QOL Questions

[Coney]

Okay. I find myself pondering career paths, lately. I instruct at an airport that allows me to see a lot of corporate/fractional pilots in the terminal building (i.e., pilots of Citations, Lears, Falcons, etc.). I wonder what the QOL is like. How's the money? How often are they away from home? I must say, it seems like pretty decent life.

Then I consider the QOL of regional airline pilots. I already know the starting salary is awfully weak, but do the regionals offer things that offset such a low income? Is the QOL better or worse than that of the GA pilot?

So, here's the fundamental question that I'm wrestling with: Should I accrue a couple hundred more hours and begin applying to the regionals, or should I hold out for the 135 minimums and try for a fractional/corporate job? Any info or opinions from those who know is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!! -- JJC

[TXaviator]

seems like apples and oranges to me

theyre both flying jobs, but theyre not really the same thing.

do whichever one you would prefer waking up to every day.

[Bandit_Driver]

It really all depends on what you want to fly. Do you want to fly a couple of big wigs around in small (relatively speaking) plane or do you want to fly larger equipment of the airlines.

Getting hired will be easier into the regionals than into corporate aviation, unless you already have an in.

I have flown 135 cargo and pax and 121 pax and cargo and it all comes down to who you work for. My best jobs, so far, have been flying in the regionals and now on large cargo aircarft. In my current job I have acceptable pay and benifits and usually have 15+ days off a month. I have been averaging less than 20 hours per month. Living in base is also a plus since I often get assigned home reserve which is another big QOL +.

[kellwolf]

I agree. I don't think I could do the corporate thing since most of the jobs would actually have me away from my family longer than the regional job I have now does. I like the flight benefits I have, and the health benefits are tons better than what my wife had through Starbucks. The fractional/corporate world is sorta hit and miss there, which I think is one of the reasons that they pay better.

It really depends on what you're looking to get out of the job, and everyone is gonna be looking at different things.

[Airdale]

This is a good question, and I ponder it all the time. For me, QOL is much more important then pay. Money is....well money. Its green...its paper...it buys you things....pays the bills. But people are human beings. And being home, spending time with my soon to be wife and raising a family are more important to me then money or flying. I'd never give up a family to fly a shiney jet.

I've been told that's the wrong mentality to have in this industry, but I was raised that way. Jobs will come and go as will money and things you buy with it. But family will always be there. I'm willing to sacrifice the pay, the 3-4 day trips, long hours and over nights in the beginning, but I'm not sacrificing a family life for it. I've sacrificed enough during my service in the military and the 6 months I spent away getting my ratings. I'm a pilot, always will be. A job is a job. I'd love nothing more then to have a great job flying airplanes and have a great family life, but I won't give up everything to fly jets. I can not afford to move outside of the NJ/PA/NY/DE area. My fiance is a special education school teacher here and honestly she makes more then I will in my first 5 years as a Regional pilot. So I'm not going to move her somewhere else for a Regional Airline. I can't afford to support her and its not what she wants. So....I'll continue to build time and hope that I can work for Express or Air Whiskey based out of EWR or PHL. If that doesn't work, maybe something Corporate will come along.

The bottom line is, I love to fly and I'll give it a shot for a few years while I'm still young and just hope the cards get dealt in my favor. If not, I'll always be a pilot and enjoy flying, but maybe I'll have to do something else to make the green paper. I guess it all boils down to your own values and what you want.