Hello,

I know this is a strange question, but I've been considering becoming a corporate pilot. By the time I apply for jobs, I'll I have my ratings (PPL, IFR, Commercial, Multi-Engine, CFI and CFII), but I was wondering if the company trains you in the aircraft you are going to fly or if you are expected to have prior experience when you try to get into the "corporate world"?

Thank you!

Depends entirely upon the individual operation.

Many operators like to, prefer to, or even only hire pilots who are typed in their aircraft to save training costs.

IMO, a "good" operation hires a person and not their type rating; if the "right person" is typed then its a bonus, if not then they go to school as the cost of doing business.

To sum up: do NOT spend tens of thousands of dollars to buy a type rating in the hope it will get you a job as an entry-level pilot, that almost never is a smart financial decision.

There's no single right way to do things, especially in the corporate world. Corporate aviation jobs are often snagged due to networking. So, that's your first big clue- NETWORK!!!

If you're flight instructing at an FBO, start chatting up pilots who are based there or who are there on trips. Get to know them, be likeable and show them you're a smart, honest person. It could go a long way some day.

Corporate flight departments typically want a bit of experience, but again, this isn't always the rule. Sometimes they'll bring those with lower time in and have them sit right seat for a couple of years. Some will pay for your training (type ratings), while others will require a type rating already or have you sign a training contract.

Gotta run, so not much time to expand on anything, but I'm sure others will chime in. Good luck, and don't forget to network!

Any decent job will train you, training costs are a small portion of a budget, and any sane manager knows it's far cheaper to hire the great person and pay 50K to train them as opposed to hire a real jerk, save 50K, and be stuck with him...

That being said, the competition for the better jobs is, and always will be, pretty tough. Many that apply or are being pushed internally have the ratings and experience.

Best advice I can give - fly like crazy, build hours fast, and seek PIC time. Don't get stuck swinging gear in a fancy plane. You need to be the Captain (not co-Captain)....and if corporate still winds up being your goal in a few years, it definitely helps to live near the corporate jobs! locals always have the connections.

Good Luck!

Best advice I was ever given, "We hire the Person and train the skill." This came from a D.O. at a Fortune 100 flight department.

Now, you still can't get the job unless you have experience and connections. So fly your ass off, take the flights that you really don't want to, network with everyone, and be kind and respectful to everyone you meet. You never know who you just sat down next to at an FBO. Good luck, and for heavens sake, don't pay for a type rating for a job you don't have.

wp

The best thing you can do is (like you said) get that CFI, CFII, MEI, and instruct your ass off! I haven't been to an interview yet that didn't respect the hell out of at least a few years of instructing and good instructing references! Every interview I've been to involved a few CFI stories and I have gotten the job after EVERY interview I've had. Getting lucky and networking have NEVER worked for me as I'm not a social butterfly with connections. I'm NOT following in daddy's footsteps. Many pilots are analytical, numbers and logic, left brained people! However, chances are your chief instructor has those connections and loves flying enough to have been to the jets, maybe even in war, flown with hundreds of other pilots, been all over the world, made 6 figures, and retired to instruct again. That's love, brother! That chief instructor will see you paying your dues every day in the freezing cold, in the humid, broiling heat, and being a counselor, mentor, cheerleader, and tutor to those struggling students, even the ones that "just tried to kill you". They'll know that flying means more than a paycheck and status to you and they'll step forward for you wherever you go! Most interview panels will have an ex chief instructor. As far as swinging gear, in my experience, captains will take turns as PF/PNF. FOs just "swinging gear" and reading checklists is a bygone/dying practice in the US. Nothing, not networking, not daddy, will prepare you better than not only mastering the basics, but having TAUGHT them, not only as far as skill, but also in terms of the RESPECT you will get from EVERY interview panel. If you love flying, flying will love you back.

Networking is everything in corporate aviation...I worked a line service job at an airport that had no less than 40 corporate jet movements a day...Most of the line guys had their Ratings and we all found our way into Jets quickly...Some good jobs some not, but it was better than instructing...The CFI's all waited for a Line job to open up because they knew that was the fastest way into a flight department Jet...And the Line Service Job paid better then instructing...

Network, Network, Network!

simuflite. fsi

Fixed it for you.