Anyone fly for Gulfstream out there?

[starchkr]

Uhhh....Well.... I know this is kinda late and all, but i had to clear one thing up for mr. flying@500agl. SIC's at AirNet DO NOT pay a dime for the time they build, in fact thay are paid 16K a yr plus overtime and they are given full benefits, the same as everyone else in our company. Also, i signed a one year contract with Airnet, and this month i complete that one year, and by doing so i get a nice bonus on my next check($1,000). How is that PFT when they actually are paying me a total of ($1,500) to sign my John Hancock to a piece of paper that WILL NOT stand up in a court of law anyway. (We have had many pilots leave and not have to pay the contract because of little legal discrepancies in the contract)

OK, i am done, we can go on with the Gulfstream debate again.

 

[capnflyright]

There are more ways than one to tackle this argument. The majority of our military pilots received a free ride through their training, but at least PFT pilots paid for their training. It's all how you want to address this issue and getting upset because the next pilot jumped ahead doesn't do you any good. If you are sweating in a C-150 going around the patch, then embrace the experience. If you are a low time pilot sitting right seat in a B-1900, then embrace that as well. Flying is a privilege and as long as we are able to fly that is all that matters.

 

[LearLove]

Correct me if I'm wrong.....

Didn't airnet have a program (a few years back) that an sic paid $12 /hr. for sic time and the company paid them $6/hr. back. I remember the article in the airinc mag in sept/oct 98. I thing they changed it in 99 when they couldn't get 135 qualed pilots.

 

[j41driver]

I know one....

There was a girl in my ACA new hire class a few years ago that bought time at Gulfstream. She actually got hired after the 250 hours that she paid for. I've never flown with her but I have flown with several FO's that have and they all say she is a very good stick. It worked for her I guess.

 

[j41driver]

ACA shouldn't be on the PFT list

I was hired just about 2 years ago and didn't pay a penny to get the job. There are guys here that did pay, but it hasn't happened in at least 3 years.

 

[starchkr]

Year's ago yes they did... but none of the money went to the company. The SIC was to pay 12 per hour and receive 6 back as pay. The other 6 went to the PIC flying with the SIC as an extra incentive to have them onboard. Airnet did not keep any of the money, so the PFT debate just went TU on that one since all of us know that PFT is a way for the company to profit.

 

[TurboS7]

Considering that Tom Cooper started GIA with one little 402B in a run down hangar a little over 10 years ago GIA has come a long way. There is no doupt that they are a commuter success story, and the PFT's are just customer's like the passengers that fly every day. Money is money in the 135/119/121 business and it has to come from many diffrent markets.

 

[generaltso]

I bet you had to pay to get training in that 402. I disagree with PFT, but I don't really fault the company for doing it. The idea of a business is to MAKE MONEY. And if they can find people that will PFT themselves, they are going to take advantage of that fact. And there will ALWAYS be people that are willing to PFT.

PFT used to the be standard, now it is the exception. I wonder why all the companies dropped it? Surely because they couldn't get enough people to do it? Maybe pressure from the pilot groups? Anyone know?

 

[TurboS7]

I was never PFT because when I started flying it hadn't been invented yet. I was always and still am broke so I couldn't have afforded it even if it was at my doorstep. Outfits like GIA are alright in that they do give a guy a shot at a real paying flying job after the PFT. I do have a problem with outfits that charge to fly right seat in a PA31 single pilot operation, I think that is taking advantage of the situation. Hours are hours and how you get them really doesn't make the diffrence in the long run. I know the quality of experience that I have and I would be comfortable with someone with similar experience. I think that this is true for the industry, military guys are comfortable with military etc. The issue is that there are those that have been there, and those that have not. How one reacts under pressure and an emergency can only be told by experience.......that takes time. I do have a hard time knowing that the learning will have to take place with an airplane full of paying passengers vs. a lone 402 on a dark, icy, IFR night in the midwest. Time will tell....I hope I am wrong.

 

[350DRIVER]

This is getting more and more hilarious just when I thought it couldn't get any better.... - Why is it that some are concerned with the "fine details" about the Gulfjoke program.? Some ask "what percentage of the pilots who initially "BUY" the right seat are offered a job after the 250 hours expire" etc, etc, etc,etc,etc.... WHO CARES.........- This subject is getting old very fast and if anything you are giving this program "free publicity"- Gulfstream isn't worth talking about nor "debating"..


The bottom line is that if you want to "BUY" a right seat of a 1900 then by all means go to Gulfstream and enjoy... If you want to be RESPECTED by the aviation community as a whole then don't go there. Easy enough and not worth hearing Gulfstream pilots make weak attempts trying to justify why/how they "deserve" postive feedback from the pilot community which will never happen.


I just wish I had Cooper's savings account-

cheers-