Engineer413

Still going threw my flight training currently about halfway done with my ASEL commercial certificate at my university.

So I got the text of a life time! My buddy's uncle happens to own a small cooperate company back home. They fly Navajo's, King Airs, 3 hawkers, and 2 gulfstreams and their looking for future pilots. Now in order to graduate I need my CFI, which I would be doing so hopefully in the spring with the school. Or do I do my CFI threw that local airport (where the company is out of) while they hire me to fly officer in the Navajo to start building my time to captain. They would most likely pay for me as well to get my mult- add on. He said I can build time, instruct when I get my CFI and keep building hours in the Navajo to eventually move into the Hawker. Seems legit and a once in a life time opportunity that not many people have. Being good friends with the future owner or chief pilot.

But on the other hand I also got into this program with my university called the JetBlue Gateway program. Basically you instruct for a year, then you have a spot at Cape Air. Once your at Cape Air you keep building time and they say around 4 years is good and you have a guaranteed interview with JetBlue. They pay for your ATP I believe and even a bunch of pilots from JetBlue and Cape Air said its something unbelievable that not many people have the chance to do. We are one of the first to get this program too. The bad part is ive heard good and bad about Cape Air. Pay wise, ect. And if JetBlue isn't hiring at the time your kind of stuck at Cape Air. I can tell them I no longer want to be in the program at any time, I have no obligations.

So the cooperate world seems better to me, less pay might be the case, but being away from family, ect and having a 20 minute ride to work with no traffic or cities could be good... On the other hand if I say no to the JetBlue program it could take years longer to get into the airlines. Plus I can go to other airlines too depending on hiring and can always go back to the Falcon down the road. But it might be harder to go from the Falcon to the airlines. Maybe i'm wrong on this. Just looking for some advice. Still young.

Slim11

Sounds like a win-win situation. Good for you!

Flightcap

You have some great opportunities in front of you. There's not a wrong choice if everything you've been told is correct. That's awesome.

I don't know what decision is best, but I would suggest that you sit down and think about what you want most in a career. Where do you want to be five years, ten years, twenty years down the road? What is most important - money, family time, job security, career progression, etc.? Understanding what your personal priorities are is a huge first step and should probably be discussed with a family member or mentor that you trust.

Then look at the opportunities you have, assess which one best meets your priority set, and go for it! You should know too that this industry is anything but predictable. What seems like the best choice today may turn out badly in the future for reasons that nobody can forecast. Once you've made the decision of where to go, being able to look back and know that you made the best choice at the time with the information you had is how you keep from becoming discouraged or bitter if things don't turn out.

Good luck.

The Plainsman

Is the small company back home 135 or 91? If they are managed planes they could go away quickly and without much notice..what university gateway program are you with?

galaxy flyer

Do you mean corporate?

GF

JamesNoBrakes

Which one pays more? With the hiring that is forecast for the next 20 years to replenish the ranks due to retirements, the major airlines are going to be looking for pilots. If your career goal is to make it to Jet Blue, then do that, but if you think you want to work for Delta, American, etc., would probably be better to get that corporate turbine PIC time, because you are going to spend at least 5 years to get to Jet Blue, and then have to spend another few years there to get to a bigger airline, and your are kind of betting the farm without any prior turbine experience, you'd be better prepared for that kind of flying by being a crewmember for the hawker, king air, or gulfstream IMO.

polymox

For a new guy that needs to build several thousand hours to be in command of anything turbine, the airline track will build time about three times faster than your typical King Air or Hawker job. You should keep that in mind.

Engineer413

Well that's why I kind of threw this situation at you guys getting some different decisions. I personally always liked the airlines and airlines have been my thing more than military, ect. But recently I picked up a job as a line service guy and ill tell you cooperate world seems to be just as suited for me as well.

The thing to remember to is I have a strong strong passion for flying and its almost unbelievable that im going to be going to work and flying so already I feel like I won a major obstacle. Nothing in this world I would rather do.. (Ok maybe professional athlete) but still.

I just like the idea of where I live back home better than the suburbs and a long commute to work in the cities and highways. So for less pay sure, not making as much but better lifestyle I feel. I still have to sit down with the pilots their to see what the scheduling is like, ect.

So the airport is 135 operations. I believe its not fully cooperate. They used to be more cooperate. But the airport recently expanded and they added that new Gulfstream so something must be going right. And of course I was told by my chief officer you cant predict anything in the aviation industry.

I just really like the idea of getting some Multi-time while going for instructing then do both and stay around my home area. Just hate saying goodbye to the JetBlue route if I was to go that way because I hear nothing but good stuff about that program. Worst comes to worst I can always go to the airlines down the rode, I would rather work for United, Delta, ect.

Engineer413

They are also 135. Not 91.

NoSidNoStar

Looks like he does mean "cooperate"...