Any Cocal-Cola drivers on here?

[dickburns]

Saw one of your G550s coming back from Beijing. Looks like a pretty sweet gig. I *MUST* say, all of you Gulfstream drivers on this board...I hope you know how good you have it, from everything I've seen, that is the best of the best, in terms of pilot jobs. Great travel. All over the world, exotic spots, company takes care of you, decent salary. Definitely a dream job, though they seem to be almost IMPOSSIBLE to get. I'm jealous!

 

[Shamus]

I'm pretty sure Coke is based out of Atlanta.

 

[semperfido]

watch out what you wish for- you most probably will get it.

oh btw, it is pretty good and no I don't mean coke.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

Saw one of your G550s coming back from Beijing. Looks like a pretty sweet gig. I *MUST* say, all of you Gulfstream drivers on this board...I hope you know how good you have it, from everything I've seen, that is the best of the best, in terms of pilot jobs. Great travel. All over the world, exotic spots, company takes care of you, decent salary. Definitely a dream job, though they seem to be almost IMPOSSIBLE to get. I'm jealous!

Since when have you been able to judge the quality of a flight department by the type of aircraft operated?

I gar-dam-tee you there are Gulfstream jobs that could never pay me enough to take.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Since when have you been able to judge the quality of a flight department by the type of aircraft operated?

I gar-dam-tee you there are Gulfstream jobs that could never pay me enough to take.

I think most understood the post to mean that, in general, the better corporate jobs are in larger equipment. Add decent pay, a good company, and sufficient staff - and you may have the ideal job (In his opinion, and mine)

Only YOU know what job is good for YOU...but I gar-dam-tee ya.. ... there are far more crappy Beechjet jobs than crappy G550 jobs.

 

[dickburns]

Gulfstream200 hit the nail on the head.

How many C560 or BE40 jobs do you get to fly all over the world for? Fly nice equipment? Etc. I think it's suffice to say a G550/GLEX job is about the best job out there in the pilot world. I just hope most of the Gucci-jet drivers realize how good they have it!

 

[dickburns]

I'm pretty sure Coke is based out of Atlanta.

They are, but I'm not sure where that is relevant. The guys today were headed to JFK.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

. I think it's suffice to say a G550/GLEX job is about the best job out there in the pilot world. I just hope most of the Gucci-jet drivers realize how good they have it!

well......Id say you need to shop the company and coworkers before the aircraft...but YES, combine them all and you might be looking at the better jobs in the industry in terms of QOL, stability (careful!) and money.

Plus, some experience in these planes allows you to walk from those crappy gigs and shop more carefully for the top jobs!

A understaffed (anything under 3-4 IMHO) Gulf/GLEX job with an owner who hops the world can be an awful, horrible gig...

I also find flying all over the world to be "fun" - but its still away from home, and there better be good breaks in between all the "fun" to enjoy what really matters - a decent salary and time at home with family and friends.

 

[sleepy]

Good job if you don't mind doing a lot of 15 to 19 day trips around the world.

 

[Brett Hull]

Flight Safety Atlanta is littered with guys who couldn't get away from Coke fast enough. 15+ day trips, home for 3 or 4, and out 15+ again.

 

[say again]

I'm perfectly happy flying my "little" Hawker. I have no desire to fly the "big" in our fleet. Yeah the pay would be better, but would be away a helluva lot more. My QOL is just fine for now, and pay is equally as good. It's all personal preferences.

 

[JJET44]

Anyone heard the term "the bigger the airplane the bigger the suitcase"?
Guys flying big airplanes have to be paid the big buck because they have to pay all their Ex-wives.
I flew a 767 around the world for a short time and made some good $ doing it but I realized that if I stayed there I was going to wind up divorced.
Let the guys with the "small weenie" complex fly the big jets. They can go home to their corvettes and empty apartments a few night a month. I'll go home to my wife and kids every night.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

Anybody know the secret handshake to enter the Gulfstream community? I want the jacket.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Anyone heard the term "the bigger the airplane the bigger the suitcase"?
Guys flying big airplanes have to be paid the big buck because they have to pay all their Ex-wives.
I flew a 767 around the world for a short time and made some good $ doing it but I realized that if I stayed there I was going to wind up divorced.
Let the guys with the "small weenie" complex fly the big jets. They can go home to their corvettes and empty apartments a few night a month. I'll go home to my wife and kids every night.

Now there's some faulty generalization....

Im home far more flying a Global Express than I ever was flying a Westwind or any other smaller bizjet. I was home mostly every night...after everyone was asleep and I was exhausted from flying some small junkbox 4 legs+ a day. Id rather go away for a week then come home and be left alone for a stretch of time.

Shop the job carefully. From my experience the key to QOL is staffing. I personally would give up other parts of the job for the days home. Some G/GLEX jobs pay a lot of money, but put you on the road an unpredictable number of days. Obviously not ideal for everyone (me for example) Some want the money.

At my current (very average) job we work (fly, train, etc) 10-14 days of work a month, with 8 RONS being the norm. 250-275hrs a year. Not ideal, but not terrible....and off the top of my head, I think 3 out of our 16 pilots have been divorced (just a quick guess)

I dont think you can blame the job for the divorce rate amongst pilots....its usually more their stellar personalities...

 

[semperfido]

My experience flying and QOL has been similar to G200. I think I flew 220 hrs last year. Home a lot more than away. I do have a BIG suitcase, so I can have all my creature comforts. This isn't a pissing contest- and it isn't good to stereotype.

 

[satpak77]

what is "good" for one is not "good" for another. International trips in a G-5 are "good" for some kid who is wagging his tail and just got his Commercial ticket at Embry Riddle

being home every night so I can kick the soccer ball with my son is "good" for me.

takes all types

enjoy the G-5 job

 

[Gulfstream 200]

International trips in a G-5 are "good" for some kid who is wagging his tail and just got his Commercial ticket at Embry Riddle

Or maybe for some kid who wants to make 150-250K in this business and actually enjoys the International trips and QOL offered with a decent company? Not possible I suppose?

Throw in the job security and the flexibility having those ratings offers in this industry? Id rather shop for a job with a G550 rating than with ">1500hrs PIC time in a King Air"

and really, what does Embry-Riddle have to do with anything? Guess I missed something?

just another generalization?

Its great you are lucky to have a job that suits you well, but dont think for a second others cant have that QOL (and far more) in a G5 or another aircraft...again, shop the company, people, and QOL - not the airframe.

 

[400A]

what is "good" for one is not "good" for another. International trips in a G-5 are "good" for some kid who is wagging his tail and just got his Commercial ticket at Embry Riddle

being home every night so I can kick the soccer ball with my son is "good" for me.

takes all types

enjoy the G-5 job

Right on!

I loved my job when we had the Beechjet. Now that the Brand New Hawker is here, I have died and gone to heaven. We fly between 5-10 days per month, Ron's are rare, Based at the Factory service center, Part 91 0nly, 2 days notice is a "pop-up" and we are treated like Kings. Heck, the Boss even sponsors the ball teams I coach. Home on all holidays too!

Maybe when the Kids are grown I will try the globe trotting thing, but for now, no interest.

Unlike my Brothers at the Airlines, I have not missed one Christmas or Thanksgiving. Only missed a couple Birthdays.

Nice equipment can make a good gig great, but I would fly a King-Air for this guy. (No disrespect intended to King-Air Drivers)(I loved my time in the King-Air)

 

[BoilerUP]

This thread seems proof-positive that one man's desire is another man's dread.

Long live the straight-winged 0.62M roadblock of the skies that brings me home most every afternoon to my wife and pays my mortgage!

(and here's to hoping our growth continues and goes to the west coast so we can get a larger, more capable aircraft)

 

[Rook]

Great posts BoilerUP and Satpak. Had big airplane envy for a while. And my career's been in the Sh*tter ever since.

 

[bizjet800]

The bigger the airplane = the bigger the suitcase = the longer you're gone!

ALL I WANTED WAS A PEPSI!!!

 

[JJET44]

I fly a couple of old, but very well maintained Falcon 20's for a 91 only flight department. I've flown about four hours this month with no overnights. I've only done 2 RON's all summer.
G-200, your right, I did generalize my statement, but in the case of Coke, 18 days in a row away from home isn't worth flying a G550 or the money that it brings IMO.

 

[dickburns]

I guess in my opinion it's not so much the fact that you get to fly a Gucci jet as what the job includes. The exotic travel would rank as the #1 job perk/pro for something like that. How much fun is it flying everyday between two small towns 500nm apart, and you go to those spots week in, week out. International flying is where it's at, you get to travel, get all over, interact with different controllers, cultures, flying rules/regs (oceanic stuff, etc). The reason I said GLEX/G550 is I don't know of any BE40 or C525 operator that goes to Asia and Europe routinely, etc. You need a long range jet to get to those spots and travel, so maybe you could include a F900EX but that would basically be the extent of the equipment.

Dream jobs, in my opinion.

 

[satpak77]

I guess in my opinion it's not so much the fact that you get to fly a Gucci jet as what the job includes. The exotic travel would rank as the #1 job perk/pro for something like that. How much fun is it flying everyday between two small towns 500nm apart, and you go to those spots week in, week out. International flying is where it's at, you get to travel, get all over, interact with different controllers, cultures, flying rules/regs (oceanic stuff, etc). The reason I said GLEX/G550 is I don't know of any BE40 or C525 operator that goes to Asia and Europe routinely, etc. You need a long range jet to get to those spots and travel, so maybe you could include a F900EX but that would basically be the extent of the equipment.

Dream jobs, in my opinion.

While I see what you are saying I and alot of us prefer to be HOME as much as possible due to kids, family (those of us that actually HAVE a functional family). I have been to over ten countries and I don't fly a F900.

But yes I see your points.

 

[Fokkerflyer]

Anybody know the secret handshake to enter the Gulfstream community? I want the jacket.

The jacket is for weenies that love to show everyone that they drive a Gulfstream.

Same as those whose vanity plate says anything aviation related like GDRVR, GLXPLT n' such

Or is it just a short weenie complex..?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I guess in my opinion it's not so much the fact that you get to fly a Gucci jet as what the job includes. The exotic travel would rank as the #1 job perk/pro for something like that. How much fun is it flying everyday between two small towns 500nm apart, and you go to those spots week in, week out. International flying is where it's at, you get to travel, get all over, interact with different controllers, cultures, flying rules/regs (oceanic stuff, etc). The reason I said GLEX/G550 is I don't know of any BE40 or C525 operator that goes to Asia and Europe routinely, etc. You need a long range jet to get to those spots and travel, so maybe you could include a F900EX but that would basically be the extent of the equipment.

Dream jobs, in my opinion.

I think I hear what you are saying...and I agree, I dislike domestic flying as I find it a lot more work that INTL flying, and far more draining. I probably do no more than 5-10 domestic flights a year now, and thats fine. We do a mix of flying, an have some older guys who are just as happy to stay close these days..better them than me.

BUT...I know plenty of INTL operations that are downright miserable. An owner who want to live in Hong Kong 6 months of the year? - guess where you may sit for weeks at a time? - dont get me wrong its a great city for a night or two but its NOT HOME! and that gets old real quick.

Another reason to shop WAY beyond the jet on the ramp? - QOL - there are billionaires who insist you reposition coach class. Ever try that? I wouldn't, Id quit on the spot first. Business class or better is bad enough when repostioning far away (a simple fact sometimes on these aircraft)

There are a lot of things to consider! - the plane itself being a few items down on the list...

Good Luck!

PS - and yes, the wearing of the vendor jacket says WEENIE like nothing else. Just dont do it. Its like photshopping afterburners into your Gulfstream avatar - it screams "Im a real dork"......:laugh:

 

[AA717driver]

The LAX-CRQ legs were far more stressful than the LAX-RJAA legs. But I enjoyed both.

To each, his own. My family has adjusted to my schedule whether it's 5 3-day trips with the airlines or 20 day trips in corporate. I've found that it's up to you to make the adjustment when you get home. An FO told me that it was a pain to go home because his kid wanted to play ball and spend time with his Dad while he wanted to work on his hobby (woodworking or something...). "My days off are MY days off". He may not have been the most miserable SOB I've met in aviation but he certainly was in medal contention.

Salesmen, truck drivers, boat captains, pilots--LOTS of people spend time on the road--many spend more time away from home than we do. It's the commitment you make to your family that determines whether your marriage survives or not. TC

P.S.--G200: I'm guessing you don't want any of my FFB miles on Frontier or SWA from all my repositioning flights. uke:

 

[gear_guy]

The bigger the airplane = the bigger the suitcase = the longer you're gone!

I used to think this too. But I must say that this is a generalization. 3 years ago I left a job flying Citations and had 100 RON's. Flew about 600 hours.

I now fly a GIV and fly about 375 hours with around 30-40 RON's. Oh yeah, and I get paid almost double. 95% domestic too.

I say none of this to brag. I thank God for how he has blessed me. I would give it all up in a heart beat if that was God's plan for me. I just did'nt want this aviator who aspires to fly large equipment to be detered by some false information by people who have never flown such equipment.

It really depends on the operator. If your dream is to fly Intl. Do it!!! I can say that is a ton of fun. And my skills have grown exponentially since I started flying oversees.

Bottom line. To each his own.

 

[gear_guy]

The jacket is for weenies that love to show everyone that they drive a Gulfstream.

Same as those whose vanity plate says anything aviation related like GDRVR, GLXPLT n' such

Or is it just a short weenie complex..?

I cant speak for anyone else. But in my case, the jacket was free and I wear it because I am too cheap to buy myself a leather jacket. :laugh: (2 kids at home). I could care less that it says Gulfstream on the front. Of course if it said "weenie" on the front I would have to reconsider.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Of course if it said "weenie" on the front I would have to reconsider.

OH, it does.


Kidding...:laugh: