Corporate Pilots Around?

I'll chime in on this, since this is the route I would like to take with my career. I know everyone asks how to get into the corporate world, and I know the answer ultimately is network and be in the right place at the right time. So let me lay out my plan right, now and see if I can get some feedback.

I'm about to finish up my CFI rating and start instructing. I want to work at a school and set up an LLC to do some contract work on the side as well. I'm a 29 year old career changer with 300 hrs and about 50 multi. I want to instruct for a year because I know that teaching is the best way to learn. I have a friend who captains a corp jet here in DFW and he has some connections for me, but at my time and inexperience right now, it really won't do any good yet. He says he might be able to get me some right seat King Air time, which would be great experience and allow for prime networking. I'd like to try the Simuflite right seat program, but I'm not sure if I'm a good candidate. I have a degree and am a military officer. I learn exceptionally fast and am completely enamored with flying. I have some engineering experience and learn systems extremely well. My bud, says this is a good way to go for networking and just getting a good feel for the corporate, business jet world. I want to serve the client and look forward to the opportunity to go the extra mile for passengers. I know how people want to be treated and I'm in no way above emptying lavs, carrying bags, or the occaision dog sitting at the FBO.

So I know I've just rambled a bit, but does this sound like I'm headed in the right dirrection. CFI > Simuflite > Charter > Corporate. Is it doable?

And what do you corporate folks like most about your job, aside from the flying? What's the biggest pain in the ass? What would you have done differently to get where you are now, from my starting point as a newly minted commercial pilot?

Thanks in advance.

Keebler
 
Hello Keebler,
First off I wish you luck in your journey. It will not be easy but will be highly rewarding (at least I think so). I believe that being a CFI will hone your skills to a high point but in todays world you will still need jet time. It may not even be because the company wants you to have it but becuase of organizations such as WYVERN and ARGUS. These are auditing bodies that give an indication to customers on how safe your company is. They keep track of the hours the pilots have.

In your situation networking will be crucial. If you have an opportunity to sit right seat in the King Air then do it. It's a great airplane to fly. As for Simuflight, I think that will truly help. I assisted Simuflight in my previous position and I met many people, almost all from Flight Options.

You may want to think about going to a regional for a while and getting some ERJ/CRJ time. These are biz jets in nature and you would be very familiar with them. While flying for a regional you should network with employers. I have found total time to be the most limiting factor, not PIC jet experience (for getting your first biz jet job).

As for your work ethic and being prior military it may help. The job is tough sometimes and it needs to get done. There is no hiding from customers and they pay top dollar for the plane and its crew. Being able to keep bearing and completion of the mission are highly important traits. All in all I think anyone can do it with hard work and dedication

What I really enjoy about the job is the fact that I never know where I am off to next. For me this keeps the excitement up but sometimes I can be stuck in Saginaw Michigan in December so it could be a bummer. The other pilots I fly with are great and we have a brotherhood very similar to the military. The flight department is small and you are never a number. Everyone will always know your business. :) Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.
 
1. what do you corporate folks like most about your job?

I spent 11 years at the airlines (regionals, LCC, and major) and never imagined that I could find a flying job where I could be home almost every night. I was always under the impression that corporate jobs meant living on a pager, no set days off, and keeping the resume up-to-date because you never knew when the airplane would be sold.

I am fortunate to have found a job with a corporation with a director whose philosophy is, "Work to live. Don't live to work". We have a set schedule of days off, trips that rarely get back after 17:30, and no pagers. I love watching my son grow up instead of hearing about it from my wife on the telephone from some hotel in Rochester.

I suppose we need to determine what it means to be a "successful" pilot. I used to think it was flying the biggest metal for the biggest paycheck. Now I think it's flying as little as possible for a reasonable paycheck.

2. What's the biggest pain in the ass?

Not so much a pain in the butt, but I miss having an APU. Sometimes when you're out in Podunk USA and there is no GPU available you just can't do anything to cool the airplane down. Nothing worse then climbing into a 140 degree cockpit and try to get airborne without passing out.

I also miss having a dispatcher. Fltplan.com is a great website, but when the weather is going down across a whole region, sure would be nice to have someone you can call and say, "find me an alternate and figure out a fuel load for me".

Finally, deicing. At the airlines deicing was very standardized from the radio communication to deicing crew performance. In GA it's a crapshoot and that's frustrating.

3. What would you have done differently to get where you are now?

Would have skipped the airlines entirely. I wasted 11 years of my life building qualifications that meant NOTHING to corporate employers. In fact, worse than nothing. Some of them stayed away from airline pilots like the plague.

I would have done the CFI thing until I had 1500 hrs (135 mins) then flown freight for a large company like AirNet or Ameriflight. Transitioned to turboprop or jet in those fleets. Pound the pavement for a CORPORATE (NOT 135) operator that flies similar aircraft or go to a fractional like Flexjet, Avantair, or NetJets and then network, network, network. Talk to corporate (not 135) guys at the FBOs and develop friendships.

My final advice? Stay away from 135 if at all possible. It will present an inaccurate picture of what flying a corporate airplane is supposed to be like. Try to aim for the top of the Fortune 500 list.

Good luck!
 
fsiflyer said:
The job is tough sometimes and it needs to get done. There is no hiding from customers and they pay top dollar for the plane and its crew. Being able to keep bearing and completion of the mission are highly important traits.
Click to expand...

The only time you "press on" to complete the mission is in the military. In the the corporate world it is more about when NOT to initiate or complete a trip. You cannot be afraid to tell the boss "no."
 
NJA_Capt said, "In the the corporate world it is more about when NOT to initiate or complete a trip."

Amen to that.
 
Wow, thanks for the responses. It's good for me and anyone else down this path to get all the info I can at the start of the journey. Networking and finding someone to mentor you is something that takes time and just happens if you a ready. This site, just makes it so easy to get a clearer picture of the road ahead from those that have already been there/ done that.

So I have the next year of my life pretty figured out, CFI and just be a sponge around the airport and at Simuflite or Prestosime or whereever else someone in DFW will give me a chance.

It's clear to me that there is no clear path to a good corporate job. It seems you just have to have the minimums and be in the right place at the right time, and be respected by the right people. That's true with any job though. So the real question is how to meet the minimums while having a decent pay, decent QOL, and the best learning experience...

121 Regional just doesn't appeal to me at this point as it's not where I want to be down the road.

135 Freight seems like it would be the most challenging and provide some of the quickest PIC experience. But how long and difficult is it to upgrade to turbine freight with a respectable operator? This feels like the right way to go at this point.

135 Charter, well I don't really know too much about this world. I'm guessing I need to takes some time during my CFI time to investigate some of the local operators and ask around the drome on pilot's experiences with these guys. I'm sure there are some really good units and some pretty sleazy ones... such is life.

Anyone care to regail me in the story of how they landed their first corporate gig? Not your best job, or your job now, but your first paying seat in the part 91 private transport side of things.

Thanks again for the continued motivation this site provides. One day I hope to be able to pay it back.

Keebler

Freight seems the most interesting to m
 
And on the APU thing...

I'm sure every aircraft is a bit different, but is the only way to ventilate the aircraft on the surface by opening doors and windows? I guess I should practice by sitting in my car for 15 minutes each day after work before firing up the aircon.
 
I fly 135 charter. It's not as good as having a set schedule like the airlines and many corporate flight departments, but at my company, it's not that bad.

I work for a good operator, flying well maintained airplanes. Safety decisions are never questioned by management. We have very few pop ups and usually know a day or so in advance if we're flying, usually it's a week in advance.

We get a few hard days off a month and if can trade trips among the pilots to get additional days off sometimes. I don't have to mess with per diem as we get company credit cards. There are no spending limits, just don't go overboard and buy $100 dinners and stay at the Ritz Carlton. We get rental cars on overnights, which there aren't many of. Also, my pay is well above that of the first few years at a regional.

It's a good way to break into corporate, since you're flying the same type of airplanes and have very similar duties and responsibilities.
 
Keebler said:
And on the APU thing...

I'm sure every aircraft is a bit different, but is the only way to ventilate the aircraft on the surface by opening doors and windows? I guess I should practice by sitting in my car for 15 minutes each day after work before firing up the aircon.
Click to expand...

Most corporate jets have pretty good ventilation and AC systems, but the smaller jets (without an APU) have to have a Ground Power Unit (GPU) hooked up in order to get the air moving and cooling things down. The aircraft battery doesn't have enough umph to handle that big a load by itself. The bigger jets can just fire up the APU (on-board small auxillary turbine engine) and generate their own electricity to run the fans and compressors. Most FBO's, at least at the medium and large airports will have GPUs. A few of the smaller places without much jet traffic will not, and then you just have to suffer through the first few minutes after engine start until the AC starts to catch up.
 
NJA_Capt said:
The only time you "press on" to complete the mission is in the military. In the the corporate world it is more about when NOT to initiate or complete a trip. You cannot be afraid to tell the boss "no."
Click to expand...

When I say completion of mission I never meant to diminish safety. Myself and my company are always 100% safety orientated at all times. To clarify my position is that sometimes we have very long days and all the planning is our responsibility. Never would I lower a safety margain to initiate or complete a trip. I have no problem saying no if need be. Hope this clarifies.
 
"But how long and difficult is it to upgrade to turbine freight with a respectable operator?"

What's your hurry?
 
I never said anything about being in a hurry. At 29 years old and having done my time for Uncle Sam, I'm of the "Why don't we walk down and f 'em all" mindset. Just curious how long it has taken for some of you folks? I can't wait to instruct and if it paid better, I might be happy with only that. The reality is that we all want to fly, and we all want a decent QOL. Moving up in experience and equipment typically equalls more pay and (but not always) better QOL. So no rush here, just trying to be realistic about my goals.
 
Fair enough.

I'm in my first corporate job. I flew for various airlines for 11 years. Flew freight and flight instructed for 4 years prior to that. My total time is just shy of 9000 hours.

Competitive requirements for our department appear to be between 3000-4000 TT with prior turbine experience, however there are no "set" minimums.
 
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