Chief Pilot

The Flying School (AFI) is a growing Part 141 flight training operation with locations in Colorado and Wyoming, and more states on the way. We're building a modern, data-driven flight school from the ground up - not the old-school FBO model. This is a ground-floor opportunity to help shape how a national flight training brand operates. Position Summary AFI is hiring a Chief Pilot to oversee flight training standards, instructor development, and Part 141 compliance across all locations. This role owns the safety culture, training quality, and instructional standardization as AFI scales into new states. Responsibilities Serve as Chief Instructor/Chief Pilot of record for FAA Part 141 certification at all AFI locations Develop, maintain, and update Training Course Outlines (TCOs) for Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, and Multi-Engine courses Conduct and oversee instructor standardization, stage checks, and end-of-course tests Serve as primary point of contact for FAA FSDO communications and Part 141 audits/renewals Recruit, onboard, and mentor CFIs across all locations; maintain instructor currency and qualification records Monitor training records, student progress, and pass rates for compliance and quality Investigate and report incidents, accidents, and safety events; maintain the safety management program Support the rollout of the new tiered instructor pay structure by ensuring training quality standards align with production tiers Partner with ownership on scheduling, capacity planning, and expansion into new locations/states Travel periodically between CO and WY locations, with travel to new locations as AFI expands Requirements These reflect the FAA's chief instructor standards under 14 CFR § 141.35(d) for courses beyond Private/Instrument - i.e., Commercial, CFI, Multi-Engine, and other advanced ratings. AFI's Chief Pilot must be eligible to hold this designation across our full course catalog, not just entry-level courses. Certificates & Ratings Commercial Pilot Certificate or Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate Current Flight Instructor Certificate (CFI) with Instrument (CFII) rating and Multi-Engine (MEI) rating Certificates must carry the category/class ratings appropriate to AFI's training fleet First Class or Second Class Medical Certificate Able to pass the FAA knowledge and proficiency tests required for chief instructor designation (teaching methods, AIM, Parts 61/91/141, and the specific course completion standards) At least 2,000 hours as Pilot in Command Flight training (instructing) experience of at least: 3 years and 1,000 hours of dual given, or 1 ,500 hours of dual given Multi-Engine instructional experience sufficient to oversee the Multi-Engine course and serve as a backup/check resource Operational & Regulatory Experience Prior experience as a Chief Instructor, Assistant Chief Instructor, or Check Instructor under Part 141 Working knowledge of Part 61 and Part 141 training standards, TCO development, and FAA record-keeping requirements Experience managing or standardizing a team of instructors across multiple courses (Private through Commercial/CFI/Multi), not just instructing solo Comfortable serving as the designated chief instructor of record for more than one course simultaneously across two (soon more) locations Other Requirements Clean FAA record with no enforcement actions Ability to pass required background checks Strong working knowledge of FAA compliance, TCO development, and stage-check standardization Comfortable with scheduling software (FlightSchedule Pro) and basic data/reporting tools Excellent communication skills - this role interfaces with students, instructors, FAA, and ownership Preferred Experience scaling a training program across multiple locations Background in curriculum design or instructor training programs (e.g., CFI academies) Familiarity with high-density training environments (accelerated or airline-pathway programs) ATP certificate, given the scope of advanced courses under this designation What AFI Offers Competitive salary + performance incentives tied to training quality and growth Ground-floor leadership role in an expanding national flight school brand Direct input into training standards, instructor pay structure, and expansion strategy W-2 employment with benefits (details provided during offer stage) #J-18808-Ljbffr