Chief Inspector
Blackhawk GroupJoin our team as Chief Inspector and play a critical leadership role in maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and regulatory compliance. We're seeking an experienced aviation professional with Part 145 expertise, strong FAA knowledge, and a passion for leading people and improving processes. If you're ready to help shape the future of our maintenance operation, apply today. Position Summary The Chief Inspector is the senior quality and regulatory authority for the Part 145 Repair Station. This position oversees all inspection functions, ensures compliance with FAA regulations and the company’s Quality Management System (QMS), and provides leadership to the inspection staff. The Chief Inspector exercises independent judgment in interpreting regulatory requirements, making airworthiness determinations, overseeing RTS authorizations, and enforcing quality standards. The role also includes managing team performance, developing inspection procedures, coordinating audits, and serving as the primary liaison with the FAA. Essential Functions Regulatory Oversight & Airworthiness Authority Serve as the Repair Station’s primary authority for inspections, compliance, and quality control under 14 CFR Parts 43, 65, 91, and 145. Ensure all maintenance activities conform to type design, approved technical data, and FAA requirements. Maintain effective oversight of airworthiness determinations made by inspectors; intervene directly when elevated decisions or escalations occur. Ensure proper execution of ADs, Service Bulletins, ICAs, and manufacturer instructions. Oversee the issuance and control of maintenance releases, logbook entries, and FAA 8130-3 tags. Ensure regulatory documents, manuals, and procedures are current and properly implemented. Inspection Program Leadership Direct all receiving, preliminary, in-process, hidden-damage, and final inspections performed within the Repair Station. Establish inspection standards, criteria, and methodologies to ensure consistency and compliance. Develop, maintain, and revise inspection procedures, checklists, forms, and technical data flows. Manage non-conformances, rework requirements, and corrective actions. Lead internal audits and participate in external, FAA, customer, and vendor audits. Team Leadership & Performance Management Lead, supervise, schedule, and develop the inspector workforce. Provide coaching, technical guidance, and performance feedback to inspectors. Evaluate inspector competency and ensure training (initial, recurrent, and specialized) is completed. Delegate inspection responsibilities while maintaining oversight of high-risk or complex determinations. Recruit, onboard, and assess new inspectors; determine training needs and qualification status. Quality System & Procedure Management Maintain the Repair Station Manual (RSM), Quality Control Manual (QCM), training program, capabilities list, and associated quality procedures. Oversee document control, calibration control, and records retention systems. Approve changes to inspection procedures, work instructions, and forms. Support continuous-improvement initiatives to enhance quality, safety, and efficiency. Incident, Root-Cause & Corrective Action Management Lead investigations into quality escapes, customer findings, and audit findings. Conduct root-cause analysis and ensure effective corrective/preventive actions (CAPA). Monitor trends and develop quality metrics to proactively address systemic issues. FAA & Customer Interface Serve as the primary contact for FAA oversight, audits, and correspondence. Coordinate with FAA PMI/PAI on manual revisions, capabilities changes, and compliance matters. Represent the Repair Station during customer audits and quality reviews. Cross-Functional Support Partner with DOM, Production Managers, Engineering, Supply Chain, and senior leadership to ensure alignment of quality and operational objectives. Provide regulatory guidance on technical projects, engineering…