Check pilots observe and evaluate pilots to ensure safety and compliance with regulations and procedures.
Pilot prepares aircraft for departure (Photo: Shutterstock | Demkat)
Airline pilots undergo extensive training to earn their licenses and build flight time before they take the controls of a passenger aircraft. However, training and evaluation for pilots does not stop when they reach the airlines.
Throughout a pilot’s airline career, they will go through continuous training and testing to make sure that they maintain the necessary skills and knowledge for the job. These processes also ensure that pilots are complying with procedures and rules set out by the company and government.
Since safety is a top priority in the airline industry, airlines have check pilots who conduct checks, training, and evaluation for their pilots. Proper practices and adherence to regulations are critical to maintaining a safe operation, meaning that these check pilots are a key part of the aviation safety landscape.
Check pilots – also known as check airmen – are pilots who are approved to evaluate and certify the skills and knowledge of other pilots. In the United States, check pilots are approved by both their company and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
A check pilot can conduct checks and training in a simulator or other flight training device, or in an actual aircraft. They observe and evaluate pilots to ensure compliance and standardization throughout the company and industry.
There are two main types of check pilots: aircraft check pilots and simulator check pilots. The names are self-explanatory. Aircraft check pilots can conduct flight checks or instruction in a particular type of aircraft. These pilots will join pilots in the flight deck for proficiency checks or “line checks,” and also carry out initial operating experience (IOE) flights for new pilots on a particular aircraft type.
Meanwhile, simulator check pilots are approved to perform instruction and evaluations in flight simulators. Airlines use simulators for a variety of purposes including initial and recurrent training. Pilots are required to undergo training and testing on normal and emergency procedures on a regular basis under the supervision of check pilots.
United’s new building at its Flight Training Center in Denver. (Photo: United Airlines)
In many cases, check pilots will be approved to perform their duties in both aircraft and simulators. Some companies will also have “lead check pilots,” who oversee, train, and evaluate a group of check pilots.
The qualifications for a check pilot in the United States are set out in the Federal Aviation Regulations. Firstly, pilots have to have the required certificates, ratings, and training to serve as a pilot in command of the applicable type of aircraft.
Check pilots then have to complete a training program that meets FAA requirements. Elements that have to be covered in this training include regulatory requirements, methods and techniques for conducting checks, and the approved procedures and limitations for performing normal and emergency procedures.
Pilots also have to be approved by the FAA in order to be a check pilot. Simulator check pilots also have to receive training on the operation and limitations of the simulator that they will be using. They also have to meet requirements involving real-world flight experience.
Check pilots are skilled pilots who are often some of the top pilots in a company. Not only do they have extensive flight experience, but they also possess strong skills in areas like communication, leadership, and teaching. Prospective pilots can build these attributes throughout their careers.
The path to becoming a check pilot varies depending on the airline and an individual pilot’s experience and circumstances. Pilots interested in becoming a check pilot can make their interests known and network with other pilots and personnel within the company. They can also ensure that they have relevant experience like prior time as a flight instructor.
A line check is an evaluation of a pilot during a regular flight. Check pilots will accompany crews during a segment or trip and observe their flying skills, decision-making, and compliance with regulations and procedures.
There is no difference between a check pilot and a check airman. These terms are used interchangeably.
A check pilot’s salary will depend on their airline, experience, and aircraft type. Check pilots are typically given an additional hourly rate to compensate them for the additional responsibilities. Since check pilots tend to be experienced captains, their salary can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars at major airlines.
Receive a daily dose of the airline industry's top stories along with market insights right in your inbox.
Scheduling is critical to every airline pilot’s career, as aviation is a time-sensitive industry. Whether you are preparing to take…
A veteran Air France pilot has gone viral on social media after quitting due to “eco-anxiety” regarding the pollution caused…
Delta debuted its pilot training facility in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. The 50,000-square-foot center near Salt Lake City International…
