Airline to Corporate

[airbaker]

on a side note: Don't you 121ers get sick and tired of the same routes day in and day out. Personally I like the challenge of going into airports that don't have 10,000ft runways to eat up. Give me Eagle or Aspen any day of the week over JFK, DFW, or LAX. Plus the skiing is better.

English beat me with a similiar response.

I'll take my hard 17-19 days off a month anytime over flying into Jackson Hole or Aspen. Don't get me wrong, I'll admit freely that the flying was much more diversified and interesting on the corporate side; I just place a higher value on my time off with my family. If you could pay me the same and give me as many hard days off (plus a liberal trip trading system) I'd go back to corporate in a second. I really do miss it...just not the life "on standby".

** and just to clear up my statements on the corporate vs airline training...it wasn't my intention to suggest that corporate pilots are inferior in any way to 121 guys because I mentioned that FS and Simuflite treat you as clients. If anything, I wish some airline training departments would adopt that attitude; I think it would serve to bring out the "A" game in most pilots.

 

[fatburger]

I flew 121 with a major for 3.5 years and now I fly 91 with a major corporate flight department. Top to bottom, in every aspect except one, I prefer my 91 gig. The equipment, schedule, money, benefits and destinations are all desirable. The one perk I do miss is jumpseating.

Now, with that being said, If you can get me back to the days of pre-911 major airline flying I might consider going back. Unfortunately those days are gone gone gone......

-fatburger-

 

[English]

** and just to clear up my statements on the corporate vs airline training...it wasn't my intention to suggest that corporate pilots are inferior in any way to 121 guys because I mentioned that FS and Simuflite treat you as clients. If anything, I wish some airline training departments would adopt that attitude; I think it would serve to bring out the "A" game in most pilots.

Good points. And, I agree, corporate pilots aren't inferior, they just do a different job.

Personally I LOVE corporate flying. I just never found the great part 91 gig that fit with what I wanted.

 

[Cpt Splash]

One word, FLEXJETFlex gives you your schedule a month in advance which is typically 13 hard days off a month. They also allow outside contract flying if you choose to do so. So its like corporate flying with an airline schedule. Flex flies the coolest equipment around corporate wise, have you seen the Challenger 300, and offer a reasonable QOL. All we need is jumpseat privileges and we're golden. Oh yeah and the HAT. HEHEHEEHe

 

[Jack Schitt]

Dear Moderators:

I would like to withdraw my official protest to the unfair pissing contest between English and Capt Splash. Thank you.

 

[GVFlyer]

I think the Part 91 v.121 choice is an individual question based upon the type of flying you want to do and what constitutes quality of life for you.

In my department we have two pilots that left Northwest, one from Delta, one from TWA (prior to AA),the former chief pilot from Atlas and one of his line pilots. We have one guy who was offered the standards position at AirTran and chose to come to our department instead. It looks like we may be getting a couple of guys from JetBlue. We have one furloughed pilot from Continental and one pilot from Muse.

In the last 12 years we have lost one pilot to Delta, he was with us less than a year, and three to FedEx. The Delta guy is on the street and the FedEx guys are flying the MD-11 and pretty much lovin' life. That is to say, they don't particularly like flying boxes, but they do like the compensation and the time off. One of them works part time as a bartender at Spanky's and another has time to command the local Reserve C-130 outfit.

GV

 

[bafanguy]

GVFlyer,


Not to change the subject, but you mentioned your cohort from Muse. Are you refering to Muse Air...Hou...Lamar Muse ( ex SWA CEO ) ? I thought Muse Air went out of business ages ago and became part of SWA.

 

[GVFlyer]

GVFlyer,


Not to change the subject, but you mentioned your cohort from Muse. Are you refering to Muse Air...Hou...Lamar Muse ( ex SWA CEO ) ? I thought Muse Air went out of business ages ago and became part of SWA.

Right you are. The furloughed pilot from Continental and the DC-9 guy from Muse Air did not leave their previous employers voluntarliy. I thought it was understood that Muse was no longer in business.

GV

 

[bafanguy]

GV,


I was just surprised to hear any mention of Muse. Most people don't even know there was such an airline. I can't remember how long they existed under the wise guidance of Lamar Muse.

The Muse pilot at your place probably knows John Matter ( now deceased ). I flew with John at a non-sched and SWA. A great guy.

Back to the subject of this thread: You have hired a surprising number of ex-airline guys. This seems to go against the mood/attitude/trend I've seen expressed on this subject.

 

[GVFlyer]

GV,

Back to the subject of this thread: You have hired a surprising number of ex-airline guys. This seems to go against the mood/attitude/trend I've seen expressed on this subject.

I'm not sure that's true. The company has always hired pilots who are flying for an airline and choose to leave, but it's only hired one furloughed pilot that I'm aware of and that was a long time ago.

GV

 

[bafanguy]

GV,


Ah so...I see the difference.

 

[av8tortype]

..... Personally I LOVE corporate flying. I just never found the great part 91 gig that fit with what I wanted.

English ... what do you think about the argument that it's better to stay away from a 121 job if the goal is to fly corporate. I think you know my situation, I passed on 2 offers at Island Air holding out for an opportunity at a Fortune 100 company. Hindsight is always 20/20 but it seems getting on with a 121 regional carrier for the turbine and line experience shouldn't poison the well.

You've done both so your feedback would be informative.

 

[English]

I think there's a lot less harm in having a regional airline on your resume than a national, LCC or major airline on it. It's apparent to most that a regional airline gig is mainly for timebuilding and increasing qualifications. However, if you go to a major/LCC/national etc., I think you'll have a harder time convincing a corporate operator that you intend to stick around. Not impossible, but difficult.

I think the guys that have it made are the low time guys who work their way up in the charter world - maybe 135 PIC in a piston twin while doing SIC in a turboprop or light jet, upgrade to captain, then start moving up the jets, preferably into something other than or in addition to Citations. All the while making contacts for the move up to the right corporate gig - that's what I have seen work.

If what you really want is a good Fortune 100 gig, I'd 1) read Falcon Capt's posts about how he did it at a young age, and 2) I'd forget about Island Air and go find a charter gig on the mainland. While working at Island Air won't necessarily hurt you, it won't help you towards your goal. All it will give you is total time, which is not important at most corporate operations. Having the connections is what's important.

 

[FracCapt]

I think you know my situation, I passed on 2 offers at Island Air holding out for an opportunity at a Fortune 100 company.

According to your profile, you have 2,000 hours and no jet time(I didn't see any jets listed in aircraft flown)....but it also says that you have "both" military and civilian flight experience...so I'm not sure if you have military jet time or not. Well, if you have no jet time....I wouldn't be turning down jobs that would get you turbine or jet in hopes of landing a job with a Fortune 100 company. There are lots of us out here with tons of jet time, most of it PIC, that are waiting for those calls as well. You need to make yourself more competitive.

 

[AA717driver]

Fatburger has it right. Prior to 9/11 the majors were great to work for. After 9/11 ALL that changed. I would hate to go back to commuting and security everyday.

I don't have many hard days off and even they can be busted in an emergency. But, I don't have to worry about getting furloughed. Everything is a tradeoff.TC

 

[jetjockey1231]

not all corporate pilots live on standby. does anyone in this forum know about fedex corporate pilots' quality of life? probably not, so i suggest you reseach it and compare it to airline quality of life before you knock part 91.

 

[av8tortype]

....I wouldn't be turning down jobs that would get you turbine or jet in hopes of landing a job with a Fortune 100 company. There are lots of us out here with tons of jet time, most of it PIC, that are waiting for those calls as well. You need to make yourself more competitive.

That's just the issue. It seems the line is drawn between whether 121 time in fact makes you more competitive. Some say yes, others say it makes you a suspect rather than a prospect. I think you and English tend to agree, as I do now, that a 121 regional job can't hurt the resume. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Rook]

If I could find a 91 job flying something like a G-IV or Citation X back in my home in Nowheresville TX I'd leave 121 in a heartbeat. But with my luck they'd go out of business and I'd be kicking myself in the A$$ for leaving in the first place. Hindsight is indeed 20/20. But man those Corp jets sure are nice.

Rook

 

[xdays]

They key to corporate flying is thinking outside the box and being a valued team player in the corporate world. Pilots for a 121 could care less about how the people in the back feel about them. To a corporate pilot it is crucial to be liked by the guy in the back. I disagree with training being a breeze for corporate guys compared with airline training. I've seen plenty of guys at training with 121 experience having trouble with the training program.

I have to disagree with your assessment of how 121 pilot's feel about their passengers. My background includes 9 years corporate/charter, and 27 years 121. In each of those arenas I , and the pilots I flew with greatly cared about the comfort and safety of our passengers. Now I wont disagree that there are exceptions, but I believe they occur in every area of aviation.

[/

on a side note: Don't you 121ers get sick and tired of the same routes day in and day out. Personally I like the challenge of going into airports that don't have 10,000ft runways to eat up. Give me Eagle or Aspen any day of the week over JFK, DFW, or LAX. Plus the skiing is better.

How about taking a 757 into EGE, or a 767-400 or L-1011 into LGA? MSO was always fun in a snowstorm! Also, as I've experienced both airline training and Flight Safety I feel confident in saying the training is as good as your instructor. I have nothing but good things to say about both the training I received at DAL and FSI.

 

[ultrarunner]

The one perk I do miss is jumpseating.
-fatburger-

Yeah, that was a nice perk... but I lost interest in it after commuting for a year..eeek....

I am WAY into postive-space...and can afford to do it when I want. But, if you've go the time and don't mind the hassles..have at it.