What Keeps you at a 135?

Inverted said:
"We know you have been flying this RJ for 10 years but I swear we will have 777s/(home) base/increased pay rates/quick upgrades soon so just stick it out"
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FIFY, 121 version.

Personally, I like 121. I like knowing when my raise will come, I like the opportunities afforded by a larger company, travel benefits, and 17 days off. Money aside (as I'm a 1st year FO at a ULCC) I love my QOL and ability to manipulate my schedule. I don't think I could handle 135. If I had kids or a life that required me to be in a particular location, this would be a different equation. Some 135s could be incredible for the right people. I think 135 is all about the right fit. Find it, and they can be great.
 
Call me greedy or selfish or whatever but I also didn't go to college and spend years earning my certs and building time for below minimum wage to make $60k-$80k a year flying for a 135 outfit emptying toilets, loading bags, and sitting around FBOs for 8-12 hours a day waiting on the clients while on call for 26 days a month.
 
Golden handcuffs. Didn't have the money to go get a multi rating let alone 200 hours of multi time back when I was young, so I instructed to 135 mins and went to fly freight. That led to multi time which led to turbine time and before you know it my life is way too good to go fly an RJ around for McDonalds wages. So I'm pretty much stuck on this side of the fence until UPS or Delta get down to oh say Tier 3.5 or so.
 
wheelsup said:
From guys who have come from there, the co-worker quality is quite variable. The commuters have an excellent training program that tends to weed out most weaker folks. While not everyone is a super pilot the quality in general is pretty consistent.
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The level of disfunctional people I've come across in 135 is mind blowing. To be fair in 135 I've also worked with some absolutely outstanding professionals but it's definitely all over the map.
 
The real answer is, I don't know.

My current 91/135 isnt great but it's not that bad either. The varied flying is nice, I spent 6 days in St. Maarten last year on the company dime, on the flip side, Walla Walla WA, is lovely in the winter...

I work an average of 14 days a month, and most weekends off. I've been home 19 days so far this month, and it's looking like a total of 7 working days by months end. That's not typical of course, but it's been nice. It's not a career place, and I'm working towards a local 91 operator, if that doesn't happen I'll be hitting the job fairs next year and try for an LCC.
 
Inverted said:
Depends on the 135 for sure. The bottom feeders have some real oddballs. I think everyone in the 135 world knows multiple that should be removed from flying status, I know I do.
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I haven't run across TOO many that needed to be grounded and an even smaller portion of them made it through any portion of training, but I've certainly worked with some extremely odd human beings. Like ones that made @Capt. Chaos look civilized and well-adjusted.
 
Not all 135s are dirtbag operators. I'm staying 135 because I am home based, always have positive space for my "commute", decent pay, and opportunities for fast growth. Although not ideal, my schedule allows me to work half the year. I build enough airline and hotel points that I essentially have travel benefits. I have friends who have been at regionals for 4-5+ years and still haven't upgraded or moved up the chain all that much.

Going to a regional doesn't guarantee a slot at a major.
 
Oh, there are equally many oddballs in 121 as well.... It's just that they're surrounded by a mob of more "normal" folks that one can almost succumb to the perception that everyone in 121 is CRM-dignified....
 
Why am I still at my 135?

1. Im home most every night. Im married and have a new baby girl. Love spending time with them.

2. Get paid almost double than I would be at a regional airline. Now I realize this may hurt me later as Im about the top of the payscale on the 135 now, But I cant really afford the pay cut to go to a regional.

3. I love the Variety of my flying. In fact I love flying in general. Last week I did a search and rescue mission in the Husky, Then I flew one of Obama's Cabinet members in the King Air with the Secret Service to a small mountain airstrip that a Jet couldnt get in to, then today I flew Air Attack all day circling a Forest Fire watching tankers and helicopters dumping on fires. A couple nights ago, I flew an Emergency trip to Denver for someone who needed a Kidney transplant.

4. I like flying in the Mountain environment with smaller aircraft. I do not generally think bigger is better.

5. I live in my hometown. Close to family.

6. I kinda set my schedule. If I want a day off, I take it off. Get most holidays off, and weekends off (may be on call, but most of the time, do not get a call on the weekends).

7. I work with a great company and have good co workers. Can bring my wife with me on certain charters when we do the occasional weekend trip.

8. I still do some flight instruction, mountain flying courses, tail-wheel courses, etc. Love it.

I have about 8000 hours, and each hour is unique. Yes, I may be topped out with money, and work more days, but I can support myself and family, have no debt and enjoying my lifestyle. Did I mention get to see my baby girl every night?!!

Brianna.jpg
 
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Very nice people to work with / Good pay (with full benefits) / Clean, well-maintained airplanes / Single pilot / A beautiful facility with a kitchen, showers and bathrooms like those found in 5-star hotels / Flying in one of the most beautiful places on earth / 15 min 'commute' / Very nice people to work with

A wise man knows when he's happy.

Pt. 135 commuter
 
Fly_Unity said:
Why am I still at my 135?

1. Im home most every night. Im married and have a new baby girl. Love spending time with them.

2. Get paid almost double than I would be at a regional airline. Now I realize this may hurt me later as Im about the top of the payscale on the 135 now, But I cant really afford the pay cut to go to a regional.

3. I love the Variety of my flying. In fact I love flying in general. Last week I did a search and rescue mission in the Husky, Then I flew one of Obama's Cabinet members in the King Air with the Secret Service to a small mountain airstrip that a Jet couldnt get in to, then today I flew Air Attack all day circling a Forest Fire watching tankers and helicopters dumping on fires. A couple nights ago, I flew an Emergency trip to Denver for someone who needed a Kidney transplant.

4. I like flying in the Mountain environment with smaller aircraft. I do not generally think bigger is better.

5. I live in my hometown. Close to family.

6. I kinda set my schedule. If I want a day off, I take it off. Get most holidays off, and weekends off (may be on call, but most of the time, do not get a call on the weekends).

7. I work with a great company and have good co workers. Can bring my wife with me on certain charters when we do the occasional weekend trip.

8. I still do some flight instruction, mountain flying courses, tail-wheel courses, etc. Love it.

I have about 8000 hours, and each hour is unique. Yes, I may be topped out with money, and work more days, but I can support myself and family, have no debt and enjoying my lifestyle. Did I mention get to see my baby girl every night?!!

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Yep. This is a better articulation than I was able to make.
 
@Inverted (if he is still there) work at essentially 135 Ops that mirror 121, I see no difference except that I'm home 7-10 days more and get paid more then a 3 year regional captain as a 1st year FO
 
Dugie8 said:
Based at home. Drive right up to the hangar. No security. The only time I airline is twice a year to training.

Money is good enough. Chief pilot and DO are a pleasure to work for. Owners of the aircraft treat me very well. Destinations are like a vacation plus all my expenses are paid whilst at those destinations. Can bring family with on flights if we want to.

Plus, I'm not cool enough to be a tier one applicant, so there's that.


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I dont know how I managed to fall in to a gig just like this.

We are part 91 and the aircraft is on the 135 certificate. We get occasional charters, but our owner does not like the aircraft being gone for the most part and doesnt like short legs. So charters are rare.

Coming from the 121 side to the 91/135 I didn't realize the difference in every particular job. Im on one aircraft only. There are guys that are in our charter pool that have a completely different work life than I do. Some fly almost every day. In the month of June I went 24 days without touching a plane.

The little things like throwing my clubs in the back of the aircraft, zero security, having the line guy roll up plane side with your rental all add up to big pluses. In less than a year Ive already reached gold status with Hilton and will be diamond by the end of the year. I cant believe the difference in treatment when your a regular customer as opposed to "airline crew" when checking in at the hotel.

And going to Florida or the Islands during the winter is kinda nice too.

The ONLY down side to this type of flying is being on call 24/7. The 135 certificate is moving away from that though to something like automatically being on rest at 8pm until 6 or something.

he end goal is a legacy, but Im completely content staying here if or when that opportunity presents itself.
 
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CFIT99 said:
@Inverted (if he is still there) work at essentially 135 Ops that mirror 121, I see no difference except that I'm home 7-10 days more and get paid more then a 3 year regional captain as a 1st year FO
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The ops mirror 121, the pay and retirement over time do not. I don't compare where I'm at to a regional though.
 
Inverted said:
The ops mirror 121, the pay and retirement over time do not. I don't compare where I'm at to a regional though.
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If and only if you don't have multiple furloughs, get laid off, etc. If you stay in the regionals your whole career (which, if you think about it, is a pretty plausible thing to have happen to a guy), it's not really any different than 135 as best I can tell - and if you're in bigger, faster, equipment under 135 you can come out on top.
 
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