How is the Corp. world?

[CapnVegetto]

just goes to show-- diff strokes fo diff folks.

Amen bro. Take me for example: I just don't mind being on call. Never have. I have scheduled days off, vacation time, etc, so the rest of the time, when I'm on call, I just don't care. I plan stuff on my days off, and the rest of the time, I just play golf or whatever.

I am also a huge fan of sleeping in my own bed almost every night.

 

[English]

I am also a huge fan of sleeping in my own bed almost every night.

YES!!!!

 

[Lead Sled]

The problem with corporate/charter/fractionals is very simply schedule. The schedule was so bad that I could never plan to do anything with anyone. All the money I was making sure bought a lot of beers at hotels in strange cities, but didn't help me all that much on the home front.

Please don't mixup corporate flying with charter/fractional flying. It ain't the same beast. Charter/Fractional flying sucks. It's at the bottom rung of the flying ladder.

'Sled

 

[Lead Sled]

YES!!!!

English...
You're a huge fan of sleeping in CapnVetto's bed every night???

Just wondering, I don't think that came across the way you meant it.

'Sled

 

[English]

Uh....wait a minute....


I love sleeping in MY bed every night.


Almost had a furr ball.

 

[CapnVegetto]

Dammit.....I didn't catch that Lead. I DID only get a 67 on the 'good with women' test on the Non-Aviation Related Chat forum. I guess I suck.

 

[English]

I guess I suck.

Now if I were Lead I would latch on to this statement...

 

[CapnVegetto]

Now if I were Lead I would latch on to this statement...

EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stearmandriver]

Dammit.....I didn't catch that Lead. I DID only get a 67 on the 'good with women' test on the Non-Aviation Related Chat forum. I guess I suck.

Only 2 short of a perfect score!!!

 

[Dangerkitty]

What's the matter? 20 days a month on reserve for the next 5 years not appeal to you? I have a friend who will put a bounty on my head if I even think of going back...

As I've said before, corporate is a HUGE adjustment for those who have never done it. A lot of airline guys simply don't like the job. Sure, if I could go back to TWA in the summer of '01 I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I can't. It doesn't exist anymore--and I'm not just talking about TWA. The airline business has changed forever.

I'm sure the senior guys at AirTran, JB and SWA are having a good time--but, unlike corporate, there are no lateral moves in the airline biz.

Besides, after a couple of years of not commuting, I'm pretty set in my ways. Or maybe it's just the free vacations courtesy of Marriott Rewards... TC

You know when I was at American I couldn't imagine flying for anyone else or going back to any other lifestyle. Now that I have better pay, holidays off, almost every weekend off (with the exception of a few), much better schedule, no union/company pissing matches, retirement pension that I know will be there in 30 years, great hotels to sleep in and great restaurants to eat in, no TSA, no FA's (sorry FA's but you began to get on my nerves), Hilton Points, Marriot Points, Sheraton Points, Avtrip Points, and of course NO COMMUTING!!!!

I hope that if I did try to go back to AA someone would admit me for a psychological evaluation.

Sorry Gerard but AA blows and I dont ever wanna work there again.

 

[cezzna]

QOL does vary greatly. I'm corporate and on call most of the time. That being said in five years I've been called to get to the airport for a same day flight about 3 or 4 times. I think most quality corp jobs are like this. You may be on call during business hours but RARELY get called in. I spend about 75 nights a year away from home. I eat what I want, when I want as much as I want. Unless I eat at Ruth Chris or Mortons steakhouse, it won't be questioned. I have tons of hotel points, never have to buy a night again.I Stay where I want outside of the Ritz Carleton. If the Ritz is all I can find, I'll stay there no questions asked. After a few years you trust the company and they trust you not to try and screw them over. Pay is good, benies are good,retirement is secure.

We've interviewed regional guys before and most weren't very sharp about regs and basic knowledge. I think part of the airline menality is there are so many rules and people looking out for you that you can't screw up and become lax in self sufficiency. In the corp world it's all on you to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. The flying is usually the easy part. Catering,weather,fuel decisions,airport decisions, transportation for the pax.,maintenance on the road, pulling the plane in and out of the hangar, etc. Most airline guys don't know how to think outside of the cockpit.

If you want a job, you have to show you REALLY want it. if you find a place you want to work for show up often and update them often. If your just a resume dropper once a year you'll be soon forgotten. That's how I got my first corp gig, persistence. Don't take no for an answer but don't be annoying either. A big part of any interview is " Can I stand to be with this guy in Teterboro for 5 days".

Good luck

 

[SLFLYHI]

We've interviewed regional guys before and most weren't very sharp about regs and basic knowledge. I think part of the airline menality is there are so many rules and people looking out for you that you can't screw up and become lax in self sufficiency. In the corp world it's all on you to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. The flying is usually the easy part. Catering,weather,fuel decisions,airport decisions, transportation for the pax.,maintenance on the road, pulling the plane in and out of the hangar, etc. Most airline guys don't know how to think outside of the cockpit.


Good luck

Great post. Everything you said is 100% accurate. When I was flying the Citation, I did all the flight planning, airport, fuel - there was a lot more "work" involved than there is flying for the airlines. That being said, I find it better to have a dispatcher, customer service agents, caterers, etc. doing most of the grunt work because it let's me focus entirely on flying the aircraft and dealing with our biggest challenge - the weather. Also, we have ACARS, so the ability to consult with a licensed, trained person, while in flight, is IMHO a great safety benefit that we didn't have flying the Citation.

I will lament that I was far more knowledgable about all the other items when I was in the Citation, however, not having to worry about those things has made me a better pilot - but not necessarily a better aviator.

 

[Bandit60]

Great post. Everything you said is 100% accurate. When I was flying the Citation, I did all the flight planning, airport, fuel - there was a lot more "work" involved than there is flying for the airlines. That being said, I find it better to have a dispatcher, customer service agents, caterers, etc. doing most of the grunt work because it let's me focus entirely on flying the aircraft and dealing with our biggest challenge - the weather. Also, we have ACARS, so the ability to consult with a licensed, trained person, while in flight, is IMHO a great safety benefit that we didn't have flying the Citation.

I will lament that I was far more knowledgable about all the other items when I was in the Citation, however, not having to worry about those things has made me a better pilot - but not necessarily a better aviator.

Just wondering how ACARS made it much safer. I have AFIS and XM weather available to me in the cockpit and if all else fails i have a sat phone. I have not flown on as an airline pilot so I dont know what a "licensed, trained person" is going to do for me. Remember, I am the PIC and it is my responsiblity to make the final decision.

 

[Spooky 1]

QOL does vary greatly. I'm corporate and on call most of the time. That being said in five years I've been called to get to the airport for a same day flight about 3 or 4 times. I think most quality corp jobs are like this. You may be on call during business hours but RARELY get called in. I spend about 75 nights a year away from home. I eat what I want, when I want as much as I want. Unless I eat at Ruth Chris or Mortons steakhouse, it won't be questioned. I have tons of hotel points, never have to buy a night again.I Stay where I want outside of the Ritz Carleton. If the Ritz is all I can find, I'll stay there no questions asked. After a few years you trust the company and they trust you not to try and screw them over. Pay is good, benies are good,retirement is secure.

We've interviewed regional guys before and most weren't very sharp about regs and basic knowledge. I think part of the airline menality is there are so many rules and people looking out for you that you can't screw up and become lax in self sufficiency. In the corp world it's all on you to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. The flying is usually the easy part. Catering,weather,fuel decisions,airport decisions, transportation for the pax.,maintenance on the road, pulling the plane in and out of the hangar, etc. Most airline guys don't know how to think outside of the cockpit.

If you want a job, you have to show you REALLY want it. if you find a place you want to work for show up often and update them often. If your just a resume dropper once a year you'll be soon forgotten. That's how I got my first corp gig, persistence. Don't take no for an answer but don't be annoying either. A big part of any interview is " Can I stand to be with this guy in Teterboro for 5 days".

Good luck

Generally well said and spot on. I might take some exception to the airline pilot issue as a was one once upon a time. Just a different animal, but very trainable and ususally comes with fairly good skills if not all the tribal knowledge necessary to complete a round the world trip without a hugh dispatch safety net.

 

[SLFLYHI]

Just wondering how ACARS made it much safer. I have AFIS and XM weather available to me in the cockpit and if all else fails i have a sat phone. I have not flown on as an airline pilot so I dont know what a "licensed, trained person" is going to do for me. Remember, I am the PIC and it is my responsiblity to make the final decision.

Sounds like you have a lot of resources at hand that I never had in the old Citation. Certainly if you can find a flight department that has AFIS/XM, you're better off than not having it. And you're right - ultimately, you are the PIC and the buck stops with you. My only point was that in the airlines we have tools and people to assist with decision making that were not available to me flying the other way.