From the Flight Deck

When P.J. Flanagan joined Shoreline Aviation in 2023 as the company’s director of operations, he had a particular goal in mind.

“I’m really looking forward to mentoring younger pilots through their profession,” he said at the time.

The husband, father and grandfather flew with Delta Airlines for 24 years, nearly five of those as chief pilot. Upon retiring from Delta in 2020, P.J. renovated his and wife Doris’ home on Massachusetts’ South Shore. But then he got antsy and needed to get back into the captain’s seat.

Young, up and coming pilots will be glad he did.

P.J. spent the past year, with steady assistance from Shoreline operations specialist and licensed pilot Peter Bukarus, working directly with the FAA preparing for its approval of a Pilot Development Program. Few Part 135 operators have been awarded this approval from the FAA, P.J. said.

FAA Part 135 certificates are required for aviation companies to operate as non-scheduled air charter carriers.

“This was a preexisting process, but few people actually do it,” P.J. said. “I don’t know anyone our size who does. It’s a big accomplishment to get this approval.”

Shoreline Aviation – the fixed base operator of Marshfield Municipal Airport (GHG) since 1981 – has created a Pilot Development Program for established captains to become mentors to pilots aspiring to fly jets. This program involves specific training in the development and growth of leadership skills. It utilizes a checklist and procedures for operating a single-pilot aircraft as a two-pilot aircraft, essentially establishing Captain and Second in Command (SIC) roles and responsibilities.

At Shoreline (www.shorelineaviation.net), this Pilot Development Program will utilize the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft in its charter fleet. Under the PDP, the pilot flying the right seat in the cockpit would be able to log time as SIC. Previously, those pilots could not log this valuable flight time in building their careers.

Shoreline Aviation Director of Operations P.J. Flanagan shows the instrumentation facing a Pilot in Command in a Citation XLS+ jet.

Captains will gain special mentoring and leadership skills and must have served as a Pilot in Command (PIC) at Shoreline for at least six months before applying for the role. They also must complete subsequent PIC PDP mentorship training every 36 months.

“To achieve captain status, a pilot must have a minimum of 1,200 hours of flying time,” Peter noted.

“Our captains will gain valuable mentoring and leadership skills and will benefit their carers greatly,” P.J. said. “You become a better pilot yourself when you explain all the procedures.”

SICs will learn skills necessary to be part of a professional two-pilot crew, including training in normal and abnormal procedures. And PDP pilots will use the same skills and operating procedures used in Shoreline’s expanding fleet of Citation XLS+ jet aircraft.

“To be a mentor, you’re giving someone leadership skills so they can develop in a judge-free environment,” P.J. said. “The mentor is giving the information in a way the SIC can absorb it at a decent rate.”

“It teaches captains how people can learn – visual, audio, hands on,” Peter said. “One way might not work for everyone. They teach and test so that they grasp the concepts.”

Peter Bukarus and P.J. Flanagan mug with a Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft that will be used for training in Shoreline Aviation’s Pilot Development Program.

But are prop pilots eager to move up to jets?

“Yes, they want to go bigger, faster; it’s a natural progression,” P.J. said. “This is a unique opportunity to offer. The Pilatus is a great first step. Taking guys from the PC-12 to go to jets is a phenomenal advantage.”

Shoreline Aviation is now building its own bench of future jet pilots. Their pilots would be trained the Shoreline way, following Shoreline procedures, and ensuring that Shoreline’s safety culture is strictly followed. This benefit could also help draw topflight applicants for piloting positions.

“Our new pilots mostly start as flight instructors,” P.J. explained. “We watch them. It’s like a farm team; you know what you have. It’s a great avenue for Shoreline, and an amazing avenue for flight instructors.”

“These kids want to come here,” Peter said. “They know they can go from flight instructor to copilot on the Pilatus to captain on the Pilatus to SIC and even captain on a jet after significantly more training. This is a great mentoring program.”