Assistant Chief Line Pilot

EagleView•Remote US, UNAVAILABLE

2d•Remote

About The Position

The Assistant Chief Pilot supports the Chief Pilot in leading PFA’s manned aerial survey flight operations during the assigned shift. The role provides training, standardization, operational oversight, and safety leadership for the line pilot group, and serves as a primary operational point of contact for pilots. This is a full-time, remote role that requires working within the Eastern time zone and travel as required, up to 40% annually. The Assistant Chief Pilot works with the Safety Manager to promote a positive safety and Just Culture and participates in the Safety Management System. The position leads pilot training and standardization, oversees daily flight activities and mission execution, coordinates with maintenance, monitors operational performance, and supports pilot development. The role also helps maintain company policies, procedures, manuals, records, and operational readiness in coordination with the Chief Pilot.

Requirements

Current Commercial Pilot License (CPL).
Current Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) ratings.
Current Class 1 or Class 2 medical certificate.
Minimum 650 hours total time.
Minimum 350 hours pilot-in-command time.
Minimum 30 hours multi-engine time.
Minimum 300 hours dual given.
Minimum 200 hours cross-country time.
Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit.
Familiarity with Part 91 operating guidelines.
Ability to pass a drug test and background check.
Ability to work within the Eastern time zone.
Valid passport and driver’s license.
English proficiency.
Ability to meet the stated physical requirements: normal or corrected vision, including color vision and ability to distinguish letters, numbers, and symbols; frequent sitting, standing, walking, talking, hearing, bending, and reaching; reaching with hands and arms; occasional lifting or moving of up to 30 lbs; and ability to travel long and short distances.
Ability to travel as required, up to 40% annually.

Nice To Haves

Aerial survey or aerial imaging operational experience.
Previous aviation management or Chief Pilot/Assistant Chief Pilot experience.
Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII) rating.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite.
Experience with Concur, SmartSheet, Teams, and SharePoint.
Remote work environment experience and understanding of responsibilities in a remote work environment.
CFI with at least 2 years of teaching experience and MEI instructing experience with at least 100 hours.
Minimum 2 years of aviation leadership experience.
Excellent interpersonal communication and willingness to serve internal and external customers.
Ability to collaborate across multiple layers of a growing organization.
Ability to prioritize and adapt quickly.
Well-organized, dependable, and self-sufficient.
Ability to act with discretion and handle confidential matters.
Flexibility and willingness to pivot quickly when needed.
Availability during off-business hours and weekends as needed.
College degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Promote and maintain a positive safety and Just Culture, participate in the Safety Management System, identify and report hazards, support root cause analysis, and communicate and implement lessons learned across the pilot group.
Serve as the primary instructional authority and lead trainer for Line Pilots and Instructor Pilots; deliver, oversee, and standardize ground and flight training, including image capture systems and troubleshooting, and evaluate pilot proficiency and performance.
Develop and manage a structured Initial Operating Experience (IOE) program, including progress tracking, standardization, completion criteria, and consistent training delivery, evaluation standards, and SOP adherence among IOE Instructor Pilots.
Coordinate with the Chief Pilot to develop, implement, and maintain company policies, SOPs, manuals, and safety procedures, and provide feedback for manual revisions based on operational experience and identified gaps.
Maintain training records and license, rating, and qualification tracking; monitor upgrade readiness and supervise or coordinate pilot proficiency checks.
Provide operational oversight of daily flight activities, including go/no-go decision support based on weather, aircraft status, and mission requirements, and coordinate daily flight missions with operational staff.
Support pilots with real-time operational decision-making, risk assessment, and problem resolution, and guide mission execution to maximize capture efficiency and sun-angle utilization while minimizing downtime.
Coordinate with Maintenance on aircraft availability, status visibility, and return-to-service; oversee pilot discrepancy reporting and aircraft issue documentation; and support or coordinate Functional Check Flights, validation, and post-maintenance checks.
Conduct routine audits of SOP and FOM compliance and address deviations through training and standardization; lead initiatives to improve standardization, safety practices, and operational consistency.
Monitor and analyze operational metrics, including capture success rate, rejection rate, aircraft downtime, and mission completion efficiency; identify trends and implement corrective actions toward KPI objectives.
Serve as a primary point of contact for pilots by providing operational guidance, expectations, updates, notices, and best practices; support pilot development through coaching, feedback, and performance management.
Help develop pilots’ airmanship, professional standards, and aeronautical decision-making.
Ensure airports and routes served by PFA are operationally suitable and meet company requirements.
Travel as required, up to 40% annually.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Pilot.