Airline to Fractional...

[av8tor4239]

left the regionals after a furlough and then being stuck in the right seat for 5+ years.... Will never look back to the airlines.

As far as moon's comment I totally disagree.. I have family at FedEx and I can tell you it is not a " catch me if you can" lifestyle.. yeah the money is there.. but you will look like your are 90 when you turn 40. Trust me I saw it everday as a kid growing up...

As far as the Legacy carriers... only about 10% of the 5000+ pilots at a legacy get to enjoy the schedule moon was talking about and most people that want to achieve that sched will not be able too because they will turn 60 or 65 before the even have the opportunity.

Today you would have to get on with a legacy carrier at the age of 22 to be able to bid in the top 10% as a captain.

I guess the point that I have lived by this far is "if you dont enjoy the process what is the point"... if you have to endure the BS that is now known as the airlines to get a year or two with a 2 on 5 off sched to SJU... It is just not worth all the mess...

 

[cush]

I just rode on a Falcon piloted by guys who were super senior. Their life style was good, but nothing compared to what senior pilots at the majors have. They were real proud of their lifestyle, but I pitied them because, if that's the "top", it aint so good.

Let me get this straight. As one of the "super senior" falcon pilots you pity ME?!

I have (4) 21 day vacations a year on a schedule I know many months in advance. Flying the rich and famous in arguably the nicest flying aircraft in the world(less than 400hrs./yr), to a variety of destinations(unlike my prior 121 job).

I have a kickass FA's doing 90% of the passenger interaction/cleaning/stocking. I'm served free hot catered food followed by hot towels. Stay in high quality hotels. All the while making at or better than senior legacy pilot wages/benefits. For a company that gets bigger and better with age and is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

I can see how that makes sense.

 

[cush]

Oh, and it appears highly likely I will get through my entire aviation career without a furlough, retire before 60, and never look back.

Please send donations.

 

[Mooneymite]

Oh, and it appears highly likely I will get through my entire aviation career without a furlough, retire before 60, and never look back.

Please send donations.

You and I need to sit and have a beer one afternoon.

 

[learflyer]

I don't get passengers with bare feet, sleeveless shirts that reek or armpit juice, and they pay us enough to live.

Tommy Lee smelled like that the morning I picked him up in LAS! Rich people reek too! I get your point by the way!

 

[fischman]

For you guys that made the switch, how is it to deal with the pax, having no FA, and throwing the bags? To me that would seem like a con, but not to say its not worth it.

How is it to deal with pax? Try it sometime. A 121 PIC is not a skygod that is beyond talking to. People are nice. Talk to them.

Having no FA? IT IS A GODSEND!!! No offense to the FA's at NJA/NJI, but I CAN'T STAND THE FA's ON 121 FLIGHTS!!! They are usualy prima donna's or bored with their job.

Throwing bags? Not a big deal. It takes a grand total of 30 seconds to load the ultra usually. Every now and then it is like a big tetris puzzle trying to figure out how to get everything on, but usually it takes 30 seconds.

 

[Club ORD FO]

For you guys that made the switch, how is it to deal with the pax, having no FA, and throwing the bags? To me that would seem like a con, but not to say its not worth it.

actually, I think had more customer interaction in the airline days, thanks to all the delays and just getting attacked when walking through the terminal. here, it seems like they show up, you shake hands, ask them if they need anything (most say no), and you never hear from them the whole flight. At most they ask you where you keep the water. Since joining the fracs, I've never had to deal with the "i called my friend in Ohare, and she says the weather is fine, so why are we not going."

Throwing bags is no big deal, since i usually have only 2 passengers. not like i am loading up an RJ or anything...

 

[Fozzy]

Personally, I believe the 121 world is at its nadir. There has been enough suffering and misery that even the lethargic 121 major guys have "had enough". I suspect they will stop their distructive in-fighting, unite and take back a lot of what has been allowed to errode. My personal opinion is that the war-hardened pilots that are starting today will make the 121 world a better place over their careers.

That is two predictions I would not bet on.

 

[CA1900]

That is two predictions I would not bet on.

And you know why?

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/931/mesaba5.jpg

 

[Fozzy]

And you know why?

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/931/mesaba5.jpg

Hey where is his IPOD and backpack? Poser.

 

[imacdog]

That's an obvious fake - a real Mesa pilot would have those sunglasses on, indoors or not.

 

[Willy21]

Why is he wearing a hat? It might mess up his hair.

 

[cush]

You and I need to sit and have a beer one afternoon.

We certainly can do that. But believe me, I've had many a beer with many a retired Delta guy (such as yourself) and heard all the stories of the glory days. My point is, those days are over. Just be grateful that you were able to experience them. As I am grateful for my job. Which I feel very fortunate to have. One which I would not trade, in todays world, for any out there. But then again, to each their own. Cheers!

 

[AftCG182]

Made the switch. Wish I could have done it sooner. Two things to keep in mind... 7-on/7-off schedules are common and you'll need to enjoy the face-to-face time with your pax. Oh yeah, you get treated like a human over here, too...

 

[SELFloadingCRGO]

Thank you all for your replies, I certainly do appreciate it!

 

[popgoesbubble]

Left the Regionals after 6 years never going back only thing I hate is to see Old retired Airline captains bitch about the Job and then try and tell you that they don't need the money but yet plan on staying here until there in there Seventies or can't hold a medical!

Plus if your in the 680 we have a very Ambiguously IOE guy that will put his arm behind your seat and make you feel all comfortable during the Dead head legs Not that there's anything wrong with that!

 

[SafeSix]

I was in the FBO at KCLL yesterday and asked the girl if a particular aircraft on the ramp belonged to NetJets (I have no idea what y'alls paintjob even looks like...)

Anyway, she said no, because the "pilots weren't "A-holes"!!

I'm thinking, "Hmmm... this is interesting."

"Are you saying all NetJets crews are A-holes?" I ask.

"Yep", she says. "Always in a big hurry and need stuff now, now, now!"

I replied that I'd heard the hours are long and the schedules are tight-- could be enough to stress dudes out. Didn't seem to change her opinion though.

Your thoughts?

(Now y'all please don't go chewin on her next time you're there. She seemed young and of questionable overall intelligence. Would probably cry easily!)

 

[captain dad]

9 years of part 121 and you can't pay me enough to go back to the airlines. Seriously! NJA is the brass ring for me. Especially after the IBB passing. Good money, fun flying, great people, great company, great benefits, etc... I can keep going...

Yes you have to deal with the folks and load maybe ten or twenty bags a day.

I won't ever leave.

 

[CA1900]

"Are you saying all NetJets crews are A-holes?" I ask.

"Yep", she says. "Always in a big hurry and need stuff now, now, now!"
...
Your thoughts?

Our needs really aren't that outrageous. In general, our planes need gas, a bag of ice, a change of the coffee pot contents, and some newspapers. If there's catering, we'll need it out of the fridge. Some of our planes need GPUs. And we'll probably need "all that" in about half an hour if it's a short turn. If it's a ferry leg, we won't need the coffee, ice, papers, or probably catering unless it's crew food.

That's it. It's not a lot.

Most FBOs understand this, because there's nothing much we need that every other passenger airplane doesn't need, too. Many times, a good line guy can take care of all our needs except the gas in a matter of just a few minutes.

Here's a hint for FBOs, too: If you put the coffee pot and the ice machine out where I can get it, I'll usually grab that stuff myself if I have time. It's when everything hidden in the line office, and I can't so much as breathe without asking the CSR, that's part of the problem!

Yeah, we have a-holes; every company does. But really, my experience has been that they're pretty rare here. Generally, if we're up at the desk nagging, it's because the whole airport is moving in sloooooow mooooottttiioooooon.... Our min turn is normally an hour. We're expected to be ready to go 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure. So if it's been 20 minutes since I asked the FBO for the coffee, ice, papers, and catering, then you bet we're going to be in there nagging. Because I now have less than 10 minutes to get it all together.

(Y'all please don't go chewin on her next time you're there. She seemed young and of questionable overall intelligence. Would probably cry easily!)

Heh.... I've never been to that airport, but it looks like an FBO associated with a college. The last time I got terrible service, it was at another college FBO: Columbus's own Ohio State U. airport. (Our showtime was the FBO's opening time, and our departure was an hour later. It didn't start off well when the CSR was 20 minutes late for work!)

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

That reminds me of a trip I had:

I'm in the Falcon, at about 0230, with a load of parts for Toyota (Georgetown, KY) that they needed ASAP, and paid a crapload of money for us to fly it there from Mexico.

I'm looking over the security fence at the driver of the Toyota delivery truck, waiting for these parts. He's looking at me and wondering why we're both sitting there at the airport, in the dark.

After about an hour, the FBO guy strolls up, opens the FBO, turns on the lights, and opens the gate for the Toyota truck. NICE!

I think that's why Toyota built their own airport on their property at the new pickup truck plant in SAT.

cliff
YIP