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Corporate vs. Commercial

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boeingaaa

Boeingaaa
Joined
Sep 1, 2005
Posts
11
Hello,
I've been reading this message board for quite a while. So far, it's been very helpful in my flight training (although I'm only a private pilot). Anyway, I was trying to access my options for the future, and as always with anything anything aviation related, they're needlessly complicated. The basic question of this post is:

What is the difference between Corporate and Commercial flying? I realize that commercial is flying airliners like United etc, and corporate is usually companies or charted planes, but that's where my knowledge stops. I'm looking in terms of life style, pay, travel, security/stability, and anything else you know.


Sincerely,
Hopelessly confused - Alex:confused:
 
Difference

In corporate you fly anything form a Cessna 182 to a Boeing 757. You are on the leash 24/7 in most cases. The pay ranges from 350K down to 18K and you have to put time in the factory. Most corporate jobs pay poorly and have bad working conditions. Your job can disappear overnight.

The airlines (commercial) gives you a schedule 30 days in advance. The pay ranges from 18K to 250 or so. You will be gone from home more than 50% of the time. Most airline jobs are below 35K. The industry is currently in decline. The best jobs are going away.


If I were you I would stop at the private. Enjoy life, get a good job. Stay away from aviation.

Skyline
 
Skyline has no idea what he is talking about. Yes, there are corporate jobs out there that are like he described, but there are also some really good ones. The thing about corporate (part 91 flight departments, 135 charter is a whole different animal) is no two jobs are the same. Generally most 121 airline jobs are all the same, the differences mainly being pay and equipment flown. 91 jobs, in a good, professionally run department, are the best jobs in aviation. I have been on both sides and for me corporate is hands down a better lifestyle. I also feel it is a much more secure job than the airlines if the aircraft is a tool and not a toy. I know several older guys who have never been out of work as a corporatre pilot, but I can not say the same for their airline counterparts.
 
Melon said:
Skyline has no idea what he is talking about. Yes, there are corporate jobs out there that are like he described, but there are also some really good ones. The thing about corporate (part 91 flight departments, 135 charter is a whole different animal) is no two jobs are the same. Generally most 121 airline jobs are all the same, the differences mainly being pay and equipment flown. 91 jobs, in a good, professionally run department, are the best jobs in aviation. I have been on both sides and for me corporate is hands down a better lifestyle. I also feel it is a much more secure job than the airlines if the aircraft is a tool and not a toy. I know several older guys who have never been out of work as a corporatre pilot, but I can not say the same for their airline counterparts.

Dear Melon,

I had several disclaimers in there. I did acknowledge that there are some good corporate jobs, but lets not forget that most of them are bad. I have worked for a few corporate and 135 gigs and they were the worst jobs I ever had. The last one offered me 32,500/year and I had to work in the apple packing shed during harvest. If you send this kid out there with a false sense of the industry then you are not doing anyone any favors. He could also win the powerball for 300 million, but it is not likely.

Skyline
 
Melon said:
Skyline has no idea what he is talking about. Yes, there are corporate jobs out there that are like he described, but there are also some really good ones. The thing about corporate (part 91 flight departments, 135 charter is a whole different animal) is no two jobs are the same. Generally most 121 airline jobs are all the same, the differences mainly being pay and equipment flown. 91 jobs, in a good, professionally run department, are the best jobs in aviation. I have been on both sides and for me corporate is hands down a better lifestyle. I also feel it is a much more secure job than the airlines if the aircraft is a tool and not a toy. I know several older guys who have never been out of work as a corporatre pilot, but I can not say the same for their airline counterparts.
I have to agree with this... SKyline is pretty much clueless when talking about "Corporate Aviation"... The jobs he sounds like he is describing are most likely a crappy Charter job or flying for a personal owner... If you would for a Large Corporation, typically you will find Corporate Aviation to be a rewarding job...
 
Skyline said:
and I had to work in the apple packing shed during harvest.
Skyline

:( This business is starting to SUCK!
 
yep,
So the next to do there boeinng, is finish up your multi commercial and start applying to Nike, Microsoft or maybe 3M. I've heard they are all pretty good to work for.
I think what skyline ment was that 90% of the corporate jobs that this kid would even have a chance at would suck. Go work for an airline for ten years build up that turbine PIC and then go find a good corp. job.

Corporate jobs are like people. No two are the same. Some are like Cindy Crawford and some are like Roseanne Bar.

Falcon Capt said:
I have to agree with this... SKyline is pretty much clueless when talking about "Corporate Aviation"... The jobs he sounds like he is describing are most likely a crappy Charter job or flying for a personal owner... If you would for a Large Corporation, typically you will find Corporate Aviation to be a rewarding job...
 
You Guys

Man, he might as well apply to NASA as an astronaut as well. Just last night I had a conversation with a guy who works for Paul Allen and he said that someone had to die before there was an opening and even then they have a pile of resumes from real astronauts and pilots who flew air force one. Perhaps you guys are living in denial? Sure those are great jobs out there but the reality of corporate is closer to what I have described. Those jobs are one in a million and don't come by too often.

Skyline
 
F16fixer said:
Go work for an airline for ten years build up that turbine PIC and then go find a good corp. job.
Your best bet if you want to find a good Corporate job is to fly Charter... You will be flying in a similar environment, flying similar equipment and will have the opportunity to network with Corporate pilots... The airlines don't offer any of these important factors... Getting into Corporate is FAR more than just having a bunch of hours...
 
BS Factor

Skyline said:
Man, he might as well apply to NASA as an astronaut as well. Just last night I had a conversation with a guy who works for Paul Allen and he said that someone had to die before there was an opening and even then they have a pile of resumes from real astronauts and pilots who flew air force one. Perhaps you guys are living in denial? Sure those are great jobs out there but the reality of corporate is closer to what I have described. Those jobs are one in a million and don't come by too often.

Skyline

Skyline,

I just happen to know a little about the Paul Allen operation, better known as Vulcan Flight Management. They have no astronaut resumes, no Air Force One pilot resumes, just regular guys with good solid backgrounds from all spectrums of aviation. They have hired at least eight corporate pilots, plus another ten helicopter pilots in the last five years, so your "guy who works for Paul Allen" is seriously deficient in his knowledge of this flight department, or recognizes you as someone who need not apply and was just giving you the brush off. As a matter of fact they have two new corporate pilots starting next week, both just plain old civilian borne and bred pilots.
 

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