Lateral Move???

[7on7Off]

Originally Posted by CA1900
Citation XLS is the newer model of the Citation XL. A couple hundred pounds higher gross weight, a little bit more power from the engines, more comfortable seats, and some systems tweaks. It's the same basic airplane, just incrementally improved.

You're talking about in the back right? While the XLS cockpit seaets has way more articulation, the double pedestal/narrower seats, combines with a "fat A$$" makes me crave the XL seats. (But I do like the recline feature on the XLS, really helps "the lower back" on long legs.)

 

[CA1900]

Citation XLS is the newer model of the Citation XL. A couple hundred pounds higher gross weight, a little bit more power from the engines, more comfortable seats...

You're talking about in the back right?

Yup, I'm talking about in the back. The front? I haven't flown enough of the XLS model yet to have an opinion on it, but I've heard from several guys that the found the XL seat more comfortable overall. Guess I'll find out soon enough!

 

[DO-82 driver]

Hummmm..T/O over gross or land with the low fuel quantity lights blinking.....

Let me think about this one.......

OK...I have it....land mid-way and take on fuel!!!!!!!!!!

Who cares if the people in the back want to go non-stop? I want to land with gas in the tanks.....no brainer!!!!!

 

[CA1900]

Gotcha... do you guys ever take off over Gross?

Why would I do that?

The owner can either plan to stop for gas in his Excel, or he can upgrade to a longer-range airplane (like the CE-680) for that trip and go non-stop. No reason at all to take off overweight.

 

[NEDude]

Hey CA1900,

Did you have to move or do you still live in the ALB area? How does year one at NJA compare to CommutAir?

Just curious, always on the lookout for other options.


Thanks

 

[CA1900]

Did you have to move or do you still live in the ALB area?

I could have stayed in the northeast and driven to TEB, but I wanted out anyway, so I moved to Florida. I figure hey, the pay's the same, the cost of living's cheaper, and the weather's warmer.

How does year one at NJA compare to CommutAir?

So far, things are much, much better.

Starting pay was a pay raise from captain at CA -- it starts at a bit over $46,000 on the reserve schedule (18 days max per month, 4 hard days off), which all new-hires start on. You can bid to stay on it, or move to the 7/7 schedule, which pays $39,000 plus any extended days you may work (which pay $321 a day first-year). "Reserve" here just refers to which days you work, really. You'll still know by the evening before when or if you'll be working the next day. Tough to plan things out because you never know which days you'll be working, though; I'm starting the 7/7 schedule next month for that reason.

Family medical (Aetna), optical (VSP), and dental (Aetna) are currently fully paid by the company, starting on the first day of class, so that's another couple thousand I'm saving. 50% 401K match of whatever you contribute, up to 15% of your paycheck. 2 weeks vacation to start, which on the 7/7 schedule gives you two 3-week vacations, really.

Crew food is provided basically any time you're on duty and not free to go get it on your own. (e.g., if you're on "hot spare" at an FBO, or you're on a <3 hour turn, you'll get food.) That makes the per-diem go quite a ways, since you're not spending it as often as I did with CA.

So far, I'm really liking it. I have a feeling this might be the last stop on the career merry-go-round. Sure hope so!

 

[NEDude]

I could have stayed in the northeast and driven to TEB, but I wanted out anyway, so I moved to Florida. I figure hey, the pay's the same, the cost of living's cheaper, and the weather's warmer.

Just watch out for those hurricanes. I got hit by three of them back in '04 before we moved to ALB. My kids are still traumatized by our experience with Charlie. I remember walking through the terminal in MCO and seeing gates taped off and puddles of water everywhere.

So how long before they close Orlando for NJA?

Any talk of home basing coming back?

 

[CA1900]

So how long before they close Orlando for NJA?

That's my secret plan, y'see! I'm actually based in PBI, so I never technically moved to my base. Therefore, they can't close it!

Any talk of home basing coming back?

The company could do it tomorrow if they wanted, increasing home-basing to 100% of the crews. But I'm fairly sure we're not going to see that until the next contract in 2010. Hope I'm wrong! I'd love to save the gas and the drive time getting down to south Florida.

 

[Seat 0A]

I urge anyone making a change to look several years down the road, not get all hung up on this "first year" crap, and consider NJA.

For the year 2006 I was on 5th year pay for part of the year and 6th year pay for the rest. My W-2 shows $137k and change. Yes, this included the second 40% of my bonus ($16,000), so that would leave a pre-bonus income of $121k. You can add to that another $6000+ per year for tax-free per-diem (we do not use most of our per-diem here). I suppose that would equate to nearly another $10,000 of gross income if you look at it that way.

So there I am at about $131k of actual pay against what you see on our payscale is $92,250 for a 6yr Captain. I am more than 30% over the payscale.

I do NOT work any extra days. They are available if you want them. I was on duty for 147 days in 2006, 19 of them were training days.

Life is great here in my opinion. Good hotels, good food, I have never exceeded 475 hours a year in 6 years. An average day is 9 to 12 hours of duty time, 3-4 legs, 3-5 flight hours. My overnights average 11-15 hours (we have a minimum of 10 and that starts AT the hotel!)

I earn enough airline miles and hotel points for two NICE free vacations per year. Don't even worry about losing jumpseat privileges (to some former airline guys this is some kinda big deal). They aren't worth a sh*t anymore with capacities the way they are. If you ever did jumpseat at your current job how many times per year did you do it? Maybe 10? With tickets running less than $300 that's only $3000 per year if you buy your own POSITIVE SPACE tickets. You can afford it if you work here.

Recap;
$130,000+ after 5 years with the company, flew the line 128 days in 2006, every other week is a FULL 7 days off, 3 three-week vacations per year (4 at year 10), another 12 "sick days" per year, full health/dental paid, 50% 401k match, The list goes on. In my opinion a slam-dunk against any regional and for that matter most majors.

Future? The rich will keep on flying, will the poor?

Every time I fly to work on one of our nation's carriers (albeit ON DUTY, and in a POSITIVE SPACE seat), I am reminded why NJA will continue to grow.

 

[Fozzy]

Don't listen to that man. NJA is horrible. Stay far far away.
That is unless you are flyiny a 1900 for a certain fleabag operation out of PLB. Then I would leave to drive a rickshaw.