TexasFlyer
Living the Dream (well at least trying to)
So here I am back in Texas once again scratching my head about this whole aviation flying career. I been trying to build something outside the typical airline route as my heart is in corporate aviation. Now I am thinking the airline world may be worth a shot as it seems much more stable and logical. Yeah, seriously I just said that!
The good news is in a matter of two hours on the phone on my first day of unemployment I acquired a multi-engine student to teach (starts next week), a G1000 checkout and familiarization flight (next week), and a couple corporate flights as PIC for a company that flies a small twin a few times a month (first flight this week). All that based on my reputation with these people who have worked with me before. So I hate to think somehow I am the issue here on what appears like I been done wrong twice this year by Cessna Mustang owners.
So here is the weirdness.
Earlier this year I get a Citation contract as SIC on a CE510 Mustang. I end up with an SIC type and get about 90 hours total time with about 30 hours legally logged as SIC. Slowly they take away benefits such as paying for hotels on some trips . Then they fly a little less. And they ultimately decide to go back to making it a single pilot operation. I was told it was too expensive to run with me as SIC. I was paid what would equate to a day rate for flights of $350 plus $150 per every overnight. We flew about 3 trips a month with each trip being about 3 days. You can do the math. This contract ended recently.
Due to that experience I end up with a call last month and take myself clear across the country to begin on an actual W-2 to fly as SIC on another CE510 Mustang. This is to directly support a high net worth individual who is the PIC (he is not single pilot typed so he requires an SIC on board). Pay is around the $55k mark plus full benefits and many nice perks. It seemed to be the perfect job for my lifestyle since you needed the ability to actually live in two different locations. So you better be single or you are going to be soon! The owner also said he would cover my type rating in the near future and eventually would like to have me fly the aircraft for his business as he transitions out of the left seat over time. The flying was about 8 to 10 flights a month with about 15 nights away from home base. This week I was in the process of moving to the home base with Uhaul booked, condo deposit and lease in the works, etc. On the morning of my move, the owner tells me that he found a young kid that would do the job for less than $30k, sign a three year contract to stay with him for that price, will get an SIC rating on his own from someone he knows in order to qualify on the insurance, and does not require any relocation help since he already lives local. The owner told me he cold not refuse such an offer so he has decided to give the kid a chance since he'll cost about 1/3 of what I was hired in at overall. So as of yesterday, which was the day to start my move, I was told the job ends.
So here are my thoughts:
1) Most Citation Mustang owners are idiots. But then that can't be. Idiots do not make enough money to own one!
2) I am an idiot. But then that's not true. I was highly successful in my last career and in this career I have a very loyal client following as a CFI and Contract Pilot. These clients keep returning for more business. And upon my update to them they have shown me complete enthusiasm upon my return back to Texas. So I can't be the idiot either.
3) So if I am not an idiot and the jet owners are not idiots, then maybe the world of Part 91 Business Aviation is messed up, although it seems like the best place to be. At least from the outside looking in it seems like the best place. Yet from my experience if you want to make enough money to eat and have a sense of stability and not be an expense cut you best look elsewhere. Hmmm... I really do not want to believe this.
4) I simply had bad luck. This must be it. Just bad luck. But really, this bad?
What's your thoughts?
The good news is in a matter of two hours on the phone on my first day of unemployment I acquired a multi-engine student to teach (starts next week), a G1000 checkout and familiarization flight (next week), and a couple corporate flights as PIC for a company that flies a small twin a few times a month (first flight this week). All that based on my reputation with these people who have worked with me before. So I hate to think somehow I am the issue here on what appears like I been done wrong twice this year by Cessna Mustang owners.
So here is the weirdness.
Earlier this year I get a Citation contract as SIC on a CE510 Mustang. I end up with an SIC type and get about 90 hours total time with about 30 hours legally logged as SIC. Slowly they take away benefits such as paying for hotels on some trips . Then they fly a little less. And they ultimately decide to go back to making it a single pilot operation. I was told it was too expensive to run with me as SIC. I was paid what would equate to a day rate for flights of $350 plus $150 per every overnight. We flew about 3 trips a month with each trip being about 3 days. You can do the math. This contract ended recently.
Due to that experience I end up with a call last month and take myself clear across the country to begin on an actual W-2 to fly as SIC on another CE510 Mustang. This is to directly support a high net worth individual who is the PIC (he is not single pilot typed so he requires an SIC on board). Pay is around the $55k mark plus full benefits and many nice perks. It seemed to be the perfect job for my lifestyle since you needed the ability to actually live in two different locations. So you better be single or you are going to be soon! The owner also said he would cover my type rating in the near future and eventually would like to have me fly the aircraft for his business as he transitions out of the left seat over time. The flying was about 8 to 10 flights a month with about 15 nights away from home base. This week I was in the process of moving to the home base with Uhaul booked, condo deposit and lease in the works, etc. On the morning of my move, the owner tells me that he found a young kid that would do the job for less than $30k, sign a three year contract to stay with him for that price, will get an SIC rating on his own from someone he knows in order to qualify on the insurance, and does not require any relocation help since he already lives local. The owner told me he cold not refuse such an offer so he has decided to give the kid a chance since he'll cost about 1/3 of what I was hired in at overall. So as of yesterday, which was the day to start my move, I was told the job ends.
So here are my thoughts:
1) Most Citation Mustang owners are idiots. But then that can't be. Idiots do not make enough money to own one!
2) I am an idiot. But then that's not true. I was highly successful in my last career and in this career I have a very loyal client following as a CFI and Contract Pilot. These clients keep returning for more business. And upon my update to them they have shown me complete enthusiasm upon my return back to Texas. So I can't be the idiot either.
3) So if I am not an idiot and the jet owners are not idiots, then maybe the world of Part 91 Business Aviation is messed up, although it seems like the best place to be. At least from the outside looking in it seems like the best place. Yet from my experience if you want to make enough money to eat and have a sense of stability and not be an expense cut you best look elsewhere. Hmmm... I really do not want to believe this.
4) I simply had bad luck. This must be it. Just bad luck. But really, this bad?
What's your thoughts?