Which is the better job in your opinion...

TexasFlyer

TexasFlyer

Living the Dream (well at least trying to)
As many of you know I am on the disabled list for a couple more months due to a serious foot injury. So while I been slowly healing and dealing with how to handle a half million dollars in medical bills, I been playing on JetCareers, organizing photo albums and all the stuff we never have time to do in our normal life, and doing some professional networking to include applying for jobs both in and outside of aviation.

Here are two positions I am sure I have pretty much secured so far. I am wondering what your thoughts are as far as what the best short and long term position may be. I am really torn between both positions as they both have good and bad sides to them. So I am looking ultimately toward the one that may give me the best long term career progression. I am just as content with a career in the Regionals as I am in corporate since those also have their pros and cons. I just love to fly, but I also have bills to pay so keep that in mind long term too.


First is my old flight school position where I been a private contractor for the last 14 months. They are very eager to have me back full time and I really love it there. It's like family at the school. I can not think of a better school to work. Here are the facts:
* I am certain with a month of ramp up time once I am back on my feet (literally), I can bring in about $2,500 a month USD on average .
* I estimate I will fly about 150 hours multi in the C310 in 12 months
* I estimate 600 hours single engine as well in 12 months
* So in about 12 months from re-starting, I will have about 2000/200 total time
* I should make around $28k to $30k if I work hard
* Then after about 12-16 months of working there I will begin my career at a Regional based on what competitive minimums should be.
* At the Regional, we know it is several years of finanical pain. But I am sure I will find it rewarding as a long term career,
* Then long term I may switch to corporate or a major, but I may also be comfy in the RJ once the seniority and pay gets up to a decent level.


The other position is a huge life change. It is a Captain position on the Cessna 421 in Mexico and I am pretty sure in the future (being maybe a year or so), I would upgrade to a Beechjet or similar with the company. It's Part 91 operations. November tail numbers. Here are the facts:
* I already been there about 4 months ago and flew the 421. I helped deliver it to them. Nice plane. Great people. Safe place in Mexico's interior.
* I would certainly have to sell my home (quite frankly I will most likely be forced to sell it anyway within the next 12 months due to my personal situation, so this is not a huge factor).
* I would have to live in Mexico, but keep all my stuff here in Texas in storage (I have a place for under $400 a month where everything can stay safely and when I do come home to Texas I can also stay there as it's a studio apartment with a garage).
* I would make about 25,000 peso a month (which is a little under $2,000 USD I think). That's decent money in this part of Mexico since an apartment run around 3,500 peso and it's easy to eat on less than 100 peso a day. But my other bills are in USD so this may be a real challenge financially.
* I speak no Spanish but I will learn. I will have too!
* Over 12 months here I would expect about 300 hours C421 time and I would also be sent to formal training for the 421 in the states. That would be great since the 3 legs I flew the bird earlier this year it was me and the POH in Mexico where the controllers did not speak very good English... so Spanish is definitely ideal. (I did have an experienced 421 'safety pilot' next to me though since I only had about 10 hours of total multi when jumping into this bird)
* I think that in my second year there my hours would end up around 100-200 hours C421 and 100-200 hours as a First Officer in the Beechjet. I would hope that brings more money, but I am not sure it does there.
* So over 24 months I would be looking like 2000/450 with 100+ being turbine
* At that point if the pay increases and I can swing it and meet a nice gal down there, I may very well live there long term and make this my career.
* The financial part is while I can live good in Mexico, the American bills I have would suffer and hang over my head since the money is worthless on this side of the border. But then going to a Regional may net the same result in the short term.
* Another option is I can still easily go regional I think with those times in those aircraft or maybe get back to the states in a corporate gig. Real tough call on what I would do. All depends on how life in Mexico and within that flight department is I suppose.

Okay. That's all the relevant facts. Sorry so long. So two totally different options at this point. Anyone have experience with such a decision? Anyone have Mexico living and working experience to share? Or anyone just have any idea on what may be best for the long term career?

Thanks.
 
Maybe it's me, but I'd take the first one. Flying a 421 in Mexico sounds like a cool adventure, but the reality is you'll be moving to another country to fly a piston twin. Many parts of Mexico are very poor, so make sure you know what you're getting yourself into before you make the leap. I love Mexico, don't get me wrong; I used to fly there at least once a week. However, be prepared to drive by areas of abject poverty on a regular basis, followed by mansions a few miles later. There's a very large class split.

Anyway, I'd stay stateside and fly the 310. If the airlines are your goal, you'll be able to get on at the start of the next hiring wave and hopefully position yourself nicely before the next downturn.
 
25,000peso doesn't seem like much to run drugs. You should ask for more :laff:

But really, I'd do Mexico... but I don't have a massive medical bill though. In fact if you don't, give me their phone number. :cool:
 
I would stay stateside. Mexico sounds cool, but there is just to many things that could go wrong, like one of your current injuries flaring up again.
 
One thing you should consider is whether or not there will be any income tax implications from the Mexico job. I don't know how that works with Mexico, but years ago I knew a girl who ended up doing a lot of modeling in Paris. She made great money. But but a huge portion of it went to taxes because she had to pay income tax in France and in the US. It would suck to take the job and then find out later that two thirds of your salary has to go into paying taxes.
 
Joe Gremlin said:
One thing you should consider is whether or not there will be any income tax implications from the Mexico job. I don't know how that works with Mexico, but years ago I knew a girl who ended up doing a lot of modeling in Paris. She made great money. But but a huge portion of it went to taxes because she had to pay income tax in France and in the US. It would suck to take the job and then find out later that two thirds of your salary has to go into paying taxes.
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I do believe anything taxed by the foreign govt won't be taxed by ours.
 
I'd go with mexico..however, I've always wanted adventure abroad + aviation. Tough choices. :dunno:
 
Question: Which one do you want to do more? As you know with your injury, the future is uncertain. A lot of your reasoning for one job vs. another was speculative, and assuming you may eventually go to a regional. Life changes fast, a lot could happen between then and now. If your life changed today, in which situation would you rather find yourself?

I'd be split, both have advantages and disadvantages, and either decision will leave you wondering what would have happened if you chose the opposite. It comes down to what you actually want to do right now.
 
motoboy said:
I would stay stateside. Mexico sounds cool, but there is just to many things that could go wrong, like one of your current injuries flaring up again.
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That is very true. I could just imagine, I finally learned my lesson and have medical insurance and then I slip when hiking somewhere in Mexico and my insurance does not cover me. Now I owe an American bill and Mexican one.

So good call. I will have to certainly look into how this may work in Mexico since I am pretty sure I may be flying again in about 60 to 90 days, but I been told it sometimes takes more than a year for skin grafts on a foot to heal proper and even then it is a good idea to tread lightly since the skin is not quite the same ever again.
 
TexasFlyer said:
That is very true. I could just imagine, I finally learned my lesson and have medical insurance and then I slip when hiking somewhere in Mexico and my insurance does not cover me. Now I owe an American bill and Mexican one.

So good call. I will have to certainly look into how this may work in Mexico since I am pretty sure I may be flying again in about 60 to 90 days, but I been told it sometimes takes more than a year for skin grafts on a foot to heal proper and even then it is a good idea to tread lightly since the skin is not quite the same ever again.
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When I looked at what expat insurance would cost when I was looking at doing that, I remember it being quite cheap. Getting insurance that covers you in mexico is probably cheaper than in the states.
 
Joe Gremlin said:
One thing you should consider is whether or not there will be any income tax implications from the Mexico job. I don't know how that works with Mexico, but years ago I knew a girl who ended up doing a lot of modeling in Paris. She made great money. But but a huge portion of it went to taxes because she had to pay income tax in France and in the US. It would suck to take the job and then find out later that two thirds of your salary has to go into paying taxes.
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Private contractor in Mexico. Not an expat due to that and due to you returning to the US more often than expat's are allowed. So it is treated no different than a US job as a private contractor... except for the dealing with the exchange rate part. So I understand that all taxes are paid to the US, none to Mexico (that's how the others do it anyway). And course, the others pay very little tax since by the time you look at an exchange rate and deduct all your business expenses this is a tax free job.

No matter what, this will be a tough decision. I know the area of Mexico since I been before for a week. It was a great place. And I just would love to take this on as a once in a lifetime adventure. I could always come back if it does not work, but I don't go the opportunity will most likely never present itself again. So the risk is low as long as I make sure my injured foot is back to 99.9% before I would leave.

I guess what is so hard is that I am comparing Apples to Oranges. So maybe in the next 60 days a Strawberry will appear. I prefer those anyway!
 
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