Situation... Need Advice

[av8tor4239]

Have a situation, and would appreciate some advice from any corportate pilots out there.

I have set up an interview flying a gulfstream for a very wealthy individual... Would be one of 4 pilots on this aircraft...one month on one month off. $80k. Typed right off the bat. I am being recruited from the ranks of FO regional.. and have never met nor do I know the wealthy owner or any of the pilots. kind of a long story how I made the contact... (not relevant)

I start RJ cptn school for a regional in a few days. If I take the gulfstream job I would have to give up 6 years senority at this regional.

My question is...

As a corportate pilot does it sound shady to recruit a regional FO for a international gulfstream job....one that you dont know from adam?

Is there any way to negotiate job security in corporate aviation.

Other than taking someones word, there is no information on this job. It is a weathly owner. Owns the aircraft outright.. Paid cash for it... not associated with any company or business... How would you look at this job?

I was told what the owner does for a living.. Owns a huge financial company.

Thanks

 

[NuGuy]

Heyas Av,

Never flew corporate, but have lots of buds who did...here is my take:

What's your ultimate goal? If it's to fly at SWA, UPS, FDX and so on, then your goal should be to get part 121 turbine time as fast as possible so you can get on a seniority list as fast as possible.

Sounds like you are about to do that with the upgrade at your regional. Part 91 PIC is good, too, but if you go the corporate route, are you going to be an FO, co-captain or what? Remember that the time you log per year will most likely be a lot less, and if you are co-captain, you'll be splitting that in half.

According to my buds, the "individual owner" thing can be unstable and subject to "job stress" from off-the-wall demands from the owner. They say it is VASTLY preferable to get into an established corporate department that is run as a corporate department.

Dunno if I would give up a sure thing, 121 PIC upgrade to chase that unless I was super sure of the type of operation AND I wanted to go the corporate route.

If your goal is a major, I'd say no way, and stay where you are YMMV...

Nu

 

[Bjetset2]

Decisions

One owner operations can be very good or very bad. Find out ALL the detail you can from the other pilots or during the interview. I don't think them recruiting you is unusual, our department is currently seeking to diversify pilot backgrounds during hiring. I doubt if you can negotiate "security" other than an up front contract defining your payout if things go south. And that may hard to do as the new F/O being interviewed. How old is the owner, is the airplane used for personal, business, or both, what is the line of succesion behind him/her and are those people pro-aviation? How long to upgrade? Pay raises can be miserably slow if you are stuck as an F/O for ten years in a corporate operation. Compare benefits including SCHEDULED days off. All important questions to ponder.

I like large, established corporations and even then you can be one CEO or board of directors away from the unemployment line. If things are rosy at your regional financially ,your pay is about to go up alot and you have job security you need to think hard about leaving.

On the other hand corporate is a great way of life but it will be a culture change for you. If you are miserable at the regional in terms of lifestyle then go for it.

 

[nfg2u]

Is this an SIC or a PIC job?

 

[av8tor4239]

I was told I would be typed in the airplane... I was told that I would be able "land" empty legs until I was better known by the owner.

I was told the owner is in his 50's and in good health.. I was told that the operation is about 1 year old.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

Sounds like a bitter sweet opportunity. Corporate flying can be great, but it's hard to quickly build your time if you have aspirations to work for SWA or UPS.

If this Gulfstream job were to fall through in the future, being typed and having time-in-type will open many doors for you in the corporate/charter world. In other words, don't sweat the future.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Stay right where you're at. Get the 1500 PIC Turbine, then go do something else if you want. Don't make a mistake like I did. Tell the guy that you want to be a typed captain and want to seat swap every other leg. If he is not interested in you anymore, what makes you think he's got your best interest at heart. You have to do what's best for you. Oh yeah, make sure you don't have to clean the airplane, wash his car/boat/motorcycle, take the trash out and/or clean the offices/hanger either. You are a pilot, not a maid. Good luck!

CM

 

[Galaxy]

It doesn't sound like you know much about the operation or the people already there. It could be the sweetest job out there-OR it could suck lemons. A month on/off sounds like you will be doing a lot of flying in a month and away from home all the time. Get it all in writing or you could find yourself gear jerker and Jepp revision boy while washing cars, boats, planes and the hangar floor.

Without knowing your career goals it is hard to help you.
Are you interested in flying a legacy airline?
Does corporate even attract you?
You chasing the money?
You chasing the type?
You chasing the QOL?
Advice on FI is worth exactly what you paid for it..

 

[Flyght30]

Sounds Awesome to me....if you don't want it pass it along my way. Thanks

 

[AeroBoy]

Now all we need is some tool to come along and say he'll do it for free...