There is an increasing tendency - especially with multi-aircraft corporate flight departments - to employ professional flight department managers rather than promoting a line pilot to be the department manager.

The responsibilities and knowledge that are required to manage a flight department are outside those of a line pilot unless he or she has had business and management education and training.

One school of thought says that a pilot can do it better because he or she understands the aviation aspects of the department and is in a better position to hire and to evaluate the pilots and other aviation personnel.

The other school of thought says that a professional manager can do it better because he or she understands the business and management functions better and the manager does not need to be as well versed in the aviation technical aspects of the department.

Written Assignment #2:

Briefly discuss both sides of the issue and then pick one side of the debate and make a case for it.