Silver (Gulfstream) or non-flying aviation job?

I highly recommend becoming a CFI. You will learn more than your students will, trust me. And after instructing for a couple of years you will be a much, much better pilot. I had over 800 hours dual given when I got hired at a regional, and I can tell you I needed all of that experience. It is experience that makes a better and pilot.

I can tell you I was 10 times the pilot at 1100 hours as I was at 500 hours. Don't be in so much of a rush. I know all we hear about is seniority this, seniority that. But your young enough that a couple more years of good old fashioned instructing will make you a heck of a better pilot.
 
I really not excited to go to Silver, but I figure it's something I might have to do. It's just a way to get the time. My plan was to use to GI Bill at ERAU thru CFI and instruct there but because of the changes to the funding, that wasn't an option. Then along came the Silver opportunity. But really, the more I think about it, the less excited I am to do it. For me it's a means to an end, or to a better working environment.
 
Jet said:
Isn't it a fair assumption that people wouldn't go somewhere they don't what to be?
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Well this thread is asking for advice, so I think it's fair to assume the OP doesn't really know yet where he wants to be.

Most of those who have BTDT are saying that commuting 2 legs for poverty-level wages is not where one wats to be.
 
BeRich said:
Well this thread is asking for advice, so I think it's fair to assume the OP doesn't really know yet where he wants to be.

Most of those who have BTDT are saying that commuting 2 legs for poverty-level wages is not where one wats to be.
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That's what I said earlier if you read my first post in this thread.
 
USN88 said:
Right, it's only a couple times a week and it runs at funky times. Petty unreliable. Seems like Delta thru SLC or United thru DEN are my best bets. Ouch!
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They are also starting OAK-Billings. Getting to OAK would be shorter/easier than DEN/SLC since it virtually never has a delay program. But who is to say that flight won't be twice a week during odd hours also I guess.
 
BeRich said:
Most of those who have BTDT are saying that commuting 2 legs for poverty-level wages is not where one wats to be.
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Could be they are like Richard Gere from An Officer and a Gentleman and they've got "......nowhere else to gooooo!!!!!!" :D
 
Autothrust Blue said:
I'd rather be the most junior FO at mainline than the most senior captain at a regional, for reasons obvious.
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But doesn't that mean getting a seniority number at a regional etc and doing your time to get to mainline?

I'd go to Silver, especially with these new ATP rules coming into effect. Granted, it might suck for a while, but you might/probably will upgrade in a year/year and a half which will open a lot more doors. Commuting will not be fun, no doubt about it, but you need to ask yourself what is more important to you. A decent QOL now, or the potential for a good QOL down the road once you ~hopefully~ get to a major (or wherever you want to go). You are young, and Silver sounds like it might be fun. At least you will walk away with some great experience and a bunch of good friends.
 
Heh. WHAT about Silver sounds like "fun"? The crap pay? The horrible treatment? The stories of abuse? Maybe it's the two leg commute you think sounds so awesome? Mark my words, if this guy takes the Gulfstream job, he will last two, maybe three months with that commute and quit. $10...any takers?
 
Boris Badenov said:
Heh. WHAT about Silver sounds like "fun"? The crap pay? The horrible treatment? The stories of abuse? Maybe it's the two leg commute you think sounds so awesome? Mark my words, if this guy takes the Gulfstream job, he will last two, maybe three months with that commute and quit. $10...any takers?
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That is a really messed up statement. He was just asking about the two jobs and you come off as really aggressive and negative in your post. If he goes to Silver I hope he lasts however long he wishes and I hope he would have a successful career at Silver if he chose it.
 
purpel said:
That is a really messed up statement. He was just asking about the two jobs and you come off as really aggressive and negative in your post. If he goes to Silver I hope he lasts however long he wishes and I hope he would have a successful career at Silver if he chose it.
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That is because Boris has a heart filled with hatred and malevolence.
 
Boris Badenov said:
Heh. WHAT about Silver sounds like "fun"? The crap pay? The horrible treatment? The stories of abuse? Maybe it's the two leg commute you think sounds so awesome? Mark my words, if this guy takes the Gulfstream job, he will last two, maybe three months with that commute and quit. $10...any takers?
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The pay isn't great, but the company treats the pilots quite well from what I've seen so far. I've seen what somebody called "abuse" firsthand, and what they wrote as their "story" and what actually happened were two VERY different things.
 
I think our Gulley is taking the correct approach to Silver. Plus he's so experienced with eating a crap andwich that he won't be disappointed.
 
OP, weigh your options and see what suits you best. By flying the desk as a dispatcher, you'll be able to work on your CFI on your time off. If it's a steady 9-5 (which it probably isn't, but I don't know jack), you might be able to instruct on the weekends and/or your time off. This is valuable time building. You're still young, so you have time to try things out.

But if you have that nagging feeling that says you might be feeling cramped behind a desk, then go with the flying job. Commuting really far is probably not very fun on a jet. I had to commute from Occoquan, VA to Bethesda, MD by means of I-95 and the Metro when I started my job here. It was not fun. At all. Granted, I was commuting to sit at a desk. If I were commuting to fly a plane, well...

Edit: Just go with your gut.
 
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