Second the Bonedaddys idea. There's tons of places to eat with good shopping. I like downtown Grapevine and like hitting more of the local places. Great food, fun.
As far as ILM, not too much, but if you have a car, Baltimore, DC and Philly close by for a change.

All of my friends that left coporate to go to various airlines like JB and Delta all love it and say the wouldn't come back unless they had to. I guess the "grass is always greener". I plane to go to the majors as fast as I can. 15 years of the corporate game playing really sucks. If it's not the people you fly for it is the spineless pilots I have flown with. (not all but it only takes a couple of really bad ones to turn one sour). At least the majors have a union to protect pilots from one another. I worked at BEX for 2 years and yes the money sucked but I never had a target on my back either.

I agree with TheDude but completely understand your post. I used to work for a Corporate flight department that had a very bad Chief Pilot who resolved crewmember disputes by pitting them against each other. It was hell working in that environment.

Probably TheDude works for a flight department like I do, professional and well managed. I can say we all get along and work as a team. It is a healthy work environment. I would bet if you worked in one of our flight departments, you would have a different outlook.

I do hope you, actually all of you find a position in whatever capacity that you can honestly say you love going to work like I do.

K

If you really fly a G450 and have such a shiatty working environment that you're willing to make $30-50k your probationary year and sit reserve in some shiathole hub city, why not take your talents (and your STREAM type rating) elsewhere, to another operation that's not toxic to work in?

When a department flying that size equipment starts having a lot of pilot attrition, typically SOMEBODY in the corporate office notices it...

Again, I left a legacy job to go to the stream... got laid off from the stream, and then got a job as chief pilot flying a stream... then started my own management company, and have had my share of non-professionals on both sides of the coin.

I can tell you that your idea of major pilots is partially correct... however, there are still a-hole pilots-- I think you would find that anywhere you went. I was the chairman of the contract enforcement committee when I was at the regionals, and I can tell you that the Unions are designed to protect *everyone*-- not just the "good guys". Pilots would get fired, and we would have an internal discussion on every reason why that particular pilot should NEVER be in the air again... but the Union *HAS* to fight for the pilot by law, so there is no self-policing within the union. There are always professional standards committees, but I have found those to be worthless-- and they have no teeth. Trust me on this, there are good ones and bad ones anywhere you go. I could tell you *lots* of stories from my airline days!

I agree with everyone that says there are much better departments out there! Some are ultra-professional with great people. I have seen many nightmare departments.. and *nightmare* management companies (which is why I started my own)... I have seen cowboy crap in corporate that would blow your mind (and seen guys get walking papers because of it), but I have also seen the same things with airlines-- granted most flights in the airlines have someone on board (even if it is just a couple of flight attendants), whereas corp does a lot more ferry flights in which a cowboy pilot feels more freedom to f around (cat's away, mice play mentality)... but that doesn't mean they are NOT in the airlines as well!!

Trust me on this-- find a better corp operator and get out of your current job. Flying one leg to an overnight, sitting for a couple of days, and one leg home is a lot better than flying 4 legs a day, getting 9 hrs rest, then flying 4 more legs the next day, for 4 days straight, and getting paid 50k/yr (which is Delta! CAL I think pays 27k/yr to their new-hires!). Flying a 737 is cool... but the aircraft you are currently flying is only as big as the screen in front of you when you are sitting in the cockpit.

I have a friend who's wife is a 19 year FO with United on the 75/76, making 90k/yr. 19 years for 90k... not this sucker! :)

Sorry for the rambling. Ps- i did not proofread, so apologies in advance.

-spike:cool:

And even if they don't notice (some dont...) Boiler is right...go shopping! Departments change. All it takes is one spineless manager and the whole place changes. The better talent leaves (aside from nearly retired and scared guys) and things can go downhill fast. You can choose to wait it out or look for better.

A friend of mine found out his Gulfstream is being sold a few weeks ago. Within a week he had 3-4 interviews lined up on the same equipment and pay, all local. The job market is not great, but its vastly different for local, well qualified, well connected people than it is for marginally qualified strangers.

Im sure much depends on your location and network, but theres no reason to stay at a shiathole job, life's too short.

That is a travesty. I know a guy on the A320 with united who has been there 12 or 13 years and is a junior reserve FO not clearing six figures either. Probably not what they had in mind when they went to "a major".

Spike,

If she is still in the right seat of the 757 and only making 90K, that is all by choice. The min guarantee on that seat at 12 year pay is around 93K so she might be dropping stuff so she's only flying 5 days a month. With her seniority, she can hold 757 Capt which has a base pay about 40K higher.

It doesn't quite tell the whole story. I'm not defending the payscale. I know its pathetic.

Yep, it is by choice... so that is *her choice*.. but she says if she went to capt slot, she would hold a garbage schedule.


So yes, you are definitely correct that it is her choice... and you are still correct that the payscale is still pathetic! :)

-spike

United has plenty of those part-time employees. If you are only working 8 or 9 days per month...maybe the pay isn't bad.