Job Offer, should I take it?

[daneav8]

Hello all, my goal is to fly for a major airline; however, I have not met the golden 1000-1300 Turbine PIC yet. Here is my situation. I am currently employed with a Part 91 corporate outfit as a captain on a Citation Ultra (V). There are 2 of us here and we fly 500 hours/yr and we swap legs; so I am logging about 250 hrs/yr as Turbine PIC and 250 hrs/yr as SIC. It is a good job with great pax, great equipment, a good schedule, and good pay. The other day a friend, who is a Chief Pilot with a PART91/135 outfit flying a Bombardier Global Express, offered me a job. Man!, tough decision.

Here is the question, what job would better prepare me for a shot at the majors?

The pros to the job offer include a 30% increase in pay over my current salary, I would be type rated immediately, it would provide part 135 and international experience, and it would be heavier equipment.

The cons would be I don't yet know how long it would take to upgrade to Captain (due to insurance or company requirements) and therefore log the golden turbine PIC. There is a 2 year contract for the type-rating. The QOL might be less due to less time off, the owner of the airplane is supposedly an &*#hole, and I am not so sure that the operation is that stable when compared to where I am know, although I realize that any flight department can disappear in a heartbeat.

It really boils down to this; is the 135/ international experience/ heavier equip. worth the jump over to the new job? Or is better to stay where I am already established as a captian, acting as PIC, in a company that is growing and already talking about buying another, bigger airplane in addition to the one we have now.

Let me give you a little background if it helps; at the rate I am logging Turnine PIC, I would meet the Golden 1000-1300 TPIC in about 2-3 years. I am 36 years old, and I am currently in the Army Guard flying UH60 helicopters as Aircraft Commander(PC), so I have military experience, although not in Fixed-wing aircraft.

Thanks all for your advise; I truly appreciate and respect it.
daneav8

 

[mrswede]

Global type rating is very desirable. I would take the job. You could make big money as a global capt.

 

[CF34-3B1]

Big $ out there for freelance Global Captains.

Would you have to agree to no moonlighting or would you be able to fly on your days off for extra $ ?

 

[Glacialfury1906]

Well, something else to consider is, what major airline do you want to work for? You mentioned the 1000-1300 Turbine PIC which alludes to SWA, Fed Ex, & UPS. Or would you consider CAL, DAL, & soon to be UAL, all of which do not have a turbine PIC requirement? Do you know anybody at any of the aformentioned carriers? What carrier is your goal??? What region would you like to eventually settle down in? Are you married now? Kids?

IMHO, the Global job (if it's in a city you want to live in) beats the pants out of considering CAL, UAL, & DAL...... Now Fed Ex, UPS, & SWA maybe not so much. It depends on your personal situation. There are a lot of variables. At 36 your still young enough to give the airlines a go. I also think the Global Type wouldn't be a bad move & even if you went to the place & they shut down, you'd still have the guard, plus you'd be a little more marketable in the corporate world with the Global type & time. Just my worthless opinion. At least you have options though.... Good luck!

 

[Charlie Brown]

Do the Global. Log PIC when you are in the left seat, flying it empty, etc. The 250 PIC a year is not that much anyway. BD-700 pilots tend to make ~$2000/ day freelance. Good luck to you.

 

[Brett Hull]

I try and try and try to get jobs flying Globals, Gulfstreams, Challengers or Falcons with no luck, and you have one thrown in your lap.

Take it!

Or hand it to me.

 

[Swaayze]

Did y'all miss that the owner of the airplane is an a-hole and the stability is questionable? From what I hear of corporate flying those red flags alone would be enough to keep me in the Citation. Even without those I'd say that the Citation PIC will probably get you an interview just as well as GlobalEx time, and it sounds like you have a pretty good job so I'd give staying put some serious consideration. The grass isn't always greener. Good luck.

 

[Skyboy722]

QOL might be less due to less time off, the owner of the airplane is supposedly an &*#hole, and I am not so sure that the operation is that stable when compared to where I am know

I would have a real hard time ignoring this little detail.

A bird in hand...

The grass is always greener...

You sound pretty happy where you are now. Your hesitation is warranted.

 

[Wingsweep]

Life is Short

Life is too short to purposefully choose to be unhappy, my friend. I don't remember if you said how old you are, but I suspect you're young enough to break into the majors within a few years and still have plenty of productive years ahead of you in the big iron. In the mean time, why not stay happy? Cheers, and good luck either way. WS

 

[daneav8]

Thanks folks for all the rapid replies. I will admit it is still a tough call.
Somebody asked if I was married w/ kids...no and no. My goal for the majors would be SWA; specifically SWA because I have a few friends working there-so I need to obtain the 1300 PIC turbine.

The job offer is a tough call. It is not everyday that a Global Express type rating falls in your lap. On the other hand, I am pretty happy where I am and hate to leave a known quantity for an unknown if there is no real benefit to my future airline career. Although the pay increase would be great! I currently get about 10-14 days of a month and don't fly holidays. The Global Express job, I have been told, flys on nearly every holiday, and there is not nearly as much time off.

But really, the big question is; would the Global job (part 135/ international experience)position me better in the future for a shot at the majors (SWA in paticular)? If so, I don't mind less time off/ flying holidays. Plus it is a 30% increase in pay to boot.

I guess I need to find out how many hours I would be logging as PIC turbine in the Global X as compared to my present job (250 hrs/yr PIC turb).

Thanks all for helping out the up and comers.
daneav8

 

[AA717driver]

Your goal for the majors should be to get to a major. If you get SWA, great. If you get UAL. Ok. It's still better than crappy 135--REGARDLESS of the type of airplane.

If you can go fly the GLEX and get some time--PIC time and move on to a GLEX 91 job, great. If your goal is the airlines, get the PIC time ASAP (meaning in the Citation) and go for it.

SWA does hire Pt. 91 citiation pilots.

They DON'T hire GLEX FO's with 600 hours of PIC turbine.

Just my $.02. TC

 

[pilotgolfer]

Also...International experience does not mean a thing for SWA. As long as you know Midway is an airport in Chicago and not a fuel stop in the Pacific.

 

[pilotyip]

You know in five years if you made the right decision, regardless of whether you elect to stay or take the new job. We have much better hindsight than foresight.

 

[Big Duke Six]

Stay!

You said that your current company was considering expanding with the addition of a larger aircraft. To me that sounds like your acquisition rate of PIC time should accelerate. Even if they don't require it, airlines hire CAPTAINS, and the more PIC time you have the better.

International time won't matter to anyone that I know of. I could be wrong, but no one advertises "1000 hours International required". The airline will teach you everything you'll need to know when you get there. And if you're loooking at SWA, it's a moot point anyway.

QOL is big, but at least you don't have a family so you could more easily hack the Global schedule than some could. But why bother? The other disadvantages of the Global job (NO PIC!) make the decision for me.

Why did their last Global FO leave? What happened to him? Will you fly with your friend much? If your friend (I'm assuming he's trying to build time in the Global too) flies it much, he may or may not share the seat with you, and even if he does, many airlines only allow you to report PIC time if you are actually the one responsible for the aircraft. You won't be.

I would go so far as to say that even non-121 twin-turboprop Captain time would be far more valuable than the Global FO time. And you're already in a jet.

 

[hoover]

My advice is to consider the job on its own merits, rather than on where you think it might take you a few years from now. Don’t allow BJS (big jet syndrome) to cloud your judgment. You are not being offered a job with a major, nor the promise of one a few years later. As I understand it, the new job offers a 30% raise, less days off, and generally a poorer schedule than your current job. What you have to do is decide if the 30% extra pay is worth the loss of QOL. SWA and major airlines are not part of the equation.

 

[Ralph Cramden]

You are young & single. A few years of Global time waiting for the PIC hours to get you the airline interview of your dreams will open a lot of doors to you.

What if WN turns you down? I'm not saying you are a doofus at all, just realize not all dreams come true. OTOH, a Global type you earned is a very valuable tangible item. It also tells prospective employers you CAN handle a very sophisticated airplane and will help counter your low total time right now.

After a cut short career of airline flying, I earned the GV type recently. Even with zillions of hours, new doors were suddenly opened. Consider your options carefully and be ready for life's changes. If WN or FedEx/UPS doesn't happen for you, you will wish you had that Global type.

Either way, best wishes for a long & happy career.

 

[heywatchthis]

Continue with your career as if SWA will never hire you. If they do then fantastics and you got your dreamjob. If they never do and you waste 2-3 years passing things up, you will never forgive yourself. So many great guys get turned down SWA, or they may just stop hiring or get bought sold, whatever.

Don't put your career on hold. Make the decision that is best for you NOW not the best decision "what if".

ALSO, if your only logging PIC when your a Pilot Flying, sounds like you are a CO-Captain. Although you can legally log PIC via FAR's, SWA does not count that time towards your 1300 PIC. You must sign for the aircraft and be designated as PIC, IE you are the Captain. They do a detailed logbook interview, during your interview.

But you said you are a Captain flying .... If this is true, and you are the captain, you can log all legs as PIC even if you are the Pilot Not Flying. Does that get you the 1300 PIC?

Just my opinion!

 

[SonicPig]

Don't pass on the oppurtunity to collect another type rating. It may help in ways you haven't thought of yet. You may be able to land a Global Capt job in a few years. You may not care so much about the airlines then. Just my opinion.


The Pig.

 

[Ralph Cramden]

To add to my last post, I don't know how much a Global type is going for these days, but here in SAV a Gulfstream type is very expensive. If I were in my early years of my career I wouldn't mind trading 2 years of F/O work for the type. Who knows, they may give you the left seat early, or if the ahole boss takes a dislike suddenly they may 'let you out' or your 2 year commitment.

Just a thought. You can buy the 737 type many times over for the price of a heavy iron corporate type.

 

[Going2Baja]

But you said you are a Captain flying .... If this is true, and you are the captain, you can log all legs as PIC even if you are the Pilot Not Flying. Does that get you the 1300 PIC?

Just what I was thinking.

Also, as stated before, you have no idea if you will get the interview or beter yet the job at the Major. Continue your career by taking the best job offered at that time. One thought about the GX, if you can get your job offer in writing and the job doesn't pan out the way they say it will you have an out of that 2 yr contract and you can look for that golden or contract $2k/day job.

I've never flown the big corporate iron, but my guess is that getting the golden GX job would be WAY better than ANY major job.

I also have a lot of friends at SW and have jumpseated on SW too many times to count. But what this did do for me was give me a first hand experiece of how hard they work. I don't think there is a harding working group of pilots (other than commuter) out there. I don't know about you, but I'm looking for the best $$, with the best QOL I can find, and SW just isn't that for me. (No flame bait here please...)

If I were in your shoes given the info you have shared with us I would try to talk to the other pilots at the GX flight dept and go from there. Just because the owner is an a$$hole, doesn't mean the guys you work with are the same. Also, take the time to have a few cold ones with your SW bro's and ask them what they would do. They know how hard they work and should share this info w/ you.

Good luck....Baja.