How is the Corp. world?

[2EASYPilot]

Once thought I wanted to be an airline guy...you know the exotic layovers, cute ( back then ) flight attendants, big shiny airplanes but cicumstances led me to corporate aviation and I am so glad it did. I have several close friends with the majors and they are are asking ( after 15 plus years ) what are the chances we could get into corporate aviation. Nice guys and good pilots but at a loss what to do career wise...glad to be where I am and feeling really sorry for their situation. Wishing everyone well for the future.

 

[skychicken]

I have only been at the airlines for four months and I am already realizing that I made the wrong move. The airline I am at is talking possible layoffs at the end of the year and I can't say that I am too upset because it gives me an excuse to search out corporate aviation! I have figured out that I am not going to be away from home and family on every holiday and birthday my family has. I realize that corporate aviation has its time away and down sides as well, but I'm sure that I can find someone out of MSP that keeps me home more than the airline!!!

Previous posts are right on, you got to do what makes you happy otherwise you will go insane!!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Things that I dont miss. (feel free to add on...)

Thought of a few more things that make me happy:

1. No more hats (yes, I wore mine like I was told)
2. No more ties
3. No more dragging my rollaboard around with a 50 lb flight-kit attached
4. No more dragging said rollaboard through ice/snow in the employee lot
5. No more employee lot busses lacking air-conditioning, heat, and shocks
6. No more waiting at employee lot bus-stops
7. No more entering security codes at every &%@$# door in the building
8. No more TSA telling me to take off my shoes
9. No more TSA inspecting my flashlight for the 40th time
10. No more TSA telling me to remove my hat
11. No more TSA leaning in to smell my breath
12. No more TSA
13. No more gate agents taking their good ol' time printing the release
14. No more waiting for gate agents to give you access to your airplane
15. No more waiting for jetway drivers
16. No more calling ops to ask for said jetway driver & being told, "shift change"
17. No more flight attendants calling up front because it's too hot, cold, bumpy
18. No more flight attendants sitting in first class instead of providing customer service
19. No more flight attendants whining about not getting crew meals
20. No more flight attendants whining when they DO get crew meals
21. No more APU's deferred with no ground air carts available
22. No more waiting for the hotel van
23. No more roadside fleabag hotels
24. No more :40 van rides to the long-overnight hotel so the F/As can shop
25. No more apologies for being away on weekends, holidays, special occasions
26. No more watching flying be outsourced to the lowest bidder
27. No more watching ALPA spend dues on "strongly worded letters"
28. No more ALPA (thats the best part!)
29. No more delapidated "crew rooms"
30. No more junior manning or extensions
31. No more pagers
32. No more calls from scheduling at 2am to transition you from regular reserve to short-call
33. No more quick-calls to go to Akron and back
34. No more racing through the terminal and grabbing a McValue Meal during a 15 minute break
35. No more equipment changes every time you fly through the hub
36. No more nastygrams from the company whenever you're in negotiations
37. No more feeling ashamed at the lack of customer service the company provides.
38. No more apologizing for weather, aircraft size, ATC delays, mechanical delays, etc.
39. No more groundschools in converted hangars or old elementary schools.
40. and finally... no more turning on CNN every night and wondering whether the airline is still in business.

(ahhh... I feel better now)
Did I miss anything? Feel free to add to this list.

 

[English]

41. No more preflighting in the rain.
42. No more preflighting, period.
43. No more waiting in line on the jetbridge during a 20 minute turn wondering if I'll have time to eat my lunch once I return to the cockpit.
44. No more commuting!
45. No more paycuts and broken promises of future compensation.

 

[cezzna]

Well I never flew airline but...


1. I still wait for hotel vans, sometimes renting a car is too much hassle.
2. I still preflight the airplane.
3. Glad to hear some of you airline guys got along with mx., I guess the stories I heard were in the minority.
4. Don't brag about it too much, we still want to keep it a secret;-)

 

[bicycle]

furloughedagain, you nailed it, its wierd seeing it all in a nice long list. I was going to write a list of the positives, but its way too short. Man its so f234n depressing.

 

[AA717driver]

Nice list, FurloughedAgain! It didn't take English long to get cynical and jaded. Way to come up to speed!

Like I said, when it was good, it was REALLY good. But that lasted about 14 months out of 15 years.TC

 

[English]

Actually, not cynical at all. Jaded, well, maybe a bit.

I really enjoy aspects of both the airline and corporate/charter worlds. I enjoyed the structure and standardization the airlines provide, as well as knowing when my days off would be. Flying charter, I really like flying day trips and staying local for the most part.

Ultimately, I think a part 91 gig flying some sort of range-limited airplane like a Citation at my local airport will end up being the job that satisfies all my needs. Unless someone around here gets a BBJ that never leaves the West Coast....there I go dreaming again...

 

[Kingairrick]

I've never been airline, but I think Furloughed's first post was pretty accurate. However, there are as many crappy corp jobs as there are crappy airline jobs. My last gig, I was the only typed guy for 4 owners. Flew 20 days per month, had to do everything myself. Now I'm at a Fortune 300 company, and have a vastly different job. Great pay, benis, schedule, ect...I think it's a mistake to lump all corp. together. If you get a good gig, it's great, otherwise, ho hum...