About This Role
Caterpillar Aviation Services is seeking a Chief Pilot to lead its corporate flight operations while also serving as a qualified pilot for worldwide executive transportation. The role is responsible for flight safety, regulatory compliance, operational readiness, pilot performance, professional standards, and service quality across the flight department. The Chief Pilot will lead approximately 10 pilots and 3 cabin safety professionals, support Caterpillar's executive leadership, and coordinate closely with aviation leadership, maintenance, scheduling, training, and flight operations teams across a modern Gulfstream fleet.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee day-to-day pilot operations within Caterpillar Aviation Services and provide operational leadership for the corporate flight department. Maintain safety standards, regulatory compliance, operational readiness, pilot standards, the flight-section budget, and flight-department procedures, while ensuring effective scheduling, reserve coverage, and crew availability for corporate travel. Serve as a qualified pilot supporting worldwide executive transportation for senior leaders, including executive officers, Group Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, and other key stakeholders. Ensure flight planning, weather criteria, aircraft performance, and weight-and-balance requirements are satisfied before operations, and conduct or ensure completion of aircraft pre-flight inspections and passenger briefings in accordance with FAA regulations. Maintain compliance with FAA, company, customs, immigration, and international operating requirements
- lead pilot safety standards and operational discipline
- and support Safety Management System initiatives and continuous improvement. Coach, mentor, and develop flight crews, partner with training leadership to maintain qualifications, certifications, and currency, and support pilot recruiting, selection, development, and succession planning. Collaborate with maintenance, scheduling, and aviation support personnel to maximize aircraft availability and operational readiness, advise leadership on aviation operations and pilot standards, and identify improvements to procedures, safety, efficiency, and flight-department performance.
What We Offer
The position offers the opportunity to lead a respected corporate aviation operation supporting Caterpillar's global leadership team, directly influence flight operations and pilot development, join a modern Gulfstream fleet, and pursue a leadership succession opportunity within Caterpillar Aviation Services. It includes frequent interaction with executive and C-Suite leadership, Group Presidents, and Senior Vice Presidents, and relocation assistance is available for those who qualify. Subject to plan eligibility, benefits include medical, dental, and vision coveragepaid vacation, holidays, and volunteer time401(k) savings plansa Health Savings AccountFlexible Spending Accountshealth lifestyle programsan Employee Assistance Programvoluntary benefits and employee discountscareer developmentan incentive bonusdisability benefitslife insuranceparental and adoption benefitsand tuition reimbursement.
Requirements
- The role requires an FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, an FAA-issued First-Class Medical Certificate, at least 10 years of relevant aviation experience including international flight operations, significant fixed-wing experience typically demonstrated by 3000+ flight hours, and instrument flight experience in complex aviation environments.
- Applicants must demonstrate leadership experience supervising or leading pilots, cabin safety professionals, aviation teams, or flight operations, along with strong knowledge of FAA regulations, corporate aviation operations, and aviation safety standards.
- A clean safety and regulatory record with no accidents or violations is required.
- Experience in one or more of corporate aviation, FAR Part 135 operations, FAR Part 121 operations, or military aviation operations is requested, while experience in a FAR Part 91 corporate aviation environment is strongly preferred.
- Preferred qualifications include Gulfstream GVII and/or GVIII type ratings, experience on Gulfstream G500 and G700 aircraft or comparable large-cabin corporate aircraft, chief pilot or other flight-operations leadership experience, military aviation leadership experience, executive flight-department experience, and experience managing scheduling, crew readiness, training programs, operational standards, safety programs, and Safety Management Systems.
- A bachelor's degree and/or equivalent experience is preferred.