Brohland1

I have worked all 3. I was at a 121 regional. Went 135 and during my furlough I picked up a 91 gig flying a Challenger 300. My 135 company just recalled me and I’m going back and trying very hard to get back to 121. Not all 91 jobs are created equal. Mine was was pretty brutal. No set schedule. Pretty much 24/7/365. I want the set schedule and benefits of 122. Really hoping I get the call from Spirit soon.

TrojanCMH

There are some corporate jobs that sound pretty good. I have a friend that is a pilot recruiter for Disney and knew a few people who got jobs at large company flight departments and they sound ok. But even with those you’re on call almost the whole month. It’s almost like permanent reserve. And there aren’t many of them and some can be next to impossible to get hired at if you don’t know the right people.

I also have a few friends at NetJets which I’ve heard is one of the better places to work and it sounds kinda miserable to me. Never knowing where you’re going. Having your schedule changed mid flight. Sitting in FBOs waiting to be released to goto the hotel. FOs having to clean and cater the airplane. Captains who will never retire.

But to each their own. A good 121 gig is hard to beat in my opinion. Regionals are a different story.

69fastback

After almost 20 years of 91/135 flying, the thing about the good jobs is they’re only good, until they aren’t. Having a rental car all the time, staying in nice places, traveling around the whole world, while eating your catered meals, not going through security, and things like that is what makes corporate good. That’s why I say QOL at work is better there, but as you mentioned, you’re a slave to the job making the QOL at home, worse. They both have their pros and cons, but I have no plans of ever leaving here, and I’ve had some “good” corporate jobs.

Halon1211

but...but...you get a crew meal!!! Lol

CincoDeMayo

One thing that would never set well are my friends that are on 24/7 call. To have to plan beer time in advance would be a drag for me

They tell me it’s not a big deal to “duty off” when needed but I do love how in 121 when I’m off, I’m off. And the only way I’m picking up a phone is if I want to make $$$

Skydriver900

You’re preaching to the choir brother! Just the other day I went on duty at 7:30 AM est, flew 4.5 hours then the company said get to a hotel ASAP and duty off for a 10pm mst departure back to east coast…. Needless to say I walked in the hotel at 4:30am est. Do the math, I was up for right at 24 hrs. There’s not a crew meal on this earth worth putting up with this for a long period of time. Hoping for the Spirit call any day now.

Brohland1

We didn’t have crew meals at the place I worked. We got $45 a day for per diem. And if I only worked part of the day it was reduced. It was one of those corporate jobs everyone tries to avoid. They sold it as a great job, it was anything but.

FNGFO

The variety of destinations and ever changing schedules isn’t such a big deal once you accept that you’re their’s for the full term of the duty day. And you end up in some pretty good places with nice stays. At least NJ’s has an actual contract unlike the rest of the fractionals. Sitting at FBO’s isn’t horrible either. You’re getting paid to surf the web, watch TV and grab a decent meal. I always wondered about the guys who were antsy in the crew lounge. I don’t need to work hard, and that’s usually what’s on tap if they call you out of the crew lounge.

Btw, it’s not FO’s who clean and cater the planes. It’s both pilots. If you end up with CA Flirtsalot who hangs with the pretty CSR’s expecting you to do all the work then you head inside, grab a cup of coffee or whatnot, , have a a seat and make it well known that ****** isn’t getting done until his lazy posterior is out there helping you. It’s a two man show to do it well. I spent a decade plus in the fractional world. Anyone who thought of it as a retirement job, a way to make fun money or an easy gig once the left seat was attained was disabused of that notion in short order.

TrojanCMH

From what I hear it’s common to sit in the FBO until you duty off just to goto a hotel and have a short overnight and not have time to do anything. And even if the captain is helping you’re still cleaning up after your passengers. But I’m not saying it isn’t a decent gig or that no one should like it. I personally just wouldn’t want to be tied to a company cell phone that much.

calendar

I've done the 91/135 thing - then 121 for many years - back to 91/135 during Covid.

Hands down 121, I CAN NOT WAIT to get back to the reliability of a 121 schedule. Sure it varies occasionally and sure you may not get the line you want. But you know your show times, days off are off. When you get to the hotel you're off until your next show time.

91/135 has perks, rental cars, pick your hotel, nice FBOs and expense accounts. But I only get paid by the day - so they have to call - and scheduling a family around IF they call is crazy. Fortunate to not really need the charter gig so I've been clear about unavailability for pop ups.

Obvious to each their own, but 121 is a MUCH better fit for me and my family. (not to mention pays WAY more in the long run)