Corporate Pilot Lifestyle?

F

falcon1

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone. I am currently in the middle of getting a 4 year degree, and up until now, I was going to try to start working my way towards the airlines after I finish up my 4 year psychology degree.

I got to thinking though, maybe it would be a good idea to check out what the corporate/charter pilot lifestyle might be like. I have a pretty good idea of what the airlines are like - starts out about as crappy as you can get, but if you can make it up the ladder, it gets better. I have been reading around this forum for quite some time, and I have a general idea of what the corporate lifestyle is like, but not a great idea.

I was hoping you guys could maybe fill me in on what its like - I want to keep all my options open...you know. How is the "starting" pay? Whats it take to get to that starting pay? Day to day life? More or less away from home as compared to the airlines? Basically, what kind of a life can one live with corporate pilot pay, and schedule starting from the begining, all the way to being a high time captain?

Really appreciate any insight into this area of aviation! Thanks in advance! :)
 
falcon1 said:
Hey everyone. I am currently in the middle of getting a 4 year degree, and up until now, I was going to try to start working my way towards the airlines after I finish up my 4 year psychology degree.

I got to thinking though, maybe it would be a good idea to check out what the corporate/charter pilot lifestyle might be like. I have a pretty good idea of what the airlines are like - starts out about as crappy as you can get, but if you can make it up the ladder, it gets better. I have been reading around this forum for quite some time, and I have a general idea of what the corporate lifestyle is like, but not a great idea.

I was hoping you guys could maybe fill me in on what its like - I want to keep all my options open...you know. How is the "starting" pay? Whats it take to get to that starting pay? Day to day life? More or less away from home as compared to the airlines? Basically, what kind of a life can one live with corporate pilot pay, and schedule starting from the begining, all the way to being a high time captain?

Really appreciate any insight into this area of aviation! Thanks in advance! :)
Click to expand...

http://www.jetcareers.com/content/view/43/66/
http://www.jetcareers.com/content/view/44/67/

the front page has an abundance of rarely read information. Check it out...

and of course there is this:
http://forums.jetcareers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16
 
and check out airlinepilotcentral they have payscales for a some fractionals.

also, there are lots of corporate guys on this forum. just holler at them.

but remember, there is rarely a regular schedule for corporate flying
 
Corp all depends on who you fly for and what they are like. Currently i work for a family doing 91 ops that are fantastic. I have a schedule that goes out past july...althoguh things get added and subtracted alot.

Fractionals are of course a different bag.

Pay varies with expeirence and also company. Right now im beingn paid 20K under average market value for a F/O but i also have to realize that im also about 1000 hours under what a normal F/O would have total time.

Each situation is different
 
Corporate flight departments vary vastly. Some flight departments take their company people on vacations, some only use the airplanes for business. If the company only uses the plane for business, you may or may not go to the most exciting destinations, however, on the flip side, that could mean that you'll be home more nights and weekends. If the CEO does use the plane for vacations, then you'll probably have the chance to go to some pretty fun places, but chances are, you'll be gone for a longer period of time.

Another nice thing about corporate flying is the pay (typically). I looked over the Professional Pilot Magazine Salary Survey for 2005 and the average pay for corporate versus charter and fractional is quite significant. My pay is about $6K more than the national average. Starting pay will vary with the type of aircraft flown. Most people will start out in the corporate world flying a turboprop or light jet...I do know of a guy though who started off flying a G-V...so his starting pay is going to be higher than the guy first starting out on the King Air (at least it should be). If you look at the regional starting pay versus the corporate starting pay, corporate will probably win. In the long run, however, corporate doesn't always win (of course with the current state of the airline industry, corporate looks good).

Another nice thing, there are many corporate flight departments out there that don't work off per diem, they give the pilots the AMEX card. Some will have restrictions on food, hotels, etc, but there are also some that do not. We eat good and we stay in nice hotels. Rental cars are nice too when you're at your destination for a night or more.

There are some people out there who tend to think that flying corporate is more or less being the bosses biotch...which really is not the case. Sure, there are a few more duties such as flight planning, loading bags, making coffee, getting soda and ice, cleaning the airplane, making rental car reservations, getting newspapers, etc...but its NOT that bad...it's just part of getting ready for the flight. Airline pilots do things to get ready for a flight, so do corporate pilots, they're just typically a different set of duties (many being the same too).

For me personally, the only things airlines have on my job, is the fact that they are pretty much on a set schedule...ours changes much more often. And airline people get travel benefits. I love corporate aviation. It does have its moments, but what job doesn't?
 
wow. thanks! That was a really good explaination. Corporate sounds good right now, and sounds good for me.
 
JDE said:
Corporate flight departments vary vastly. Some flight departments take their company people on vacations, some only use the airplanes for business. If the company only uses the plane for business, you may or may not go to the most exciting destinations, however, on the flip side, that could mean that you'll be home more nights and weekends. If the CEO does use the plane for vacations, then you'll probably have the chance to go to some pretty fun places, but chances are, you'll be gone for a longer period of time.
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Don't forget that sometimes, just sometimes, the corporation (sometimes the pax make the call) will let their pilots take their families too (or maybe pick up a friend to come visit).:rawk:

Good to see you this weekend Jason. You need to get DFW more freakin' often! Corporate is the road for me!
 
PoeMan said:
Don't forget that sometimes, just sometimes, the corporation (sometimes the pax make the call) will let their pilots take their families too (or maybe pick up a friend to come visit).:rawk:

Good to see you this weekend Jason. You need to get DFW more freakin' often! Corporate is the road for me!
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Yes Poe, excellent point...;) IF there is indeed sight of a new aeroplane, I'll be back for 3 weeks next time...:nana2:
 
Hey Poe Man.

I knew that I've seen you somewhere before. I got a picture of me with you on it from one of the SAFECONS.
 
PoeMan said:
Don't forget that sometimes, just sometimes, the corporation (sometimes the pax make the call) will let their pilots take their families too (or maybe pick up a friend to come visit).:rawk:

Good to see you this weekend Jason. You need to get DFW more freakin' often! Corporate is the road for me!
Click to expand...

Dad's friend has it set.

The guy he flies for lets his family come along when he doesnt have clients onboard, and lets him have FREE time using the jet. Yep, that's right, he can (if he sets it up with the F/O) fly himself and his family for a vacation. Of course, it has to match with the guy's schedule too.
 
Bigey said:
Dad's friend has it set.

The guy he flies for lets his family come along when he doesnt have clients onboard, and lets him have FREE time using the jet. Yep, that's right, he can (if he sets it up with the F/O) fly himself and his family for a vacation. Of course, it has to match with the guy's schedule too.
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that would be awsome! hey you? you want to be a pilot, how bout two hours in a CJ? LOL. My freind ask her dad if she could go to England with him and he just said "Honey, this is my job now, I can't cart you around"
 
You should see the Wendy's/Cardinal Health hanger at KOSU. That place is a country club! Both are fourtune 500 companies, so I am sure the pilots are paid decently. They VP of flight operatins at Cardinal used to be a check airmen and the Chief 777 captain at UAL. It is sweet, since I have connections with this guy.

If you search on A.net the tail numbers are:
N256W (Wendys Citation X)
N200CH (Cardinal Dassualt 2000)

Each department has more, but I dont remember the tail numbers.
Wendys has a citation X and a Sorviegn (sp.)
Cardinal has 2 Dassualt Falcon 2000 and 2 Lear 61s
 
Oh............. Crap.

KLB said:
I got a picture of me with you on it from one of the SAFECONS.
Click to expand...

Oh god, you're gonna have to send that to me now!

I'm Judging now (PreFlight mostly), heading up to Ohio State this May.
 
Looking4Lower said:
Screw Subway! Drive up the street into Old Dublin and camp out at the Brazenhead with a Guinness and a plate o' wings!
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Bogey Inn!
or just Chipotle!
or Rusty Bucket.
Oh, so many places to choose from!
 
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