Flying the retired CEO and their family

[falconvalley]

I may have an opportunity to fly a retired CEO and their family in a small Citation. It's a 200ish/year venture with the aircraft being available for Part 135 ops, adding another 200ish/year. The plan is to have a captain qualified manager + a full-time captain and a copilot. I'm thinking my biggest shot is the copilot position, being I have no time in Citations and low turbine PIC.

My biggest concerns are quality-of-life related. If anybody has any advice on this kind of work, please chime in. I'm interested!

[dc3flyer]

I think it all depends on how the 135 flying is managed. I do a similar kind of work, management/charter and my QOL is pretty good. I don't have a schedule (per say) but I usually know at least two or three days out before a trip. I am on the road sometimes one night, sometimes five, but I know before I leave how long I will be gone and usually have a few days off after a long trip.

I have been doing this for a year now, and I have averaged 11 overnights a month and an average of 15 days off (as in completely off) a month. I kind of think it is a good gig.

[falconvalley]

That's good to hear! I've heard a few horror stories. It's nice to hear something positive.

[CK]

Originally Posted by falconvalley

That's good to hear! I've heard a few horror stories. It's nice to hear something positive.

Very few pilots ever talk about the positive side of their jobs. Flying for a private family with 135 on the side could be great or it could be a nightmare. Luckily it sounds like you will have three pilots, so you should be able to have guarenteed days off. In corporate flying the amount of hours you are going to fly means very little. I flew about 800 hours in 2007, but averaged about 20 nights in my own bed each month, including two months with no flying at all because the airplane was down for MX. So far this year I have flown about exactly 400 hours (well actually 400.9) and have not had an over night trip since July 2nd. However, we do not fly 135 on the side.

The other side to that could be flying two hours to Florida on Monday, sitting there until Friday and then flying home. You would only fly about 300 hours per year, but you would almost never be home. With most flight departments if you will be away from home for more than four days, they airline you home. My boss will just let me take the airplane home if he will be staying for more than four days. It really all boils down to how good the chief pilot is at getting benefits for the pilots and how well the CEO is willing to take care of his pilots.

One more thing, if you have an ATP you would be insurable in the left seat of a Citation.

Alex.

[falconvalley]

Originally Posted by Citationkid

Very few pilots ever talk about the positive side of their jobs. Flying for a private family with 135 on the side could be great or it could be a nightmare. Luckily it sounds like you will have three pilots, so you should be able to have guarenteed days off. In corporate flying the amount of hours you are going to fly means very little. I flew about 800 hours in 2007, but averaged about 20 nights in my own bed each month, including two months with no flying at all because the airplane was down for MX. So far this year I have flown about exactly 400 hours (well actually 400.9) and have not had an over night trip since July 2nd. However, we do not fly 135 on the side.

The other side to that could be flying two hours to Florida on Monday, sitting there until Friday and then flying home. You would only fly about 300 hours per year, but you would almost never be home. With most flight departments if you will be away from home for more than four days, they airline you home. My boss will just let me take the airplane home if he will be staying for more than four days. It really all boils down to how good the chief pilot is at getting benefits for the pilots and how well the CEO is willing to take care of his pilots.

One more thing, if you have an ATP you would be insurable in the left seat of a Citation.

Alex.

Definitely good to know. Thanks Alex!

[JDE]

Originally Posted by Citationkid

It really all boils down to how good the chief pilot is at getting benefits for the pilots and how well the CEO is willing to take care of his pilots.

All good advice Alex. This one is definately a big one. Until recently, I worked for a CP who pretty much took whatever the company offered him - never negotiated anything. Now that he's gone, we have to try to convince the CEO why we need more money - which won't be an easy task since he's used to the pilots taking whatever they offered.