Expectations of Corporate Flying
What Is Life Like Flying As A Corporate Pilot?
Whether It’s called Corporate, Charter, Private, or Business aviation, it is flown under the rules specified in CFR Part 135 or Part 91. This category of aviation encompasses a wide range of flying to include flying for a private company like Pepsi or Costco, it includes flying for a Charter business where a client rents the aircraft for a time, and it includes Fractional companies where clients own a part of an aircraft (like a timeshare) and they can schedule use of it throughout the year.
It can be a small scheduled operation, like a mini airline in a business jet flying the same route weekly, or it could be similar to the majority of these companies and be an on-demand operation. It also includes flying for a family business.
Either way, the primary job of the pilot is to move passengers in comfort whenever and wherever they ask.
Training
To fly for a Part 135 company, you will need to be sent for specific aircraft training using that companies Ops Specs, checklists, call outs, etc. This is typically accomplished via a Part 142 training facility, such as Flight Safety or CAE, and encompasses ground and flight training with a checkride at the end.
Orientation
Typically once hired, you will complete company wide training and orientation to familiarize yourself with the overall operations.
Schedules
There are good and bad aviation companies to work for and each one is different in their operations. Generally, you are on the hook a certain number of days each week or month, such as 15/13, 12/10 or 7/7 (days on vs days off) or you work for a company that expects on-call service and you will have random drop down flights. These operations can have you home most nights or they could keep you on the road for the entire 12 days you are on the schedule, it varies with each company. At fractional operations, you tend to fly your butt off and could have a very busy lifestyle.
How much control you have over your schedule is company dependent.
Pay & Benefits
These companies may pay close to airline pay, but you generally will work more hours and you get your hands dirty running the entire process instead of just jumping in the cockpit and departing.
Some companies pay via salary and others pay only via hours flown. The salary gigs are some of the best, especially if the owner/company doesn’t fly that often.
With the right type ratings and experience, you can find some great jobs out there that pay really, really well and you are gone a minimum number of days a year. Some of these gigs pay greater then senior airline pilot pay or they come with great benefits such as the ability to use the jet at your own convenience. Some companies allow home-basing and will pay to fly you to the aircraft and back when your schedule is over.
You don’t have to show up with a type rating anymore either. The need for pilots is so great right now, most companies are paying for your type rating training and many are not even requiring a training contract.
Quality of Life
Corporate companies may have a flight planning department if they are a larger operation or the flight planning could be completely up to the crew to complete. The crews normally work directly with the clients, so they carry baggage, pick up food and drinks, clean up after the clients and generally cater to the passengers. Unless you are flying the large corporate aircraft, you will probably not see a flight attendant. Pilots who fly this kind of operation generally enjoy the close contact with the clients and the hands on aspect of the flying operation. In the Corporate world, there is not much job protection and there are no unions (except for NetJets).
If you fly for a family business, you can have a much more personal relationship with the owners but you rely 100% on the owners for the job. This means that if something happens to them, the business has troubles, the economy dumps, etc, your job could be very much in jeopardy.
Flying for a Charter or Fractional has more job safety because you don’t fly for a single owner. Your job will not just disappear if an owner passes away.