Best company to work for that you’re home *most* nights?

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Logan Hardee

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Jaxpilot02
I’m about to start Commerical flight school and wanted to get you guys opinion.
What’s the best company to work for that you’re home most nights. Obviously with this job you’re gonna be gone some and that’s fine I just don’t wanna be gone weeks at a time.
Would rather stay away from airlines but I know with low hours I’m not really anyone in the industry. Would definitely prefer to go fractional or charter.
Looking for a company that I can be based from Jacksonville FL, decent F/O pay or fast upgrades and a schedule that allows me to be home most nights. Tell me if I’m crazy! Haha
 
kayoh190 said:
PlaneSense?
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My buddy just started with them. I think he’s doing a 7/7 schedule. I know with flexjet you can spread out your working days over the month but I’ve heard some terrible things about them. The 14 hours on and 10 off etc.
 
Logan Hardee said:
My buddy just started with them. I think he’s doing a 7/7 schedule. I know with flexjet you can spread out your working days over the month but I’ve heard some terrible things about them. The 14 hours on and 10 off etc.
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At least in the Pilatus, as I understand it you’ll be home most nights on that 7/7. At Flexjet or a different frac, generally that won’t be the case.
 
kayoh190 said:
At least in the Pilatus, as I understand it you’ll be home most nights on that 7/7. At Flexjet or a different frac, generally that won’t be the case.
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Interesting. I’ll have to look into that for sure. There’s so much information out there some of it is conflicting haha. Thanks much.
 
Logan Hardee said:
Interesting. I’ll have to look into that for sure. There’s so much information out there some of it is conflicting haha. Thanks much.
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It's definitely a deep rabbit hole! The various situations in the job market change over time too, so that adds to the complexity. The good news is that getting your ratings and building flight time is mostly the same process no matter which direction you ultimately go, so there's no hurry. Don't forget to enjoy the journey!
 
kayoh190 said:
It's definitely a deep rabbit hole! The various situations in the job market change over time too, so that adds to the complexity. The good news is that getting your ratings and building flight time is mostly the same process no matter which direction you ultimately go, so there's no hurry. Don't forget to enjoy the journey!
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For sure. Flying is my passion so wherever I end up I’ll be happy.
 
Logan Hardee said:
My buddy just started with them. I think he’s doing a 7/7 schedule. I know with flexjet you can spread out your working days over the month but I’ve heard some terrible things about them. The 14 hours on and 10 off etc.
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If you find an operator that doesn’t maximize legal duty days, be sure to let us know. ;)
 
Air ambulance operators mostly work from a home base, patient flights are usually out-and-back. Most require a night shift stint.
Then there's the freighters, "small" plane feeders for FedEx or UPS. I'm not familiar with the JAX area, I think Suburban Air Freight is one of those.
 
Consider outside the box. EMS, Pipeline coverage, traffic radio/tv....
Only issue is outside of EMS; many of these may go the way of the Dodo bird.

Tim
 
Logan Hardee said:
What’s the best company to work for that you’re home most nights.
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Your own.. :lol::lol:

Air Ambulance. Except that usually for left seat 2500 hours is minimum flight time for what is needed. Most successful applicants will have more than 5000 hours and will have their ATP.

Some companies do hire low timers for the right seat until you get the minimum insurance required hours for the left seat.

But before worrying about a job, get through training first. Have you done your medical yet?
 
Jim Carpenter said:
Air ambulance operators mostly work from a home base, patient flights are usually out-and-back. Most require a night shift stint.
Then there's the freighters, "small" plane feeders for FedEx or UPS. I'm not familiar with the JAX area, I think Suburban Air Freight is one of those.
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I believe you’re right. I’ll have to look into them. Thanks much
 
tspear said:
Consider outside the box. EMS, Pipeline coverage, traffic radio/tv....
Only issue is outside of EMS; many of these may go the way of the Dodo bird.

Tim
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Arent a lot of those heli and not fixed wing?
 
Zeldman said:
Your own.. :lol::lol:

Air Ambulance. Except that usually for left seat 2500 hours is minimum flight time for what is needed. Most successful applicants will have more than 5000 hours and will have their ATP.

Some companies do hire low timers for the right seat until you get the minimum insurance required hours for the left seat.

But before worrying about a job, get through training first. Have you done your medical yet?
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Haven’t looked at ems yet. Medical is scheduled for next week.
 
Logan Hardee said:
What’s the best company to work for that you’re home most nights. Obviously with this job you’re gonna be gone some and that’s fine I just don’t wanna be gone weeks at a time.
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I haven’t met many pilots who were ever gone weeks at a time unless they were doing international stuff.

Gone multiple nights EVERY week, yes.

The most consistent “out and back over two days” schedules in CONUS are usually cargo operators and standing overnights with airlines.

Comes with a bonus plan of horrible sleep patterns.

Most CFIs are home every night except nights when students need a long night XC. Still home sometime in the night but not early. LOL.
 
Ameriflight had me home every night. Between 10 and 11pm. To go right back out at 4am. To wait for the UPS clown show so I could dispatch at 8am. To lay me over in the Hotsheets motel in Halfhorse, Oregon until 6pm. Cool gig for someone in their 20s. o_O

I didn't last long there. I learned that the allure of a pair of PT6s can't overcome the allure of my own comfortable bedroom.
 
This doesnt match the location but maybe there's something like this down where you are.

Here in MPLS SunCountry flies daily to Florida, Mexico, etc. After a billion trips to Mexico I know those trips are one crew down and same crew back, both 3.5 to 4.5 hours each leg. So I'm guessing they are done for the day plus right back at home where they are based. That's 7-8hrs of 737 time a day with a bonus of a nice warm walk on the ramp between flights. My wife's friend did this for several years before jumping over to Delta.
 
schmookeeg said:
Ameriflight had me home every night. Between 10 and 11pm. To go right back out at 4am. To wait for the UPS clown show so I could dispatch at 8am. To lay me over in the Hotsheets motel in Halfhorse, Oregon until 6pm. Cool gig for someone in their 20s. o_O

I didn't last long there. I learned that the allure of a pair of PT6s can't overcome the allure of my own comfortable bedroom.
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If you stay around long enough to get some seniority, are there better schedules available?
 
Logan Hardee said:
I’m about to start Commerical flight school and wanted to get you guys opinion.
What’s the best company to work for that you’re home most nights. Obviously with this job you’re gonna be gone some and that’s fine I just don’t wanna be gone weeks at a time.
Would rather stay away from airlines but I know with low hours I’m not really anyone in the industry. Would definitely prefer to go fractional or charter.
Looking for a company that I can be based from Jacksonville FL, decent F/O pay or fast upgrades and a schedule that allows me to be home most nights. Tell me if I’m crazy! Haha
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I hear McDonald's is hiring...they have fast upgrades and you can probably be home MOST nights..
 
Have you checked out Geomni? Mountain Air Cargo does some FedEx feeder ops out of LCQ.
 
If you are already trying to find a flying job that doesn't keep you away from home for long periods of time, and you haven't even gotten your medical yet, you might as well cancel your appointment. The first ten years of your flying career is going to suck, low pay, gone alot, crappy working conditions. But once you are through that, then you can go hunting for a job with good QOL. That is how my career went, now I have a mostly cushy 91 job that flies about 150 hours a year.

I flew for Planesense, and there were times I did my 7 days on with them, then went and flew another airplane for 7 days in Florida, then came back for my 7 days at Planesense. That sucked balls, but that is how I was able to pay my rent and get the experience I needed to move on to the next job. Then I had a job flying retail charter where I was gone for 14 days, and then home 6. That sucked balls too, but I got some great jet PIC time.

Anyway, you say "wherever I end up I'll be happy". Be sure you mean that. ANd don't worry about step 3 and 4 of your career. You're not even to step one yet. Get your commercial and your CFI, then find a CFI job. That is step one. Once you have enough time for your ATP, then start worrying about step 2. The aviation industry changes very quickly. If you aren't flexible in your plans, you're not going to do well. The commuter airlines will hire anyone with a pulse right now, 5-6 years ago that wasn't the case. It could go back to that very easily.
 
Groundpounder said:
What is Geomni? And I don't see any MAC flights out of LCQ.
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Geomni is an aerial surveying company out of CRG. They fly little Tecnam twins.

Hmm I saw a few job postings for 208 Cap w/ MAC out of Lake City last year.
 
Pipeline/utility patrol, law enforcement. Cargo feeder contractor in a Caravan(UPS/Fedex/Amazon). If you are without family, opportunities abound with the ability to travel.
 
schmookeeg said:
Ameriflight had me home every night. Between 10 and 11pm. To go right back out at 4am. To wait for the UPS clown show so I could dispatch at 8am. To lay me over in the Hotsheets motel in Halfhorse, Oregon until 6pm. Cool gig for someone in their 20s. o_O

I didn't last long there. I learned that the allure of a pair of PT6s can't overcome the allure of my own comfortable bedroom.
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This. Most of the small cargo feeders may advertise ‘home every night’, but it is often misleading. Same with the medical delivery (Labcorp) kinda stuff. You will build a lot of night time though....
 
As a greenhorn CPL, you’re going to have some dues to pay, and you’re going to need to move around a bit if this is going to work for you.

You’ll need a few thousand hours on the resume before you get the nice schedules and pay.
 
Groundpounder said:
Once you have enough time for your ATP, then start worrying about step 2.
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This part (at least right now in the insane hiring environment) is not good advice. Many places are signing employment contracts a few hundred hours prior to reaching ATP mins.

Whether one would want to work for those places is a different story.

But always networking and look around because many places are in as close to “desperation” mode for people who are near ATP mins, than I’ve ever seen.

Normally I’d say it won’t last, but it’ll take a pretty big worldwide economic issue to even slow it down right now. Those bolts from the blue do happen, though.
 
Good luck! The only guarantee is there are no guarantees. One of the guys from old reserve unit got his ME and a job flying a King Air in college while working part time as a line person by impressing the company CEO. This stuff CAN happen but not something one should make a key element of your plan.

Be professional, friendly, ready to pay your dues, and keep making progress.
 
denverpilot said:
This part (at least right now in the insane hiring environment) is not good advice. Many places are signing employment contracts a few hundred hours prior to reaching ATP mins.

Whether one would want to work for those places is a different story.

But always networking and look around because many places are in as close to “desperation” mode for people who are near ATP mins, than I’ve ever seen.

Normally I’d say it won’t last, but it’ll take a pretty big worldwide economic issue to even slow it down right now. Those bolts from the blue do happen, though.
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Enough time for your ATP could mean enough time to get into a program to get your ATP. Either way that is probably two years down the road. He needs to get his Commercial(s) and his CFI before he starts worrying what kind of schedule he is going to have years from now.
 
I was gonna say Ameriflight but it appears folks have already chimed in about that one. I only bring up AMF because of conversations I've had with folks stationed in different domiciles (SAT and SJU to be exact) have differed from the anecdote @schmookeeg provided. Based on that I infer the schedules, equipment and in-base seniority are going to differ the schedule outcomes among regions of the AMF network. I would ask the question at least, for the base closest to where you'd be willing to live or relocate to.
 
dans2992 said:
If you stay around long enough to get some seniority, are there better schedules available?
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They have recruiters or management very active on airlinepilotscentral forum for "from the horse's mouth", since I was only there a few months and didn't learn the nuances. I think seniority only confers opportunities like "can move up to the 1900 or metroliner and maybe get an ATP out of it" or "can be a training captain and earn a few extra bucks". It's a stepping-stone gig.

My understanding is that there is variance among different bases, but they are all generally this schedule. My weekends off was nice -- too bad I spent all day saturday sleeping off the prior week's flying.

If you are a "home based captain" and commute to work, you do a 2 week on, 2 week off schedule.

My major F up was thinking that I could be "home based" when their base is down the street from me. Newp. I'd have stuck it out longer for 14 on 14 off.

The training was top notch, I enjoyed a lot of it there. But it ain't for me in my 40s, and I doubt I surprised anyone when I bailed out. There were dudes in their 60s on the line. I dunno how you do that.
 
Sinistar said:
This doesnt match the location but maybe there's something like this down where you are.

Here in MPLS SunCountry flies daily to Florida, Mexico, etc. After a billion trips to Mexico I know those trips are one crew down and same crew back, both 3.5 to 4.5 hours each leg. So I'm guessing they are done for the day plus right back at home where they are based. That's 7-8hrs of 737 time a day with a bonus of a nice warm walk on the ramp between flights. My wife's friend did this for several years before jumping over to Delta.
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This sounds like my dream job lol
 
jaxcessnadriver said:
Geomni is an aerial surveying company out of CRG. They fly little Tecnam twins.

Hmm I saw a few job postings for 208 Cap w/ MAC out of Lake City last year.
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Yeah I saw them. You can’t be over a buck 60 to fly with them because of all the equipment. Guess I better stop eating all the chickfila
 
Groundpounder said:
Enough time for your ATP could mean enough time to get into a program to get your ATP. Either way that is probably two years down the road. He needs to get his Commercial(s) and his CFI before he starts worrying what kind of schedule he is going to have years from now.
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I appreciate you giving your opinion. It’s more of I’m just trying to get a sense of what to expect in the next couple years.
 
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