Lead Pilot & Flight Operations Manager

Citation CJ1+ | Part 91 | Fort Worth, Texas

[Company] is working with a privately-owned energy company assisting in their need to hire a Lead Pilot to fly a Citation CJ1+ and manage this company’s corporate aviation department from Fort Worth, Texas in a Part 91 environment.

This position is the company’s lone pilot – there is no co-pilot or SIC.

The role owns safety, dispatch reliability, aircraft readiness, FAA and company compliance, insurance compliance, maintenance coordination, scheduling and travel logistics, vendor relationships, budget and cost control, crew development, and passenger experience.

The Lead Pilot is expected to make independent, safety-first decisions while maximizing aircraft availability and completing company travel reliably and cost-effectively, without allowing schedule, cost, or passenger pressure to compromise safety.

This is a hands-on aviation leadership role for an experienced aviator, practical financial operator, and trusted adviser to company leadership. This role will also work with and transport the ownership group of family members.

Duties & Responsibilities

• As Lead Pilot, the role establishes and protects a safety-first culture, using independent judgment about weather, aircraft condition, crew readiness, airport suitability, and operational risk. It ensures each flight complies with FAA Part 91 regulations, company procedures, aircraft limitations, and accepted industry practices

• Maintain current SOPs, checklists, risk-assessment tools, emergency-response plans, and safety documentation

• Lead safety discussions and operational reviews

• Incorporate appropriate Safety Management System principles

• Report safety concerns, significant maintenance issues, and operational risks directly to company leadership.

• The Lead Pilot keeps the Citation CJ1+ flight-ready by coordinating inspections, scheduled maintenance, discrepancies, parts availability, vendor capacity, and maintenance timing. This includes software updates and renewals.

• Maintain all insurance compliance requirements for the airplane and communicate to senior management all insurance renewals, changes to policies and updates.

• Prepare contingency plans for weather, maintenance, crew availability, and other interruptions. The role coordinates directly with executive leadership on company travel and arranges fuel, ground handling, customs and permits, catering, rental vehicles, ground transportation, and contract-crew support. It anticipates problems, develops backup plans, and communicates schedule changes, aircraft availability, risks, and disruptions promptly to passengers, crew, leadership, and service providers. The role owns cost-conscious flight-department operations by evaluating fuel pricing and stops, handling and airport fees, repositioning, crew expenses, passenger transportation, and maintenance consequences

• Track operating expenses and meaningful cost trends

• Assist with the creation of the annual aviation operating budget

• Review fuel, maintenance, training, subscription, FBO, hangar, contract-pilot, and trip-related costs

• Analyze potential parts replacements / upgrades for operational improvements and efficiencies. Bring those suggestions to senior management.

This Lead Pilot opportunity includes a well-maintained Citation CJ1+ operated under FAA Part 91, established maintenance and hangar partnerships, and access to flight-planning tools, SOPs, safety resources, and operational systems. The company purchased this Citation CJ1+ new and has been the sole owner and operator of the plane, utilizing it solely for company and owner needs.

Employee benefits include a comprehensive package with medical, vision, dental, and supplemental coverage, discretionary 401(k) matching, company-paid life insurance.

The position pays a base salary appropriate and commensurate with your experience and the current Fort Worth market, in addition to an annual cash bonus determined by mutually established KPI’s (key performance indicators)

Requirements

• Minimum qualifications are an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, an FAA First Class Medical Certificate, a Citation CJ1+ series type rating, prefer at least 3,000 hours of total flight time, at least 2,000 hours of Pilot in Command time, at least 1,000 hours of turbine Pilot in Command time, and at least 1,000 hours of multi-engine flight time. Candidates must also have significant Part 91 corporate aviation experience

• A strong understanding of FAA regulations, aircraft performance, and operational risk management

• Experience coordinating aircraft maintenance and working with maintenance providers. The role requires the ability to pass required background and drug testing and to work a variable schedule while responding to changing travel needs. Preferred qualifications include prior responsibility for leading a corporate flight department

• Experience managing maintenance events and reviewing maintenance work scopes

• Experience preparing and managing an aviation operating budget

• A track record of reducing operating costs without sacrificing safety or reliability

• Experience negotiating with maintenance providers, FBOs, fuel vendors, and training providers

• Work history should include background working directly with a CEO, ownership group, or senior executive team