SkyWest CRJ or Left Seat King Air 350

[dodgerk]

I have 1325 hours and am currently making a pretty good salary in a corporate department. Just sold our Beechjet I flew as SIC and the owner is looking at a King Air 350. He offered me the left seat, but I'll only fly 200 hours per year. I also got the CRJ at SkyWest. Long term I like Netjets. Thoughts anyone on some decision making factors? Thanks.

 

[bmpilot2003]

Have you look at the mins for Net Jets? Flying 200 hours a years isn't going to get you there very fast.

 

[fastback]

Most on this forum would look at 200 hours a year as a good thing. I recommend considering pay and QOL at the top of your list. Do you commute, and would you have to in order to take a 1st year regional job? If your pay and QOL on the King Air are good, I would see if I could get a part-time gig to build my total time to complement the turbine time I had, and take my time going to a quality frac. If you want to get to NJA ASAP, the regionals are about the easiest way to quickly build the time you need. Best of luck in whatever you choose.

 

[BigPappa]

SkyWest for sure!

 

[IADBLRJ41]

I would take the King Air. 200 hrs is the way to go. 19 per hour (first year pay) is not.

 

[CA1900]

Just sold our Beechjet I flew as SIC and the owner is looking at a King Air 350... Thoughts anyone on some decision making factors? Thanks.

"Looking at" means absolutely nothing in this business. Approach your job prospects as if your boss never gets this airplane. If he does get it, you'll have a decision to make. If he doesn't, you'll be out of work and kicking yourself.

Also heed the lesson a friend of mine learned the hard way: can you be insured as PIC of that King Air? My friend found himself out of a job instead of in the new airplane when that situation rolled around.

 

[MarineGrunt]

FYI - I'm on year 2 at SkyWest and am very happy. I live in domicile and am gone no more than 5 nights per month. At one point, I went 3 months without spending a night away from home. Still credit 90-100hrs per month. Life is good here...

 

[FirstMate]

Do it if the pay is right on the King Air. Especially if you don't care about building time.

 

[FirstMate]

If you're on salary, less time = same pay!

 

[CFI2766]

FYI - I'm on year 2 at SkyWest and am very happy. I live in domicile and am gone no more than 5 nights per month. At one point, I went 3 months without spending a night away from home. Still credit 90-100hrs per month. Life is good here...

All right, I'll bite: how?

 

[MarineGrunt]

All right, I'll bite: how?

Mostly good timing and living in a junior domicile.

 

[BEfly]

It's all about the pay. The King Air 350 is an awesome aircraft and you get typed. If this owner has anykind of predictable schedule you could do some contrct flying on the side. That will build your time. Were you formally trained in the BJ? If so, there's alot of contrct flying opportunities out there for that too. As a PIC king air pilot you'll make double what you would at skywest anyway. Good luck.

PS. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Say Again Over]

Most all corporate jobs come to an end, if you remain where you are or go to SkyWest, five years down the road, what choices will you have?

 

[theskyking]

I worked at Skywest prior to coming to Netjets. It's a good regional job, but you need to decided what you want to do with your career.

Neither job offers everything Netjets is asking for. At OO you will build time quicker, have a more stable job, but won't get your ATP for at least 2-3 years if you wait till you upgrade.

The King Air job will get you your ATP but take 5-6 years to build the time needed for NJ. Plus, as others have mentioned, until the plane is on the ramp and your type is in your pocket, there is no job.

If you are willing to move to an OO domicile, I would say go there. Money will be tight, but it's doable. Get yourself on a tight budget and start saving for that ATP at All ATPs. Get your time and certificate and get your resume in.

If you live in domicile, QOL won't be bad. Commuting sucks and will make your live miserable.

Good luck.

 

[tbmpilot]

"can you be insured as PIC of that King Air? My friend found himself out of a job instead of in the new airplane when that situation rolled around.

Insurance dictates everything. You haven't posted other details on your times, but in my experience, IF you can be insured in the KA, it will carry a hefty price tag.

 

[dodgerk]

Thanks Everyone. That's the first thread I've created and I didn't expect that many responses. I will carefully weigh what everyone said. Best of luck to all of you.

 

[OPECJet]

Both jobs offer something NetJets is probably looking for. I flew both corporate and regional airline and I think it helped a lot getting on with NJA.

I hate to say it, but I would take the job at Skywest. It's probably more stable than your present job, it will introduce you to glass cockpits, you'll gain experience in a higher pressure training environment than you've probably been used to, you'll learn to deal with dispatchers, you'll be operating under regs that are closer to what you'll operate under at NJA.

It will also give you more exposure dealing with a two crew environment. I'm guessing you only have one or two guys you fly with in the Beechjet. Airline flying is vastly different than corporate in terms of crew communications.

I had a similar decision to make 4 years ago when I was flying a Sabreliner. I could either get a typed and fly about 200 hours a year in it, plus a little on the side, or go to Piedmont and fly the Dash about 800 hours a year. I took the job at Piedmont. I was miserable for the last 2 years working there, but I gained skills and tools that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. I leave for training at NJA tomorrow, so I think I made the right choice. I also think the training I got at Piedmont will give me something to build on at NetJets.

Had I stayed on flying the Sabre, I would not have been in a position to apply with NJA. I'd be short on total time, I wouldn't have seen much in the way of winter ops, sim training, CRM, etc. I would have been happier in the short term, but 4 years of busting it a regional was worth it to get where I am now (or soon will be). Feel free to PM if you have questions.

 

[BoilerUP]

If your ultimate job is NJA, you'll need to get up to 2500tt. You'll also need an ATP.

Sounds like the money and QOL might be right in the KA job, but it'll take you a while to get to NJA's minimums there while at SKW you could fly 950-1000 hours a year and get there quickly.

On the other hand, plenty of 121 regional pilots have been hired at the fractionals but having 91/135 experience probably would be a BIG benefit.

I made the jump from AWAC (after nearly 2 years) to a pretty good 91 job and though I was quite happy with my employment at AWAC I'm not looking back. That said, the experience I gained at AWAC helped me get qualified for the new job...but the NETWORKING I did while flying 91 previously is what *got* me the job.

Decide what your long-term goals are and go with whatever you think will provide you the best compromise in speed getting where you want to be and compensation/QOL until then.

Good luck!

 

[johnsonrod]

I think I read you already flew a Beechjet 400A so you probably have some glass time (and some SIC jet time) to build upon. I would go to Skywest on the CRJ, get the hours and the experience (Skywest has a good route network with a wide variety of destinations) and later apply to Netjets.

There will probably be plenty of Skywest guys at Netjets who could also write you a recommendation when that time comes as well. You will also APPRECIATE NETJETS MORE if you get some airline experience and learn to hate 121 flying.

If you already have the offer from Skywest then I would go there. Enjoy the CRJ.

 

[John Pennekamp]

It's all about the Benjamins. Go for the best money and job security IN THE LONG RUN.