48 Year old that wants to be a Corporate Pilot?

FloridaPilot

FloridaPilot

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So, I have a buddy that wants to get into Aviation and wants to be a Corporate Pilot. He is already retired and 48 years of age. He would like to become a Corporate Pilot as a secondary income (part time) but he doesn't have a PPL yet. He asked me what are his chances of getting hired once he gets the 1500 Hours. I have no idea do you think he will?
 
He doesn't need the 1500 for a lot of corporate jobs. But regardless, the airlines are sucking guys out of the corporate ranks at a huge rate, so finding a job probably won't be a problem (depends on where he lives, I suppose). Does his primary job have set hours? If not, he might be able to work a full time flying gig and do his 'primary' job on the side. For example at my corporate gig I flew roughly 10 days per month - I just never knew when those days were gonna be. So it'd be a problem to have another 9-5 like job, but there are a lot of other gigs I could do. Not that I ever did - I'm a lazy bastard! - but plenty of pilots use the extra time for a second gig.

Anyway, it's possible. At low time the corporate gigs won't be all that great, but like anything, as his experience grows and as he builds his network, they'll get progressively better.
 
Doesn't need 1500 hours to be a corporate pilot
 
Pretty easy to do as long as he has a pile of cash to do the training. Being retired, he has the time to do it.
 
Sheesh - I need to read more closely. The guy is retired - so that's his primary job!

<---such a dummy :)

Makes the job hunting easier, though. Many of the issues with crummier corporate jobs - lack of a set schedule, low pay - would be easier to stomach as a retirement gig
 
mscard88 said:
Doesn't need 1500 hours to be a corporate pilot
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What is the minimum amount?

JCranford said:
Pretty easy to do as long as he has a pile of cash to do the training. Being retired, he has the time to do it.
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He does going to pay cash for the training.

kayoh190 said:
Sheesh - I need to read more closely. The guy is retired - so that's his primary job!

<---such a dummy :)

I disagree, I've always enjoyed your comments Thus far!

Makes the job hunting easier, though. Many of the issues with crummier corporate jobs - lack of a set schedule, low pay - would be easier to stomach as a retirement gig
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He retired from IBM but always wanted to learn how to fly so he wanted to fly as a corporate pilot. I thought it would be difficult at his age to get hired. So how would he take the trek can he purchase his own plane
to make the hours? I don't think he wants to be a CFI. He is NOT a people person...like I am :)
 
FloridaPilot said:
I thought it would be difficult at his age to get hired. So how would he take the trek can he purchase his own plane
to make the hours? I don't think he wants to be a CFI. He is NOT a people person...like I am :)
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His age won't be a problem, but not being a people person could be. Corporate flying is not just about flying the airplane - in just about all jobs there'll be a customer service component to it. He'll be required to at least fake it*.



*Now that I think about it, my ex would have made a GREAT corporate pilot. :p
 
FloridaPilot said:
So, I have a buddy that wants to get into Aviation and wants to be a Corporate Pilot. He is already retired and 48 years of age. He would like to become a Corporate Pilot as a secondary income (part time) but he doesn't have a PPL yet. He asked me what are his chances of getting hired once he gets the 1500 Hours. I have no idea do you think he will?
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A potential employer's insurance carrier will dictate whether or not this person gets hired. The carriers for the corporations for which I flew wanted a first-class medical and an ATP, but the hiring situation was drastically different then.

Bob
 
The regionals around her in PA are hiring right seat at 250 hours. Going to need ppl instrument and commercial to qualify.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
I think maybe we need a better definition of what "corporate pilot" means exactly to the OP's friend. Being on-call for flying CEO's around in their own Gulfstream? Or something more 135- or 121-ish? Or pipeline patrol in a Cessna? Those two words put together could mean all kinds of different things to different people.
 
Dick Karl (former cancer surgeon and former shared jet pilot, and current Flying columnist) started his paid flying career in his late sixties, having, of course, been flying for a while (including owning a Cheyenne). So there's plenty of time to do it, if one is properly motivated and financed. Ab initio through commercial multi instrument has been done in six months, but will likely take more than a year. At least if he gets started, he'll learn to fly!
 
The minimum hours needed to get the job will be set by the corporate flight department and the type of equipment.

Around N.Texas, I am seeing a wide range depending on the job.

Boutique Air will talk to you about their PC-12 right seat once you cross 500 hours.

I know of a 650 hour guy who got a rh seat in a Shorts 330 cargo op within weeks of completing his commercial multi. After enough time right, seat, he moved to the left, and is now also right seating in their jets

I once saw a law firm in Austin advertising for a pilot to fly their firm owned Cirrus. I think the min there was about 500-600 hours, CPL, and successful completion of the Cirrus transition training.


For the larger Part 135 ops, you can search some of pilot job postings on the various listing sites to see what they require.
 
You gotta have 250 to get the commercial. That is the hard deck, everything else is "according to".
 
kath said:
I think maybe we need a better definition of what "corporate pilot" means exactly to the OP's friend. Being on-call for flying CEO's around in their own Gulfstream? Or something more 135- or 121-ish? Or pipeline patrol in a Cessna? Those two words put together could mean all kinds of different things to different people.
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Flying part time locally, He likes Turbo Props like King Air and Pilatus
 
Adam Conrad said:
The regionals around her in PA are hiring right seat at 250 hours. Going to need ppl instrument and commercial to qualify.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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Adam Conrad said:
250

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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Regionals as in what? Part 121 Regionals sure aren’t hiring at 250.
 
FloridaPilot said:
He is NOT a people person
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This will be a problem in the corporate world unless he owns the company. I hope your friend understands that he will not start off at the top of the pilot corporate world.

Be prepared to not only fly the plane but drive the car, make hotel reservations, dinner reservations, run errands and explain why there will be a delay in taking off due to weather in a way that the passengers/boss will understand and accept.

Fortunately one of my previous job descriptions was being a salesman, so at least I can fake it...

It can be done at age 48 but it will involve work.
 
Zeldman said:
... and explain why there will be a delay in taking off due to weather in a way that the passengers/boss will understand and accept.

Fortunately one of my previous job descriptions was being a salesman, so at least I can fake it...
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I'd imagine ATC makes a convenient scapegoat. :)
 
One of the most boring parts of corporate flying is waiting...sitting in a pilot lounge readin newspapers and magazines that you read on the last two trips while your passengers are in meetings and three-martini lunches. Oh, and there is the “We’ll be back at the airport at 4Pm; be ready to go...”. At 8PM you are still waiting; the IFR flight plan you filed expired hours ago, and SURPRISE!! When your passengers return they have changed their plans.

It is not unalloyed joy.

Bob
 
Man. The last thing I want to do when I retire is start all over paying dues to get somewhere and do customer relations. I would suggest this guy go get his PPL, buy a plane and enjoy flying. There are lots of other ways to earn supplemental income.
 
If he’s not a people person he won’t like the obligatory sucking up to the pax.
 
bobmrg said:
At 8PM you are still waiting; the IFR flight plan you filed expired hours ago,
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Good times! I used to have a frequent client at FAT that was *always* way late. It got to the point that the controllers knew to keep the flight plan open - I never needed to call them about it. :)
 
Zeldman said:
This will be a problem in the corporate world unless he owns the company. I hope your friend understands that he will not start off at the top of the pilot corporate world.

Be prepared to not only fly the plane but drive the car, make hotel reservations, dinner reservations, run errands and explain why there will be a delay in taking off due to weather in a way that the passengers/boss will understand and accept.

Fortunately one of my previous job descriptions was being a salesman, so at least I can fake it...

It can be done at age 48 but it will involve work.
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^This.

Unless he aspires to be a FedEx Caravan pilot, virtually everything is going to involve being a people person. What do you think two pilots do in the cockpit for hours at a time in cruise? If you don't work well with others, you won't last long. The whole concept of CRM relies on working with others. Okay, maybe you don't have to be a "people person" to be effective in CRM, but it certainly helps. That's assuming you get hired in the first place. A common quote from the pilot hiring panel is "anyone can be properly trained to fly the plane, but is the candidate someone I'd want to spend a seven day trip with?"
 
@FloridaPilot --- This video helps with information about how Sean got into the RH seat of a Gulfstream.

Might be worth sharing with your friend to explain that it isn't a "fast fix" item and requires lots of "prove your worth" activities before any corporate flight departments will take interest.

Sorta like the road to become an elite surgeon.... many years of scut work and no sleep under paid work before you lose the label "medical student", and even then, buckets of time before he gets ahead of the pack.

 
Zeldman said:
This will be a problem in the corporate world unless he owns the company. I hope your friend understands that he will not start off at the top of the pilot corporate world.

Be prepared to not only fly the plane but drive the car, make hotel reservations, dinner reservations, run errands and explain why there will be a delay in taking off due to weather in a way that the passengers/boss will understand and accept.

Fortunately one of my previous job descriptions was being a salesman, so at least I can fake it...

It can be done at age 48 but it will involve work.
Click to expand...


You forgot cleaning out the airplane chitter! :D
 
Adam Conrad said:
The regionals around her in PA are hiring right seat at 250 hours. Going to need ppl instrument and commercial to qualify.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Negative. No Regional is hiring at that level. 10-15 years ago, yes. But not today. Think it goes from 900 hours if military, a reduced amount if a graduate from a college program, otherwise the minimum is 1500 hours for a Regional job.
 
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FloridaPilot said:
What is the minimum amount?

:)
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It could be as low as a Private Pilot Certificate and a low amount of hours, and knows someone in management who gets him hired. Most Corporate jobs will require a Comm/Instr with a ME rating though. Insurance often dictates amount of hours but that can be lowered as well.

We've had a few get hired here with 3-500+ hours w/ the above Cert/Ratings, and sit right seat. At his age it's very promising to get to the the left seat in a few years after acquiring his "tickets", and putting in the time.
 
Go build time with a part 135 charter company,they are always looking for right seat pilots.
 
Zeldman said:
This will be a problem in the corporate world unless he owns the company. I hope your friend understands that he will not start off at the top of the pilot corporate world.

Be prepared to not only fly the plane but drive the car, make hotel reservations, dinner reservations, run errands and explain why there will be a delay in taking off due to weather in a way that the passengers/boss will understand and accept.

Fortunately one of my previous job descriptions was being a salesman, so at least I can fake it...

It can be done at age 48 but it will involve work.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to imply that he hates people, he's just an introvert

Dav8or said:
Man. The last thing I want to do when I retire is start all over paying dues to get somewhere and do customer relations. I would suggest this guy go get his PPL, buy a plane and enjoy flying. There are lots of other ways to earn supplemental income.
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He Retired, Kids left home always wanted to fly...why not?
 
Adam Conrad said:
The regionals around her in PA are hiring right seat at 250 hours. Going to need ppl instrument and commercial to qualify.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Really? Where can I sign up? I would love to move on from me current gig
 
Kenny Phillips said:
Dick Karl (former cancer surgeon and former shared jet pilot, and current Flying columnist) started his paid flying career in his late sixties, having, of course, been flying for a while (including owning a Cheyenne). So there's plenty of time to do it, if one is properly motivated and financed. Ab initio through commercial multi instrument has been done in six months, but will likely take more than a year. At least if he gets started, he'll learn to fly!
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I'm pretty sure the fact Karl was a Flying columnist had everything to do with him scoring a position as a FO and later captain between the ages of 68 and 72.

JetSuite received a lot of free ink during his employment there.
 
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Dick Karl got burnt out on that job also. He enjoyed the experience but sure seemed to indicate that being on callall the time and catering (emptying chitter) to pax got old. Don’t think I could do it unless I really needed a job.
 
3393RP said:
I'm pretty sure the fact Karl was a Flying columnist had everything to do with him scoring a position as a FO and later captain between the ages of 68 and 72.

Jet Suite received a lot of free ink during his employment there.
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You can ask him about it; it's likely he'll answer. But gonna guess it was worth about as much as a cup of coffee.
 
How does he feel about relocating? Because if it isn't willing to sell the house and move more or less anywhere in the country, his options are going to be limited. Also he wants to fly King Aires but how does he feel about cleaning them? And how does he feel about beepers for a schedule?
 
FloridaPilot said:
I didn't mean to imply that he hates people, he's just an introvert
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Ahhh.... big difference. I am totally introverted as well, but I can be a total people person when I need to.

FloridaPilot said:
He Retired, Kids left home always wanted to fly...why not?
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Really, why not.?? I started flying for a living at 38. But if he is not comfortable talking around people then freight might be the way to go.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
How does he feel about relocating? Because if it isn't willing to sell the house and move more or less anywhere in the country, his options are going to be limited. Also he wants to fly King Aires but how does he feel about cleaning them? And how does he feel about beepers for a schedule?
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Yeah, when I first hung out with a corporate pilot buddy, so I could see inside of some jets, I was shocked to see him clean out the john, and make sure there were enough peanuts, etc.
 
FloridaPilot said:
He Retired, Kids left home always wanted to fly...why not?
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Why not indeed. If it makes him happy then do it. The last thing I want to do when I retire is go back to work... on somebody else's schedule and somebody else's rules. It's just me. I'd rather fly and have fun as a hobby than fly, make it a job and kill the fun.
 
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