Chris Hope is the acting Vice President of Flight Program Operations (AJF) for the FAA Air Traffic Organization, which administers the FAA Flight Program. AJF is responsible for the safe and efficient execution of a mission set including flight inspection; aviation safety training; research, development, test and evaluation support; and critical event response/transportation.
The FAA Flight Program is certificated as a 14 CFR part 135 air operator and 14 CFR part 145 repair station and is the only major government flight program that elects to operate under civilian regulations. It was one of the first part 135 flight programs to implement a corporate Safety Management System (SMS), incorporating multiple FAA certificates.
Mr. Hope previously served as the Deputy Vice President (DVP) of AJF and was instrumental in restructuring the 14 CFR part 135 and part 145 maintenance organizations which led to the optimized alignment of specific managers with discrete functions, and his advocacy for the mission of AJF in support of the national airspace system (NAS) resulted in increased budget stability and more effective allocation of resources.
Mr. Hope also served as Division Manager of the Flight Technologies and Procedures Division in FAA Flight Standards. He led a 185-person division with a mission to improve flight operations, standardization, and aviation safety within the US and international airspace systems in support of the FAA’s plans for NextGen through regulations, standards, and policy at the intersection of flight operations, aircraft, airspace, airports, and flight procedures. In this role, he ensured safe and efficient flight paths from takeoff to landing and provided operational safety reviews and support to the NAS.
Mr. Hope’s other leadership positions include Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Safety Standards and Group Manager of the Flight Operations Group. He also served as an Aviation Safety Inspector, worked as a Manager and Program Analyst for the FAA, and served as the former U.S. Member to the ICAO Flight Operations Panel, as well as the Rapporteur of the ICAO All Weather Operations Subgroup. Prior to joining the FAA, he was a senior Program Manager at Enterprise Information Services, Inc. and a command pilot for the US Air Force.
Mr. Hope earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from the US Air Force Academy and a Master of Arts in Business from Webster University. He completed the Harvard University Kennedy School program for Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies. Mr. Hope holds Airline Transport Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument certificates with ratings in the B-757, B-767, and L-382.
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