Pilots Who Have Left Fractionals for Airlines or Corporate - Happier?

[johnsonrod]

Gret,

How about providing an objective response instead of the typical slamming and name calling? Your posts add no value to this discussion. Try not to waste our time.

 

[rajflyboy]

Luck may put you in a position to succeed, but a superior work ethic creates success.

Everyone knows that aviation jobs go in cycles. Luck is very important during a flying career. If you hit the cycles right you are very lucky. If you don't then you could be really hosed bad. Obviously having the right resume and the right friends will greatly help your chances.

 

[johnsonrod]

Hoping to avoid too much of the typical thread drift...

Any other former fractional pilots out there who want to share their perspectives?

 

[SharkBait]

It really depends on what you want. I came from a regional airline that never furloughed a pilot, then shortly after I left, the list was cut almost in half. To me, fractionals provide a predictable schedule in the long term, at the cost of short term (1-2 day) indecision. I know I have Christmas off this year.

I didn't care for bidding every month either. Many places have PBS now, so that could change that decision category.

How micro-managed do you want to feel? At 121, I felt as though I was not authorized to think. 91k I can think some on my own, but not too much. I suppose I would like to try my hand at 91.

The pressure on finding cheap hotels will never go away, but at least I have some say on what is unacceptable. I don't find too many irons that have been used for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Oops, sorry just saw the note on former fractional pilots--DISREGUARD!

 

[gret]

Gret,

How about providing an objective response instead of the typical slamming and name calling? Your posts add no value to this discussion. Try not to waste our time.

Don't understand.,,slamming and name calling?

I was complimenting the man. He indicated he was lucky and I pointed out that while luck helps, it does not trump a good work ethic which appears he possesses.

 

[jrmyl]

Don't understand.,,slamming and name calling?

I was complimenting the man. He indicated he was lucky and I pointed out that while luck helps, it does not trump a good work ethic which appears he possesses.

Haha. I was thinking the same thing. What name calling? That was clearly a compliment. I think some people are just spring loaded to assume everything on here is a slam.

Anyway, I am furloughed NJA. I am currently working the Air Japan gig in Japan. I hate to say it but I am very conflicted if I will go back when offered the recall. I am flying excellent equipment with good people and make a wonderful salary. I get almost as many days off a month as I did at NJ. The only drawback is having to do the 18 days in a row. So it really does come down to what your own preferences are. You have to make up your own mind in the end.

Good luck.

 

[DUATS]

Gret - I thought it was a compliment too - and appropriate. Luck might get you in the door, but professionalism, skill, and a good attitude will keep you there.

Former Flex guy myself, now flying as 737 captain for a 121 supplemental - and I would JUMP at a chance to go back. Old job: I knew my schedule for 28-56 days out, could use PBS to get almost everything i wanted, stayed in nice hotels, never felt pressured to fly a broken airplane, and was confident that the company would back me up if I needed something. New job: Schedule for the month usually comes out the 29th, and it only includes days of work, not flights. Everything is 5 on, 5 off so no matter how senior you get you're working two weekends a month. No benefits to speak of (401k but no match, health insurance but they pay only a pittance of it, no vacation time - ever!). Never sure if the company is making money and doing well, or holding on by a shoestring. But as I say, even the current job beats working for a living. I'm not going to make 100K anytime soon, but I have 15 days off a month and very few overnights. Being captain after 2 years is great, too. But seeing the Challengers and Gulfstreams pulling into the FBO still makes me drool.

I did see EJM is looking for 2 CL30 guys in Tampa..........

 

[johnsonrod]

Don't understand.,,slamming and name calling?

I was complimenting the man. He indicated he was lucky and I pointed out that while luck helps, it does not trump a good work ethic which appears he possesses.

Fine - I am just trying to get an interesting thread going... I'd like to hear what furloughed frax pilots think about the other side of the coin - either airline or corporate - and whether they would consider returning one day based on their latest experiences. Just another attempt to understand our aviation business through other peoples' eyes.

 

[rajflyboy]

Don't understand.,,slamming and name calling?

I was complimenting the man. He indicated he was lucky and I pointed out that while luck helps, it does not trump a good work ethic which appears he possesses.

Gret complimenting a man

Thats a first

 

[Headwind]

When moving from fractional to corporate the first big difference was: I got to use the dresser in the hotel because I was there a few days. With fractional you never take anything from your bag unless you're going to wear it.