How did you get started?

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FalconCapt,

I am glad to see on board at JetCareers. I have a few questions for you and anyone else.

I would love to work a Corporate flying gig, what do you think, in your opinion, is the best way to get there? I know there are so many variables to this question, but if you were to concentrate soley on a Corporate Job, what would you do?

I guess my anwser to this would be to NETWORK. That seems to be the biggest factor in finding a corporate flying job.

This brings me to another question, how does someone get the time be able to have that corporate job. There seems to be many jobs in the corporate world or any other non-airline job, but the time requirements go something like this

2500 TT 1000 PIC, 500 JET.....

Flight instructing would only knock off so much, so would someone have to work for a regional first before they jump to the corporate side to get these times and experience? Any info you have would be greatly appreciated, or from anyone else

Thanks

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Well after you "max out" CFIing (around 1500 hours) then you want to look into getting on with a decent Charter Operator. This will get you experience in similar type aircraft and in a similar type job as Corporate flying.

Typically flying Charter is a much better way to get your foot in the door than flying for a Regional. When you fly charter you will be hanging out at the same airports and at the same FBO's as a lot of Corporate guys. This will give you some prime networking opportunities.

After flying charter for a few years you will be a prime candidate for a good Corporate job.

If Corporate is your ultimate goal, keep that in focus and keep plugging along towards your goal. Don't be tempted to stray for that "quick fix" of flying something bigger if it throws your plan off track... That small step forward could cost you dearly in the long run.

I was in the exact same boat as you. I wanted to fly Corporate (no airline desire at all) and I didn't know anyone who was Corporate (and the internet was not what it is today). I laid out my plan and followed through on it. Even when my friends were leaving CFIing sooner than I to go to the regionals, I stayed until I could get hired by the local charter operator. I flew for the charter operator for a little over 3 years and have been Corporate for 7 years...

Hope this helps...
 
FalconCapt:

Thanks for all the advice you've been giving on this forum. I'm also interested in pursuing the corporate avenue, so appreciate your posts. Like lruppert, I too am unsure of how to best pursue it at the beginning stages, other than realizing it takes a LOT of networking and knowing the right people.

Pipe dreams being what they are, I'd love to fly for my current employer's flight department some day (we own 7 jets, and are purchasing 2 more). But that would be years down the road, and long after I've left the company to pursue flying jobs!

Glad you've joined the board.

Sarah
 
FalconCapt or anyone,

How about advice for those of us in the middle?

I'm getting started in this late (34). I've been involved in the airport industry for 6 years since college. I was enlisted in Corps air wing as a F4 hydraulics mech prior to that.

I've applied to start in the spring semester to get my BS in Aviation Sciences and I'm heavily considering the Professional Pilot option. I've always wanted to fly and figure the aviation management classes will augment what I already do on the ground.

How much do age caps play into all of this for us late starters or is it just a matter of time and patience regardless? I'd really rather stay away from the "majors" as I deal with them on a daily basis already.

Eddy
 
I'd say age plays into your favor. It was told by two operators that their owners/passengers just don't like young pilots. There are plenty of over sixty retired airline pilots flying corporate jets.
 
Your age won't hurt you much, if at all... Corporate lends itself well to older pilots. At the airlines, seniority is everything, in Corporate it doesn't mean squat.

Good Luck!
 
Plus, corporate operations are Part 91 and not subject to the age 60 rule. My chief pilot is about to turn 62, and while he'll probably retire in the next couple years, it's because he wants to (or the wife wants him to ... same diff!), not because the company or the Feds have said its time.

And I actually have a company provided pension plan that is fully funded! Shocker ...

FL270
 
FalconCapt,

Have you ever been to CRQ? I flew into SNA on thursday and drove to Carlsbad with my girlfriend. It was such a great time and it was a wonderful experience there. There are plenty of people on that field with connections, money and jets. There were so many jets!! After being there, I want to pack my bags and move there to start networking.

Well, her and I rented a 172 SP and flew to French Vally, Palm Springs and back. Having the King moving map was different, but cool. It showed all those images Aloft posted in another thread. Having never used my PPL in Cali, it was great to go up and see some scenery for a change (ND has none).
I want to give a shout out for Grey Eagle Aviation at CRQ. Their prices are great there, $90 for a 172 SP, $145 for a Beach Duchess and 150's 172's for $54-$64. I heard that these prices are hard to find in SoCal.
 
Never been to CRQ (that I can remember off hand)... California has a lot of great scenery and a lot of great Corporate Operators... Where are you from originally? I bet there are some operators in your own town that you don't even know about.
 
I am from Minot ND. We have one chareter operator now, used to have two but the one went out of business. We have a few people with their own King Airs, and one with a Lear Jet.

Aviation around my home town isn't that great. I love flying around the area, but it seems not many people are interested in it. We have 3 planes to rent for instruction for a city with 50,000 people, which includes the AFB.
 
OUCH!

Ok, you'll most likely need to relocate to somewhere with a better Corporate base... Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, New York, L.A., San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta...
 
Hey Iruppert, I fly out of CRQ. It's a cool place with a large amount of corporate and charter activity. Next time you come out, look me up and I'll show you around. Sounds like you had a good time, that's great!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. FalconCapt., I was jokin' around with ya in the earlier post, didn't realize you would take such offense.
 
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Oh yeah, I almost forgot. FalconCapt., I was jokin' around with ya in the earlier post, didn't realize you would take such offense.

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No prob, with the crap that was going on in another thread with a certain unnamed "moderator" I wasn't sure where you were coming from...
 
I think I know who you're talking about. Been there, done that!
smile.gif
 
jonnyb,

So what are you doing out of CRQ? My girlfriend used to live in Carlsbad for three years, and she earned her PPL at Grey Eagle Aviation while working for Skywest.

I would love to live out there. A bit on the expensive side, but a plenty of opportunities to network for the other side of aviation.
 
Iruppert, jonnyb--

I was at CRQ this weekend also. We were going to rent a DiamondStar from Orion for a trip up the coast on Sunday, but that blasted fog didn't cooperate at all!

I was very impressed with that airport. It looked great and I loved the pilot shop/dog lounge. Saw a bunch of great corp jets coming in and out of there.

...I've been looking into jobs to get out there since we got back!

jonnyb, do you work out of CRQ?
 
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jonnyb-I guess the better question would have been, what do you fly out of there?

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My guess from the picture is a King Air 200...
 
Good guess FalconCapt.
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He's right! I love that airplane, however, I spend most of my time in a Hawker or a Lear 35. I know, I know,,,,a lot of airplanes to keep straight. I hear that all the time, although, I've pretty much studied just a little bit everyday for the past couple years to stay on top of things.
 
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