Originally Posted by
steepturn
This is the biggest decision of my life so far. I have a GREAT part 91 corporate job... fly 200hrs/yr, spend less than 40 nights away from home per year, close to home, see my family most nights, nice folks to work with, low stress, although I do have to go to hangar every day even if not flying. Kind of like an office job where I fly occasionally. I don;t know it's long-term future though.
Long story short... I'm now in the pool at a legacy carrier.
Has anyone here left a needle-in-a-haystack, great 91 gig for a major, or vise-verse (left a major for a great corporate)?
I'm super excited about finally getting to a major, but reality is starting to sink in. Airline will be commuting and a lot more flying (i.e, gone more nights). Where I am now is more day-to-day work but home just about every night. If I let the major go, I will probably regret it someday. Hmmm... has anyone switched (either way) and regretted it (or not regretted it)? just curious. Thanks
Tough decision. I've moved between a Fortune 50 flight department and major airlines and I've enjoyed both types of flying equally well. The flying is very different and there are advantages and disadvantages to both. For instance, I am now a senior FO at a major airline and we all suffer per diem instead of the expense account. A first-world problem I know, but the advantage goes to the corporate flight department on that one. Honestly, the decision to stay or go will be very personal to you and your situation. I have found that those who had the goal of flying at the majors since they were student pilots were the right people to move on from corporate and go try the majors. Those that were never really wrapped up in the idea of flying for one type of outfit or another, but just enjoyed flying no matter where they were, had an easier time staying put in corporate. Some final real considerations no matter which major you are looking at: you will likely be taking a pay cut initially, you may never catch your corporate flying earnings and your schedule will be exceptionally hectic versus where you are now. Good Luck!