chief pilot minimum experience?
 

I am presuming that to be a chief pilot for an AOC helicopter operator in the UK, that the Chief pilot has to be acceptable to the CAA, so the questions are, firstly

1. is that correct ?
2. what would be the minimum experience in hours or type of work done that the CAA would look for?
3. any other information that is relevant


also,

if a helicopter operator in the UK is a flying training organistion (FTO) in the UK, I believe they have to have a training manual and a head of training, does anyone know what the minimum qualifications/minimum experince you have to have to be "head of training"?

any help would be greatly appreciated


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elpirata

I don't know but I sure am peed off at having a CP with 1500 hours less than me!!

letsby,

well you could start by telling us his total hours please ?

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elpirata

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).]

Unless you have a record, you will find the CAA won't query your hours - they should be more interested in your admin ability and eye for detail when it comes to paperwork, because that's what the job entails - in UK, the Chief Pilot is more often above the Ops Manager, and has more admin to do as a result. Does your boss work for you as a pilot?

phil

Elpirata - requirements for Head of Training under JAR - "shall have extensive experience in training as a flight instructor for professional pilot licences and possess a sound managerial capability. The HT shall hold or have held, in the three years prior to first appointment as a HT, a professional pilot licence and rating(s) issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1, related to the flying training course conducted"

TC - Head of Training relates purely to flight training organisations (RF, FTO, TRTO) and is unrelated to the AOC Training Captain role.