Flight Operations

Sterling Aviation’s Flight Operations professionals form the front-line for all our safety and client service efforts.

Working in concert with Sterling dispatchers and maintenance staff, Sterling’s pilots perform extensive pre-flight evaluations on the aircraft, navigational and safety systems, passenger and baggage loads, departure and arrival airport specifications, flight computations, and weather conditions.

Only when the aircraft captain has verified that all operational and safety requirements are in order will the aircraft depart.

Sterling’s 30 pilots and flight attendants are among the most experienced and highly trained in the private aviation industry. Our recruitment policy requires as minimums 4,000 hours of total flight time and 2,000 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC) for any Sterling captain, and 2,000 hours total time and 500 as pilot-in-command for any Sterling first officer.

See profile for Chris Mayer, Sterling’s Director of Operations
See profile for Frank Duckwall, Sterling’s Chief Pilot

Initial Sterling pilot training includes:

Five days of basic indoctrination training at Sterling Aviation
Two to three weeks of aircraft simulator and systems training at FlightSafety International
Three to four months of supervised operating experience by senior pilots

In addition, all Sterling captains are tested for proficiency every six months on all aircraft system operations and emergency procedures. This recurrent training consists of:

• Four days of aircraft specific simulator and systems training at FlightSafety International
• One day of review on all Sterling Aviation policies, procedures and protocols
   
  

Sterling pilots, flight attendants and mechanics are all subject to extensive pre-employment TSA background checks and random drug testing, and each pilot must pass a first-class medical examination every six months.

Quarterly FAA audits of pilot and flight records, routine monitoring by the FAA of ground and flight training and testing, and external audits by Aviation Research Group (ARG/US) provide additional assurances of safety.