FlexJet

KLB said:
Yup. That's what I suspected also. You may be pushing 200k in the Northeast and out in California. But is rare everywhere else.
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Times are a changing. Geographic location be damned, if a 300/350 owner is not willing to pay captains around $200 and leads significantly more they should expect to have high turnover and short term employees.

If principals and/or leads are not supportive of this all I can suggest is start looking for new employment. It’s just not worth it for me at least.
 
MikeOH58 said:
Times are a changing. Geographic location be damned, if a 300/350 owner is not willing to pay captains around $200 and leads significantly more they should expect to have high turnover and short term employees.

If principals and/or leads are not supportive of this all I can suggest is start looking for new employment. It’s just not worth it for me at least.
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It's getting there, but it isn't there quite yet for our airframe...especially not in South Florida.
 
Maximilian_Jenius said:
ORLY? Awesome! So why do a lot of people always complain about 1st yr. pay? If they're making $120-150k?
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It was like 5 years ago, first year pay scales have gone up - except for UPS and Hawaiian

ASpilot2be said:
Just using the calculator on APC I can't get any first year pay to get that high. You would have to average over 100 hours of credit per month all year.
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Training pay, soft time (which is not that much here), and short reserve time get it there I think

Boris Badenov said:
Lot of soft money at union shops. Ask me how I know.
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This too
 
SrFnFly227 said:
My opinion, if you can get on with Flexjet at your current total, go for it. You'll get a useful type rating, starting pay is $100k plus incentives, and you'll be earning time a lot faster than if you found a local gig flying for a management company. You need total time to be competitive for your next position.
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Thanks - I don't think that I could get on with them with these times, but it's something to think about. I know a lot more about airline flying than I do fractional/charter, so this is very much exploratory and I appreciate the insights I've received here and elsewhere. I'm a bit older than your typical aspiring professional pilot, and a career changer at that, so the things that I value might be a little different than some others.

I'm not quite in a position to leave my current career but I'm getting considerably closer, and I'm only a year behind my original "plan" so it's going all right so far.

Appreciate the information. Thank you.
 
If you can get on a regional (and can afford it), go for it. You may get into it and find out it’s not for you. Or you may really like it and become a lifer. 121 was never for me but I certainly understand the draw and the allure.
 
Howdy KillBilly-

For what its worth, I just went to charter (135 CJ3 outfit) last year, which was purchased by a competitor to FJ in January. I know that it isn't 121 and I don't really want to battle in that conversation, I just wanted to pass along to you that I personally am loving just about every minute of it.
The pay is pretty good, the flying is fantastic, people are great. I work only part time and live in a very remote area of the country, they pay me and for my commute including all costs from my house, no base to deal with. Very little commercial terminal interaction. We do fly a lot, but that's my personal preference; I'm in it for the money as much as the next pilot but I came here to fly planes- varied destinations, lots of decision making/planning/thinking, large pool of support when you want/need it.
I got here with a type rating so my upgrade was quick, but I just went to recurrent with someone who had about your time and upgraded to the left seat in three years.

This is just my experience, feel free to DM if you want any specifics and I'd be happy to share. Best of luck with your decision, you are in a good position no matter what, just keep the long-term possibilities in your thought process.
 
RE: 1st year pay at a Legacy:

Say pay is $92/hour. At my airline you get 90 hours in training. After that, min guarantee in 73 hours for a reserve. You can reasonably bank on:

90 hours month one.
803 hours months 2-12.

That's $82,156 year one. Add the 401k DC of $13,144 and it's $95,300.

As a new hire, during year one, while you MAY break guarantee/ rack up soft time, you should really only count on guarantee.
 
MikeFavinger said:
RE: 1st year pay at a Legacy:

Say pay is $92/hour. At my airline you get 90 hours in training. After that, min guarantee in 73 hours for a reserve. You can reasonably bank on:

90 hours month one.
803 hours months 2-12.

That's $82,156 year one. Add the 401k DC of $13,144 and it's $95,300.

As a new hire, during year one, while you MAY break guarantee/ rack up soft time, you should really only count on guarantee.
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Yup. Year 2 on up is where 121 really outruns the vast majority of Part 91/135 positions. There are those unicorn positions. But they are very few and you can't rely on them lasting until retirement.

I've said this a few times in the past. I really enjoy my current gig and plan ob riding it until it dies.
 
killbilly said:
Thanks - I don't think that I could get on with them with these times, but it's something to think about. I know a lot more about airline flying than I do fractional/charter, so this is very much exploratory and I appreciate the insights I've received here and elsewhere. I'm a bit older than your typical aspiring professional pilot, and a career changer at that, so the things that I value might be a little different than some others.

I'm not quite in a position to leave my current career but I'm getting considerably closer, and I'm only a year behind my original "plan" so it's going all right so far.

Appreciate the information. Thank you.
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There are some of us that have priorities and values that may offset pure financial considerations. Corporate flying is a different beast than 121, and for some people the benefits out weigh the differences in take-home pay. I have never made the kind of coin major airline pilots make, yet here I am getting close to retirement, I have the things that I want and make me happy, we travel when we want, we have more than enough in retirement funds and assets to last. Bottom line - I have zero regrets for the choices I made.
 
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SteveC said:
There are some of us that have priorities and values that may offset pure financial considerations. Corporate flying is a different beast than 121, and for some people the benefits out weigh the differences in take-home pay. I have never made the kind of coin major airline pilots make, yet here I am getting close to retirement, I have the things that I want and make me happy, we travel when we want, we have more than enough in retirement funds and assets to last. Bottom line - I have zero regrets for the choices I made.
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I really enjoy it. The flying part of my job is boring. But the other challenges of what I do is what keeps it interesting.
 
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