soldierboy

All,
1. Does anyone know if you would make more money and be able to work more hours/week flying for a corporate company, rather than work for a regional airline?

2. Can an aviator get a good paying corporate pilot job straight out of flight school with a fortune 100 company or one that pays alot more than regional airline companies?

3. Are there any aviators that have worked for corporate companies AND regional airlines on this forum to give me some info?

Thanks

RynoB

1. Depends on the corporation and regional, but yes it is possible.

2. Highly unlikely, but corporate flying is more about who you know than what you know. Network, Network, Network.

3. I'm not one of them, but I know there are several here who have done both types of flying.

ebuhoner

Going to a Corporate is like going to a Major airline... you need to be on the regionals first, get your minimums (which are lower than a Major) and leave unless you are happy at the regional you are working at. Im not an airline pilot, but that's the way it seems to be... there is a guy around here that works for NetJets he says he would never change NetJets for anything... you can do the math.

Jose.

FlyHappy

Since you said corporate and not fractional, I'll give my best answers for corporate flying since the two are very different animals.

1. Make more money -- maybe, depends on the flight department. However, keep in mind even if you start out at higher pay in a corporate flight department, there are fewer raises or opportunities for advancement than in 121/91k. Fly more hours -- in almost all cases, not likely. Corporate operators tend to fly significantly less than 121/135/91k. In fact, there's several corporate outfits that fly only around 120 hours/year. In these cases, the owner(s) have big $$$ and like the idea of their own personal jet even if it doesn't make the most sense economically.

2. Almost certainly not, unless you want to go with one of the very low end 135 business jet outfits -- and in my opinion with almost everyone of those, you'd be better off going to the regionals even if you objective was to end up eventually in corporate flying. You'd receive much better treatment, pay, benefits at the regionals and be in a good position to go to the fractionals from there to begin moving into corporate flying it that is your desire than going with one of the low end 135 places that might hire a CFI as an SIC. I don't know of any reputable corporate operation that would even touch a pilot right out of flight school. You have to understand in the corporate world min hours and ratings are all driven by the insurance companies. As a minimum, most corporate operations won't touch pilots who do not already have a type rating on that operator's airplane, several thousand hours TT, some time on type, and commensurate MEL time just to hit the high points.

3. Haven't worked for regionals, but know many people who have. Have worked for fractionals and now pure corporate. Biggest advice I'd have is not to get totally focused on $$$, but to instead take a look at QOL. 121/135/91k/corporate are all completely different types of flying with very different pros and cons. Some people love 121 and hate 91k and corporate when they try it. On the other hand, some people love the business jet side of flying and would never consider trading places with a major airline captain. It all comes down to what you enjoy and what fits best for what you want out of your career. The worst thing too many people seem to do is focus only on the $$$. For example, if you're making good money, but flying with owners and other pilots you can't stand, hate being on call 24/7, being an a-- kisser, then you'd probably be miserable in a corporate flight department. On the flip side, you may make less money than 121, but be flying for an awesome owner and working with great guys and having a great QOL schedule. Despite what some people seem to think, there's more to flying than just money.

Good luck!

BoilerUP

FlyHappy said most of what I wanted to say....

I left Air Wisconsin after just under 2 years in the right seat of the RJ for a pure 91 job as a co-captain on a 24 year old Citation II. I got to move back to the EXACT location my wife and I wanted to live in and my compensation was equal to if I had stayed at AWAC and upgraded. Most importantly to me, my QOL is outstanding...something even living in domicile at AWAC couldn't provide me.

Normally it is VERY difficult to make a jump from 121, especially a regional, to a corporate job. Why? One word-networking. The only reason I got my job was because I had strong recommendations from two friends (one current and one former pilot for them) to the owner. Its kinda hard to network for a corporate job by sitting in a crewroom in PHL, ATL or ORD, and its not as simple as walking into a Million Air somewhere and handing out resumes.

Ever heard the term "airline stink"? Corp operators often are biased against airline folks because their old airline habits die hard, and they lack the required customer service abilities (think concierge) to succeed in the job. Driving the airplane is easy....but most everything else (being your own dispatch/scheduling/mx control) is foreign. That bias isn't always fair, but its out there. Going from a regional to a 135 operator or a fractional for a year or two, as previously mentioned, is a great way to "wash" away the "stink".

90% of the time, the only way you are even considered for a F500 job (definitely a F100 job) is by having networked extensively AND having a strong resume. You may have the first part, but coming straight out of flight school odds are strong you'll substantially lack on the second part. A regional can serve a means to that end by quickly providing quality multi-turbine time, but you've got to develop and maintain the relationships you've made in 91/135 while working at a regional for it to be of any real benefit to you.

A corporate job does not automatically mean you'll be satisfied with your career. There are lots of crappy corporate jobs, many decent/good ones, but very few GREAT ones. I'm REALLY happy in my position and will only leave voluntarily for that great "brass ring" job...

FlyHappy

Those are two excellent points I neglected to mention. Networking is totally the key in corporate flying. Most flight departments are so small, they only want to bring in people they already know and like. Almost all that I know of want to see time in business jets before they would even consider someone.

The point about corporate flight departments being adverse to 121 folk is also right on. For whatever reason, most corporate operators have gotten it in their heads that former airline captains do not make the best corporate pilots. Again, this comes down to the fact that as a corporate pilot, you run the show by yourself. There is no crew scheduling to take care of meals and hotels, no pax services to arrange the boss's rental car, no dispatch to take care of WX and flight planning, etc, etc -- it's all up to you. I'm not saying I think that's the right attitude, just passing that it IS the attitude in the corporate world.

rickair7777

This is tough to compare. Money, good chance you can start better than a regional. Flying time...in corporate you will almost certainly fly less and work more. There will be more non-flying duties and down-time between legs than in airlines. You could do a 45 flight, spend 8-10 hours sitting around at millionaire, and then fly home. You may also be on call a lot (I have a friend who is always the designated driver for this reason). This is all highly variable based on who you work for. For this reason corporate pilots tend to get paid salary or a daily flat rate as opposed to per flight-hour.

But once you're in corporate, flight time is not that important...your next job is more dependent on who you know. If you want to fly for a major airline, the regionals are the quickest, and most reliable, way to do that. If I did to go into corporate someday, it will be because I intend to stay there.

Sbaker1595

its like trying to compare apples and gold plated oranges

TwinTurboPilot

This is my opinion only, I think a good middle ground is a 135/management outfit. Its where I started I had more than one opportunity to go to a straight 91 outfit with great QOL and pay, stay in 135 long enough and your competitive at the majors, and probably even more competitive at the fractionals since its essentially the same thing, and the regionals for the time being at least are always hiring and it dosent take much to be competetive there. Now QOL usually is not to great at places like this but it makes a good stepping stone.

Deez340

It all my years in the business I have never met a major airline pilot that came straight from 135 only. (notwithstanding the regional guys who got on before "one level of safety" and regionals all became 121) Not to say that a minuscule minority might exist, but telling someone to stay at a 135 long enough and they'll be competitive at the majors is horrible career advice. Maybe if your Dad is the VP of Flight Ops..... even then.