For the pilots out there, what is your preference? Upon receiving the required hours needed. What is your preference fractional airlines or regionals? And why?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Chris
Chris,
Someone once explained to me in very simple terms airline pilots are bus drivers while corporate, fractional pilots are limo drivers. Really it comes down to personal preference but there are pros and cons for both. While I’ve never flown for a fractional, I have many friends who have and for a time Xjt (my former Regional) had a charter division that I flew for so I do have some knowledge.
Years ago a friend of mine went to NetJets and was very happy there. He suggested I interview so we discussed it. Pay was good, cool equipment and a variety of destinations so it doesn’t get boring. Then he told me about the interview. There were questions like if an owner asked you to recommend a gift for his wife what would you say? And what would you do if an owner bichon jumped up on the center console. I was immediately turned off. I’ve had my fill of customer service and while I can be very pleasant I definitely have my limits. I had also heard horror stories of owners pushing pilots to go when safety was at risk. A pilot’s decision making should never be based on keeping their job. Finally (and this is just me) I love airports! For me strolling to the gate in uniform and having little kids wave has always been part of the dream. When I did our charter flights I missed that.
That all said I know many pilots who love it and I’m certain Hannah will chime in with her take as she’s actually flying Part 135. Standby…
Adam
Chris,
The question answers itself. “Preference.” Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Which one is better and why?
The fact is that everyone is in a different place in their life when it’s time for them to make these kinds of decisions. A lot of thought (usually) goes into why someone chooses a certain route over others.
The answer is usually, preference. But the thing to keep in mind is that preferences change. For example, I had a classmate at Horizon that left his cushy charter job of 10 years. He saw the airline shortage as an opportunity for a quick upgrade and a stepping stone to Alaska. Then life happened. He never made it to Alaska. It came down to how badly he wanted partial custody rights. He left Horizon for a charter job (different company than the one he left before Horizon). He loves it and he loves that he gets to spend time with his baby girl.
This is a good real life scenario where the motivation for choosing charter over regional comes down to personal values. The same can be said about any flying job including regional vs major, cargo vs charter, etc. Each path leads to a different quality of life. You have to decide what you are willing to give up and what you’re not.
I should also mention that pilots don’t always have the luxury of choosing their number one preference. Sometimes external factors make these choices for us like how the pandemic has forced many pilots to reevaluate their career progression.
Tory