Q: I plan to retire this summer from the U.S. Air Force with 4,000 hours of flight time, most of which is in jets. I’m trying to decide what direction in aviation to take. Corporate flying appeals to me based on the premise that you are flying to different places all the time and, in general, it is more interesting flying than the airlines. I have been told that it is very hard to break into that industry and usually requires 500 hours in type to get hired. Is this true, and can you provide any advice? Also, I’m having difficulty determining the typical pay range. I don’t expect to make as much as the majors, but I do need to make enough to support my family. Thanks!
A: You are a blessed man! Some 4,000 hours, mostly in jets, should be your ticket to just about any professional flying career that suits your fancy.
There are essentially three ways to satisfy your goals of flying business jets: traditional corporate flying, a career with jet management companies, or fractional flying. You are certainly correct that breaking into a corporate flight department with high-end jet equipment—and a salary that goes with it—isn’t easy. An ATP and time in type are musts. The essential strategy is networking, which also can provide information on hiring minimums.
Think about it. If you are the aviation director of a sizeable corporate flight department, turnover is probably quite low. When someone does leave or retire, that manager will ask his pilots, “Say, do you know anyone who is a good stick?” Sure, it may be a long shot that your résumé will be retrieved from the stack, but knowing someone is a good thing for career advancement. Perhaps some of your Air Force buddies are now flying the big iron and can help. But, also consider downsides such as being on call when the boss gets the urge to fly; long layovers while the brass tends to business for days at a time; jets become expendable when profits deteriorate.
The next possibility is flying for a large jet management company. Stop by any big general aviation airport such as Oakland County International in Pontiac, Michigan, or Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, California, and you will find several companies with a stable of jets. Typically, these aircraft are owned by wealthy individuals or companies—when they are not transporting owners and execs, in many instances those same airplanes are being used in FAR Part 135 charter flying. Here, pilots are employed by the management operator, have a fairly predictable schedule, and fly more often because of charter business. Your résumé may have a better chance of floating to the top if you don’t have any internal connections.
Finally, there are the large fractional companies such as NetJets. Flying for this kind of company would be my personal first choice. NetJets pilots fly great equipment, have very predictable schedules, and get into a wide variety of airports. They fly often; they can live just about anywhere; and they interact with the rich and famous. Certainly, hiring at these companies has peaks and valleys, but as the economy improves, the demand for this type of personal travel should increase.
As for salaries, much like the airlines, pay truly is a caste system based upon the size of equipment flown. Certainly, pay can be well into six figures for tenured captains on large machines, but for first officers, these are typical: Falcon 2000—$65,000; Gulfstream G200—$52,000; Lear 31—$38,000; King Air 300 (captain)—$52,000. The Internet is full of information on corporate flying, including job postings and salary surveys. Dig in!
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