Hello fellow pilots,
Let me introduce myself a little bit first, i'm 30 y/o, married with two kids, dual citizenship(US and Taiwan), ASEL, AMEL, IR, CFI, CFII, MEI, instructed 2 years in the US from 2009-2011, currently work for a Taiwanese airline as a A330 FO since 2011, 2000TT/ 1000 on A330, average 70/month, current pay 80K/year after tax(per diem, over time included).
And now i run into a difficult situation,
One of my close friend whose father is a very sucessful business man(top 10 richest guy in Taiwan according to Forbes), asking if im interested in flying their family owned ACJ318 as FO, and want me to find a captain who i feel confortable to fly with. Pay between 95K-100K(not include per diem) after tax/year, average 20hr/month, usually 10 days away from base per month, other 20 days standby, no pop up flight. Need to move to ShangHai, provide house. Upgrade to Captain after 5years, pay rise to 160K.
One good thing(or bad thing) is that my friend who is only 27 want me to be his No.2 guy to run his business together when not flying. For me, this is a very good opportunity for me to develope a 2nd career other than the fragile aviation career.
Now the problem is my wife love the life in the US, and want me to stay with my current company to accumulate flight time so i can apply US major airline.
My question are,
1) how is the US major airline's QOL? especially United/CAL.
2) What is the competative requirement for applying the Majors (I believe no body get hired at the published minimum)
3) any other plan that can get me back to the US besides fly for big airlines but to maintain a similiar income? Fractional, charter, Corporate, etc.
My plan is stay at current position one more year, by that time i should have 2500TT/ 1500 on A330, then apply US majors and go fly my firend's ACJ while waiting, if i get no respond from the Majors, i can start sending resume to fractional or corporates sectors since i will then have some private jet experience on the ACJ.
Please share your thought, im open to any input, just dont want to waste the great opporyunity, and try to find a plan to utilize the chance i have in my hands.
Thanks!