James Lilje

James Lilje

Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Expert Witness

  • Address Vashon, WA (USA)
  • E-mail liljejames@gmail.com
  • Phone (206) 310-0631


  • An aviation expert with more than 50 years of experience, knowlege and qualifications that you can trust.

Download CV

I am a pilot and flight instructor with over fifty years of experience in military, airline, air ambulance, air taxi and general aviation. This includes 28 years as a pilot with United Airlines and service as a Naval Aviator. Since 2007 I have worked primarily as a flight instructor. I teach and evaluate flying skills and judgment to pilots at all levels from beginners to the highly experienced. I am very successful at teaching complex flying concepts to people who have little or no previous knowledge.

I hold an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (the highest pilot license) and a Gold Seal Flight Instructor Certificate issued by the FAA. The Gold Seal recognizes the high first-time pass rate of my students when they take their FAA fight check for a new rating. I have 19,000 flight hours which includes over 3500 hours of instruction given. I have never had aircraft accident or incident and have never been cited for a violation of flight regulations.

Licenses, Experience, and Education

  • ✔
    Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with B-737, B-757, B-767, B-777 & Learjet type ratings
  • ✔
    Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor (Single-engine and Multi-engine Airplanes, Instrument Flying)
  • ✔
    12,400 hours of Pilot in Command time
  • ✔
    16 years as a Civilian and Military Flight Instructor
  • ✔
    19,000 hours total flight time
  • ✔
    3500 hours of dual flight instruction given
  • ✔
    Small Unmanned Aircraft Remote Pilot Certificate
  • ✔
    Pilot Training Stage Check Instructor
  • ✔
    Flight Engineer (Turbojet) Certificate
  • ✔
    Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor Certificate
  • ✔
    United States Naval Aviator
  • ✔
    Co-inventor of the CX-1 flight calculator

    • Work Experience

    2007 - present

    Flight Instructor

    Galvin Flight Training

    I give flight instruction for all pilot ratings from Private Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot. I am a stage check instructor for all Part 141 and Part 61 courses taught at Galvin. I have written or helped write numerous special courses for Galvin.
    examples of recent special courses...
    • A Part 61 Multi-engine transition course for Private and Commercial Pilots training in aircraft and simulators.
    • Lead Instructor in a new FAR 141 approved course to transition helicopter pilots to fixed wing aircraft.
    • A 5 to 10 day ATP course using airplanes and simulators.
    • A 21day course for pilots of the Turkish Air Force and Indian Navy to prepare them for three separate FAA ratings.
    • Initial and recurrent training for FAA Flight Safety Inspectors in technically advanced light single-engine and multi-engine airplanes.
      •    I was both an instructor and check airman for these courses.
    • A course for non-pilots to qualify for a sUA (Drones) Remote Pilot Certificate
    2014 - 2015

    Air Ambulance Pilot

    MedflightOne

    I flew as an air ambulance and charter pilot in Learjet 36 aircraft. I flew all over North America and on extended overwater flights between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii.

    2002 - 2006

    Captain on Boeing 777 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the 777 domestically in the US and internationally to Europe and Asia.

    Early 2002

    Trainer

    United Airlines

    United Airlines needed to rapidly implement its new policy on hijacking and crew interference. I was one of four pilots in the Seattle pilot domicile selected to give this training to Seattle based flight crews.

    1999 - 2002

    Captain on Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew both aircraft domestically in the US and on extended overwater flights between the US mainland and Hawaii.

    1994 - 1999

    Captain on Boeing 737 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the 737 domestically in the US and to Canada, Mexico and Central America.
     

    1991 - 1993

    First Officer (Co-pilot) on McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the DC-10 domestically in the US and on extended overwater flights between the US mainland and Hawaii.

    1988 - 1991

    First Officer (Co-pilot) on Boeing 737 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the 737 domestically in the US, to Canada, Mexico, Central America and in the Caribbean.
     

    1986 - 1988

    First Officer (Co-pilot) on Boeing 727 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the 727 domestically in the US and to Canada.

    1984 - 1986

    Second Officer (Flight Engineer) on Boeing 727 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the 727 domestically in the US and to Canada.
     

    1980 - 1984

    Co-owner and President

    Aviation Training & Research, Inc. (Ground School)

    During a furlough from United Airlines, a partner and I bought the pilot ground school division from ASA Publications of Seattle, WA.
    More info...
    • We prepared students for all FAA written tests from Private Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Engineer.
    • I also wrote and/or edited a number of written test preparation books under contract to ASA Publications.
    • I am the co-inventor of the CX-1 flight calculator (US Patent 4,831,538) which ASA brought to market."
    1979 - 1980

    Second Officer (Flight Engineer) on Boeing 727 aircraft

    United Airlines

    I flew the 727 domestically in the US and to Canada.
     

    1975 - 1979

    Ground Instructor

    Aviation Training & Research, Inc.

    I taught pilot ground schools for all ratings and prepared classroom text material.
    When ASA began publishing written test guides in the late 1970’s, I contributed to and/or edited many of these books.

    1973 - 1975

    Pilot with Attack Squadron 212

    United States Navy

    I flew as an Attack pilot flying the A-4F Skyhawk aircraft
    During this time I completed a nine-month deployment to the Pacific and Indian Oceans aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock. This included flights from “Yankee Station” off the coast of North Vietnam.

    1972 - 1973

    Pilot with Attack Squadron 127

    United States Navy

    Went through advanced training as an attack pilot flying from aircraft carriers.

    1970 - 1972

    Flight Instructor with Training Squadron 4

    United States Navy

    I taught air-to-air gunnery and Aircraft Carrier landings in T- 2B/C “Buckeye” aircraft.

    1968 - 1970

    Student Naval Aviator

    United States Navy

    I completed Aviation Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy Reserve in January of 1969.
    I completed flight training in February of 1970 and received my Navy wings.
    On completion of flight training, I was selected as a “Distinguished Naval Graduate”. This allowed me to transfer from the Navy Reserve to the Regular Navy without going through the usual augmentation board review.

    Contact Me

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