Originally Posted by
GVCPT
We fly a couple of large cabin N registered Gulfstreams and all of our pilots commute. However we are a unique flight department since these airplanes stay overseas most of the time. We commute to meet the aircraft wherever it is in the world for a 30 day rotation and then we go home for 30 days. But this is not a traditional flight department. As others have said most operators want their pilots within 1-2 hours from the hangar.
On a side note. If you are viewing a corporate gig as a stepping stone to the majors, don't be disappointed when you get turned down from the good corporate operators. We don't hire type ratings, we hire personalities. We also don't hire guys that are not in it for the long haul. It's a waste of our principal's resources to spend money for training on a guy that is looking for a career in the airlines. My thoughts only, take it as you wish.
GVCPT
Being a former Chief Pilot/Flight Department Manager I agree with the idea of hiring an individual and not the log book, and that's what I did for our two mid sized jet flight department. But I will disagree with your statement saying the industry doesn't hire type ratings. I closed our operation down in 2009, and could not find a job flying any jet. All the companies that were hiring wanted current in type! Even talked to a scumbag charter Chief Pilot who put the type I flew for the last 11 years in my back yard, but said he would not hire me cause I was not current. Eventually I found a job flying a Boeing 767 internationally, but was still looking to get back to the Corporate world, and again ran into the must be current in type problem.
I called many a Chief Pilot, all over the country, who were operating Hawkers, my 11 year steed, and got the impression they would not hire me because of my former Chief Pilot position. Then I had the Chief Pilot of a Gulfstream operation tell me that I wouldn't be considered since I did not have experience flying large cabin jets, really, at that time I was flying a B767, was typed the 767, 737 and 727. They're pretty big cabins in my opinion.
Amazing, I guess you do have to be born with the G-wiz type to fly one, since Flight Safety must not be able to train you properly in a Gulfstream.
GVCPT, sounds like you have a good gig!