Aviation Operations Lead — Campus Scheduling & Growth

Thrust Flight; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Thrust Flight in Fort Worth, TX is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee daily campus operations for our Zero Time to Airline program. You will lead the campus operations staff, ensure efficient use of aircraft, instructors, simulators, and facilities, and maintain safety and service standards across the training day.

The role requires 3+ years in aviation operations or flight training, strong leadership and scheduling skills, and the ability to coordinate across teams.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in aviation operations, flight training, scheduling, dispatch, or related operational leadership environment.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Experience coordinating schedules, resources, or operational logistics.
• Ability to make timely decisions and maintain operational continuity under pressure.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and operational scheduling systems.
• Ability to work flexible hours as operational needs require.

Responsibilities

• Own the execution of the day-to-day flight schedule through direct oversight of location operational staff.
• Ensure aircraft, instructors, simulators, and facilities are utilized efficiently and in alignment with training demand.
• Establish clear role accountability across the operations team; delegate responsibilities appropriately and monitor follow-through.
• Identify operational gaps or inefficiencies and implement corrective action.
• Step into tactical execution when staffing or performance gaps require leadership coverage.
• Oversee workload distribution across the operations team to prevent burnout and ensure consistent performance.
• Provide coaching and performance feedback to location operations staff.
• Maintain operational coverage standards and proactively plan for staffing needs.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and development of operations personnel in coordination with the Director of Flight Operations and Manager of Operations Training & Development.
• Oversee schedule integrity, including rescheduling, maintenance blocks, instructor availability, and student progression pacing.
• Partner with Maintenance and flight leadership to maximize aircraft uptime and training continuity.
• Monitor long-term resource demand and capacity planning for sustained growth.
• Support the Student Services Liaison in managing Zero Time to Airline students by ensuring operational alignment with student timelines and hour requirements.
• Maintain visibility into training pipeline health and progression benchmarks.
• Maintain facility standards, including cleanliness, inventory management, and operational functionality.
• Identify and implement improvements that enhance the student and staff experience.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison with the FBO and airport management.
• Collaborate with the Director of Flight Operations on long-term planning, operational initiatives, and campus performance metrics.
• Support campus events and initiatives that promote student engagement and industry exposure (airline visits, open houses, professional development events)

Skills

Aviation leadership

Team leadership

Scheduling coordination

Communication skills

Problem solving

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Thrust Flight in Fort Worth, TX is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee daily campus operations for our Zero Time to Airline program. You will lead the campus operations staff, ensure efficient use of aircraft, instructors, simulators, and facilities, and maintain safety and service standards across the training day.

The role requires 3+ years in aviation operations or flight training, strong leadership and scheduling skills, and the ability to coordinate across teams.