Airline Pilot Forums

Current regional pilot here. Around 2000TT, 900 multi, previous 135 (King Air/Citation) experience.

Bailed from the 135 gig for lack of flying for the airlines for a semi-steady schedule and to rack up some decent time. I'm wanting to make corporate/charter a career.

Question is this: I know that airline guys carry a bit of a stigma when trying to go corporate. How far reaching is that stigma? If I spend a year in the airlines is it going to be as bad as say a mainline Captain who was furloughed with ten thousand hours?

I know contacts are everything, and that's another bridge I have to cross, but just wondering what it will look like for me considering everything I hear/read about airline guys going into the corporate/charter world.

Thanks guys.

I went from airline to corporate so I will just give you what worked for me. Like you already said, contacts are everything and if it weren't for mine I wouldn't be at my current job. I think the "stigma" is mostly from furloughed guys looking for work because the people doing the hiring assume you will leave when you get recalled. I think what also helped was trying to get my foot in the door while I was still employed at an airline. I was told they knew I was serious since I would have to resign if I took the job offer. In other words I was looking to further my career and not just fall back on something during tough times. Hope it helps and good luck.


Current regional pilot here. Around 2000TT, 900 multi, previous 135 (King Air/Citation) experience.

Bailed from the 135 gig for lack of flying for the airlines for a semi-steady schedule and to rack up some decent time. I'm wanting to make corporate/charter a career.

Question is this: I know that airline guys carry a bit of a stigma when trying to go corporate. How far reaching is that stigma? If I spend a year in the airlines is it going to be as bad as say a mainline Captain who was furloughed with ten thousand hours?

I know contacts are everything, and that's another bridge I have to cross, but just wondering what it will look like for me considering everything I hear/read about airline guys going into the corporate/charter world.

Thanks guys.

Thank you for the info Red, I appreciate it.

I'm not looking to leave tomorrow or anything, and I know a 2000 hour pilot is hardly a heavily desired quantity in the corporate side of things, however I figure it's best to get a start early to at least get some contacts started and as you said, get my foot in the door.

I did previously work for a 91/135 management company. I enjoyed the flying and the personality, if you will, compared to the spoon fed airline side of things. The flying however was very slow there, with a lot of medical flying that led to an hour or two a couple of times a week and little more. I left only to go to an opportunity for more, steady flight time to build the resume, not because I didn't enjoy the flying. And it was not a fun choice.

I appreciate your advice, gives me some more confidence that the airline to corporate jump can be done.

I agree with Red's post for sure.

Also, 2/3 of my flight dept. are ex-airline guys including myself. The stigma isn't going to keep you out if you have a good attitude and make it clear to any possible employers that you understand being a corporate pilot means doing whatever needs to be done to get the job done. (throwing bags, leg work on int'l trips, paperwork, etc..) A guy who'd been in the airlines for a few years wouldn't make me nearly as nervous as a retired major airline capt. who flew during the "golden years" and was used to having everything handed to him on a silver platter.

Good Luck!

Networking is FAR more important than your background...but since you already have 91/135 experience and are familiar with the difference in lifestyle nobody in a hiring capacity should think twice about you being at an airline (especially with you coming from a turboprop regional, not exactly a career destination for a young/low time pilot).

Lots of current corporate/charter pilots cut their professional flying teeth at a regional...

Thank all three of you for the info. Gives me quite a bit of encouragement. I'll keep looking around and trying to get my name out.


Take care guys.

Thank all three of you for the info. Gives me quite a bit of encouragement. I'll keep looking around and trying to get my name out.


Take care guys.

Hard to get a good corporate job here in the U.S but not impossible. Or if you wanna give the refugee life a try:

It seems like corporate aviation is triving in China and the Mid East (just like the airlines)

Check out Qatar Executive, they operate 3 Globals, 3 CL604s and a CL300.... I'd much rather fly a Global Express for Qatar Exec. than a widebody jet for the airline, but that's just me

And there is a company in China that ordered a bunch of G-450/550s...

Several European companies are also present in China, (TAG, Jet Aviation, etc)

cheers

I'll add to the previous reponses about the importance of attitude and work ethic. We don't gig guys with airline experience just because they're airline but typically the non-flying aspect of corporate just doesn't suit them. The customer service side is critical in corporate. We have an airline guy in our flight department and he's done great, but it's because he gets it. Good luck, I wouldn't give up my 91 gig for anything.

Agree with most everything here....especially that it's ALL in your contacts (networking) and your attitude.

The ones that really have little to no chance in a stack of resumes?.....the retired career airline guy now wanting to bless these "little airplanes" with all his NY-Heathrow time....and the CFI-Regional resume with 0 PIC time.

Some sort of charter/corporate experience, some PIC time, and a strong reference that you understand the corporate game? - should easily be able to make the transition.

Either way, I have always liked applicants currently employed in decent positions etc, as they really WANT the job and dont just NEED the job.