Corporate to Majors?

[cvoav8r]

Got a friend asking and Just wondering what the concensus is about whether it is better for a guy with 3300 hrs to contunue flying corporate (life is good), or go to a regional in order to make it to a major someday?

 

[avoidingmyboss]

This has been my biggest dilemma in the last few years. I have stayed corporate because life is good and I am flying T-PIC. I did the regional thing for a while but with upgrades being slow at the time and QOL issues I decided that there were greener pastures. I am trying to go to SWA like everyone else. That won’t make my employer very happy since 3 people in the last 5 years have gone there. So going to the majors can be done from corporate.

 

[NightFlyer]

Oh man! I just about spit out my coffee when I saw that avatar and I had a few dry heaves after that.


NightFlyer

 

[avoidingmyboss]

WARNING WARNING WARNING DO NOT LOOK AT MY AVATAR WHILE DRINKING COFFEE OR EATING

LOL yeah I need to change it. Fat Ba$tard only comes out every now and again

 

[AV8OR]

Ya know what's said about opinions but..

The problem with the question is this, the target is constatntly moving. Years ago you couldn't get hired at a major without jet time and so a corporate guy with lots of good PIC JEt was attractive, as the regionals got jets it became about a 50/50 split and now, some airlines, like AirTran prefer 121 PIC over nearly all other types of flying. Three years ago they were hiring some guys with neither jet nor 121 PIC. SWA used to require the type, then they didn't, nown it's back. AA, under Cecil Ewell was fairly even split corp, regional, military, IF you had a LOR, then under Kudwa all that changed. So, unfortunately, it makes the hiring preferences, like everything else about this industry, very volatile.

I'd say, especially in the next few years, fly wherever and whatever pays you the most money with the best QOL with the greatest job satisfaction, because, in the event the "golden handcuffs" go on, you don't want to be miserable.

Best of luck.

 

[mdf]

I flew corporate and then was lucky enough to get hired by SWA. I am no brain surgeon, I just stuck to the career track I was in. One thing is for sure, it got me the turbine PIC and the pay got to be pretty good.