Direct Answer
A Part 135 Chief Pilot is the management pilot a certificate holder must have under 14 CFR §119.69(a), responsible for crewmember standards and the conduct of flights.
Day to day that means administering pilot training and checking, keeping every crewmember's qualifications and currency tracked and current, maintaining the pilot-facing portions of the operations manual, standardizing how crews fly, and making sure flights are conducted within the operator's Operations Specifications. The Chief Pilot does not hold operational control — that legal responsibility sits with the certificate holder — but the role is where flight-standards discipline lives.
The qualifications to hold the position are set separately in 14 CFR §119.71(c)/(d) (not the Part 121 section §119.65). This article is about the duties; for the certificate and experience standard, see our required management personnel qualifications guide.
Where the Role Comes From in the Rule
The Chief Pilot exists because the FAA requires it. The requirement lives in 14 CFR §119.69, titled “Management personnel required for operations conducted under part 135 of this chapter.” Subsection (a) requires each certificate holder — except one using only one pilot in its operations — to have qualified personnel serving as a Director of Operations, a Chief Pilot, and a Director of Maintenance. The rule describes the Chief Pilot as the management pilot responsible for crewmember standards and the conduct of flights.
Cite §119.69 for Part 135 — not §119.65
14 CFR §119.65 is the Part 121 management-personnel section. The Part 135 required positions are in §119.69, and the Part 135 qualifications are in §119.71. When you reference the Chief Pilot requirement for an on-demand or commuter operator, you are in the §119.69 / §119.71 pair — a common citation error worth avoiding.
The rule gives you the what (a required position) and §119.71 gives you the who (the qualifications). What it does not spell out, line by line, is the job — the recurring work that fills a Chief Pilot's week. The duties below flow from the role's purpose and the surrounding Part 135 obligations the Chief Pilot administers, from training to currency to standardization. For the surrounding record framework, see what records a Part 135 operator must keep and the FAA aviation compliance hub.
Why the Chief Pilot's Duties Are a Certificate-Level Issue
The Chief Pilot is not an internal job title the operator invented — it is an FAA-accepted required position reflected in the certificate holder's management structure and Operations Specifications. That has a direct consequence: the areas the Chief Pilot administers are exactly the areas a principal operations inspector (POI) examines during surveillance. When the FAA asks “is this pilot current and qualified to fly this trip,” the answer comes out of the Chief Pilot's function. When the manual a crew is supposed to follow does not match what crews actually do, that is the Chief Pilot's function.
That is why the Chief Pilot's duties show up early in any Part 135 FAA surveillance audit. An operator whose Chief Pilot can produce current training records, a clean currency matrix, and a manual that matches the operation is in a fundamentally different posture than one reconstructing a crewmember's qualification story after the inspector has already asked. And because the position is required, a Chief Pilot vacancy is itself a compliance exposure — the operator must notify the FAA within 10 days under §119.69(e), and operating without a qualified, accepted Chief Pilot is a finding.
What the Chief Pilot's function actually governs
One distinction is worth fixing early: the Chief Pilot administers flight standards, but does not hold operational control. Operational control — the authority over initiating, conducting, or terminating a flight — rests with the certificate holder. The Director of Operations is the management position most associated with administering that authority. The Chief Pilot owns the standard the pilots fly to. For how those roles divide up, see the Director of Operations vs. Chief Pilot comparison.
The Chief Pilot's Day-to-Day Duties
Below is the practical duty map — the recurring work that fills a Part 135 Chief Pilot's week. None of these are decoration: each one ties to a Part 135 obligation the operator has to be able to prove. The exact mix shifts with fleet size and operation type, but the categories are consistent across on-demand and commuter operators.
Administer pilot training and checking
Crewmember standards · 14 CFR Part 135 training requirementsThe Chief Pilot owns the pilot training program in practice: scheduling and overseeing initial, transition, recurrent, and requalification training; coordinating ground and flight training; and ensuring proficiency or competency checks and line checks happen on time. The Chief Pilot works with check airmen and instructors and is the person who can say, with records to back it, that a given pilot has completed the training the operation requires.
Track crew qualifications and currency
PIC/SIC currency, recent experience, checks, ratingsBefore a pilot is assigned to a trip, the Chief Pilot is responsible for knowing that the pilot is qualified and current — recurrent training complete, proficiency/competency check valid, line check current, instrument currency where required, second-in-command currency where applicable, and the right ratings for the aircraft and operation. This is a tracking discipline: a single expired item can ground a crewmember, so the currency picture has to be live, not reconstructed.
Maintain the pilot-facing operations manual
General Operations Manual (GOM) crew proceduresThe Chief Pilot keeps the crew procedures and pilot-facing portions of the operations manual accurate, current, and aligned with the operator’s authorizations and any accepted/approved changes. When procedures change — a new aircraft, a new authorization, a revised limitation — the manual and the way crews are briefed have to move together, and the Chief Pilot is the owner of that alignment.
Standardize how crews fly
Crewmember standards · standardizationStandardization is the heart of the role: making sure every pilot flies to the same procedures, callouts, and limitations rather than to personal habit. The Chief Pilot briefs crews, issues standardization guidance, and uses check and line-check feedback to close gaps. Consistent crew performance is both a safety outcome and what an inspector expects to see reflected in the operation.
Ensure flights match the Operations Specifications
Operations Specifications conformanceThe operator may only conduct the operations its OpSpecs authorize, under the limitations they impose. The Chief Pilot helps ensure crews fly within those authorizations — the right kinds of operations, areas, and limitations — and that crew procedures reflect them. When the operation grows into a new authorization, the Chief Pilot is part of making sure the crews and the manual catch up.
Coordinate with the Director of Operations and Director of Maintenance
Management coordination · operational control administrationThe Chief Pilot does not work in isolation. The Director of Operations administers operational control and overall flight-operations direction; the Director of Maintenance owns airworthiness. The Chief Pilot coordinates crew availability and qualification against the schedule with the DO, and flags airworthiness or maintenance limitations affecting how crews operate. In small operators these conversations may be one person wearing more than one hat — but the functions still have to connect.
Own the pilot records that prove all of it
Pilot records required by the FAAEvery duty above produces a record, and the Chief Pilot is the de facto owner of the pilot record set: training records, check records, currency tracking, certificate and medical copies, and the documentation that proves each pilot is qualified for the assignment. When a POI asks for them, they have to be complete and retrievable — which is exactly where a document-intelligence layer earns its keep.
In a small operator, the Chief Pilot often flies too
At a small on-demand operator, the Chief Pilot is frequently also a line pilot — and may hold a second management title where the FAA has accepted a consolidated structure under §119.69(b). That makes the records discipline harder, not easier: the same person is generating training, checking, and currency records and being responsible for tracking them. We cover the consolidated-role scenario in our one-person-multiple-roles guide.
For the record sets these duties touch most directly, see the Part 135 pilot records the FAA requires and Part 135 training program recordkeeping. And because crew-standards discipline overlaps the incoming safety-program rule, see the Part 135 SMS 2027 deadline and the new Director of Safety position.
Can your Chief Pilot prove every pilot is current — today?
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Chief Pilot vs. Director of Operations — Who Does What
The two positions are easy to blur because both are management pilots and, in small operators, can be the same person. But the FAA defines them around different functions and applies different qualification standards. The split below is the cleanest way to think about it.
| Dimension | Chief Pilot | Director of Operations |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Crewmember standards and the way flights are flown | Overall conduct and operational direction of flight operations |
| Owns operational control? | No — administers flight standards, not operational control | Administers operational control on behalf of the certificate holder |
| Day-to-day work | Training, checking, currency, standardization, pilot manual | Scheduling, dispatch/flight-following oversight, operational policy |
| Qualification rule | §119.71(c)/(d) — recent pilot-in-command experience | §119.71(a)/(b) — supervisory/operational-control experience |
| Inspector’s lens | Are crews qualified, current, and standardized? | Is the operation controlled, scheduled, and run within authority? |
Because the default under §119.69(a) is three distinct positions, combining the Chief Pilot and Director of Operations titles is an FAA-accepted structure under §119.69(b), not a default — and the one person must independently meet the qualification standard for each role they hold. The duties of both roles still have to be performed even when one person performs them. For the side-by-side detail and the consolidated-role mechanics, see Director of Operations vs. Chief Pilot and Part 135 management with one person in multiple roles.
A note on Chief Pilot pay (a top search question)
Chief Pilot compensation is one of the most-searched aspects of the role, and it varies widely with aircraft type, fleet size, region, and whether the Chief Pilot also flies the line. As a public-market reference, ZipRecruiter data (June 2026) for Chief Pilot roles in the U.S. shows most salaries between roughly $122,000 (25th percentile) and $207,000 (75th percentile), with top earners near $228,000 and an average around $163,000 per year. Treat that as a broad, date-stamped range, not a target — and note that FileFlo is a compliance-records tool, not a salary, hiring, or career-advice service.
The Records the Chief Pilot Owns
Every duty in this article produces a record, and during surveillance the Chief Pilot's function is judged by whether those records are complete and retrievable. Below are the record sets that sit under the role and how a document-intelligence layer keeps them audit-ready. FileFlo does not fly, train, schedule, or qualify anyone — it keeps the documentary proof the Chief Pilot is responsible for.
Pilot Training Records
Crewmember training (14 CFR Part 135)What it proves
Initial, transition, recurrent, and requalification training completion for each crewmember — the evidence that a pilot has had the training the operation requires before being assigned.
How FileFlo tracks it
FileFlo classifies and indexes training records as a document class, tags them to each pilot, and surfaces overdue or missing training in a single view.
Proficiency / Competency Check & Line Check Records
Crewmember checkingWhat it proves
The records of proficiency or competency checks and line checks that establish a pilot is qualified and current to act in their assigned crew position.
How FileFlo tracks it
FileFlo tracks check dates and validity windows with proactive alerts, so an expiring or expired check is flagged before a pilot is mistakenly assigned.
Crew Currency & Recent-Experience Tracking
PIC/SIC currency and recent experienceWhat it proves
The live currency picture for each pilot — recent experience, instrument currency where required, SIC currency where applicable — that determines eligibility for a given trip.
How FileFlo tracks it
FileFlo maintains a per-pilot currency record and expiration tracking so the qualification picture is live rather than reconstructed under audit pressure.
Pilot Certificate & Medical Certificate Copies
14 CFR Part 61 / §61.23What it proves
Each pilot’s certificate and ratings, and a current medical certificate of the appropriate class for the duties flown. A lapsed medical can ground a pilot immediately.
How FileFlo tracks it
FileFlo stores certificate and medical copies, tracks medical class and expiration, and alerts before a lapse affects assignability.
Operations Manual / GOM Crew Sections
General Operations ManualWhat it proves
The current, approved/accepted pilot-facing procedures crews are required to follow — and the revision history showing the manual reflects the current operation and authorizations.
How FileFlo tracks it
FileFlo indexes the manual and its revisions so the Chief Pilot can show which version is current and that crews are operating to it.
Chief Pilot Appointment / FAA Acceptance
14 CFR §119.69 / OpSpecsWhat it proves
The record that the FAA has accepted the individual in the required Chief Pilot position, reflected in the certificate holder’s management structure — plus the §119.69(e) notification trail when the position changes.
How FileFlo tracks it
FileFlo stores the appointment and FAA-acceptance documentation with dates, and keeps it tied to the individual’s qualification package for a complete chain.
Related guides: Part 135 pilot records · Training program recordkeeping · Single-pilot operator records · Records master index
FileFlo is the proof layer, not the operational or training system
FileFlo is a compliance document intelligence platform — it classifies, indexes, and tracks the records the Chief Pilot owns, and surfaces expirations and gaps. It is not a dispatch system, a flight operations management system (FOS), a training-management system, or a crew-scheduling system, and it does not hire, place, train, or qualify pilots — the operator and the FAA do that. FileFlo keeps the documentary proof audit-ready alongside whatever operational and training systems you run.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Part 135 Chief Pilot do?
A Part 135 Chief Pilot is the management pilot a certificate holder must have under 14 CFR §119.69(a). The position exists to administer the standards under which flights are flown: the Chief Pilot oversees pilot training and checking, tracks crew currency and qualifications, maintains and updates the pilot-facing portions of the operations manual, ensures the way flights are conducted matches the operator's Operations Specifications, and is the management point of contact the FAA holds accountable for crewmember standards. The Chief Pilot does not own operational control — that sits with the certificate holder — but the role is where day-to-day flight-standards discipline lives.
What are the day-to-day responsibilities of a Part 135 Chief Pilot?
Day to day, a Part 135 Chief Pilot administers crew training and checking events, verifies that each pilot's qualifications and currency (recurrent training, proficiency/competency checks, line checks, and where applicable instrument and SIC currency) are current before a pilot is assigned, keeps the pilot training program and the crew sections of the General Operations Manual accurate and approved, briefs and standardizes crews on procedures and any OpSpecs limitations, coordinates with the Director of Operations on scheduling and operational control, works with check airmen and instructors, and ensures the pilot records that prove all of this exist and are retrievable. In a small operator the same person may also be a line pilot and even hold another management title.
What are the qualification requirements to be a Part 135 Chief Pilot?
The Chief Pilot qualifications are in 14 CFR §119.71(c) and (d) — not §119.65, which is the Part 121 section. §119.71(c) applies to operations requiring an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate; §119.71(d) applies to operations requiring only a commercial pilot certificate. In both cases the person must hold the appropriate pilot certificate with the ratings needed to act as pilot in command in the certificate holder's operations, must be qualified to serve as PIC in at least one aircraft used in the operation, and must have at least 3 years of experience within the past 6 years as pilot in command of an aircraft operated under Part 121 or Part 135. A person who has previously served as a Chief Pilot for a Part 121 or 135 certificate holder drops the 6-year recency window under §119.71(c)(2)/(d)(2). We cover the full qualification standard in a separate guide; this article is about the duties.
Does a Part 135 operator need a Chief Pilot?
Yes — with one stated exception. Under 14 CFR §119.69(a), each Part 135 certificate holder must have qualified personnel serving as Director of Operations, Chief Pilot, and Director of Maintenance, except a certificate holder using only one pilot in its operations. So a true single-pilot Part 135 operator is the carve-out. Separately, §119.69(b) lets the Administrator approve a different number or different categories of positions if the operator shows it can operate safely with fewer or different management personnel, judged against the kind of operation, the number and type of aircraft, and the area of operations. For most multi-pilot operators, a Chief Pilot is a required, FAA-accepted position — not optional.
Can the Chief Pilot also be the Director of Operations on a Part 135 certificate?
It can happen, but it is not automatic. The default under §119.69(a) is three distinct required positions. Combining roles — one person holding both the Director of Operations and Chief Pilot titles — depends on the operator demonstrating, and the FAA accepting under §119.69(b), that it can conduct operations safely with that structure, and the individual must independently meet the qualification standard for each role they hold (the DO standard in §119.71(a)/(b) and the Chief Pilot standard in §119.71(c)/(d)). Many small operators do consolidate management titles in one or two people; the point is that the consolidation is an FAA-accepted structure, not a self-declared shortcut, and the duties of each role still have to be performed.
What is the difference between a Part 135 Chief Pilot and a Director of Operations?
They are different positions with different focus. The Director of Operations is the management official responsible for the overall conduct and operational direction of flight operations — scheduling, operational control administration, and the operation as a whole — and the §119.71(a)/(b) standard centers on supervisory/managerial experience exercising operational control. The Chief Pilot is the management pilot responsible for crew standards and the way flights are actually flown — training, checking, currency, standardization, and the pilot sections of the manual — with a §119.71(c)/(d) standard centered on recent pilot-in-command experience. In short: the DO is accountable for the operation; the Chief Pilot is accountable for the pilots and the flying standard. We compare the two roles in detail in a dedicated guide.
How does the FAA hold a Part 135 Chief Pilot accountable?
The Chief Pilot is an FAA-accepted required management position reflected in the certificate holder's management structure and Operations Specifications. During surveillance, a principal operations inspector (POI) will look at the crew-standards areas the Chief Pilot owns: are pilots current and qualified, are training and checking records complete, does the manual match what crews actually do, and is the operation being flown within OpSpecs. Findings in those areas land on the Chief Pilot's function. If the Chief Pilot position goes vacant, the operator must notify the responsible Flight Standards office within 10 days of the change or vacancy under §119.69(e), and continuing to operate without a qualified, FAA-accepted Chief Pilot is itself a finding.
What is the salary range for a Part 135 Chief Pilot?
Compensation varies widely by aircraft type, fleet size, region, and whether the Chief Pilot also flies the line. As a public-market reference, ZipRecruiter data (June 2026) for Chief Pilot roles in the United States shows most salaries between roughly $122,000 (25th percentile) and $207,000 (75th percentile), with top earners near $228,000 and an average around $163,000 per year. Treat these as a broad, date-stamped range rather than a target — a Chief Pilot at a small piston/turboprop on-demand operator and one at a large jet-fleet operator are very different jobs. FileFlo does not provide salary, hiring, or career advice; we track the qualification and currency records the role owns.
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Reviewed by Chad Griffith, Founder, FileFlo — compliance document intelligence. June 15, 2026. Regulatory citations verified against Cornell LII (14 CFR §119.69 and §119.71) as of publication date; salary figures cite ZipRecruiter (June 2026) as a dated range. This article is educational and is not legal, career, or HR advice.