Whats your schedule like?

Part 91
3 overnights last year
300 hours last year
Usually 24 hours notice but are always between 8-5 when it's a pop-up trip
Salaried
Off on weekends, every now and then they want to fly on a weekend but my option (I usually go)
 
Monday - Friday 8:00 - 4:00. Occasionally will have to work a weekend or evening but home every night for the most part. (less than 10 overnights per year).


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Part 135 operator 200's/90's. 12 on, 2 hard off. Paid per duty period, (14hr max w/ 10hr rest min) so sometimes if I get a short trip in the morning, rest ten hours, then I can go back out in the night and get two trips in one day. Good for a hungry pilot!

Usually I get 1hr notice, have to be within an hour of the airport. We do a little bit of scheduled stuff, but most of the work I get is last minute air ambulance/organ transplant. 24hrs on call.
 
No longer a charter jockey, but when I was:

Wildly under industry standard salary
No days off. You called in at 4pm and they'd tell you what you were doing the next day. If you had been out for a couple of weeks they would usually say "don't call in for the next three days" or whatever. Sometimes not, though.
In practice, I worked anywhere between 20 and 28 days/month. Usually closer to 28.
Stayed in nice hotels and ate well.

There's a reason I'm not a charter jockey anymore.
 
Boris Badenov said:
No longer a charter jockey, but when I was:

Wildly under industry standard salary
No days off. You called in at 4pm and they'd tell you what you were doing the next day.
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Pretty well describes my work environment, except I am averaging 14 days a month and moving northward. I had someone describe your exact schedule to me (14 days on the road then on call the rest of the month, averaging 25 days a month), I never called them back.

How long did you survive that schedule?
 
Just under a year and a half. To be fair, I got an ATP, type rating, and jet PIC out of the deal. Nice place to visit, wouldn't want to stay.
 
Part 91 Corporate/individual owner. Small flight department (ie, one airplane, and I'm the chief pilot, chief maintenance coordinator, and chief belly scrubber). My flight schedule varies month to month, but is pretty consistently about 450 hours per year for the last 4 years. No hard days off, but I have 3 weeks paid vacation per year. Typical month has me flying 10 days, averaging maybe 1 or 2 overnights per month. I probably work another 5 to 7 days a month with non-flying duties (flight planning, trip coordination, maintenance tracking, etc), but I do those duties from the comfort of my home office. Paid on salary plus annual performance bonus.

Most flights are scheduled at least a week in advance. There are usually one or two pop up trips a month, meaning that I'm asked to fly with only a day or two notice. Only once in the last 4 years I was asked "what are you doing in 2 hours?" And they are genuinely asking when it comes to pop ups; I am within my rights to decline any trip with less than 2 days notice, although I never have. Most flying is during the week, although we might occasionally leave on a Sunday night if a meeting is early Monday at a distant location. Also, some occasional personal trips on weekends - total weekend flying averages maybe 10 weekends a year, centered mostly in the summer months.

I should probably mention that I'm a career changer - I spent about 10 years as an engineer after college. By way of comparison, as a field and project engineer, I worked a five day work week (usually 20-22 days a month), 10-14 hours per day, not including my 45 minute commute home each day. I slept in my own bed pretty much every night, but honestly, I felt like that was all I was doing...going home to go to sleep. QOL was dismal, and i made less than i make now. Just a little perspective.
 
Man some of you guys have amazing schedules. First corporate gig here as well. Salary, boss is cheap, we eat cheap, stay in cheap hotels, been flying 22-28 days a month, all overnights as we commute to the airplane. Last trip was 22 days on, 2 days off. I am on day #9 with small hopes of getting 2 days off coming up. Paid for my own type, but salary is good. Getting small amounts of PIC jet. We fly 20-40 hours a month. Wanting something different in the next few months.

Trips and destination change every 3 hours. I never know what is going to happen. All mexico flying.
 
curtismarker said:
Man some of you guys have amazing schedules.
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I want some of those schedules.

Sounds like our schedules are about the same Curtis. Although I get to eat well. At first the boss had me and my copilot sharing rooms. "If it is good enough for my executives". "Okay if a decision your executives make can kill your family, I will share a room with them." I get my own room now.

Things work different down South. Do you have handlers help on your flights?
 
FlyingScot said:
Do you have handlers help on your flights?
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Depends.

Mexico, always. Anywhere that doesn't have a reputable FBO to help us with Customs, yes. Short notice trip that doesn't give us enough time to get our ducks in a row, definitely. Somewhere we've been before and know the procedures and people (Tortola, St Thomas, St Maarten, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Turks & Caicos, etc), no.
 
We use Universal when we go to CZM. The handler's name is Jorge C. Conrado Sima. Phone number is +52 (987) 121 3010. He's a great guy and does an awesome job. Look forward to seeing him every time we go.

The only issue we've ever had was the jackass doctor that comes on board for the inspection when you land. He insists on a handwritten GenDec. We normally have one forwarded to the handler through Universal, but he wouldn't accept that. Other than that, schmooz the soldiers with some sodas or cold water and whatever leftover catering you may have. And tip well. The guys slinging bags really work their asses off...moreso than anywhere in the states.
 
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