Making the jump to Corporate from Instructing
 

Hi everyone,

I wanted to get a few opinions from more experienced pilots on the forum. I am currently a flight instructor around 1,000 TT and 400 multi. I have an opportunity to fly SIC part 91 in a VLJ in a couple of months for a person who only flies about 200 hours a year.

This job would provide an opportunity to make more money than I currently do which is important because we are currently expecting twins and could use the extra cash!

I really would like to get into corporate flying and think this might be a good way to get into it. However my concern is that at only 200 hours a year, I might be better off getting 800 hours of PIC time a year instructing than only 200 a year SIC. THEN with ATP minimums I could try and look for a corporate position.

I would like to just get some opinions on this. Since my ultimate goal is corporate and not the airlines, would it be best to take the job now or wait until I have more hours? This may seem like a no brainer for some but I just want to get some thoughts.

Thank you in advance!

Why can't you do both?

With respect to corporate aviation there is little to no reason to sweat PIC time if you are currently beginning your career. I spent nearly 2yrs in the right seat of a sim starting out. For free no less. All that to advance my knowledge of systems and CRM so that when I was capable, I could move on. Your greatest asset in any corporate department is a positive attitutde and level of flexibility for the principal. The rest will fall into place. Best of luck and let us know what you decide-

I would follow the money in this case. Try to look ahead at least a year. Instructing might offer more hours but that is about it. You will learn a lot more doing corporate and get paid better. ATP mins will come with time. Im not saying you wouldnt learn anything as a flight instructor but sounds like you have already been instructing awhile.

You could also try to do both.

Is the VLJ a single pilot airplane? If it is and it is part 91 you will not be able to log any sic in it. 61.55 says to log sic the aircraft has to be type certificated for more than one pilot. I was flying right seat in a Kingair and logging it sic. When I went to get my ATP rating the guy doing my paperwork saw this time. I had to remove it all from my log book and fly an additional 44 hours in a 172 to meet the ATP mins. Here is the link to the FAA legal interpertation.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...rpretation.pdf

Just trying to save you a headache down the road.

re:
 

I tend to think you should hang tight, maybe "contract" with the VLJ...especially since the time is questionable at best. If instructing, you are only six months or so from having an ATP, which then you can go be a 135 King Air/regional copilot and be at 2500 in two years and maybe logging PIC pretty quickly as well. There is going to be bigtime turnover as soon as Delta, JetBlue, United, Spirit, etc start hiring. 135/Regional pilots will be picked up and a quite a few 91 pilots as well, and if you wanted to go the airline route you'll have your pick of the regionals. I'd want to be in a situation where I could be an ATP once that churn starts and can step into a job flying 500-800+ a year, be a Captain shortly thereafter, then move onto greener pastures. I'd think 6 more months of financial pain will pay for itself fairly quickly over the next three years if you play your cards sensibly. I'd think a 1501 hour recip pilot would be much more valuable than a 1300 hour Eclipse gear puller......especially with new laws....
Odds are, you're next deal will be with a 135 outfit, so I'd point that direction. While I agree it's a step up, it's probably not a step you need to take.

How long is this gig? Is there a contract? Is the option to still instruct an option? This offers the flexibility that you can easily cancel students to do a trip for the new boss(make sure the students understand ahead if time the terms as well).

Only 200hrs a year, that's a lot of spare time to be exclusive to one individual, unless they have the above mentioned contract, and you need to be compensated accordingly.

Are you getting a type also? Once again, state this in an employment contract.

This guys asking some good questions and I think is spot on.....except f0r the employment contract stuff.....which, for the most part, doesn't really exist or happen.

Thanks for the comments everyone! I agree with both opinions- if I keep instructing then I will get to ATP mins faster but on the other hand it would be nice to follow the money.

I would like to ask one more question of the more experienced members of the forum. Say this job eventually falls through (ie the owner sells the plane), what is the process like to find another corporate job? I'm afraid if this were to happen, I'd miss this "hiring wave" at the regionals and miss my opportunity there. Any thoughts or suggestions?

To answer InvertedLoop...

I believe the other pilot is SIC limited on his type.So from what I gather from the link you posted, I would be a required crew member, and be able to log SIC.

I thought all of the VLJs were single piloted?
SIC requirement in a private P91 operation in a VLJ???

I searched type ratings on faa.gov, and on the last page(14) there is a sample "temp certificate" for a BE-300 type, requiring a SIC, even though we all know this is a SP plane. So I would assume the VLJ's could be limited in the same fashion, but this is far from my expertise.

The Mustang is like the CJ series - you can get typed with (CE-510S) or without (CE-510) the single pilot authorization. So even if the airplane is single pilot capable, a pilot with only a CE-510 type will need an SIC.

To the OPs question - I think I'd stay instructing, keep networking, and once at 1500+ hours perhaps an operator will give you your first type and ATP all rolled into one.

True...the SP designation did take an extra few items on the checkride so I guess it would be the same for any SP capable airframe.

Hey there livinthedream89,
Congrats on the corporate job offer. I am doing the same thing that you're considering. I had about 1000 hours when I started flying right seat in a CJ. We only fly 200-300 hours a year which gives me plenty of time to instruct part-time when I'm home and make some extra cash.


I agree with BPWI. The rest will fall into place. Since your goal is corporate, getting your foot in the door and learning how things work would be a good step for you. You can start to network as well. You will get some experience flying in different weather than you are used to and some CRM experience. AND you will become skilled in ordering coffee, ice, and newspapers. :D

Another thing to consider is logging the cross-country time for ATP mins. Depending on your situation (graduate from a FAA approved 141 2 or 4 year school for reduced ATP mins) it would be beneficial to log the cross country so when you hit 1500 you actually have the 500 required XC hours.

Hope all goes well with whatever you decide.

FWIW, if you look at the type certificate for VLJs, you will see that if you remove your boom Mic (headset) and use the speaker and hand held, you must have an SIC even if you are single pilot typed. Google any kind of VLJ and type certificate. My source is a FED.

Your King Air time didn't count because the type certificate doesn't specify two pilots. Jet type certificate's do. This link is extracted form the DPE handbook a pilot with a single pilot privilege in a light jet is not required to exercise that privilege and can operate with an sic.

When I had my first corporate job, I kept instructing on the side.
Can you have such a kind of understanding with your gig?

The boss said I can instruct on the side if I'd like but told me flying the jet needed to be the priority.

For those of you still reading, I have a question. Since they don't fly the plane a whole lot, I really want to get a type rating in the plane, (it's an EMB-505). Can anyone shed light on how to go about this? I'd like to get it into a contract, but thought maybe once I get flying and show them how awesome I am *sarcasm* they would be willing to get me typed. Again, it's rated for a single pilot, but due to other limitations they need an sic. Any thoughts?

Just ask them. I would be surprised if the answer was no.

Oh and btw, no one is awesome at flying just more tolerable than the next guy(corporate rule number 1008).

Best of luck.