NaviNut

Do corporate pilots get to fly home every night? Also, what would an average day look like?

Thanks,

NaviNut

minitour

I have an "on duty/off duty" schedule. When I'm on duty, I'm with the plane whether we're flying a 135 (the charter side) trip or a 91 owner (the corp. side of things) trip.

When I'm off duty, I'm home and generally try not to think about flying.

A typical day for me:
Wake up
Work out
Shower
Eat
Work out
Shower
Eat
Work out
Shower
Eat
TV/Laundry
Sleep

A trip day for me:
Wake up
Work out
Shower
Eat
Preflight
Fly
Shower
Eat
TV/Laundry
Sleep

Rinse repeat.

Lots of guys that I know that fly only part 91 are home unless the plane/company/owners are away on an "overnight".

-mini

BoilerUP

Sometimes...varies widely and depends on each particular operation.

Again, it varies widely depending on each particular operation.

My company has lots of day trips (one leg out/one leg back or two legs out/two legs back) that leave in the morning and come back early evening, resulting in a 12-13 hour duty day.

When we overnight (4-5 times per month on average) those trips normally consist of one leg out in the morning, into the RON by 9-10am, and leaving 3-5pm the next day (or day after that) depending on the passenger's needs.

__________________
"Fat pilots carry less payload." - R.M. Grundman

Niner

Boiler are you pt 91 or 135? Corporate or private owner?

BoilerUP

Part 91 small business

__________________
"Fat pilots carry less payload." - R.M. Grundman

flyingsucks

We are 91 and like everyone said it varies. The summer we typicaly do nothing. I worked a total of six days from early june until late september. October and November the boss has a bunch a trips. When he overnights we overnight. My golf clubs travel with me so that is what I usually do. Like I said this month and next I will be gone 14 nights total each month, which is alot for us. But the good thing is my wife and child are traveling with us on 2 of the trips.

AtlCSIP

Most of the time I do out and backs. Only overnight two nights this year. Typical flying day is report 1 hr. prior to departure, 1 - 2 hour flight, sit on the ground for 4 to 10 hours, 1 - 2 hour flight home. Yesterday out at 9:00, home by 17:30, logged 1.8. This Saturday out at 12:00, home by 24:00. Pax to Jacksonville for Gators/Dawgs game. Will log about 3.2.

cl601pilot

I work for a small part 91 operation. Two aircraft, different types and four owners. Its a 24/7/365 type of deal.

I am rated on both types. With school on both that is about two weeks away a year.

In marriott points about 650k to 750k per year. That equates to lots of days away from home. This year its about 120 marriott nights so far. I still have about 20 to 30 to go. Plus we stay at other hotel chains too.

Between school and being out on the road, I am gone about half of the year. Though on the bright side of the deal is the fact that the company got rid of our director of maintenance to save money. That move though never saves an operation money. So I am also the maintenance guy as well. At no extra pay.

I am lucky if I have 2 days off a week. On a good week I will get the 2 days off together.

To answer your original question, its too expensive to fly the plane home. We either sit with it or airline home if the plane will be sitting for an extensive amount of time. However if I airline home often times it will be only to go back out on the other airplane while the other one sits.

I had a chance at one time to go air carrier and leave the part 91 world. I kick myself everyday that I didn't go that way. It was long enough ago that I wouldn't have been affected by the current economic situation. If the opportunity comes along again I will be out of 91 as fast as I can.

The dude

Funny how that works. I'm the absolute opposite. Did the 121 air carrier thing and got out. Been flying part 91 corporate for a few years and couldn't be happier. If any major airline offered me an interview tomorrow I would turn it down without giving it a second thought.

cl601pilot

I guess its just about who you get a job working for. Right now I am just happy to get a paycheck to fly. However, when things open back up and there are other options, I will be moving onto one of them.