Pilot's Guide, downloadable here. (http://casa.gov.au/aoc/c_pilot.htm)

[international hog driver]

Agree with max on this one.

When I did mine I was well known to the CASA FOI’s that had responsibility for the mob I worked for. They had been in the cockpit for training, route proving and the usual visits.

After the company asked me to do it I was into the books for a refresher. Know the company ops manual as well as you can, also CAO48 and any specialist stuff the company does.

Most of all if you don’t know the answer straight out at least know where to find it in the books.

Lastly Bill Mc in QLD office had the best advice for me.

If you do become CP the problem is not CASA because all their rules are in B&W and if you have a question your designated FOI is only a phone call away.

The problem is not usually the owners, they are in a business to make money and to protect their investment they have insurance policy’s, these are negated the moment you operate outside the printed B&W (see above) so not a problem really you just have to know the rules better than them…. Which is usually not to hard.

The biggest problem for you will now be the people how work for you. Some will see you as the boss and not particularly like all decisions you make if it affects them. The junior members will now be sucking up for the next upgrade and everyone’s problems both operational and personal now are yours and you have to become judge, jury and executioner.

Have fun