globalflair

-Graduated 4 year B.S 1997
-Began flying right seat King Air F90
-Progressed to left seat 6 mo later
-Citation job turned into Lear45 then CL601
-Fo on B777
Be careful what you wish for you just might get it.

cheers

undflyboy06

* Graduated from UND in May 2007
* First Officer at Trans States airlines until Furlough in Feb. 2009
* Hired by Ameriflight August 2009
* Resigned from AMF October 2012
* After staying in touch with a contact I met, I flew a few contract flights which turned into my current gig: Falcon 2000 First Officer at a Part 91 company. That process took about a year of networking, persistence, and having a great attitude.

Bbourne2009

Cool. I love the DA2000. Did you think the time at Ameriflight and the infamous TPIC helped you break into corporate more than the regional flying?

undflyboy06

Unfortunately I have to pick both. I know it doesn't help the age old question of TPIC over regionals for getting into corporate, but my situation was unique.

I'm sure the operator liked seeing a descent amount of two crew time since it's a two crew aircraft. On the other hand, their insurance needs a minimum of 2,000 hours PIC and I'm just under 2,100 PIC. I got all of my PIC at Ameriflight. I have just over 1,000 TPIC, but I'm not sure if it even contributed at all.

CEFO

-Finished high school
-Got my commercial (2004)
-Dropped skydivers (early 2005)
-Got hired to fly charter in 206/207/210 (back in australia, im an aussie) - 2 years
-Flew low level aerial survey in AC50 for 1 year
-2 years of single pilot IFR cargo (there was a move to the USA in there too)
-Hired to fly right seat in a Citation I & II (2009)
-Short stint at the airlines (regional) after that
-Current job as a Citation X captain for 2.5 years and counting. Presently working on masters in aviation management.

Been a fun ride!

Hawker Driver

Started flying early eighties before Reagan fired the controllers.
Embry-Riddle Prescott mid eighties.
Started instructing late eighties.
1st jet job 1987 at 22 Lear 35 & 55 fo.
Lived in Europe mid 90's working illegally as a carpenter and English teacher. Learned French and Spanish.
Lear 24, 25, 35 & 36 captain upon return.
Lear 40 & 45 captain.
Hawker captain.
Carrol Shelby's (Ford Cobra & Mustang fame Hawker pilot for several years.
Flown too many celebrities to list here.
Currently operate Hawker 850's Part 91 & 135.

Xems

Took the long route.

1977 Private license. Still in high school
1982 College degree in history
1982 Made a left turn down the hallway of life and took a helicopter demo ride. More fun then I could imagine.
1983 Commercial and CFI helicopter (took all the money I had been saving for fixed wing commercial CFI). Did helicopter CFI, charter, movies/tv, a bit of offshore, a bit of fire fighting, high profile charters, tours. More of a list then I ever imagined I would do.
1990 EMS helicopters. Loved the schedule, loved the mission. Was going to stay there forever.
1993 Commercial, multi, and ATP fixed wing. Just because I thought I should broaden my horizons.
2000 Corporate helicopter job fell in my lap. An offer I couldn't refuse.
2001 Helicopter owner transitioned me into his PC12
2010 Owner bought an XLS. Got the transition and having a ball.
I used to think 1,000 AGL was nosebleed altitude!

Wouldn't trade the helicopter experience for anything, but probably left quite a bit more money on the table over the years then if I had gone airlines like I had first planned.

givememywings

-Graduated with B.S. from Embry-Riddle Daytona in 2003
-Obtained my CFI in 2004, instructed in FL and OH from 2004-2006
-Hired to fly a Cirrus SR-22 in KY in 2006, my first intro to the corporate 91 life
-Hired at Comair in 2007
-Hired at my current job flying a G-III, first as F/O, then quickly to Captain and eventual 135 Chief Pilot. We only fly 91 now.

It should be noted that I relentlessly networked within a 2 hr radius of my hometown after graduating from Riddle. Persistence, a good attitude and NETWORKING are the main ingredients to get ahead in the corporate world. I've never stopped networking even though I have a good job now.

galaxy flyer

A bit older, but here goes,

--Solo'd at 16, in '68
--Flew my own Champ to build time, flew some charter and checks
--Got a UPT slot thru the ANG in '76; flew Huns and A-10s before snagging a gig flying a Citation for a well-known newspaper in NY.
got on with a major, unfortunately, it was Eastern
--Took an ART job in the AFReserve to get an income, served thru Panama to Iraq
--Retired to my present gig flying CL300, CL605 and Globals.

Lessons:

Never pass up a chance to add to your human capital--schools, training, new jobs.

This career won't be what you expected, even if it goes according to plan which it won't.

Networking is important, but more important is contacts who can really help out. I got my job thru someone I helped in the past and came forth when I needed it.

Enjoy what happens, this isn't a dress rehearsal!

GF

NowCorporate

Like GF, I'm also older than most here....

1990 - Solo
1994 - Graduate college
1994-1996 - CFI
1996-2001 - 135/91 King Airs, Learjets, Westwinds, Astras, G200s
2001-2008 - Part 91 DA-2000/DA-900/GLEX Captain
2008-2013 - Part 91 Chief Pilot DA-7X (part time CL300/G450 also)
2013-???? - Part 91 Fortune 50 Chief Pilot GLEX/Global 6000

Never know where you might wind up next.

Networking has its value...but real friends are FAR more important. All my jobs have come through friends.

Also, make every attempt to NEVER burn a bridge and ALWAYS be honest. Your reputation is worth far more than your resume.

I have been invited to return to previous employers twice in this career, both times as promotions. It's a small industry.

Good Luck!