Flight Operations Manager

The AIRO Group; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Paid Holidays

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

401(k) with company match

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Basic Life Insurance – fully paid

Long-Term Disability Insurance – fully

Voluntary Short-Term Disability

Supplemental Life Insurance options

Job summary

The AIRO Group is seeking a Manager of Flight Operations / Flight Test Pilot to actively fly flight test aircraft, develop flight test plans, and lead Aspen’s flight operations program. You will work with engineering, certification teams, and the FAA to validate avionics in real-world conditions and ensure safety and performance.

As the primary flight test pilot, you will guide mission planning, flight testing, and documentation, while overseeing aircraft maintenance and regulatory compliance to

Qualifications

• Active CPL with Instrument Rating and Multi-Engine Rating.
• Current FAA Class I or II Medical Certificate.
• 1,000+ total flight hours in General Aviation Aircraft.
• Experience operating advanced avionics systems.
• Strong technical, analytical, and communication skills.
• Project management and leadership abilities.
• FAA Flight Test DER or FAA Flight Test experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Aspen’s primary flight test pilot, operating company aircraft to evaluate new and modified avionics systems.
• Plan and conduct flight test missions to validate avionics functionality, performance, and integration.
• Develop FAA-compliant flight test plans and execute flight test programs.
• Generate and maintain flight test reports and documentation.
• Evaluate avionics systems from a pilot usability, safety, and human factors perspective.
• Provide direct feedback to engineering teams to improve design, functionality, and pilot interface.
• Oversee maintenance, airworthiness, and operational readiness of flight test aircraft.
• Interface with the FAA on flight operations and related certification activities.

Skills

CPL with Instrument Rating

Multi-Engine Rating

Strong technical, analytical, and comm

Project management & leadership

FAA Flight Test DER / experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field

Job description

At AIRO, we bring together aircraft, autonomy, avionics, and mission services into one integrated platform designed for the environments where failure is not an option. Our technology supports contested logistics, tactical and long-range ISTAR, and operations that demand precision under pressure, so the people who depend on it can get where they need to be when it matters most. Here, you will work alongside innovators, engineers, operators, and industry leaders who share a passion for solving hard problems and building what comes next in aerospace and defense.

Join us and be part of something extraordinary.

Position Overview:

The Manager of Flight Operations / Flight Test Pilot is responsible for actively flying Aspen’s flight test aircraft to evaluate and validate in-development avionics systems. This role combines hands-on flight testing with leadership of Aspen’s flight operations program, ensuring avionics products are tested in real-world flight conditions and meet both operational and regulatory requirements.

The individual in this role will serve as Aspen’s primary flight test pilot, conducting evaluation flights, developing flight test plans, and providing critical pilot feedback to engineering teams. The position plays a key role in defining Aspen’s next generation of avionics systems and ensuring they deliver exceptional functionality, usability, integration, and value for pilots and aircraft operators.

This is a highly collaborative role that works closely with engineering, certification teams, and the FAA to ensure that Aspen’s products meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and commercial competitiveness.

Key Responsibilities:

Flight Operations & Flight Testing

• Serve as Aspen’s primary flight test pilot, operating company aircraft to evaluate new and modified avionics systems
• Plan and conduct flight test missions to validate avionics functionality, performance, and integration
• Develop FAA-compliant flight test plans and execute flight test programs
• Generate and maintain flight test reports and documentation
• Evaluate avionics systems from a pilot usability, safety, and human factors perspective
• Provide direct feedback to engineering teams to improve design, functionality, and pilot interface

Aircraft & Flight Program Management

• Oversee the maintenance, airworthiness, and operational readiness of Aspen’s flight test aircraft
• Provide direction and oversight of aircraft maintenance and modifications, working with internal staff or external AMTs
• Responsible for the maintenance and operation of Aspen’s flight test aircraft while ensuring that operations are performed with the utmost safety.
• Ensure all flight operations are conducted with the highest safety standards

Engineering & Certification Collaboration

• Interface with the FAA on flight operations, including Company Flight Test Reports, Aircraft experimental airworthiness certificate, FAA Flight testing, etc.
• Work closely with engineering and software teams to evaluate new avionics features and ensure they meet real-world pilot needs
• Support certification efforts and interface with the FAA regarding:
• Flight test plans
• Experimental airworthiness certificates
• Certification flight testing
• Company flight test reports
• Provide direction and oversite of Aircraft maintenance/modification using either in-house or external AMT(s).
• Perform other duties as requested.

Qualifications:

• Active Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with Instrument Rating and Multi-Engine Rating
• CFI preferred
• Current FAA Class I or Class II Medical Certificate
• 1,000+ total flight hours in General Aviation Aircraft
• Experience operating advanced avionics systems
• Strong technical, analytical, and communication skills
• Project management and leadership abilities
• Ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional engineering teams
• FAA Flight Test DER or FAA Flight Test experience preferred

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field required

Physical and Mental Requirements:

Standing and sitting for extended periods of time,

Lifting up to 25 pounds in a safe and prudent manner,

Ability to work and communicate well with other employees and management, customers, visitors, vendors.

Ability to perform work utilizing manual dexterity of the hands,

Ability to push, pull, bend, stoop, reach above and below shoulders, and full use of upper extremities,

Ability to easily move through an approximately 25,000 square foot warehouse building,

Ability to read, write, and understand English,

Correctable vision and hearing.

Company Benefits

• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401(k) with company match
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Basic Life Insurance – fully paid by the company for employees and their dependents
• Long-Term Disability Insurance – fully paid by the company
• Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance options

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee may also be asked to perform other reasonably related job duties as assigned by their immediate supervisor as required. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed. The AIRO Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

115,000 - 130,000 USD per year (Phoenix - Main)