135 Schedules?

[acroflyr]

Just wondering what types of schedules are out there for 135 companies and how they work? Any and all information would be appriciated. Thanks!

 

[starvingcfi]

what's a schedule?

 

[TimsKeeper]

Schedule? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Oh wait, did you mean do you have a schedule? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhhaahahahahahahahahaha

 

[starvingcfi]

that should pretty much sum it up for you acro

 

[Flywrite]

We are on call on days that end with a "y", but as of today (19th) I've only actually worked 17 days. So far this month I've eaten dinner with my family 5 times and got up after sunrise a similar number of days.

Livin' the dream, baby, livin' the dream...

 

[Jump Pilot]

I fly with a lot of 135 guys. Here is a sampling:

Days off? Yeah right.

30 on / 0 off

11 on / 4 off

5 on / 2 off and we schedule a month in advance

7 on / 7 off / 7 reserve

What's a day off?

 

[mavrck]

im 135/91 our schedule is 5 on and 2 off. But they typically call you also on your days off and "ask" you to work. But you better say "yes" to them when they request it or else you'll get the poopy end of the stick for the rest of the month.

 

[English]

Just wondering what types of schedules are out there for 135 companies and how they work? Any and all information would be appriciated. Thanks!

Said company gives you a cell phone and requires you to have it turned on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They say they will give you the FAR required 13 days off a quarter, but when it comes down to it, your days off are the ones when they didn't call you out. So, you are not on duty per say, but you aren't in rest, either. Just plan on the company owning you while you work there.

Just my experience with a charter operator. I'd recommend finding a good part 91 gig instead.

 

[AirWolf]

Don't mean to rub it in but...

Our schedule is 5 hard days off, and 5 soft days off a month. The soft days can be moved if there is a scheduled trip, but you don't have to answer your phone on the soft days if the company calls(really!!). On our days on, we are on from 0600 till 2000, 14hrs standby. We have a 4 hour call out for domestic flights and 6 hours for international, very rarely we do have pop-ups (2-3 a month). In that case, you get there when you can, (usually in an hour or so). We know about most of our trips 2+ days in advance, or at least the night before. Our POI and the company feels that the correct interp. of the reg. is that if you are available by cell or pager, you are ON DUTY!! No if, ands, or buts about it!! I fly a G-IV and have been on line since March 30th. I've only spent ONE, three day trip away from home!!!! I know the sitaution is very rare for a G-IV, and in fact I am looking forward to longer trips. And, yes we are busy flying. I would guess that we are averaging about 75 hours a month on the a/c, spread out with 6 crew members. Mainly, it is a priority to get the crews back home. The company realizes that if the crew is happy, that spreads to the customers and we generate more business. I don't know how 135 operators are getting away with the "look back" off times, when you were available but they did not call you!! Bet if you bend metal, the FAA will have your a$$ with that kind of logic, especially if you are fatigued. I know that a lot of operators use the "look back" technique, but I really don't know how the POI's let them get away with it. Just realize that there are good 135 operators out there if you know where to look.

 

[mavrck]

WoW Airwolf, that sounds like an awesome company! One of the very few 135 ops that are actually legit when it comes to crew scheduling. Awesome! Good for you!

BTW... whats the name of that company? Id like to send em a resume!

 

[jergar999]

Four days, four nights, four hard days off. 12 hour call shifts. To even call you on your days off results in a pretty hefty overtime check.

 

[AirWolf]

Mavrck..

I work for FlightWorks out of Kennesaw, GA. We also have bases in JAX, and D.C. Hiring right now for multiple aircraft. Check out the website at FlightWorks.com for more info. Hope this helps.

 

[T-Gates]

I'm pretty familliar with FlightWorks, I used to fly out of RYY all the time... What are the Mins?

 

[AirWolf]

Mins and positions...

Pulled directly from the FlightWorks web at http://flightworks.com/employmentopps.htm

"Thank you for your interest in FlightWorks, the following positions are currently available:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gulfstream IV (G-IV)
Gulfstream II (G-1159)

Hawker 800 (HS-800)

Citation III (CE-650)

Citation Bravo (CE-Bravo)

Citation V ( CE-560)

Citation II ( CE-550)

We are seeking qualified Flight Crew Members for each of the aircraft listed above.
Each of the aircraft are based in Atlanta, Georgia (KRYY - Cobb County /McCollum Field).

Salary and benefits commensurate with experience.



PIC Requirements: 4000 hrs Total Time 3000 hrs as PIC Type rating preferred but not required.

SIC Requirements: 2000 hrs Total Time 1500 hrs Multi-Engine Type rating preferred but not required. "

A lot of resumes comming in so if you send one, it may take a little time to hear back. But they will get back to you as soon as they can.
On a side note, when we are on standby from 0600-2000 (vary by aircraft) as I prevoiusly posted, we are standby at HOME.
We have great crews down here and are looking for more. Anyway, good luck and I hope this info helps.

 

[T-Gates]

Thanks!

 

[acroflyr]

Thank you for your replys. We have an open schedule with 4 or 5 hard days off per month. We are also released from duty on other days of the month based on avialability of crews and the schedule. When we are on call we are given a duty period of 14 hours, or sometimes less given the circumstances, on a daily basis. We only will stay out on the road for a maximum of 7 days in a row before we are airline swaped out. Typical trips are 3 to 4 days with some day trips mixed in.

How do all of you feel about this type of schedule. Is it good, bad or about right for the industry? I know it's not 7 on 7 off, but I don't think it's that bad for the 135 community. How about you?

 

[pilotyip]

USA Jet

DA-20 pilots bid 28 day lines, Wed through Tues four weeks later. They will be getting 10 hard days off per 28 day bid period. No one has worked on a hard day off that did not want to. Now the company may ask you to swap days, but if you want to be home on your day off the company will buy you an airliine ticket or send a corporate airplane to pick you up. In fact I think you can even turn down a trip that will fly you into your day off. Any USA Jet pilots have comment about "Hard days off"

 

[beernuts]

isn't 135 by defenition on demand, unscheduled flying? the only place that I can think of that has a fairly predicitable routine is the bank check guys like Airnet Express.
So my guess would be buy a cell phone and wait for a call is what your regular schedule would be.

 

[AnimalMother]

We have an open schedule with 4 or 5 hard days off per month. We are also released from duty on other days of the month based on avialability of crews and the schedule. When we are on call we are given a duty period of 14 hours, or sometimes less given the circumstances, on a daily basis. We only will stay out on the road for a maximum of 7 days in a row before we are airline swaped out. Typical trips are 3 to 4 days with some day trips mixed in.

You are referring to Jet Linx Aviation out of OMA right? From what I hear, the schedule is more like 26 and 4. You can be on the road for 7 days, then returned home via airline or just bringing the plane back. But then after 10 hours of rest or whatever is assigned, you can go right back out for another 7.

Also, I have heard that the owner of the company has threatened to have pilots come in and pull weeds while being on call. Seems like a great work environment.

 

[acroflyr]

Well you can use any math you want, but we are only flying around 16 to 18 days a month, with duty periods while on call and being released on some days. Nobody is out for 7 back for 10 hours and out for 7 again. Does not happen. Usually if your out that long you will get at least 2 days without flying when you get back. Nobody is pulling weeds either. Many people on this board and others I have talked to have mentioned that some companies do not give scheduled days off, or duty periods while on call. This does not seem that much different than the Flightworks schedule above and someone seemed to think that was a great job. The question still is, do you think this is a bad schedule for a 135 operation.