Is it in UPS/Fedex/Southwest if you can get in? Or is it quality of life, over aircraft and pay? To me that sounds like it, the older I get...I have an opportunity at applying (and hopefully getting in) to a very good corporate outfit, but I just started my career as a regional FO...I am afraid of making a move to the said corporate flight department and possibly regretting it...I love being based at home, and this job would entail me relocating. I am single for now so relocating is not a problem. To each his own I realize that, but just like to hear some thoughts...

 

I don't understand the question.

Each person wants different things from their career. Some want money, some want QOL, most want both but VERY VERY few can ever achieve it. Some people enjoy being on first-name basis with their company's C-level staff and feeling like they provide value to their employer, instead of simply being a number and a cog in a huge machine like airline pilots are. Some couldn't imagine having to file their own flight plans, arrange their own hotels & rental cars, load bags and lavs, be their own Maintenance Control, deal with catering & transportation SNAFUs, etc...to others, all that stuff is simply part of the job and far more desirable than sitting on CC at LaGuardia waiting for the stop on west departures to be lifted.

Different strokes for different folks.

There are good corporate jobs and bad corporate jobs, very few in between. And unfortunately, it is much easier for a job to go "good to bad" than "bad to good".

I had a "good" corporate job. Location was ideal, QOL was fantastic, boss was great, money could have been a bit better (it was exactly industry average for equipment/position) but given my age and a great opportunity I switched to 121. Even without a commute the switch will entail a significant hit to QOL for a few years, but the upside is greater long-term job security and much higher career earnings to the point the decision was really a no-brainer.

Decide what YOU desire in your career, and what YOUR career goals are, then choose a path you think will get you there knowing you'll only be sure you made the right choice when you retire.

 

There's another guy that just posted a question similar to this one is I'll put something similar to what I told him. I just came out of 4 years of corporate to 121 regional about a year ago. You couldn't pay me enough to go back. 121 is pretty amazing life in my opinion that gives you time to do something outside work with no interruption.. Not sure why you'd lose your seniority to go scrub bugs, do accounting, mxx, mxx tracking, clean crappers, make drinks, load bags, flight planning. Unfortunately I was the fo that would do everything for a lazy capt that would just like to shoot the breeze with the pax while making their drinks. You do get to go to some neat places and do some neat things but your qol is pretty low outside of your job especially since you could be on call most of the time. You are single so that is you're only way you'll want to experience corporate as with a family it can be pretty tough. Plus flying with the same capt (which most in my experience in corporate are not very good compared to 121 guys I've flown with, who also have pretty dry personalities) gets old fast. With all that said I had one of the mid to lower end flight department jobs making decent money like the gentleman above me described. So that's just kinda a snapshot of what to expect. Hope it helps.

Best of luck with your decision,
Droops

 

UPS/FDX are best for money, hands down. But QOL depends on your lifestyle, since there's obviously a lot of rede-eye flying to be done. They also don't hire too many pilots so your odds of getting in are slim unless you're an astronaut (not kidding), well connected, or work for an international ACMI/Cargo outfit flying heavies to gain experience.

SWA is a good company, but the pilot group is young and they've mostly filled their business niche so growth is somewhat limited. They are very disciplined about expanding beyond their niche (good thing IMO). You would wait a long time to upgrade there, but would probably have good QOL. Realistically I'd shoot for one of the big three if you stick with 121.

 

Make the jump, Pearl. You're not missing anything at a regional except years of hoping against hope for liberation.

 

Gents, I appreciate your time. And Cub always gotta aim higher and faster right? Let's see what happens. Right now I am absolutely enjoying flying the Dash and being based at home on reserve...

 

I had to check the calendar...is it 2008 again?