Give up airline life for corporate?

[OldGoat]

I’m looking for some advice from anyone who’s been in the Part 91 world for a while or anyone who has gone from 121 to 91...

I’m considering leaving the airline life for QOL reasons and have an opportunity with a large established flight department (5 jets) in a Fortune 100 company. The job has what I’m missing in my 121 job; no commute obviously and I’ll be home 90% of the time with holidays and weekends off. The company pays industry standard and there are minimal office duties outside of flying. All the pilots I’ve spoken with seem very happy and many have been there for a long time. However, I feel that I may be giving up job security and long term income as my current employer is and should continue to do very well.

What do you think? I know that I’m blessed to be in this position however the decision is making me crazy – it’s only my family’s future we’re talking about.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[semperfido]

sometimes change is good. what kind of planes? how many years you have invested in 121 and how does your particular situation look for the future? i was 121 briefly but have been 91 for 20 yrs. i like 91.

 

[sluminginpit]

Consider your self fournate to have this opportunity. However, only you can decide what is right. Remember, there is no security in anything, ever. Pilots at Delta sat on the sidelines and watched everything fall apart after 9-11 feeling lucky to be with a stable company like Delta, now look. I struggle with the same decision everyday, weather to leave or stay. Ask yourself whats important, do you want to work for the same company for ever? Look at airlinepilotpay.com, and research your first few years somewhere else, can you afford to go? Good luck in your choice! You will only know if you made the right decision in the end, for now enjoy the ride!

 

[BenderGonzales]

I was 121 for 9 years.

Part 91 now and will never look back. Part 91 with large flight department is the best kept secret in aviation.

 

[Lead Sled]

...I'm considering leaving the airline life for QOL reasons and have an opportunity with a large established flight department (5 jets) in a Fortune 100 company. The job has what I’m missing in my 121 job; no commute obviously and I’ll be home 90% of the time with holidays and weekends off. The company pays industry standard and there are minimal office duties outside of flying. All the pilots I’ve spoken with seem very happy and many have been there for a long time...

It sounds to me like you've answered your own question. Corporate flying has a different "flavor" than 121 flying. I really enjoy and thrive on the variety that comes with a corporate job. Airline flying was boring. I also enjoy the "hands on" nature of the job.

I went the corporate route 20 years ago and I've never looked back. My wife and I have 5 kids and it was for precisely the very reasons you mentioned that I never pursued 121 flying once I left. (And I had 3 or 4 opportunities.) Would I do it again? In a heart beat.

'Sled

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[Gulfstream 200]

yeah be careful with that "S" word (stability).

I would take just about any Fortune 100 gig over any airline these days.

No weekend or holidays? we certainly dont do every weekend...but a large department usually has at least one or two long range planes, and they usually do some trips longer than 5 days...going to China for a few stops and back just takes that long. I dont know your situation , just dont count on the weekends home..

I like my PT 91 gig, dont ever want to fly 121. Its all personal choice of course.

Who would have thought a few years ago that the average GV/Global corp guy would make more money and have far better benefits than a DAL or UAL Captain?

The airline bloodbath is a shame, always hate to see good jobs disappear - airline or corporate.

 

[mobie]

121 to 91

Make sure you know what you are getting into and what skills you need. I had a great 121 life for 38 years, but kept flying 91 on some nice a/c world wide the same time.

91 takes quite alot more skills than stick and rudder and each 91 dept. requires special skills. Like it or not you will have to endure the 121 "stink" for some time, you will get over it in time.

Do I miss flying 12 days a month on a wide? Yes I do, but I wish I had retired early and found a great 91 dept. where I was not just a number.

I am still flying 91/135, but hope to get that 135 in my past and with a stable 91 for about 5 more years.

Weekends, holidays or plans I do not know of any flying job that you might not have to do them with a smile on your face.

Good luck

Mobie

 

[307M]

Being with a "legecy" carrier now for 20 years (17 to go/maybe 23?) I would certainly look at a Fortune 500 corporate job. The 121 gig is not what it used to be nor it will ever return to those levels. As all of us look for, a stable environment with a decent wage, insurance and of course some type of 401K.Is the grass greener on the corp. side(?) I say probably yes cause its really brown on this side.

 

[capt_zman]

There is only 1 real problem, in my opinion, of the corporate life vs. 121. Stability. People can argue this vs that and so forth, but corporate life can be brutal. For example, I had lunch with the old boss today and in our conversation he tells me that 2 neighboring flight depts (Very large footware company and a Fortune 500 computer company) just closed their doors and put the airplanes up for sale, all with very little warning to anyone. I've seen this too many times over the years, great jobs gone bad.

You can kill yourself weighing risks, benefits vs. tradeoffs, etc. My advice, just go with what makes you the happiest.

 

[AA717driver]

Goat--I made the move (forcibly) a couple of years ago. I am happy doing what I'm doing. But don't for one second think you have ANY stability in any area of aviation. If you keep that in the back of your mind, you will be ok.

The biggest advantage to 91 v. 121 is that your experience matters. If you fly captain in 91 you are recognized as a captain. FedEx doesn't give a crap that I once flew captain at a major airline--to the panel you go, maggot!

How many days a month are the pilots in this department gone? I'm hearing of more departments short-staffing and paying overtime or bumping the pay a little to make up for it. Or, some are just flying the crap out of their people with no extras. It may not be the land of milk and honey that it appears from the outside.

Oh well, nothing's perfect. You just have to realize you are entering a totally different job. Virtually nothing will transfer over to 91 from 121. It took me a while to really get comfortable in 91. Good luck.TC