Looking for some input:

Former mil pilot, currently waiting my turn in line for a shot at the majors. I'm in a small city with very few corporate flying opportunities. And those are fairly low paid positions with low turnover.

Is it uncommon for corporate pilots to commute to a larger city where the flight department / aircraft is? Would this be something covered in the contract with the company? Has anyone here actually done this type of setup, and how well did it work out?

Appreciate the feedback.

Thanks,

2x

2X,

Rather rare, most corporates are looking for pilots to reside "within reasonable ground travel"; usually around 2 hours. There are plenty of exceptions, though. We have a guy who commutes to NYC area from ANC. Lots drive up to four hours. FedEx corporate guys can commute, for another example.

GF

Agree with Galaxy Flyer.

Our department requires it's pilots to live no further than 1 1/2 hour's driving distance from our base. If we didn't have that, the pop-up trips would have to be relegated to those who lived close, and that is not fair.

Kevin

I'd think a reputable/big city flight department will sorta read into this. Unless you are willing to move, they aren't going to sink a large portion of their training budget into you. I'd even bet the Fedex corporate guys have a jumpseat ID of some sort. The only jobs that this would be feasible would be a large cabin operation where they needed someone already typed and they'd bite the bullet in the shortterm. Like they said, two hours is the basic standard. Look at the EJM/jet aviation listings. Most require it.

This would be a very unique and rare scenario to have a long term tru commute for a corporate job.

I know of a few guys to "commute" home on a few days when they can sneek away from work. Those guys are doing it temporarily due to selling homes or kids still in school. The employer knows their situation is for a pretty good reason and for a short term.

Good luck on the job hunt!

We fly a couple of large cabin N registered Gulfstreams and all of our pilots commute. However we are a unique flight department since these airplanes stay overseas most of the time. We commute to meet the aircraft wherever it is in the world for a 30 day rotation and then we go home for 30 days. But this is not a traditional flight department. As others have said most operators want their pilots within 1-2 hours from the hangar.

On a side note. If you are viewing a corporate gig as a stepping stone to the majors, don't be disappointed when you get turned down from the good corporate operators. We don't hire type ratings, we hire personalities. We also don't hire guys that are not in it for the long haul. It's a waste of our principal's resources to spend money for training on a guy that is looking for a career in the airlines. My thoughts only, take it as you wish.

GVCPT

Thanks for the replies.

Being a former Chief Pilot/Flight Department Manager I agree with the idea of hiring an individual and not the log book, and that's what I did for our two mid sized jet flight department. But I will disagree with your statement saying the industry doesn't hire type ratings. I closed our operation down in 2009, and could not find a job flying any jet. All the companies that were hiring wanted current in type! Even talked to a scumbag charter Chief Pilot who put the type I flew for the last 11 years in my back yard, but said he would not hire me cause I was not current. Eventually I found a job flying a Boeing 767 internationally, but was still looking to get back to the Corporate world, and again ran into the must be current in type problem.

I called many a Chief Pilot, all over the country, who were operating Hawkers, my 11 year steed, and got the impression they would not hire me because of my former Chief Pilot position. Then I had the Chief Pilot of a Gulfstream operation tell me that I wouldn't be considered since I did not have experience flying large cabin jets, really, at that time I was flying a B767, was typed the 767, 737 and 727. They're pretty big cabins in my opinion.

Amazing, I guess you do have to be born with the G-wiz type to fly one, since Flight Safety must not be able to train you properly in a Gulfstream.

GVCPT, sounds like you have a good gig!

In my experience if a company tells you "we need a type" it is an easier let down then "we don't want to hire you". As for commuting yes there are companies that pay to fly you where ever the aircraft is over seas in shifts but this is not like commuting at the airlines.

Yes, I have a really good gig. Out of the 10 pilots that have worked for my company 5 had previous Gulfstream types and experience. The other 5 were typed by the company. Sound like to me the Chief Pilots that would not hire you because you were a former chief pilot were insecure about the way they do things. I have no problem hiring someone with more experience than me. As someone once said "surround yourself with people smarter than yourself and your job becomes a lot easier." As for the guy that wouldn't hire you because of your lack of experience in a large cabin airplane, I think he was not looking at the big picture. Even though I may not consider a 767 pilot from a 121 setting a good fit in the corporate world (two totally different animals), he should have taken into account your corporate experience in the HS125 plus the 767 time to ascertain your ability to work for his flight department. It does take a special guy to go from a straight 121 environment to a part 91 overseas operation. There is not a lot of hand holding, one must be able to think for themselves and solve problems as they arise (safely and efficiently) without company guidance every step of the way. We do have one guy that came from a totally 121 environment with no prior 91 experience and he has adapted well, but I think he is the exception and not the rule. He had a very open mind coming in and is willing and able to do things for himself. Sorry for the long, drawn out, rambling post, but it is very early in the morning and I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet.
GVCPT