KC135: Fear of the unknown... I have never worked 121. I have no idea what I am getting myself into! I am trying to educate myself as much as possible but I have heard a lot of bad stories. I have also heard the bad stories about corporate, but I know corporate well and can filter the BS pretty well. $$ is not my big motivator here...

Rick: I have multiple friends and family at SWA. They are all pulling for me there. I have several friends at DL who are doing the same. So, yes is the short answer.

My #'s may be similar to numerous CRJ CA, but I am quite confident that my experiences have been vastly different. Depending on what I want to do may be a help or a hindrance.... Flying all over the world as a self sufficient FAR 91 PIC is a world away from a regional PIC. This experience however is not 121 time and may not be viewed positively as I honestly don't understand 121 ops at the same level....

I think I know what I need to do...

FD79

 

Go for it. You have great quals and the airlines are where it's at. Especially since you can live in base. I've done both and don't miss corporate at all.

Network hard and attend some job fairs as part of your networking push. That said, I know more than one corporate pilot that has been called with less time than you have, and no inside connections. Good luck!

 

Flown both. 121 hands down. Boiler nailed it.

 

In my experience corporate time (Fortune 500, part 91 or 91K large fractional) is looked upon favorably by major airline recruiters. You will have broader experience than the sea of homogenous blue suit/red tie RJ captains as well as a ton more "tell me about a time" customer service stories.

My advice is apply and interview. You don't have a decision to make until someone offers you a class date.

 

I've been a corporate chief. I've been a regional puke. I'll take 121 all day long. In fact I turned down a 6 figure position on a Challenger 350 to go back to the airlines. Plug away at all the majors. The flying is as boring as watching paint dry compared to corporate, but you can wipe the tears of boredom away with your piles of cash.

 

Once ate at a Waffle House on a day wait in your one-horse town. Interesting area, to say the least.

You will find certain parts of 121 frustrating with your can-do attitude and being used to running all aspects of the business, but that is far outweighed by shutting your phone off and enjoying days off at home and getting paid well for it. The fix-it emails are encouraging, you're on their radar.

 

FD79, gotcha. I wish I could give you my 2 cents but I don't know anything about corporate to compare other than what my friends tell me but corporate jobs seem to vary drastically. I personally got tired of spending half of my life in hotels flying 121. I eventually found a 121 unicorn and now I get about 17-20 days off and the days I work I'm back home in time to have dinner with the family.

 

I was talking about eliminating overnight layovers, not working all night.

Local trips that are not redeyes tend to go senior at pax airlines.

 

I believe AM turns are 3am-11am and PM turns are 3pm-11:30pm.

I guess you could say the morning turns are redeyes

 

Update your apps (apply to every airline you would consider, you can always decline a CJO) and make the switch. Most of the "smart" guys I worked with in the military who wanted to keep flying have made the jump and few of them seem to regret it. Big difference between mil and 121 flying just like there's a difference between 91 and 121 flying, so try to find some real people in the biz (not just internet forum denizens), buy them a beer, and get their story.

Also... consider attending some of the job fairs. Even if the interviews are just for practice, you'll spend a day hanging out with a couple hundred other pilots. Some of them may be willing to express an opinion or three.