From Airline to Frax - How's Transition?

[English]

Former regional airline captain here, now regional fractional captain on a Citationjet. I don't work for one of the big four fractionals, but rather for a small "regional" fractional where all the owners live in the same geographical region.

"We all know that you take a big economic hit (at least initially) - so let's EXCLUDE pay from this discussion." posted by Heavy Set

My first comment...although Heavy Set wanted to exclude pay from the discussion, I'd like to counter his/her statement. I took a pay increase (almost double) going from Saab captain to Citationjet captain. The benefits are substantially better as well. It seems regional fractional pilots are paid better than the fractional pilots at the big four. Of course, aircraft size plays a part, but at least on the littlest jet it has worked out that way. If you are coming from a major then yes, you are likely taking a pay cut.

The type of flying I do now is very similar to regional airline-type flying on some days, and major airline flying on others. Most trips are day trips, starting in SoCal and going to PHX, LAS, SAC, SFO, SAN, etc. Fly somewhere, wait a few hours and fly back. Instead of having 45 minutes between turns with no time to eat other than fast food, there is time to venture away from the airport and try the local restaurants. Other trips we've been getting lately involve overnights with a little distance. We've gone to several ski destinations and I always pack for a day on the slopes. I never had time at the regional airline to fully enjoy the overnights. We'd go to some great destinations but with a reduced rest overnight sometimes you just can't get out to see the place or partake in outdoor activities. I like the fractional flying better than the regional flying because there is more variety available.

Now, at first I really missed having a schedule set in stone the month before, and there was an adjustment period. But I've found ways to maximize my time off so that I mostly have off the same days as my spouse (also a regional airline captain). So, in this respect, my personal life has improved because we aren't dealing with two different people's bids trying to line up.

The aircraft I fly now has better equipment to some extent. The CJ has an FMS whereas the Saab didn't. But I miss not having GPWS and ACARS. All in all, it was fun flying the Saab but it's good to fly something with some performance. I'm not always down low flying around in the bumps, and I'm not being passed by Brasillias anymore.

I've noticed lots of comments about a negative being the loading of bags, dealing with passengers, etc. I don't deal with a lot of luggage. On the rare occasion that there is a lot of luggage, I just tip the ramp guys to handle it. I've never had a difficult passenger either. I've had some really interesting conversations with many of them, and learned alot about many things I just wouldn't be exposed to otherwise. At least at my job, dealing with passengers is an enjoyable part of the day.

The big negative, if you've become accustomed to them, is losing the flight benefits and jumpseat privileges. Just marry someone in the airlines and that'll be taken care of

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

I came from a regional to Flight Options. Not furloughed, it was my decision. I was a new captain on reserve, 11 scheduled days off. I came over here and got 14 days off per month, minimum. That was a nice change.

I like the fractional flying more because of the variety of destinations. You can only overnight in RDU so many times before you get sick of it. At my former regional, I was based in EWR on reserve and we didn't fly to the west coast (yet). Now it's just the opposite, I never see EWR (thank God) and I'm on the west coast all the time. Flying into Teterboro isn't much fun either, but it beats EWR. We take our airplane into private strips located on our owner's property, go into small island strips in the Bahamas, and still get to visit all the big, busy metro airports around the country. The hub and spoke system can get monotonous. For the variety, I like the frax alot more.

I flew the Jungle Jet prior to this. It was a good airplane for the most part. Had it's computer glitches every once in a while, but you learned to reset everything and they would go away. I fly a Beechjet now, and it's pretty straightforward. Easy systems, easy to fly, easy to land. It doesn't have the EICAS in the middle of the panel, but looking at round engine dials isn't tough. We have four tubes, GPWS, ground prox, all that jazz. It's a very small cockpit compared the the RJ, but we usually don't fly it for more than 2.5 hours at a time.

With the frax, you will throw bags and you will give safety briefings. Even on your worst days you still have to fake being nice to your pax, even the greedy, needy a$$holes who expect you to do everything for them. That can get tough.

With the frax, usually every other leg is empty. You can have fun with the airplane, listen to music as loud as you want and enjoy flying. Some people even get out of their seats on the long repo legs and watch a movie on the DVD player. But I don't.

Being gone from home for eight days is tough, but you get used to it. Being home for seven days is easy, and it goes by way too fast. Usually by the time the week on the road is done, my wife is ready for me to come home. When my week at home is done, she's ready for me to leave. It works out well.

That's been my experience so far. It's not better or worse than airline flying, just different.

 

[wil]

My buddy who left Air Willy for a frac says- "you can take the guy out of the airline but you can't take the airline out of the guy!" He is miserable there as well as some other airline classmates of his- all the best

 

[Frac Daddy]

wil,

Why is your friend miserable at the frax?

FD

 

[mobs]

Wil, I do not fly for a frac,but have applied to due so and I would think that if one looked at what is required in this type of ops. and that it is much more than walking on turning left and taking a seat they should do fine. I look forward to a chance to do this kind of flying,I will go in with eyes open and ready to learn what the owners expect and give them more. Sorry your friends are not happy with this kind of job. Mobs

 

[wil]

This is a good discussion, I think my buddy made the mistake of only talking with friends at Flight Options who left Regionals that were not on par with Willy such as Trans States (no insult intended). Obviously, it is a different kind of operation and it has been his experience, so far, that checklist disipline is lacking- any comments? Fly safe, Wil

 

[Diesel]

what's a checklist?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I think a lot of this depends on where you're coming from. AWAC is awesome, and I think it would be similar to coming from AA, DAL, etc. TSA is definately a "lower" regional (I worked there, and while I enjoyed it, I had no illusions that I would be staying there because it was so great.).

On a similar note: where you're coming from-about SOPs, checklists, etc.

My airline is like a highly standardized 135 operation. If you ask guys who came in from 91/135, they say it's very highly standardized, and most everyone flies the same. If you ask ex-mil (or airline) guys, they say there is very little standardization.

It all depends on what you're used to.

I wouldn't reccomend going from AWAC to a frac, unless you had specific reasons for doing so. Obviously, if you're furloughed, all bets are off!

Cliff
GRB

PS-My airline is planning on allowing us to choose the numbers of days off per month you get, starting next year. The more days off, the less you get paid. I would KILL for a 7/7 or 8/6 schedule!!!

It's hard when you have to be away from home more than two weeks in a row.