B737NG or Global Express

[Captain_MAYDAY]

Hi all,

Good old dilemma here, all the comments welcomed:

I´m currently flying as a Captain on a B737NG (Charter flights, summer Mediterranean and winter Canary Islands mainly) and now I have been offered a Captain position on a Global Express.

I have never been flying corporate jets so I don´t know that side of the aviation but I am very intrested to find it out.

How do you guys and girls feel? Especially you who have made the same move from Airline to Corporate world, was it worth it?

Regards

C.Mayday

[727 exec]

I'd hate to be unhelpful, but to follow the lead of the esteemed Mr Jenvey, try searching this forum and you'll find that there are (and have been) many, many people in a similar position.

I guess my question is always, do you know what you're giving up (usually rosters) and getting into (hanging around, carrying bags, emptying the water etc).

Have a look at the various comments made going back to 2001, edit them to reflect that there are currently a reasonable number of corporate aircraft wanting crews, and pm if you want to get an opinion from a 20 something year veteran of 'this' world.

[flying headbutt]

I think it's got very little to do with the aircraft & everything to do with the company/owner you'll be flying for - roster pattern etc..... talking to mates who are Captains on corporate heavy metal it could be one of the best jobs out there....or one of the worst. There do seem to be a lot of shabby outfits out there who treat their employees like ****e so caveat emptor, it depends what you're giving up I suppose.:hmm:

[Iver]

Are there many Globals operating in Europe in case you lost this Global job later? Is type worth anything in Europe? Nice airplane and probably many new destinations worldwide. Pay would have to be much higher than current 737NG pay for added risk and big change in lifestyle.

[galaxy flyer]

I've got about 10 years of Corporate (currently an OEM) and 4 years with a defunct airline in the US. I always thought getting a Corporate job more like getting married than anything else. Who you choose to work with will drive everything else in your life-schedule, time off, RON locations, friends. BUT, as opposed to an airline, you will be spending your time away from home with a small group of people. Every meal, every hotel check-in, every day off downroute will be with them. Can you get along or will their every habit, opinion, food preferences or not?

For me, the upside of Corporate is the fact that you are very much an Entrepreneur instead of an employee. This varies with operator, but you are much more on your own, go someplace different every trip and, likely visit places you would never go to otherwise. 20 day/month sounds like the high side of average (US, probably closer to 14-16, sometimes less). With the right owner, it can be a "rock star" life, or just a drag. If it's the Global I'm thinking of-very nice passengers in my one experience.
GF

[globallocal]

If you don't take the job let me know. Global Captain and looking for work in Europe. Oz based at the moment, looking for a change for a few years while the family is still young.
Thanks GL.

[Captain_MAYDAY]

Thanks for the comments.

Yes I did the search before posting, founded couple of intresting threads...

Yes I am very aware what I´m going to give up if I´ll take the postion... I will give up the same routes I´ve been flying last 10years, driving 190 drunken hooligans back and forth etc etc. The company I´m about to leave is OK but not perfect...Just a medium size charter company, lot of roster changes, sometimes "fighting" with the operations about duty/rest times etc. Pay is (almost) always on time:ok:.

727 exec wrote: "carrying bags, emptying the water etc"

Yes I am aware that this is a part of the corporate pilots job description... But is it really so bad to carry a few luggage, empty the waters and place a covers to engines, pitots etc? I will not mind that at all.

I know that the schedules change way more often in corporate world than in airlines and sometimes you might have to wait for the customers looong times...But still I´m in away to intrested to find out, at least then I can say was it woth it to change...Still would like to hear opinions from ex-airline pilots who made the change to corporate, Do you regret it and why?

[Bomba]

The luggage and water duties are not too bad once you get use to them. Usually there are no schudules and you are usually given a few days to plan a flight and Christmas holidays are usually in the Carribbean or somewhere nice but WORKING. Normally you will fly less then 500 hours a year but long periods of non-flying duty time. Got to get use to the lifestyle and alot depends on the Principal or ownwer:rolleyes::)

[wileydog3]

It's not the airplane but the outfit you work for that will be the deciding factor. And it is not just carrying bags or putting on engine covers.

My trek was military, charter businessjets, airline and now back to businessjets but ours is just company-owned, not charter. The guys we fly are bigwigs but they do not push us on duty limits or wx or other safety factors. Yes, I know that seems obvious but more than a few outfits will tell you, "You get us there or we can find someone else."

What you will find coming from airline ops to individual ops is, of course, you are basically on your own. Fuel, catering, dealing with unexpected maint issues.. how much leeway will you have and how much is currently being done by some other entity.

And of course, you will be much closer to your pax.. not just some 190 drunks but 3-6 people and possibly their spouses. Oddly enough, the spouses can be more of a problem than the primaries. But one guy likes a certain type of scotch and another one wants Coca-Cola and NOT Pepsi. So, there is a lot more attention to detail.

As for regretting it? I retired so that is not an issue but with the current pushing and shoving here in the States among the airlines with potential mergers, etc, and with many of the contracts being gutted.. and with many of the guys doing 18-20 days a month, I have no desire to go back to the airline environment. I miss the crews but that is about all.

[jetopa]

This might be a tough one for you, but for me the facts are cystal-clear: you do assume a higher level of responsibility for the entire product you're offering the customer. You become - besides being the Commander - your own ramp agent, maintenance coordinator, dispatcher, catering supervisor etc. All depedent upon the level of service that the company is furnishing.

This does not have to be scary - it can be challenging though.

Besides aircraft and destinations to be served, it is much more important, whom you fly for. There are some nouveau-riches out there, whose behaviour is less than civilized, who ruin the interior, who give a s... about regulations, who harrass the cabin crew and whom you don't want to see again in your nice and shiny airplane.

On top of that, you want to make sure that regular recurrent training is no problem and a set of common-sense SOPs are being followed.

I have no experience whatsoever with the airlines and - so far - I have no intentions to join them. Best of luck!