[QUOTE=SteveCostello;1094611]
Sigh. Where am I negotiating holidays? All I implied was that I understand that corporate types do fly on holidays, and I am okay with that. Underlying that was also the assumption that they don't fly EVERY holiday, like most of the low- and mid-seniority regional and major pilots, but if I was incorrect in that assumption, then I wanted to hear about it."
Steve,
I've been corporate or fractional nearly all of my 24 years of flying - had 7 jobs on (1) airport (we think that might be a local record.)
I fly for a big fractional now - first schedule I've ever had in my career.
I always had another job lined up when one opportunity dried up - not because I'm all that but because (1) I knew the only sure thing with most small-medium company jobs is that the job will go away at some point, and (2) I always did my best for the guys I flew for, went way beyond the definitions of the job, and NETWORKED around the area. For me that was key.
I didn't mean to be negative in saying that they all WILL go away - but understand that for many companies the plane is a big expense and is often the first thing on the block when things hit the skids. Changes in ownership/management often bring about a different view of the company plane as well.
I think guys responded to your holiday comments because you used the words "most holidays." That made me chuckle too. You see, in my experience your corporate flying gig is a reflection of the company you word for, and it's principles. I worked for guys that gave me days or weeks of heads up, allowed my wife to come along on the vacation flights if there was a seat, and were really good to me. But I went above and beyond. One principle called my cell on Christmas Eve. Turns out he had been working so much (not unusual, these guys are driven) that he'd forgotten to get a Christmas tree for his home and family. He knew from passing conversations that I lived in a rural area with tree farms. Short of it, I slogged out into a friend's Christmas Tree field in the dark on Christmas Eve, found a nice tree, cut it, trimmed it, and hauled it up to his house in my pickup, and set it up for his wife and kids. For me this kind of thing was not terribly unusual. Corporate Pilot and ???
I also flew for a guy who would call at 2300 on Christmas Eve, gotta go 10 minutes ago because they WANT to go party in The Bahamas, and you'll be flying for the next 37 hours straight (duty times Part 91? Right....)
Ok, that guy was half nuts and is in jail now, but you get my point.
Holidays are sacred to them, and getting them and their family to wherever they want to go is VERY sacred to them. They will suffer issues with the flight on a business trip, but (and I have learned this at the fractional I fly for now as well) they will NOT suffer problems or disappointments when their family is involved or on-board. That's rule #1 in corporate. Those are your most important flights. Plan on working every major holiday, and if it doesn't happen like that you won't be disappointed. To me it's just a day, celebrate a different day. But then, we don't have kids...
In most smaller operations the schedule is what happens on the Blackberry on your belt. You're on a leash 24/7/365. Some principles honor vacations, some don't. I was building a horse barn on my vacation and had spent weeks getting a crew of friends and neighbors together to do it in a weekend - big barn raising, picnic lunches, the works.
Friday night at 1900, pager goes nuts. Boss wants to fly to Atlanta in the (Saturday) AM. "Can I get the relief pilot" I carefully ask?
"I don't WANT the relief pilot, I want YOU."
What are you gonna do? My friends and neighbors built my barn without me while I paced in a hotel in Hotlanta. That was tough.
I was fortunate to get into my first job with about 1000 hours and about 200 piston multi, but I knew the Chief Pilot well as he was also the local D.E. and I was a very active CFI at the time, and had done odd charter flying jobs for him when he had a certificate. I wouldn't advise sidestepping the CFI route - there is a lot to learn and you will make LOTS of contacts in your students, especially if you instruct at an FBO or school in an area where there is a lot of corporate activity. In corporate, its ALL who you know and who's back you scratch. Good luck!
