I am currently working with a 121 regional operator and was wondering what life is like on the other side? How is QOL, schedule, ect...?

 

Better in all areas.

QOL is subjective, but the vast majority of fracs are on a 7 and 7 schedule. You work seven on, then you know that you'll have seven off. The seven on gets long, but the seven off is really nice.

If you want to get extra money, you can work overtime. This is on a flat daily rate at my company and it all goes above guarantee. Per diem is about twice what I was making in the regionals.

Our minimum rest is ten hours, that is much better than the regionals. One downside is that there is some airport standby. This can vary with company, location, aircraft, day, and phase of the moon (j/k). Duty days are 14 hour maximum and crew meals are available if needed.

The flying is great. I typically go international about once a tour. This can include Mexico, the Caribbean, and Canada. Every tour I go to at least one new airport. We go into big and small airports. Anything longer than 3500 is fair game. I have flown as little as 15 hours in a tour or as many as 40. 20-25 is about average for me.

It isn't for everybody, but I like it a lot better than the regionals. I got a pay raise, more days off, and a quicker expected upgrade the first day I started here.

The main downsides are the long periods away from home and the increased responsibilities of the flight crew. Aside from the obvious, like cleaning, lav handling, baggage handling, passenger briefing and relations, we also file our own flight plans and get much less dispatch support than you are used to. Hidden "gotcha's" are probably multiplied at least tenfold over airline flying, so make sure your AOPA legal is paid up.

 

Basically what the cappy said. Their ain't no hand holding in the fractional world, thank Christ! With tools like fltplan.com and WSI weather machines at most FBOs, it really is not a big deal and beats having to haul around the 15 pages of stuff that I see sitting waiting for Charter crews (Netjets too, for that matter). If you like to know what your schedule is a month in advance, the frac world probably won't fit your lifestyle, otherwise, come on over!

 

Ha! I dont even know what my schedule is a month in advance now @ 121.

 

Netjets newhires start at $3,857. a month base pay, plus another $41. per day perdiem all from day 1 of indoc. 50% employer match on 401k, company pays 100% of medical/dental and vision insurance.

7 on 7 off schedule is great, two 3 week vacations a year starting 1st year.

 

Does that depends on type of a/c. or is like a base pay for 1st year (probation period)... Do they let you know what type of a.c they need staffing or you are assigned one after

 

"If you like to know what your schedule is a month in advance, the frac world probably won't fit your lifestyle"

At most fractionals, with the 7 on/7 off schedule, you can know your schedule forever in advance. You might not know where you're going in those 7 days, but you know which 7 you're working and which 7 you have off. At a regional or somewhere the schedule is bid, you don't know your schedule for the next month until a set date the month before.

 

That is the base pay for 1st year FO, pay is the same for all aircraft, it goes up about 2 thousand a year. Usually average base pay + 10-15% with overtime and holiday pay, you can read the current contract here http://ibt1108.org/01%20PILOTCBA%20N...21,%202005.pdf

Aircraft type is part of the job offer.
The hiring mins are written in stone, have to meet them to get the interview.
http://www.netjets.com/footer_conten...ers_pilots.asp

 

I've seriously considered fractionals, but due to geography my family and parents use my airline's travel bennies a LOT.

 

I've also thought about it alot. I just don't know where to start looking?