Airline to Corporate

[airbaker]

Gotta agree with Kerosene and English on this one.

I've received types from both FlightSafety and Simuflite and from the 121 side. Without a doubt, business jet training is easier; maybe it has to do with the fact that at FS and Simuflite you're not just a student but a "client".

 

[English]

maybe it has to do with the fact that at FS and Simuflite you're not just a student but a "client".

True, oh so true!

 

[sleepy]

The flying part of training at 121 and corprate was about the same to me (pretty easy). The thing that makes Part 121 more difficult was the extra work caused by having to include the FA's and dispatchers in every emergency situation. The added burdon of complying with the Part 121 regs also made decision-making a little more difficult.

 

[MyRadarIsOut]

Why is it so hard to move from the airline industry to the corporate side of flying????? And don"t give me that "We have everything done for us crap"

Attitude Dude

 

[Cpt Splash]

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.

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]

Pilots for a 121 could care less about how the people in the back feel about them.

Gee, I work at a 121 carrier, and I really care about my passengers. Although I typically fly about 1000 times the number of passengers per day as I did flying corporate, I still try to make small conversation with my passengers. Of course, with the sheer number of people in the back I can't give each one the individual attention they each deserve. However, I do strive to welcome them each on board, find smooth air, give them a smooth flight and say goodbye and thanks when they deplane.

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.

Nope. Having 17 days off a month allows me to get the variety I desire. I can go skiing where and when I want to ski, not on someone else's schedule.

It's just not a good idea to stereotype any of us. What's with this 121 versus 91 thing, anyway? Both have their strong and weak points. Don't knock it til you've tried it.

 

[Cpt Splash]

English,

I am not stereotyping anymore than anyone else on this board does. I am tired though about hearing how airline pilots are the best and 135, or corporate pilots are nothing more than rented wh0res. There is definitly an attitude associated with alot (not all) 121 guys. I mean I read a thread the other day about the hat now being optional at Xjet and you should have seen the responses on how the hat signifies the professionalism of the industry and seperates us "121" pilots from the rest of those "other" pilots. ITS A HAT. I was walking in Manhattan recently and I saw a guy wearing that hat. HE WAS A DOORMAN.

Some guys just take their job way too seriously.

The info I get are from my friends who work for the airlines. These are the things they complain about. And why would I ever go and work for a airline to make 1/3 my current pay with the possiblity of getting furloughed in a couple of months. We all see it, the airlines are in a constant state of restructuring and I think it is going to be sometime before the pilots are paid the wage they deserve.

Flying corporate or 135 is just as honorable as driving the big iron.

That is my point.

 

[Jack Schitt]

I thought English was a girl. This is an unfair pissing contest!

 

[sleepy]

Now you have done it!

Flare to land, squat to pee.

 

[HMR]

I was walking in Manhattan recently and I saw a guy wearing that hat. HE WAS A DOORMAN.

That's the funniest thing I've read all day. I paid my way through school and flight training working as a doorman at a fancy hotel. I always figured the 121 pilots were trying to look like doorman since we made more money.

 

[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