Looking at going corporate!

[jc3]

I am currently a FO with a regional with upgrade about a year and a half away. I have been thinking about going corporate for quite sometime now. I live in Jacksonville and was wondering if anyone had any advice, should I stay at the regionals and try to build some PIC time or should I be trying get a corporate job now. Any thoughts about pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.

 

[voetsak]

I am currently a FO with a regional with upgrade about a year and a half away. I have been thinking about going corporate for quite sometime now. I live in Jacksonville and was wondering if anyone had any advice, should I stay at the regionals and try to build some PIC time or should I be trying get a corporate job now. Any thoughts about pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.

not trying to be harsh on you brother, but there are sooooo many threads on this very topic already......just do a search.

 

[pilotyip]

When my airline was going out of business, I decided to go into the corp. world got hired at a Fortune 500 auto parts supplier in Detroit with SE ATP. The company had 2 airplanes and 5 pilots. They had never had a lay off in their history. 3 years later in the auto turndown of 1982. They cut their dept in half, and I was let go. I saw it happen at VW, K-Mart, Dana, Ford, US Steel, the list goes on. The smaller companies are even worse, not to say there are not good corp. jobs out there, but there are no guarantees

 

[Captain Morgan]

Not only that, but do your homework! I didn't do as much as I should have and I'm sorry for it. Make sure you know what kind of boss the DO/CP is and how the schedule works. Also, know if you're going to be typed right away or if you will just be sitting there. I'm doing the latter and I am so miserable. Other than that, the money is good, and... that's about it. Good luck with your search!

CM

 

[Dep676]

Not only that, but do your homework! I didn't do as much as I should have and I'm sorry for it. Make sure you know what kind of boss the DO/CP is and how the schedule works. Also, know if you're going to be typed right away or if you will just be sitting there. I'm doing the latter and I am so miserable. Other than that, the money is good, and... that's about it. Good luck with your search!

CM

I have one thing to say ATP. By the looks of your profile you do not have your ATP yet. If I were the boss I would be wondering that with a person that has 3800 hours.

 

[oiltycoon]

JC3

Where do you want to be 5-10 years from now?

I made the switch from 121 to 91/135. It wasn't easy breaking through- it took about 1 year of sending out tons of resumes and bugging lots of people I didn't know.

First, take Capt. Morgan's advice about finding out if you're getting typed right away or not. It can ultimately lead to a debate such as this one: http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=96251

Second, coming from scheduled 121, you're going to have to be very flexible going to 91 when it comes to days on and off. You fly when the boss says so. You just have to remember that hes/he is signing your paycheck.

Third, search the forums for more info. All I can say is good luck and don't let rejections/no responses get to you. 91 outfits don't hire in masses like 121. Network- get ANY contacts, numbers, emails, etc. Eventually it pays off.

 

[LXJ31]

I've got better advice; marry wealthy and spend all your (now) free time as an airport bum with an Extra 300...

Too late for me, but you still have hope.

 

[Seadogrun]

Being a year away from upgrade I think I would stick it out. The 91/135 is a tough life to live coming from 121 I imagine. What would your motive for the move be?

 

[Captain Morgan]

I already have the job, why did I get hired if I don't have my ATP? If that was a big deal to them, they should've said get your ATP or we'll send you to school and you can get it with the checkride. I don't understand the relevance to my suggestion to the original poster. To answer the question, I never got it because I don't want to pay for it unless I have to.

 

[Hawker800]

Some very good advice has been posted. That said keep in mind in the pt91 world the aircraft comes and goes on the bosses word. The longivity of the flight dept. hangs on the same thing. Can be sold in a flash. Unless the operation flies 300 hours plus yearly and has a need for the aircraft instead of personal use, then I would stay with my 121 position.