AIN: Citing 50% Growth, Flexjet Goes on Pilot Hiring Spree

[Bjtdrvr]

23 pilots!! WOW!!!

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

I heard there was 1 no-show for class. Any word on class sizes?

 

[shanes123]

actually that means nothing really. There will always be a no show. or it could mean they hired more idiots but slipped up and got one guy with a brain and he split when he got wind of this place..

 

[doh]

Have they recalled everyone? Because they can't use these street hires until they've recalled...can they?

 

[shanes123]

I may be wrong. But I think they can. No union rules at Flex.

 

[Bjtdrvr]

They had to offer the positions to FO pilots first then to furloughed pilots per the fence agreement. That does not mean recall. Last I heard they had offered the positions to all of the furloughed peeps.

 

[shanes123]

Thanks..guess those guys finally smartened up went and found better jobs and told this place to shove it

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

The company(JW) was calling furloughed pilots and telling them they are being recalled. To Options? No, to Flex. That's not a recall. Are you returning? " When you send me the recall notice in writing, I will give you my response." Guess what? Nothing in writing, so he is letting them hang in limbo.

 

[Imissmypilot]

I heard from some TMC pilots the rumor is he is trying to sell off Options to them and keep Flex.

If this is true then suddenly much of what the company is doing makes perfect sense. This might be one rumor that I actually believe. Not that it's gonna happen but at least that he's trying.

Another great day here in the surreal fyfedom...

 

[jetwash]

If that happens I guess there will be a lot of bumping according to the new senority list.

 

[Imissmypilot]

Good luck with that. If he succeeds in cutting off the union's power structure at the knees there is nothing but weak sauce at Flex to step up to the plate. It will be back to seniority dismantling and FoK business as usual. If that's what you want then...

Like I said, it doesn't surprise me he's trying but I doubt TPG isn't aware of Ricci's reputation. If they are interested and this is Ricci's game it's gonna have to be a fire sale. Goomba's tend to have a inability to correctly assess their true value in the market so it should be interesting to at least watch.

 

[Bjtdrvr]

He already owns what 20-30 percent of TMC now?

 

[AftCG182]

He already owns what 20-30 percent of TMC now?

He gets 3% for every Nextant we take delivery of. 6 Nextants in the hangar at EKM (or at the paint shop), so currently he's up to 18%.

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

Just like a parasite, taking a little at a time. I'm sure they were smart enough to limit his ability to take over. According to my friend in the office, Uncle tried to unload the Cit X on you too, but they didn't fall for it. CGF also claims they couldn't make any money with our current cost structure. The more likely story is they didn't want to hire pilots on the Options side. The pilots Options has are needed in the Phenom. We are so short on pilots, green airplanes routinely sit for days at a time. And I'm not talking about the planes they forget about.

 

[Imissmypilot]

At what percentage point does his stake in TMC become a parallel operation? It would seem if his maneuvering is being done for the sole purpose of union rigging, there's a lawsuit waiting to quash any attempt but what do I know...

I guess the choice will be made to fight it or not based on the better of the MCBA or the current TMC negotiations. Surely the Flexjet pilots deserve to be dropped quicker than a roadside dog with fleas but man that would suck.

 

[doh]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, over 115 pilots have left. Exactly how many have we hired? Is this place dying?

 

[AftCG182]

Similar things are happening at TMC. We were considered "fully staffed" at 220 pilots. As of this morning, the seniority list shows 128, but I see a couple of names on there that have left the company in the last couple of days. So, mid 120's is an accurate figure. Most of middle management has either left, or is leaving. 95% of our pilots are actively seeking employment elsewhere. And, the craziest thing of all, there is no serious effort to replace the dwindling pilot numbers. We're only able to attract retired airline guys that at nearly 70 years old, as well as 1000 hour low timers looking to build time.

We have 6 Nextants in the hangar at EKM that are just collecting dust. Why? I've heard that there are scope issues with non-Options pilots flying ex-Options airplanes. I've also heard that the FAA is giving TMC the slow-roll treatment in regards to conformity process. Either way, TPG spent a lot of money on TMC, and I can't believe that we're being allowed to wither away to nothing. I wonder if it has anything to do with what's going on at OneSky...

Something is going on, but nobody's talking.

 

[shanes123]

I can tell you exactly whats going on. KR is on your board of directors now and he's butchering up TMC like he has every other company he has touched. He wants to get rid of everyone of you low down dirty union supporting pilots and replace them with his hand picked D sucking IMG scum that he has working for him at flex/flops...

 

[Imissmypilot]

Shanes is partially correct.

Never, never do business with the devil unless you like yours burnt.

KR sold your board a bill of goods and they were so stupidly proud of holding him off at the front door they forgot about the fact rats can get in through the smallest holes. You TMC guys might as well start calling him Boss man cuz he is running the **** show now.

 

[G-force]

Any age limits at this outfit????????????????????