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Leave a great corporate job for major?

Old 05-21-2015, 08:57 AM
  #31  
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I did the jump from a similar gig into a major, best thing I could have ever done in my life, and the only negative is that I did not do it before.
QOL is subjective, to me the control of my schedule, freedom to work more or less as I chose, and un-stressful work day is far superior than the one in a corporate.
As far as quantitative analysis, things like remuneration, retirement, amount of real days off, safety statistics, these all blow the corporate jobs off the water, even after the initial pay cut.
I would try everything possible to leave in base, avoid the commute, and you will not believe how easy your life will be. The time and energy that you will have to spare.
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Old 05-21-2015, 09:21 AM
  #32  
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Speaking as a corporate chief pilot, go; as my prior life chief pilot told me. Unfortunately for me, that airline disappeared.

Yes, there are pros and cons to both, but, if you are youngish, go to UAL ( awful management and history, indeed), move near a base and don't look back. The "numbers" strongly back the decision and, once you adjust to the different life, you won't miss it.

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Old 05-21-2015, 01:35 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by BoilerUP View Post
Last year I left a great light cabin 91 Chief Pilot job for a major airline.

I loved my former job and boss, but the decision was a no-brainer...even with the radical lifestyle change.

In my corporate job, I flew about 350-400hr/yr between a Citation and a Cirrus. I "worked" 12-15 days per month, rarely on weekends. Most of our trips were scheduled weeks in advance. AMEX Platinum for expenses, stay/eat wherever we wanted on the road, family allowed to travel with on the plane if space was available, etc. QOL was exceptionally high.

However, it was a small privately owned company with a HARD working owner-founder-CEO-HMFIC who a decade earlier had heart surgery. He was extremely healthy and an active runner, but I felt that if he was hit by a bus tomorrow, I didn't know if I'd have a job next week. In my early 30s with a couple young kids at home, I didn't want to be in my early 40s with nearly two decades flying Citations just to find myself out of a job and having missed ten years of boom hiring.

This is, of course, to say nothing of the very significant delta in potential career earnings, especially for somebody with 25+ years remaining.

I had previous 121 regional experience so I was very familiar with the ins and outs of airline life - for somebody without any airline experience, it is a HUGE culture shock compared to 91. I'm fortunate that my commute to work is cake. The probationary pay cut was quite significant, but prior planning mitigated its impact and once on second year pay I'm money ahead.

I very much enjoyed my 91 job, and if I was still there I'd be happy...but I have absolutely zero regrets about my decision to go. That said, if the decision involved a messy multiple-leg commute to sit reserve (even if just for a year or two) it wouldn't have been the no-brainer that it was for me.

Thankfully we seem to be entering a period where there will be movement, and if a 91 pilot wants to try major 121 and decides they don't like the job, there should be an opportunity to go back into 91.

Good luck with your decision.
Thanks. This sounds very similar to my situation. Uber-wealthy founder-owner-CEO that created an empire and has a love of airplanes. He's 20 years past retirement age though, and I don't know what happens after he's gone.

I will have a messy multiple-leg commute, and that has really complicated my decision. I can't see myself moving anywhere near any of the bases either. My family and I are pretty "dug in" where we live.
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Old 05-21-2015, 01:52 PM
  #34  
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It sounds like you know the pluses and minuses of both worlds. Its a personal decision you need to make with your wife's consent. I could write about how I have the perfect 91 gig but you need to add it up. 121 is what it is. I have no experience with it but I think I wouldn't have fun there. Yes I truly love my current gig and it promises to be the same or better for the future. My wife knows how good it is and would divorce me if I left.

Happy wife, happy life.
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Old 05-24-2015, 12:00 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by USMCFLYR View Post
For those with experience working under both systems....why does an expense account beat out per-diem?
My airline pays $2.15/hour for per diem while on duty. For the flying I do at the airline, I have to pay very close attention to keep three meals/snacks, etc. within that budget while out on a trip.

My corporate position on the other hand, had no limitations as to how much money I spent on breakfast, lunch or dinner and I never went into my own pocket to feed myself. That's not to say that there wasn't a reasonableness test put on our spending, but an occasional dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House wasn't out of the ordinary.
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Old 05-25-2015, 07:17 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by Alighted View Post
My airline pays $2.15/hour for per diem while on duty. For the flying I do at the airline, I have to pay very close attention to keep three meals/snacks, etc. within that budget while out on a trip.

My corporate position on the other hand, had no limitations as to how much money I spent on breakfast, lunch or dinner and I never went into my own pocket to feed myself. That's not to say that there wasn't a reasonableness test put on our spending, but an occasional dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House wasn't out of the ordinary.
As has been said, the decision is partly a question of QOL on the road vs. QOL at home. (And yes, I have been in both worlds)
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Old 05-25-2015, 09:01 AM
  #37  
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I hope my response can add a little of bother worlds to this thread.

12 years UAL. resigned my seniority to go corporate(fortune 25.
I was 1/2 way up UAL seniority list when I resigned shortly after 9-11.
Corporate after 10 years was great pay and what I would term great long term stability at this department. All true in the stability department except for one thing I thought would never come into play, a boss who could turn your world upside down overnight. Here today gone tomorrow. The definition of a true at will employee.
About 300-350 hours a year, 60%international. All the great perks everyone mentioned. Good Amount of time off but you never could predict your schedule more than 2 weeks out.
I'm now back at UAL. PART 121 operations are mundane compared to the 91 world where you are doing lots more. I will now commute and be gone more.
However, I miss the security of an airline and a union. I realize furloughed pilots might say otherwise. As I found out the hard way, job security in the 91 world is a reach at best. Best to you.
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Old 05-25-2015, 05:23 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by steepturn View Post
Thanks. This sounds very similar to my situation. Uber-wealthy founder-owner-CEO that created an empire and has a love of airplanes. He's 20 years past retirement age though, and I don't know what happens after he's gone.
I know of one guy's situation which sounded a bit like yours, so this may help.

If they are interested in assuring you that your needs are met (i.e. there is stability after the patriarch passes), have them pay for a $x,xxx,xxx life insurance policy on said patriarch with YOU as beneficiary. My friend's situation was where he has a special relationship with the family, and they wanted ONLY him and a FO of his choice to fly their plane, but if you can work that into your compensation it could help give you piece of mind.

I've done 91, 135 and 121. They all have their ups and downs (no pun intended!). There's no stability in ANY aviation job IMHO.

Good luck!
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Old 05-25-2015, 05:34 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by steepturn View Post
This is the biggest decision of my life so far. I have a GREAT part 91 corporate job... fly 200hrs/yr, spend less than 40 nights away from home per year, close to home, see my family most nights, nice folks to work with, low stress, although I do have to go to hangar every day even if not flying. Kind of like an office job where I fly occasionally. I don;t know it's long-term future though.

Long story short... I'm now in the pool at a legacy carrier.

Has anyone here left a needle-in-a-haystack, great 91 gig for a major, or vise-verse (left a major for a great corporate)?

I'm super excited about finally getting to a major, but reality is starting to sink in. Airline will be commuting and a lot more flying (i.e, gone more nights). Where I am now is more day-to-day work but home just about every night. If I let the major go, I will probably regret it someday. Hmmm... has anyone switched (either way) and regretted it (or not regretted it)? just curious. Thanks
I'm preparing for a similar career move. I would surpass my current pay in year 2 at a Legacy and would be able to move to my Wife's hometown. She will nearly triple her pay which would make up for the initial paycut. Seems like a no-brainer.
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Old 05-25-2015, 05:37 PM
  #40  
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This is a great thought and I'm in a similar situation. The only problem with the life insurance policy is it does nothing for you if they outright sell the plane or the boss gets sick with an illness that doesn't allow anymore travel so you're on the street anyway. And then the insurance policy is cancelled and means nothing anyway. There's a lot of variables to consider when they dangle that carrot.

Originally Posted by F9 Driver View Post
I know of one guy's situation which sounded a bit like yours, so this may help.

If they are interested in assuring you that your needs are met (i.e. there is stability after the patriarch passes), have them pay for a $x,xxx,xxx life insurance policy on said patriarch with YOU as beneficiary. My friend's situation was where he has a special relationship with the family, and they wanted ONLY him and a FO of his choice to fly their plane, but if you can work that into your compensation it could help give you piece of mind.

I've done 91, 135 and 121. They all have their ups and downs (no pun intended!). There's no stability in ANY aviation job IMHO.

Good luck!
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