IamA Private Jet Pilot, flying the rich and famous. AMAA...

If you could invent the Ford Escort, how would you invent it?

I would use an Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator, of course.

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Security procedures mostly. That and client personal information. For example, it would be bad to greet a client and say, "Nice to see you again, sir. Is your daughter going to be joining us again for the return trip?" All the while, his wife is standing there, he does not have a daughter, and now he has to explain who the young lady was on his last flight! Oops.

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Most rich people aren't celebrities and really prefer a low profile. I know a handful of very wealthy people, and you wouldn't realize it about most of them at first glance, especially if you don't know what expensive-but-not-flashy stuff looks like up close.

Edit: And I don't just mean their personal appearance; they tend to drive "normal" luxury cars/trucks, not Maybachs and Bugattis, although they could easily afford them if they wanted one.

I agree! Lots of nice cars, but not a lot of crazy extravagant ones. I can definitely pick them out in large crowds though, unless they are really good at incognito!

True. Some are pretty brazen, however. Then again, maybe their relationships are much different than my marriage!

Is there any aspect of your job you just can't stand?
How much training did you have to go through to become a Private pilot? Is it different than becoming a commercial pilot?
Do the people you fly around ever try to bribe you to let them fly?

I can't stand the inconsiderate mess some people leave behind. What they may not realize (or don't care about) is that we two pilots are stuck cleaning up their papers strewn about and kids' cookie crumbs ground into the carpet. Doggie diarrhea is especially heinous, although we get professional help. I have had to carry a "honey bucket" of "waste" out of the aircraft many times to be emptied.

Training is extensive and expensive. I have been flying for over 25 years and am actually certified as an Airline Transport Pilot (highest FAA certificate). I have also flown for the airlines. We typically spend years training and building experience to fly jets and then train for ~3 weeks for the specifics of a particular model. Refresher training is usually at least annually, though I go to the simulator twice a year to be tested.

I have never had anyone ask to fly the jet. They are unlikely to have enough cash on them to bribe me, as it would be my last day of employment if I agreed. :-)

Do you feel that the more "privileged" people are the less common courtesy/manners they have? I can't imagine leaving a huge mess for someone else to clean. :(

Oh wow, I had no idea you had to re test so frequently. Is that for every pilot?

Haha Good point. :P

thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I appreciate it!

I don't believe they are more/less than the general public. I have seen more slobs on commercial flights than there should be.

Most professional pilots retest twice a year. It is the highest industry standard.

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Many times, I don't know why the client is taking the trip. I did once fly an NBA player about 1500 miles for a party. Another couple went from Chicago to the coastal Mississippi to go yacht shopping. The pamphlets they left behind showed some of the selections. Unreal!

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Frankly, I am happy for them (and you)! I wish there were more of you! I certainly do not need anything more than what I have and personally believe that all my needs will be provided for regardless. If I had that kind of wealth, I would have to work at figuring out the best ways to help the most people with it. The wealthy folks doing that are wonderful people, and I think they have that wealth for a reason!

How common is drug use among your passengers while you're flying?

Not common at all. Most who would use it would keep it discreet. I have not had to intervene, but I know those who have, even to the point of landing and asking clients to leave. Drugs can be dangerous because they may cause erratic passenger behavior. We have no cockpit bulletproof door to separate us. We all need to be civil up there.

Sort of related, how common is it for passengers to engage in sexual activity mid-flight?

Very rare, but hey, just clean up back there please.

Yeah, but would pot really be that bad?

It could be. I'd rather not find out in the air.

What would it take for you to intervene? What would intervening look like?

If I noticed illegal drug use and was convinced I was not mistaken, I would ask the client to immediately stop and put it away. If they did not, I would land at a suitable airport consistent with safety and have the aircraft met by law enforcement. All our passengers are notified to refrain from drug use on board.

Considering that you likely have no legal obligation to do so, why notify police and not just drop them off claiming an invalidated contract? Does one of the insurance companies you use require notifying law enforcement? Or is there some other reason? Or is there some legal obligation?

There is quite likely residue, paraphernalia, etc. in the aircraft. I want to be sure I am not accused of a crime myself!

Ever rubbed one out midflight?

Yes. I dribbled some mustard on my tie and had to rub it out with a wet nap. How did you know?

What's the fastest plane you've flown?

What's your visual acuity?

A "Citation X" that flies as fast at Mach .92, or 92% the speed of sound.

My vision is great, but you do not need perfect vision, only correctable.

Thanks for responding!

Bonus question: have you ever been involved in any funny conversations with ground control? Or do you know funny stories of pilots who have? I read a "forward from grandma" about these the other day and I'm not sure if they were true, so I'm looking for first or second hand examples.

The funniest usually come from New York or a southern controller. I cannot think of any examples right now, but it is nice to get a little comic relief now and then. Google "funny air traffic control" maybe?

Can you explain why maximum speeds for aircraft are usually stated as a mach number? To me it would make much more sense to report a air speed. I mean, if the speed of sound varies by altitude then wouldn't it be possible for an aircraft to have a maximum air speed at an altitude at which it could not achieve its maximum mach number? For example, above a certain altitude the maximum air speed might decrease because of thinner oxygen (less power for engines), yet the thinner air also means that the speed of sound decreases as well and you could achieve a greater mach number even at the same air speed.

Decent little white paper on the topic here: http://www.tscm.com/mach-as.pdf

I have seen in some movies and shows where the rich guy asks the pilot to go faster for an extra tip. Is that possible? (safely) and how often does it happen to you?

It is possible in some cases, but not usually helpful. Generally, we are travelling at max cruise speed. Any increase in thrust and fuel burn could cause an unplanned stop for fuel and take more time. We are only talking a couple of minutes anyway, usually.

Have you ever been in a bad storm or something and you really didnt know whether you would make it through?

Yes, I ave been in a microburst and thought we would end up hitting the ground. The downdrafts were unbelievably high speed. Fortunately, we flew out of it and climbed again, but I sucked up a bit of seat cushion that day!

How much money do you make?

Low six figures. Salaries vary widely.

What percentage of the time are you actually manually flying the plane?

Maybe 5%. Autopilot is a great tool. You can concentrate on so much more if the autopilot is taking care of the finer details of maintaining altitude and course.

Do you have any rules (of your own)?

For the passengers?

Yep! To keep them from partying too far, etc

None, really. I don't brief them on that sort of thing. If they are drunk, I would not let them on the airplane to begin with. Buzzed would be alright, but they need to be in control and behaving or they could be a danger to the flight.

Basic question... What famous people have you flown?

I have flown NBA/NFL/PGA/etc. athletes, news anchors, government officials, and the like. Many folks you have seen on TV, but they are, for the most part, people like everyone else. I cannot reveal identities, unfortunately, nor would I answer specifics about them. I respect their right to privacy, and that is a big part of why they travel this way.

Do you ever create turbulence just to mess with your clients?

I despise turbulence. Many fliers are nervous, so we try to find the smoothest ride possible. Sometimes, it cannot be avoided, though. We always try to stay out of the worst of it; I try to keep hot coffee off my lap!

Can you still talk over the speakers to the cabin like a regular commercial aircraft?

Yes, or I can just turn around or have the flight attendant make an announcement (if there is one). Did you see the Ron White routine? Pretty much like that.

Favorite airport? Least favorite airport?

TNCM. KTEB.

Doesn't surprise me that Teterboro isn't your favorite. From what I've heard, it's not a fun airport to land at.

It's just so congested and kinda depressing. I like to go to cool places, and "Teterhole" certainly does not qualify!

How accurate are flight simulator apps on an iPad?

What type of plane do you fly the most?

What are your favorite and least favorite planes you fly somewhat regularly?

Not accurate at all. Computer sims are surprisingly accurate, though. At least compared to the one I had on the Commodore many years ago!

The most would be the Citation X.

Damn... I took off and landed an Airbus A330 at SFO the other day and figured I was good to go in an emergency situation.

What would you do if a couple started having sex midflight? Has it ever happened to you?

I would try not to let them notice that I noticed. They can do it if they want, just buckle up when the sign is on!

How did you become interested in aviation? And once interested, what steps did you take to make it your career?

I loved aviation as a kid. Who wouldn't? To look at the earth from above gives one an entirely new perspective on life. I took lessons in high school, working jobs to support my dream. Eventually, I got certified as an FAA instructor to build experience teaching others the basics and build time to get more skilled positions.

Has anyone acted so outrageously on your plane that you didn't allow them to ride with you again?

Thankfully no, but I know of colleagues who have been in that position. In fact, if the behavior is too outrageous, they may have to go elsewhere for service.

How do you get hired for a job?

I spent years teaching others to fly and built flight time. Then, I applied to an airline, and was successful at the interview. After that, I applied to a company that has private jets and switched pilot career paths.

(i) What's your favourite private jet to fly?

(ii) Do you fly when you're not working, and if so, what? (I read somewhere that jet fighter pilots like old-fashioned, simple planes because they're the antithesis of their work transport).

(i) A Bombardier Challenger

(ii) I don't fly small planes often, but when I do, I prefer them simple. Takes me back to memories of the wonder of first learning. The first solo flight I made in a Cessna 152 is still may favorite flight of all time (and I was a teenager).

What is the craziest thing that had happened during a flight?

Emergencies, such as the gear not coming down. We are trained for this, though. We just use the checklists and stay calm and work the problem. Most pilots are very cool under pressure.

Of the rich the rich customers you have, what would you say is the proportion between known public figures and people who are plain rich but unknown outside their business circles? Excluding family, assistants, friends and other entourage.

Or, to simplify, how many passengers did you recognize the first time they flew with you, in rough percentages?

Probably only 2% did I recognize. Most of the time, I would have to Google them to find out how they made money. Lots and Lots of wealthy people that are relatively unknown on TV.

What's your favorite part of the job?

Being able to leave it behind and not think about "getting ahead" or politicking to climb the corporate ladder. There is some of that if you want to engage, but I just want to do my job and do it well.

While flying, my favorite is seeing the Northern Lights in the far northern latitudes and skimming just above a cloud deck at Vmo/Mmo (max speed).

did you have to go through some crazy background check where they verified your entire life since birth?

No, they just do a 10 yr check for my employer. Essentially, it is a security clearance check (light), which I also had in the service.

Ever let a famous person take the stick during flight? Pull back and forward with autopilot on?

Absolutely not! Some of them are pilots, though, and do pilot their own airplane with another pilot (copilot).

So we know you've flown John Travolta now.

Actually no, but I would. There are several others that fly their own jets like JT.

Have you ever had any close calls while transporting a client?

I have had to evade another aircraft using an automated collision warning system. The issue was due to another pilot not under air traffic control flying too close to our flight path. Sometimes airspace congestion around large, busy airports creates a bottleneck effect, and there are lots of us there at once.

How many hours do you fly a year, on average?

~400-500

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That is flight time. I have to spend over 3,000 hours away from home in the course of that work.

Craziest thing that happened while flying?

I was inverted.

Care to give the full story?

Sorry, lame Top Gun joke.

Do some corporations keep pilots on staff whose job it is to fly exclusively for that company? Or is it more freelance-like?

Yes, that is the most common arrangement. Some keep 2 pilots for a jet (required to fly it), and some keep more to cover for vacations, sick, etc. Occasionally, there may only be one pilot as full time and the 2nd pilot is a regular freelancer. I've done that as well.

Follow up - how many hours do you typically spend in the air per week (or month, year, whatever) compared to commercial airline / cargo pilots?

Maybe about 15-20 hrs in a work week airborne. Sometimes more. Commercial airline pilots are limited to 30 hrs in 7 days, if I remember correctly.

What is the most realistic flight simulator you've used that is accesible to the public? What about the funnest?

X-Plane. MSFS paired with live ATC.

How many miles and hours have you flown in your life?

I've never counted the miles, but it would be in the millions. As a pilot, I have flown under 10,000, but I have several years until retirement. In the military, you do not fly as much hours as in civilian business jet flying. The airline pilots fly the most hours, around 800-1000 per year.

How is it being able to be flying around people who are very famous, knowing that if you are late or something goes wrong, you could disappoint many people?

It is an unfortunate reality that there are many things that can delay air travel. We are not immune to the pressures of that reality, but we practice dealing with it regularly. We are paid to be safety-conscious professionals that cannot make critical mistakes. At times, the two pilots will have a chat about intentionally slowing down and not getting caught in a "hurry-up" mode where we are more likely to make a mistake. The most important service we offer is making safe decisions, even if it means we cannot go.

Great answer

Thank you!

Hi! Thank you for doing this AMA!

1. Has your line of work taken you to international destinations?

2. Is the industry filled with more independent contractors or agencies?

3. What do you do in your free time?

Thanks again for the great AMA so far!

1. Yes, I go international semi-regularly. Mostly the Caribbean islands, South and Central America, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.

2. It is filled mostly by employees of individual companies/individuals, charter operators, and fractional operators.

3. I like to hang with my wife and kids mostly. Kinda boring, I know, but I also used to jump out or airplanes and blow stuff up :-)

I also used to jump out or airplanes and blow stuff up

Did i read that wrong or did a pilot just say he likes to jump out of planes and blow things up

I could tell you, but...

Why did you decide on flying Corporate vs. Commercial?

Corporate provides opportunity to shop your experience around for increasing wages and responsibility. At an airline, unless you are very fortunate, you will be subject to seniority based furlough. When you lose a job like that and have to start over, you can go from making 150k to 30k in a week. It is a ridiculous system. That said, if you get in at a fast growing airline with good long-term career prospects, it is still worth it at a place like Delta/United/American/SWA/UPS/FedEx, etc.

Have you ever flown Veronica Corningstone? Does her hair truly smell like cinnamon?

No, but I do use CorningWare.

What has the craziest request been about?

Flying execs from a certain company and having them ask for all competitors products to be removed from the aircraft (snacks, etc.). Really? That is just beyond weird. Do you ignore your competition in the marketplace too?

Because they don't want any paparazzi types taking pictures of them holding the competitors' products by accident when they get off the plane (or later).

I'm an anesthesiologist. I've put people to sleep from the family that owns the local Pepsi distributor, but the hospital I was at only had Coke products in the recovery room. They asked us to notify their family when they got out of surgery so they could provide Pepsi products to the recovery nurse for that reason.

Edit: also, in case anyone was wondering what the people who own a Pepsi distributor drink, the answer is Diet Mountain Dew.

I suppose it would look bad if you were holding a pepsi, but all over TV hawking coke.

Other than taking off and landing, how much work does the pilot auctally do?

Those are the easiest parts. Well, autopilot in cruise is easier, I guess.

We plan the flight, to include fuel required. Services at the destination, car rentals, hotels, oil and oxygen service, stock and clean the airplane, obtain and verify the catering, check and verify visas, check weather, check FAA notices to airmen, plan alternate airports, analyze the jetstream, find altitudes and routes that reduce turbulence, sometimes serve drinks and catering, clean lavatories, load baggage, brief the passengers, assist in loading and unloading passengers, arrange hangar for bad weather, check on insurance requirements, etc.

We also have to train in the simulator for most emergencies conceived by the FAA. We have to take a FAA "driving" test twice a year and a medical exam at least once a year, any of which can end your career on the spot.

In the air, we navigate, plan, reroute, avoid weather, calculate fuel burn, provide meteorology report, comply with thousands of pages of FAA regulations and, ultimately, ensure the safety of flight.

If your pilot is good, he has A LOT on his plate. If not, he just "wings it," and hopes for the best with most of these items. Most of the time, it works out okay.

Have any of your passengers done anything inappropriate (if you know what I mean..) during a flight?

I have been very fortunate to only have a few who were "rough around the edges." Sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll happen up there, but not as often as you might think. Most people use it as a business tool to get to many out-of-the-way places or to several places in a short time.

Ever fly into Horse Shoe Bay TX? I have the private airport right near my house here and I know it has jets coming and going a few times a week, but I cant for the life of me figure out who would use it.

I have not personally, but I have flown into private strips before. Some people even have their own airport at their house!

You said earlier you fly commercial to "get to work", which raises some other questions.

So, you're not based at the same airport all the time?
And thus, you don't fly the same aircraft all the time either?
Do you fly only executive jets, or also private versions of commercial planes, i.e. B737s and the like?
If I were using your service, and wanted to go someplace remote for a weekend, would you likely stay there for the duration, or return home and come back 48 hours later?

Fascinating stuff -- thanks for doing this. Sorry I'm late to the party!

I am based at home because we have a pilot base at my home airport. I generally fly the same aircraft, but it may be on the other side of the country when I need to go get it.

I only fly executive jets. I have never flown a BBJ.

I would likely stay at the remote location unless there is work to be done while we wait to take you home.

So how true to life is http://www.klydemorris.com ?

First I've hear of it; I will check it out.

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I recommend getting a sport pilot certificate.

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/sport_pilot/media/LSPBrochure.pdf

Who is the most interesting person you have flown? How did you get this job?

I flew the Secretary of the Treasury once. Some of my friends have flown presidential candidates. I find those folks more interesting than celebs.

You mention lifestyle. Can you go into a bit more detail about this?

Do you work standard hours week to week, are on call for blocks of time, or some other way of working?

Are these flights planned out well in advance? Or is there a lot of last minute trips?

I have "work days." During my time at work, I am pretty much on call. Sometimes my schedule is determined, sometimes it is fluid and I have to wait at the airport and be available when the passengers want to show up.

The only flights planned well in advance are international flights requiring VISAs. We have to have TWO passports to allow for one to be at an embassy getting a VISA while we carry the other. There are a few last minute trips, but a work day is a work day.

Do you fly for NetJets? I know a lot of people who fly there. We may have met each other.

I'd rather not reveal my employer. Do you work at NetJets? I heard you're hiring soon!

No, haha one day though. I'm Air Force, but like I said I know a bunch of people there. You have a great gig though!

I'm sure I will run into you sooner or later then. It is a rather small community. When do you retire? What are you flying now?

Quite sometime from now, I'm in T-6's for a bit then hopefully to T-38's and then fighters.

Just starting then. Best of luck to you and thanks for volunteering!

Do you have any good/funny stories about passengers you can share that don't involve specifically identifying them?

I had a famous actor ask me to push a turd down into the toilet because he could not get it to flush. Seriously.

Wow...pretty sure that isn't part of your job description! :D

My job description should probably read: "pretty much everything."

Can the plane fly itself if it has to?

Only when on autopilot. Autopilot really is more like cruise control. The pilots need to be constantly interacting with it and providing inputs.

How long did it take you to become a Colonel? Do you have any aspirations to one day become Brigadier General?

I'm out of the military now. I never wanted to be a flag officer.

What is the worst behavior you've encountered by a client? (obviously no need to name names.)

Just general shouting, swearing, and being an ass. You've probably seen similar on reality TV shows. Thankfully, it is not that common.

What's the lifestyle like, do you have to be ready at a moment's notice or do you have a pretty set schedule?

How's the pay?

What kind of training, experience and connections would a student pilot need to get into this kind of gig?

The schedule is fluid at my job. I may not even know if I have to work tomorrow. They don't work me every day, and I do get a good amount of days off, but when I am at work, I am gone 24hrs/day. Wife becomes single parent (almost) until I get back. The days can be long and tiresome, or they can be short and at the hotel pool by lunch. It varies wildly.

Student pilots would need to pursue a commercial pilot certificate, multi-engine, and instrument ratings. Like most careers, network, network, network. The business jet pilot who asks the student pilot ramp attendant to fuel his jet may be in a position to give him an internship or entry job someday. Be nice to everyone!

How much do you enjoy your job? For example, if a passenger offered a job in a completely different career path, not considering money, would you switch? Or is the experience too much to pass up?

I would do whatever I could reasonably tolerate that would allow the most time with family, assuming I could maintain the ability to support them and save for retirement, etc.

Hey if you're still answering questions. There's a distinct possibility that I may have met you on more than one occasion. Any chance that you flew any airplanes that needed customization in/out of Lincoln, NE?

Hasn't everyone? :-)

Is your name JC?

No, but I'd like to meet him./

Whats a good place to start if someone wants to be a commercial or private jet pilot?

Should they enter the Airforce? Or is there an non-outrageously expensive method of getting the training you would need?

I think the military is the best and most cost-effective route. That said, civilian training is achievable and can be done without resorting to exorbitant costs at 4 yr universities. Even so, it is quite expensive, and most new pilots end up with 50k+ in debt in order to get a 20k/yr job at a regional airline. Being young and willing to adapt helps a bunch. For career-switchers, it is a much tougher sell.

Who have you flown for that has caused the most problems/treated you the worst?

I don't remember his name, and I don't want to. :-)

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One thing most don't realize is that we often travel to our work location on commercial airlines. When we wear a uniform, we look like an airline pilot, but are not. I sat next to a lady once who decided she'd like to accost a pilot that day. Honestly, she was scary!

I find it interesting that you are a pilot. I'm in high school and have gone back and forth between wanting to be a one or not.. Is it true you're most likely not to get a job working commercially after proper training and after getting enough flight hours? If that's true, then how long does it take to actually begin your career in being a pilot? It's just those things that hold me back. I don't wanna train and spend so much money on everything but not even get a job. It seems like I'm just going to be relying on luck.

You can definitely get a job doing something as a pilot. The small regional airlines are clamoring for pilots right now. You will probably never make over 75k at those companies, and the lifestyle is not that great, but pretty much anyone who had 1,500 hrs and a restricted ATP can get a job right now.

What's the best way to fly private, from a customer's perspective? There's fractional ownership, jet cards, and straight up air charter? I don't have the money to fly this way now but hope to some day. I have read that a family of four can fly private for more or less the same cost as commercial first-class tickets, but would receive much better service, and go on the schedule of their choosing.

Charter for very occasional flights, fractional for flying in the (annual) 25-300ish hour range and whole ownership above that. It all depends though. Type of aircraft, crew costs, maintenance, etc. all play a role. Nice thing about fractional and charter is there is usually another aircraft available if one is in maintenance. Not necessarily so with your own.

Cost varied wildly on the type of aircraft. A family of 4 can pay as little as 4 first class seats, but probably on a smaller, older charter aircraft. Perhaps a short flight on a King Air.

Has there ever been a Wolf of Wall Streetesq orgy on your flights?

Not on mine (thankfully), but a buddy of mine had a certain national champion athlete in the back having "relations" with his girl on the way to holiday. Eyes front, mister!

Hello, I myself am a student pilot. Just got done with instrument, working on commercial. Working corporate/private jet flying is basically my dream. What sorts of advice would you give for getting into the field?

Be eager to learn and humble in your approach. Be nice to everyone and seek out the knowledge of those with lots of experience in the field. Work and study hard. Basically, the same traits that make you succcessfull in any field of work.

did you ever manage to fly any of your favorite celebrity? or most of the celeb clients were people you dont really care?

I don't care about celebrities more than any other passenger. It really doesn't phase me. Most are super nice people. Some are, well, the opposite.