Summary:

Serves as MD Helicopters’ senior aviation authority, responsible for safe, compliant, and efficient flight operations across flight test, production acceptance, demonstrations, training, and customer support for commercial and military programs. Promotes safety culture and ensures regulatory and company standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all flight operations and enforce safety standards.
• Ensure FAA and military compliance; support Safety Management System.
• Experienced in both military and commercial training operations
• Oversee flight test, production acceptance, and delivery operations.
• Support aircraft development, flight test, and certification activities
• Conduct customer demonstrations, acceptance flights, and training oversight.
• Manage pilot qualification, proficiency, and scheduling.
• Provide operational input to design, manuals, and training systems
• Represent company with regulators, customers, and industry stakeholders.
• Owns pilot safety culture and operational risk management

Qualifications:

• FAA ATP with helicopter rating; CFII required.
• 4,000 PIC hours (2,000 helicopter; 1,000 turbine; 1,500 instructor).
• Prior Chief Pilot or Flight Operations leadership experience.
• Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• Bachelor’s degree in technical field or equivalent experience.

Preferred:

• Military rotary-wing background; flight test and instructor experience.
• Familiarity with ITAR/export compliance and government contracting.
• DER certification (or equivalent FAA/EASA authorization) preferred, particularly in-flight test, performance, handling qualities, or operational suitability.
• Maintenance Test Pilot (MTP) experience or equivalent flight test background