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Need help and advise on going Corporate

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Saluki Dawg

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2002
Posts
395
I really could use some help and advise on getting into Corporate flying. I was a Capt at the regional I fly for, but was recently displaced back to the right seat and it looks like I will be there for quite a while.

The reason I chose 121 over Corporate was because I had a very bad experience when I did an internship right after College with a Fortune 500 flight department, which really soured me wanting to go into Corporate flying. Because of the dismal state of the airline industry, I find myself now reconsidering Corporate flying again.

Right now I have just over 3000TT, ATP, 4 year Degree, ERJ Type, etc. I don't however have any Type ratings in Bizjets, and was wondering whether or not any companies would even consider someone like myself. Any help or advise on how to get into Corporate flying would be greatly appreciated.

BTW, I am current, and am flying about 75 hours a month right now as a FO.
 
This is what most companies look for when they hire a pilot for their own airplane:

1. A type rating so they dont have to pay for it

2. Simulator current so they dont have to pay for it

3. 4000 hrs to be an FO and 10,000 for Captain so they get the best insurance rates. If you dont believe me check the corporate FO jobs in Climbto350, Avcrew and AEPS. Some even want an A&P so you can fix their airplane on the road

4. Someone who will work in the office the 28 days a month they dont fly to answer the phone, do jeps, clean the floors, wash the airplane, etc.

If you are lucky the owner can afford to keep the airplane and flight department longer than a year or fire you when its time for your sim recurrent and replace you with a guy thats current

It is extremely rare that a corporate operator will hire someone off the street and type them unless they are extremely high time, older or retired and in no danger of defecting to an airline, or maybe its a favor for a friend or employee of the owner

In addition more and more corporate operators are seeking to use contract pilots to fly their airplanes. Even the 135 operators are using contract pilots. Probably has a lot to do with the availability of fractional pilots who have a lot of days off, are simulator current and typed.

My advice if you like bizjets is go to EJA or Flight Options

If all that sounds harsh well hey. Welcome to not having a UNION
 
Saluki Dawg-

I was a CA at COEX for 5 yrs and left for a large 91 operator. I'm kicking myself now, even with the current state of the airlines.

PM me, I'll let you know how "green" it really was on the other side.
 
Gee sounds like Flydog has had some pretty rotten experiences in corporate aviation, sounds more like "charter operator" rather than corporate flying, to me.

Good corporate operators dont expect you to fund ANYTHING, nor be current or typed in their aircraft. They hire the PERSON. period. This person is usually refered through someone else at the company.

Be in the office 28 days a month??? Gee, my company DOES NOT ALLOW us to be in the office, even if by some crazy reason you wanted to be....we are responsible for the Jepps on the aircraft we fly, thats it. We average 10 days of work a month, longest trip is usually around 7 days, 3 weeks vacation to start, great 401k benefits, and experienced GIV/GV/Global pilots make 150K easily....

No, corporate flying is not for everyone (Flydog) You dont have UNION behind you (Thank God, ask any regional pilot how GREAT unions are while he makes 50K a year after 4 years and pays DUES..) You will make more money in the majors in the long run, if you are lucky enough to camp there for 25 years, Job security?? the boss selling the airplane?? Gee....I would be more worried about United selling thier 757s these days...how many corporate guys are out on furlough?? Its not the best job in the world ...but corporate flying can be fun, but the wrong corp job or charter gig can be bottom of the barrel...

Summary, please dont think corporate flying is anything like the previous post. Send out resumes, pursue any contacts you may have. I personally think you wold do better in the majors over the long run, after all you have put a lot of time in the regionals it seems..going regional to major is much easier than corp to major...you get used to making a little money and flying nice places...you have put your time in at the regionals, why not wait and move on instead of starting at the bottom of corp world...and rest assured hiring will pick up in a few years at the majors.

Good Luck
 
Gulfstream 200 if your company need a Westwind Captain let me know. I need a job like yours
 
As a matter of fact....check your private messages.
 
I have to agree with Gulfstream 200.... Flydog's depiction sounds more like a BAD Charter job than the "typical" Corporate job....

Send me a Private Message if you have any further questions.
 
Corporate vs. 121

I dunno. I could have gone to the airlines or to corporate aviation when I retired from the military, but the economic opportunity loss of taking 10 years in an airline to reach what I could start at in a corporation made the airlines a non-starter, for me, at least. Most of the guys who left Andrews when I did made the same decision.

If you get the right job, in the right airplane, in the right company you will make as much as a senior airline captain, have better hours, go more interesting places and fly much better equipment.

In the Pfizers, the 3M's, and the Proctor and Gambles of the world, everybody retires a millionaire.
 
Thanks for all the great responses. You've all given me some great insight that I didn't have before and I really appreciate it. It looks like I've got some thinking to do before I make my decision. Luckily, I still have a flying job that I enjoy, which gives me the luxury of time to clearly think about what I want to do.
 
Well, guys, this string is very interesting to me, having just left corporate (91 and 135) for a National airline.

To me, we have to compare apples to apples. Good corporate jobs are probably equivalent to a good National job. Great corporate jobs are equivalent to the majors, and the bottom jobs are probably the air ambulance and the regionals.

Having said that, it all comes down to what kind of a person are you, and what would make you happy? The best job is the one that suits you the most.

If you like knowing your month in advance, if you like the seniority system versus merit, if you like getting your flying out of the way in 3-4 long days, you may be more of an airline guy. If you like flying 1 or 2 legs a day to more out-of-the-way places, like to hang out and play "paid tourist" and like to be more involved with the planning and operations end of the aircraft, a corporate gig might make you happier.

The best jobs probably combine the best elements of both- efficient, economical operation of equipment in an environment conducive to happy employees.

Good luck
 

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