Bob Weatherly
SVP – Flight Operations

Bob Weatherly has extensive airline experience, having logged more than 17,000 hours on large transport aircraft. He’s type-rated on the B737, B727, DC8, DC10, B747-400 and A320/A319, and he has instructed on most of these aircraft types.

He has an extensive background in aviation operations management and has held positions including Director of Safety, Director of Standards, Director of Training, Director of Operations, Chief Pilot and Assistant Chief Pilot. Prior to joining Virgin America, Bob was Vice President of Flight Operations at Atlas Air, where in-flight incidents were reduced by more than 80 percent during his tenure. He also served as Vice President of Flight Operations for Canadian Pacific Airlines for four years and Canadian Airlines for eight years. While he was at Canadian, the airline was recognized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for flying the most accident-free hours over a 10-year period of any of its 600 members. He also served as Vice President of Operations at Eastern Provincial Airlines. During his tenure, the on-time performance of the airline improved from 35 percent to 85 percent over a one-year period.

At Virgin America, Bob will provide direction and control to the Flight Operations Department to ensure that it achieves the highest levels of safety, reliability, operational efficiency, productivity and customer service. As Virgin America’s lead liaison to the Federal Aviation Administration, Bob will ensure compliance with aeronautical and safety regulations, working closely with regulatory entities and trade associations.

Bob has been a member of several professional associations, most notably the Flight Safety Foundation, where for five years he was a member of the Board of Governors and Chairman of the foundation’s International Advisory Committee. He was a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade and of IATA, where he served as Chairman of the Operations Committee for two years.