Corporate vs. Airlines

     For me, there are a multitude of differences between corporate aviation and airlines. One of the more significant differences is the schedules. Airline pilots usually know their schedule on a month to month basis. They can plan events a little further out and usually have more of a say in which days they have off as they gain seniority. On the corporate side it does vary, but more often than not, corporate pilots are on call and have to show up at the airport at a certain time. In more extreme cases, they are on call 24 hours a day and have to show up to the airport on very short notice. Again, this varies from company to company, but for the most part, corporate pilots are on call much like being on reserve for the airlines. 

     As far as pay is concerned, the airlines have a much wider pay scale. What that means is that first year first officers make significantly less than a senior captain. In most cases, the most senior pilots at major airlines will make more than corporate captains. There is a trade off, however. Corporate pilots can start off much higher than airline first officers. Another major consideration is the fact that airline pilot pay is strictly seniority based. If you were the most senior captain at your previous airline and decided to switch, you would start off at first year FO pay. On the corporate side, there is room for negotiating your salary and being paid commensurate with your experience. In other words, it can be a lot easier of a decision to change jobs if something better comes along. 

     For the argument of whether or not corporate aviation departments actually save money or not is up for debate. This argument is based upon the high costs of an aviation department and whether or not they are an actual necessity or simply for show. I tend to believe that they do help save companies money, but only if the company is extremely profitable and does a significant amount of business across a large area that is too big for driving. Even fractional ownership with companies such as NetJets can be a definite boost in terms of making business connections. With companies that use their own flight department, it offers the flexibility of getting out, meeting with people, discussing business, and closing deals in a much timelier manner than waiting at the airport, and picking flights that may have layovers. 

     An excellent corporate aviation company I came across is Clay Lacy Aviation. They have pilot bases in California, Washington, Colorado and Florida. They have a very diverse fleet of aircraft including: Boeing, Embraer, Gulfstream, Dassault, Cessna, and Learjet. They have multiple openings for both Captains and First officers and have the following requirements. PIC- 4000 hrs total, 3000 hrs pic, 1500 multi-engine time. SIC- 1500 hrs total, 500 multi-engine. This will definitely be a company I will apply for when I have the necessary hours. 

https://www.claylacy.com/flight-crew-careers

http://pilotcareercenter.com/Air-Carrier-PCC-Profile/1366/Clay+Lacy+Aviation

NextGen

     NextGen, or next generation air transportation system, is a new, revolutionary airspace system designed to enhance safety and at the same time decrease congestion and make for a more efficient air transportation system. Basically, it is moving from a ground based air traffic system to a satellite based one. It uses satellites to track and position planes and allows them to travel closer together and in a more efficient way. We have already seen some form of NextGen implemented in as many as 1600 airports around the U.S.


     NextGen brings a major change to general aviation as well as commercial aviation. For commercial aviation, the positives are obvious: more efficiency, less delays, and potentially safer flights. There are negatives, however. As NextGen is implemented, there will be a crucial time period in which the transition from how we do things now to NextGen could be too abrupt for airlines and air traffic control. It is taking time and we haven't seen many issues yet, but with a completely new way of doing things comes a lot of unknown factors that are extremely difficult, if not impossible to foresee. Another issue is getting hundreds of airlines around the world on the same page, up to speed, and operating in the exact same way when it comes to NextGen. I think it will be a long process and there will definitely be some hiccups along the way. For general aviation, the future is also a little cloudy. There are positives in that the situational awareness for pilots will be greatly increased. This does come at a significant expense to the pilot, however.


     NextGen will definitely come at a very high cost. No one can really tell how much it will be, but the question remains: Who will pay for it? In my opinion, it should be all those affected by it, namely airlines, passengers, and airports. Part of the funding should come out of the tax when people purchase airline tickets. At the same time, it is difficult to put this huge financial burden squarely on the shoulders of the named parties. I also tend to think the government should chip in as well. It is especially hard to determine how well and safe this whole program will be so to be asking people to pay for something that could turn out bad is also another issue to think about.


     NextGen will hopefully affect my career in a positive way. By the time I become a pilot for a living, hopefully all the issues will be ironed out and we will have a smoothly run and effective system in place. There is a long way to go still so by the time I start my career, hopefully the training departments for airlines will incorporate some sort of NextGen transition or introduction.





http://fedscoop.com/nextgen-implementation-cant-happen-without-stable-funding-experts-say/

A Professional Pilot

       My ideal aviation career position would be as a widebody captain, preferably in the Airbus A380. Ever since seeing a Singapore Airlines A380 depart from JFK International I have dreamt of becoming a captain in that aircraft. As it currently stands, no U.S. carrier operates this aircraft so naturally this takes me overseas. After doing some research and considering the overall compensation packages offered as well as the cost of living in a few of the areas where I would be based, I have decided that Singapore Airlines would be my first choice followed closely by Emirates, Etihad and a few Chinese airlines. My view on becoming a pilot as my career choice is that the bottom line is I love to fly and don't mind moving overseas. In that context, why limit myself to a career in the U.S. when I could find a potentially much better quality of life overseas?

       Unfortunately for me, SIA is in the process of phasing out expats from their ranks (see link). I have also looked into living in Singapore and find that part of the world very exciting and appealing to me. There is also the opportunity of going to work for Etihad Airways which is another option for me. Although the cost of living is quite high in Abu Dhabi where Etihad is based, they are hiring pilots with much lower qualifications than the likes of the U.S. major airlines and they also pay relatively well (see link).

       There are definitely some concerns I have about working overseas for any carrier. One is that I would be looked upon by the citizens, airline management, and certainly pilots as an outsider and be treated very differently than how I am in the U.S. I am concerned that I would be at the mercy of living in a foreign country and unable to get legal help if problems arise such as the airline not following their contract with me, or if other legal or regulatory issues come up. Another concern is the way they send their pilots here to train in the U.S. and are flying in the right seat of a widebody aircraft with only 250 hours and a commercial pilot license (see link). Lastly, I am not sure how taxes work with overseas employment and would definitely have to look into everything to do with filing, claiming, and dealing with taxes on foreign income.

       Professionalism to me is being at the pinnacle of your chosen career. If we look at professional athletes or professional race car drivers, they are the best of the best chosen for their talents and skill set and are compensated the highest and playing in the best league due strictly to their talent. Proffesional pilots are somewhat of an exception to this. For an airline pilot, the hiring system is not built to reward the most skilled pilots or the ones who can make the softest landings. Rather it is the ones who are the most connected, have the most letters of recommendation and who are skilled at networking who land the jobs at the major airlines (pun intended). Granted you do need experience which builds up skill in order to have a shot at the major airlines.

       There was a lack of professionalism in "Flying Cheap" by the FAA when they backed down from enforcing some serious safety issues on Colgan Air only months before the Flight 3407 crash. There was also a lack of professionalism from Colgan Air for not thoroughly checking the background of the pilots they employed. In an attempt to rapidly expand, Colgan skirted some major safety issues like appointing pilots to be check airmen who had never flown that equipment before. That, to me, is extremely unprofessional.

       When I become an airline pilot, I plan on expanding my professionalism by never getting complacent and always keeping up on old fashioned stick and rudder skills. In my opinion, some airlines are relying too much on automation and transitioning their pilots to be button pushers per their standard operating procedures. I will always try to keep my hand flying skills sharp. Another way to stay professional is to always know and follow your contract. There could be some opportunities in the contract you wouldn't have known unless you read the fine print. Lastly, as a professional, I will always try to be kind and courteous to anyone I may encounter while wearing my uniform.

http://skift.com/2013/05/22/singapore-airlines-has-too-many-pilots-so-its-carefully-cutting-them-loose/
     
http://www.etihad.com/en/careers/flight-operations/first-officer-non-rated-a320/

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Foreign-Airline-Pilots-US-Flight-Schools-Do-They-Get-Enough-Training-Time-in-Cockpit-230581371.html

Aviation

     Ever since I was about 15 years old I have been interested in a career in aviation. I was very lucky to have my grandfather take me to an aviation camp at Embry-Riddle in Prescott, AZ which essentially ignited the spark for me in terms of becoming a pilot. I am a senior at Eastern Michigan Universtity and am majoring in flight technology.

     As with most aspiring pilots, I will most likely have to start my career flight instructing in order to build enough time to qualify for a position as a first officer at the regional airlines. From here, instead of going directly to the major airlines, I am considering several different alternatives. I am looking at going overseas and flying for an airline in China, Dubai, or even Singapore. I am also thinking about going into corporate aviation.

     For me right now the future is full of options and I will have to take careful consideration on which route to choose. At the start of my aviation career I will be limited and will probably get on with the first outfit to hire me, but hopefully later on I will have made many more options available to myself. I look forward to posting more and talking about some of the recent events going on in the aviation industry.