I build workflow systems for operations teams.
FAA Commercial Pilot Instrument Rated Part 107
Pilot Work Register
Deployed at work
J-207 Roof survey · Pilot OneApproved
Independent demo with fictional data
01Workflow automation
Project 01Deployed at work
Pilot Work Register
- Business problem
- Pilot work was assigned, reported and approved without one place to track it.
- My contribution
- Designed the flow from assignment to manager approval and built the SharePoint app with six automated flows for notifications, reassignments, record locking and daily reminders.
- Solution
- Managers assign, pilots report back, managers approve, and every record lands on a categorized timeline with a dashboard for remote managers.
Independent demo with fictional data
- 1Manager assignsRoof survey at Example Yard A goes to Pilot One
- 2Pilot notifiedA new assignment alert arrives
- 3Report submittedPilot One completes the job and reports back
- 4Manager approvesThe report is reviewed and approved
- 5Dashboard updatedThe timeline and remote manager dashboard show the job as done
Flight Authorization & Safety
- Business problem
- Flight requests, safety checks and post-flight records lived on separate forms in an outside tool, with no single connected record.
- My contribution
- Rebuilt the existing pilot forms in Microsoft Forms and connected them with Power Automate and SharePoint, adding role-based approval, a safety checklist and a no-override grounding gate.
- Solution
- One controlled process from request to approval, pre-flight risk check and post-flight record, with notifications at each step. In daily use since July 2026.
Interactive recreation · Fictional data · Not an employer system
- 1Request
- 2Approval
- 3Pre-flight check
- 4Grounding gate
- 5Post-flight record
- 6Records
Client Request Intake & Tracking
- Business problem
- Client drone requests arrived in different shapes and needed files, follow-ups and stage tracking by hand.
- My contribution
- Adapted an existing request form into a branching intake and built seven automated flows for intake, upload links, file receipt, reminders and sync, plus a role-based tracker.
- Solution
- A request asks only what its service needs, collects files automatically and moves through clear stages with a full activity history.
Interactive recreation · Fictional data · Not an employer system
- 1Branching intake
- 2Request logged
- 3Files and follow-up
- 4Review
- 5Quote
Project 04Deployed at work
Fleet & Equipment Dashboard
- Business problem
- There was no single view of where each aircraft and piece of equipment was, or what state it was in.
- My contribution
- Defined the requirements, designed, tested and deployed a custom SharePoint dashboard using AI-assisted development.
- Solution
- One searchable view of every asset by location and status, with maintenance and activity history.
Project 05Delivered at work
Supplier Sourcing & Negotiation
- Business problem
- Equipment and training purchases needed competing quotes and better terms under time pressure.
- My contribution
- Sourced and compared 10 providers across the United States and Canada, negotiated pricing and inclusions, and prepared recommendations for approval.
- Solution
- $20K+ in negotiated commercial value: price reductions plus price protection, three price locks and nine added inclusions.
Project 06Independent prototype
Operations Platform Prototype
- Business problem
- Drone operations work passes through many hands, from the client request to delivery, with no single record.
- My contribution
- My own product concept: I defined nine roles and the stages a job moves through, and directed the AI-assisted build and its 398 automated tests.
- Solution
- One record carries a project from client intake to delivery and feedback, with an integrated AI assistant that prepares and explains while people decide (the assistant is not part of this public demo). Budget Dashboard and AI Workspace sit alongside as smaller personal projects.
Personal projects
Three applications I conceived and directed; test counts are in each project’s detailsI conceive solutions, define requirements, design workflows, guide AI tools such as Claude Code, and test the results.
05Aviation and career background
My journey.
- The experienceTwo years in the cabin as a flight attendant at a domestic airline, where my aviation career began.
- What it taught meSafety first, service under pressure and reading a situation quickly.
- How it shows up todayI design every system around the person who has to use it.
- The experienceSix years with an international airline, progressing to Cabin Senior and leading cabin crews of up to 10.
- What it taught meHow to lead diverse, international teams in demanding, highly regulated environments.
- How it shows up todayI bring the same calm structure to operations, approvals and compliance.
- The experienceTraining leadership, workplace operations and professional flight training, then business systems.
- What it taught meThat a good process is something I can build, test and keep improving.
- How it shows up todayI negotiate with vendors and use AI-assisted development to build working systems.
My Aviation Journey.
From Cabin to Cockpit
International aviation experience. A new challenge. An FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate.
2023 to 2025 · Scottsdale, Arizona
After eight years in airline cabins, I wanted to experience aviation from the pilot's seat. In 2023 I began full-time professional flight training in Scottsdale, Arizona. I earned my FAA Private Pilot Certificate in April 2024, my Instrument Rating in December 2024 and my Commercial Pilot Certificate in June 2025. Flight training sharpened my decision-making, discipline, situational awareness and problem-solving in a safety-critical environment. It reflects something that runs through my career: choosing to learn something hard and building a whole new capability.
FAA Private Pilot Certificate
- What it means
- The first full FAA pilot certificate. It allows a pilot to fly an aircraft and carry passengers, but not for compensation.
- What it takes
- Ground study and flight training with an instructor, including solo flight, a written knowledge test, then an oral exam and flight test with an FAA examiner.
- What it shows at work
- The foundation of everything after it: preparation, checklists and respect for procedure.
FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate
- What it means
- The FAA certificate that allows a pilot to fly for compensation, held to tighter standards than a private pilot.
- What it takes
- Hundreds of logged flight hours, ground study, a written knowledge test, then an oral exam and flight test with an FAA examiner. Completed FAA flight training from May 2023 to September 2025, earning Private Pilot, Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot credentials.
- What it shows at work
- Safety discipline, careful preparation and calm decisions when conditions change.
FAA Instrument Rating
- What it means
- Authorizes a pilot to fly in clouds and low visibility, using the instruments alone and following instrument flight rules.
- What it takes
- Dedicated instrument flight training and flight time, a written knowledge test, then an oral exam and flight test with an FAA examiner.
- What it shows at work
- Judgment under pressure, trusting data over instinct, managing heavy workload and following exact procedures with air traffic control.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
- What it means
- The FAA certificate required to operate small drones for business purposes in the United States.
- What it takes
- Study of airspace, weather, regulations, loading and operating procedures, then passing an FAA knowledge test at an approved testing center.
- What it shows at work
- A working knowledge of the regulations behind drone operations, so the operations systems I build respect them and support sound operational decisions.
Also passed in 2025: FAA knowledge tests for Fundamentals of Instructing and Advanced Ground Instructor.
06About me
About me
Curiosity has shaped every chapter of my career.
I grew up in India, built my early career in international aviation in Qatar, and eventually made the United States my home, where I now work as a Drone Operations Coordinator.
Along the way, I have worked across different industries, led teams, learned to fly and discovered how much I enjoy solving complex business problems.
Before moving into operations systems, I spent eight years in commercial airline operations, finishing as a Qatar Airways Cabin Senior leading crews of up to 10.
Outside work, I love a good murder mystery, especially one that keeps me guessing.
Read my full story: journey and aviation
I believe the best solutions begin with understanding why.
I naturally look beyond individual tasks to understand the bigger picture. How do the different pieces connect? Why does a process work this way? What is the underlying problem, and what would actually make it better?
I enjoy connecting perspectives across teams, operations, technology and business needs. That ability helps me identify gaps, question assumptions and turn complicated challenges into practical solutions.
I learn quickly because I genuinely want to understand how things work. And when something challenges me, my instinct is to figure it out.
Thank you for visiting
Let's talk about what I could build for your team.
Connect with me on LinkedIn, or go back and try any of the five demonstrations.
Harshali Chavan
Explore my worklinkedin.com/in/harshali-chavan