ALG to FLOPs

[toa2mdt]

FLOPs People,

Eric in HR called me today, twice. I need to make some sort of decicion before calling him back on Monday.

I am at Allegheny flying the Dash, you know? The ones always in your way? I've been here for almost 6 years. Merger with PDT and survival is not what I want to talk about in the cockpit anymore. I live in OMA and commute to LGA. Thats just the beginning.

What is first year pay really like? What are health benefits really like from a family point of view. My wife is preg. with twins also. Yes, they are mine! Mnay other benefit questions.

Can I call any of you? I need to get the answers ASAP before calling FLOPs back.

Thanks

 

[JetCapt69]

more pros than cons

Flight Options is a good place to work in my opinion. I have been there over 4 years and left the regionals for here.

Pay starts around $36k base in small cabin a/c, plus $40.80/day per diem. Base pay depends on aircraft type. Insurance benefits are not bad. If you have really good insurance, you might consider keeping it until after your kids are born (congrats by the way). 8 day on schedule, 7 days off. Only drawback is your seniority number (900 range). I wouldn't expect to upgrade for at least 3 years, unless hiring skyrockets. After around the 5 year mark, you will be making captains pay anyway, so if seat position doesn't matter to you, then this shouldn't bother you. We usually swap seats every other leg. SIC's must occupy the right seat on pax legs but are free to fly left seat on empty legs (current SOP policy). Currently Options is non-union. The IBT has been petitioning the pilot group for about 1.5 yrs. So far there hasn't been enough cards returned to prompt a vote.

Have you interviewed yet? If you haven't, GO TO the interview. Transportation to the interview, rental car and hotel will be paid for by Options. Eric will explain everything to you. He will actually start out by telling you why you shouldn't come to work at Options. If you leave the interview with any questions, then you didn't ask them, cause it is a day long process. I read through the SOP's, benefits, pay scales, etc.

I am sure you will get several responses from many people. It is ultimately up to you and your wife to decide what is best for you and your family.

Good luck! Hope to see you on the line with us!

 

[PHX767]

One thing to consider is if the pregnancy will be considered a pre-existing condition as far as the health plan goes.

You obviously have a contact at FO - No other way to get an interview. Have a long talk with your pal to make sure you truly understand all of the duties, nice and not so nice. Its way different than airline life, even regionals.

First year income is about equivelant to a $50K salary with the per diem being tax free. On paper it's $32K. My take home is about $1,200 twice a month, and I take the max 401k deduction, but no medical.

Some guys are unable to provide a Doctor in their area that takes the medical plan.

 

[Heavy Set]

Unfortunately, ALG may not be around much longer - the Dashes are on the way out anyway... I have heard great things about FLOPS. You could likely live in OMA and have a week off at a time - probably a better schedule than ALG.

If you are offered a job at FLOPS and the medical insurance issue is ok, then I would go quickly. You will fly nice jet equipment and fly a much better variety of routes. A lot of pilots, including myself, would love to go to FLOPS - you are lucky.

Let us know your decision - good luck (with the decision and the twins)!

 

[FracCapt]

As somebody already stated - check into whether or not the pregnancy would be considered a pre-existing condition - and whether or not it would be covered. Our insurance company is United Healthcare...our plan is the "Options PPO" according to my medical card. Maybe contacting them would be the first order of business Monday morning. Their website is www.myuhc.com.

Apparently you know somebody to have gotten the interview. Talk to your friend. Have him tell you about his last few tours. Ask about his worst tour. Ask about his best. You'll get a better feel for what a typical frac pilot day is(if there is a typical day for us).

OMA is definitely qualified as a domicile. 3 airlines, 6 flights a day is all it takes. They require that you live within an hour of the airport. They actually plug your address and the airport into mapquest to make sure it is within that hour....or very close to it, at least.

I can't really help you with the pay issue....I have no idea exactly what newhires are making these days. Some others that have been hired more recently than I can help you there. The perdiem is 40.80 a day, based on a 16.6 day/month average. You will get 338.64 in perdiem(untaxable) each pay period, which are twice a month(15th and last day of the month). You get perdiem whether you are out on the road flying your butt off and getting every meal catered, sitting in a hotel in some strange city having to buy your own meals, or sitting at home. You even get perdiem when on vacation.

If you have any interest whatsoever in working here(which I assume you do by asking these questions), go to the interview. Ask all these questions there. They will be able to answer them better than we can...especially the HR people regarding the insurance stuff.

PM me if I can answer any more questions.

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

Pregnancy isn't a pre-existing condition. It's part of that Hippa thing. Don't know anymore about it, but federal law made it a non-pre-existing condition.

One correction, Frac Capt. You actually don't get per diem while on vacation, but if you call in sick you do!!

 

[FracCapt]

One correction, Frac Capt. You actually don't get per diem while on vacation, but if you call in sick you do!!

In nearly 5 years here I have gotten my perdiem everytime I went on vacation. I take off two tours a year. My most recent was in Jan/Feb. Have you not received perdiem when you were on vacation?

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

Yeah, I took two tours off last year and didn't receive per diem for either of them. Another guy I know complained about having to take time off for his wife's surgery because he'd have to be home and lose per diem. Maybe they like you Hawker guys better!!!

 

[FracCapt]

It may have something to do with DOH. Maybe the computers aren't smart enough to figure out when to take perdiem away from us if we've been here over X amount of time. Since I've been with the company, we've had 2 or 3 computer system(software) changes...maybe something got screwed up during those changes. Who knows.

 

[Dep676]

I have gotten per-diem for vacation as well.