flyinguitar
Well-Known Member
Hello fellow JCers,
I've been wanting to run this situation by the folks here to get some advice/opinions.
A good friend of mine flies a Cessna Citation and Conquest for a corporate flight department on the field where I am a CFI/I/MEI. He and I have been buddies since before we were professional pilots. Naturally, when I started working here, the idea of me going along on trips and even getting my SIC training in the jet came up (he is an ATP and the company's insurance allows him to fly as PIC with a minimally qualified SIC).
Now, I should give a little bit of background on the two of us. He worked as a lineman for the local FBO, put out a huge effort networking the local corporate scene, and ended up getting his current job shortly after his commercial checkride. He had made it known on the field that he was available to fly anytime in exchange for experience and networking, which is how he ended up with his current job. I, on the other hand, have never held a non-instructor flying job, and have always wanted to instruct until I was able to move on to freight or the regionals. I have never really been that drawn by what I've seen of corporate flying.
So the issue is this: he made it clear a while ago that he really would like to help me out by using me as an SIC in the jet when they need an extra pilot. (There are two pilots on salary in the department, so if both planes are flying in a single day they need a third pilot. They used to have a third pilot on staff, but he was recently fired.) I would of course love to fly the jet, and I said I would need to get paid if I was acting as a required crewmember in a corporate flight department. In consideration of the fact that I am neither type-rated nor do I have much multi or turbine time, I asked for an amount that is half of what he would charge as a type-rated pilot for a daily contract rate.
I have yet to get called for a single flight. Basically, he was (and is) expecting me to do it for the experience. There are a few other people on the field who will do it for free, so my friend would rather use them than "stick his bosses with a bill."
The issue's come up between us a few times when we've been hanging out, and I get the impression that if I didn't request any compensation, I would be on the top of their list. I just simply don't feel comfortable flying (as a required crewmember) for free. But there are plenty of people who are willing to do just that. I end up with my principle but no flying!
So my question is this: what would you do? Am I making the right decision? Or is it foolish for me to pass up free multi-engine turbine SIC time?
I've been wanting to run this situation by the folks here to get some advice/opinions.
A good friend of mine flies a Cessna Citation and Conquest for a corporate flight department on the field where I am a CFI/I/MEI. He and I have been buddies since before we were professional pilots. Naturally, when I started working here, the idea of me going along on trips and even getting my SIC training in the jet came up (he is an ATP and the company's insurance allows him to fly as PIC with a minimally qualified SIC).
Now, I should give a little bit of background on the two of us. He worked as a lineman for the local FBO, put out a huge effort networking the local corporate scene, and ended up getting his current job shortly after his commercial checkride. He had made it known on the field that he was available to fly anytime in exchange for experience and networking, which is how he ended up with his current job. I, on the other hand, have never held a non-instructor flying job, and have always wanted to instruct until I was able to move on to freight or the regionals. I have never really been that drawn by what I've seen of corporate flying.
So the issue is this: he made it clear a while ago that he really would like to help me out by using me as an SIC in the jet when they need an extra pilot. (There are two pilots on salary in the department, so if both planes are flying in a single day they need a third pilot. They used to have a third pilot on staff, but he was recently fired.) I would of course love to fly the jet, and I said I would need to get paid if I was acting as a required crewmember in a corporate flight department. In consideration of the fact that I am neither type-rated nor do I have much multi or turbine time, I asked for an amount that is half of what he would charge as a type-rated pilot for a daily contract rate.
I have yet to get called for a single flight. Basically, he was (and is) expecting me to do it for the experience. There are a few other people on the field who will do it for free, so my friend would rather use them than "stick his bosses with a bill."
The issue's come up between us a few times when we've been hanging out, and I get the impression that if I didn't request any compensation, I would be on the top of their list. I just simply don't feel comfortable flying (as a required crewmember) for free. But there are plenty of people who are willing to do just that. I end up with my principle but no flying!
So my question is this: what would you do? Am I making the right decision? Or is it foolish for me to pass up free multi-engine turbine SIC time?