From 121 Captain to 135 PC-12? Thoughts?

[Irish Pilot]

In my quest to return back to my home state I have stumbled upon a potential job opportunity. It would be flying a PC-12 for a 135 outfit. I have not researched the job too much yet so I am not sure of the schedule or pay (nor have I submitted my resume yet).

I currently fly 121 as a low time Captain but am trying to get into the corporate market where this job is.

Is it worth leaving my job for the gig? I only have about 500 multi currently and obviously the bounce back to single engine time may hurt me. Should I avoid this opportunity and look for something with twin time or should I take what I can get to get into the market and then network for another job? Could the PC-12 gig hurt my credentials? (it would still be turbine PIC but not twin time)

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

If you find out the pay is what you are looking for, and it's an improvement in quality of life, I'd take it. While at that job, you can network with other pilots in the area and move into a better job down the road if you choose to do so.

Personally, I'd fly about anything for the right amount of money and a good quality of life. It wouldn't matter if it was single- or multi-engine, piston or turbine. Pay me decent and keep me home and I'd be happy with it.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Geronimo4497]

In my quest to return back to my home state I have stumbled upon a potential job opportunity. It would be flying a PC-12 for a 135 outfit. I have not researched the job too much yet so I am not sure of the schedule or pay (nor have I submitted my resume yet).

I currently fly 121 as a low time Captain but am trying to get into the corporate market where this job is.

Is it worth leaving my job for the gig? I only have about 500 multi currently and obviously the bounce back to single engine time may hurt me. Should I avoid this opportunity and look for something with twin time or should I take what I can get to get into the market and then network for another job? Could the PC-12 gig hurt my credentials? (it would still be turbine PIC but not twin time)

Thoughts?



Thanks!

You cannot go wrong flying the PC-12. It is a wonderful machine to fly, but I am biased. As to your thought of leaving the 121 world to fly corporate, well, all I can reference to you is the fact that our outfit has several pilots on the roster who have left the regionals to fly with us.

-Where do you want to be in 10 years?
-Is multi 121 PIC time important for that goal?
-Are you HAPPY and having FUN with your current gig?

I asked myself this before taking a job flying the PC-12. Well, here I am, and I am very happy. Do I want to fly jets? Someday, but I am having too much fun right now.... Its not everyday you load a plane up with 6 PAX and tons of luggage, depart a 3000' grass strip and land in BOS 90 minutes later!!

Feel free to PM me!

 

[chriskcmo]

I fly PC-12's for a 135 operator. It's a great airplane to fly. One of our other pilots was a 1900 Captain at Great Lakes before he had took this job. For him, it was an increase in pay and a huge increase in quality of life.

If you dont mind me asking, what operator are you looking at working for?

 

[100-1/2]

Don't jump ship just yet.

I know of a handful of Operators that underestimated the Certification process. They are currently engaged in aggresive marketing and nowhere in sight of a certificate. Ask a lot of questions, get a contract guarantee and think long, before you leave the other job.

100-1/2

 

[CapnVegetto]

You're probably going to Native, right? I know a guy from Mesa that just went there, and he couldn't believe that he's actually going to get a decent wage, be home more, and OH MY GAWD!!! THEY PAID HIM DURING TRAINING AND EVEN GAVE HIM PER DIEM AND A HOTEL!!!! This is the difference you'll see at decent operators. I'd heard good things about Native, and now he's there and absolutely loving it. Of course, compared to Mesa, you could be shoveling turds into a garbage truck with a spoon for minimum wage and it'd still be better than Mesa. But still, you'll be shocked at the QOL jump. And hell, if you don't like it, quit!! Go back to the airlines. With PIC time you have options. With SIC time you have a lot of burnt ink. You've already got a type rating and turbine PIC. You can get a job somewhere else if you don't like it. You can always go back to a regional. Those jobs will always be there. You may have to start over in the right seat, but with a good amount of experience, you can pick and choose whereever you want to go.

Think about it and good luck!

 

[Geronimo4497]

Of course, compared to Mesa, you could be shoveling turds into a garbage truck with a spoon for minimum wage and it'd still be better than Mesa.

I think I just pissed myself! LOL

 

[Irish Pilot]

Not Native. Its a 135 operator up in the Midwest. They currently operate several King Airs and a BeechJet (and maybe a Hawker I believe). It would be huge as far as quality of life (assuming its not on the pager!). It would allow me to get back to be around my family amongst other things. Im still trying to find out details about the job...

 

[johnny taliban]

(assuming its not on the pager!).

Thats a big assumption for a part 135 gig.

Be careful and goodluck,

Johnny

 

[kingaira90]

pagers are not so bad if you live near the airport and there are other pilots in a rotation. I have a fantastic QOL on a pager. I probably overnight 2-5 days a month.-kingaira90

 

[CapnVegetto]

pagers are not so bad if you live near the airport and there are other pilots in a rotation. I have a fantastic QOL on a pager. I probably overnight 2-5 days a month.-kingaira90

I'm the same way, I live on a pager, and I could give a crap less. My QOL is wonderful. My company knows that I live about 45 minutes away, and they don't care, they just say 'get here when you can'. And it rarely happens. I've been at my company since January, (7 months), and I've gotten 4 'be here as soon as you can' calls. Every other one has been notification the day before.

In the meantime, I play golf, hang out with friends, am home every night, (I might overnight an average of 2 to 3 nights a month), and am loving life. If they'd pay me more, I'd probably stay here a lot longer.

 

[hellas]

DO NOT abosoultely leave, to go to single engine is career suicide, and remember, companies like JB and Airtran prefer PIC 121 in there hiring not the other way around. you can always fly 91 and 135 but 121 will give you more options on your resume than the Pilatus or charter....
121 pic is THE golden time to have, and at least 1500-2000hrs with a type or 2

 

[semperfido]

I'm the same way, I live on a pager,

they still have Pagers out there? i haven't seen one of those in years

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

DO NOT abosoultely leave, to go to single engine is career suicide, and remember, companies like JB and Airtran prefer PIC 121 in there hiring not the other way around. you can always fly 91 and 135 but 121 will give you more options on your resume than the Pilatus or charter....
121 pic is THE golden time to have, and at least 1500-2000hrs with a type or 2

Hmm, here's a thought. What if he's like many of us on the Corporate board who don't give a rat's sh!t about going to the airlines?

If the pay and QOL are good, take the job; even though JB and Airtran might see it as a detriment!! Ah dam*..... Life goes on.

 

[kingaira90]

Yep, I think it depends more on what Irish Pilot's goal is. If it is decent pay and good Qol, living where you want to live, by all means take it. If the majors/LCLF ops are the goal, stay 121.-kingaira90

 

[xrated]

DO NOT abosoultely leave, to go to single engine is career suicide, and remember, companies like JB and Airtran prefer PIC 121 in there hiring not the other way around. you can always fly 91 and 135 but 121 will give you more options on your resume than the Pilatus or charter....
121 pic is THE golden time to have, and at least 1500-2000hrs with a type or 2

Be advised, hellas post is 100% opinion and very little fact. As a previous PC-12 pilot for Native myself, I know of at least a half dozen ex-PC-12 pilots that are now flying for 121 carriers and at least twice that many who are now flying corporate jets. The QOL was great, the pay was descent, and the experience was good. Your profile says you have 1800+ hrs so it appears you are a little light in the time department. (No offence intended). If the company opperates other types, including jets, I'd say this would be a great opportunity for you to persue. The increase of QOL is just a added bonus. Haven't met a single PC-12 pilot yet who has committed "career suicide" by taking their jobs.

Good Luck

 

[Geronimo4497]

Be advised, hellas post is 100% opinion and very little fact. As a previous PC-12 pilot for Native myself, I know of at least a half dozen ex-PC-12 pilots that are now flying for 121 carriers and at least twice that many who are now flying corporate jets. The QOL was great, the pay was descent, and the experience was good. Your profile says you have 1800+ hrs so it appears you are a little light in the time department. (No offence intended). If the company opperates other types, including jets, I'd say this would be a great opportunity for you to persue. The increase of QOL is just a added bonus. Haven't met a single PC-12 pilot yet who has committed "career suicide" by taking their jobs.

Good Luck

THANK YOU! Saves me from frantic typing about my QOL.

 

[Irish Pilot]

Yeah I am a little "low-time" in the grand scheme of things...though it feels otherwise. Ive submitted my stuff to the outfit and if I hear from them I will surely have lots of questions. If it improves qol and has good opportunities for future movement I would most likely take it. I am happy at my current job...just not happy where it has us living. I enjoy the flying and its great experience (and is great in the logbook for a guy with my time...just past 1500 and logging 121 turbine PIC) but I have decided that getting back home is a huge priority and am just trying to find quality positions back that direction.

As far as the 121 and corporate thing....thats a battle for another thread, but seeing how things work (or dont for that matter) in the 121 world I am a little frightened by the thought of spending my whole life and career chasing a position and location that would meet my satisfaction...therefore...if I could find a quality gig back in the midwest that I could make a living at I would be MORE than happy.

At this point if I could get into any Fortune 500 company department in MSP I would be set for life in my eyes...I just have to find out how to make it happen.

 

[Pilot_Ryan]

QOL, etc.

I am a floater captain on a Hawker 700 and my "regular gig" is FO on an 800XP. I do this for a small pt. 91 aircraft management company.

I know my upgrade to line captain - not on the 800XP - is around the corner. I've considered turning it down to stay in the 800XP. Actually, I'll go a step further and say that right now, I am PLANNING to turn down the upgrade.

We make almost nothing but day trips (had one overnight in a month), we fly 3-4 times per week at most, the captain and I get along famously, and when we do go on a trip we go hiking and eat fancy dinners. Frankly I just couldn't be happier with my job. I hate trips. That's a big problem for me considering my profession, but I've got a 15-month old daughter and a little boy on the way, and having multiple days per week at home with them, plus almost every night, is just what the doctor ordered.

So my point with this is, go where the QOL is. It doesn't matter what you're flying, and in some respects doesn't matter what you're being paid, if your schedule sucks and you hate your job.

I'd happily fly a PC-12 for the right schedule. Heck, I'd even fly a Navajo or sum'n if I had to! Sure I'd prefer jets too in your shoes, but if you're a family man you'll take the schedule first and worry about airplanes later.

-Ryan

 

[hellas]

guys, you were missing my point, I was talking about options for the future for this guy, the 121 world seems to prefer 121PIC Turbine, if he chooses to leave now he would limit his options for future large carriers. Im sure there are guys in airlines who flew pc12 but I gurantee that was not there only time. So, this guy is now 121 getting PIC time, and as soon as he passes 1500 to 2000 PIC Turbine then he can go where ever he wants but, IF he chooses to go back to 121 larger carriers then, he can more easily! Get It. xrated my observation is FACT, if you do not have 121PIC turbine you cannot go to Airtran and not to long ago JetBlue as well, that trend will continue in the future! Going into Corp. world you must consider that the flight dept. can go at any time and options must always be ther for you whether it be another corp. flight dept or an airline. And as for the QOL issue that is king but so is feeding your family for the long term seems to edge that out. By the way, what 121 carrier lets you become pic with less than 2000 TT, curious?