Airline or Private?

This question is so often asked on Instagram. What would you prefer to fly, airline or private? Do you want to fly a bigger plane?

The answer is quite simple! At this moment I fly a so-called Medium sized jet that flies faster and higher than most airlines and could fly further than a Boeing 737 as well. The Bombardier Challenger 300 plane that I currently fly is a good performer and with the current operation on this aircraft, it brings me to places most airline pilots will not come.

A day on an airline looks so much different than on a private jet. We start the day and most have 1 or 2 flights. Then we land somewhere and might stay there for a day or 2. try the local kitchen and fly again to a different destination. We are with the aircraft for about 14 days mostly and then go back home with a regular airline to be home for 14 days. It’s not put away for everyone and it’s sometimes hard to be away from your loved one for such a time but believe it or not you get used to it after a while and it might even be better for your relationship.

So if you would ask me if my ambitions would be to fly for an airline on this very moment I would say “no” just because I have a comfortable life at this very moment. My company helps me when possible and they ask some flexibility for it in return but that’s all normal in the Netherlands we have this saying “Voor wat hoort wat”.

About a bigger aircraft. Yes sure, I would love to fly a bigger aircraft but with this also comes a bigger range in private aviation. Sitting for 12 hours across the ocean watching outside sounds good but I also love to make a landing every 5 hours so who will know what the future brings. Bigger or smaller I’ll be happy.