limodriver1 said:
Hi!
My company is planning to make us sign training contract.
Briefly in this contract you are never free to leave, you always own money!
Tell me what kind of contract you have, how many years, how much, is it pro rated? All the information is helpfull! We have lears, Hawkers, Gulfstreams, Challengers and few helicopters.
Also pay sucks too.
At the last company I worked, they wanted one of the jet capts to sign a contract each year for annual (91) recurrency. This would have given him about a 1-month time frame each year to get a new job w/out owing money. He told them to FOAD, but in a polite way.
I did a contract in a turboprop; only a couple grand and for only a year, and did not have to sign again for upgrade (no type on that a/c).
My understanding is they can hold you to the contract if they pay for a type. If the contract is only for flight time, ie Pt 91 proficiency; 135 training req's; it's a lot harder to get the money.
It also depends on the company. Some will go after you even if you only owe a week or two. (Yes, it's true!) It sounds like you may be at one of those companies. You have my pity.
You weren't clear in your post, but are they proposing to have you sign a contract some time after the fact? If so, you would be a fool to do so. Politely refuse if this is the case. If being polite doesn't work, tell 'em to FOAD.
There's a lot of operators out there looking for legally-indentured servants.
Good luck,
C
PS: I should have prefaced with this: If a company, even a low-baller, types you in an a/c, you should be willing to work out the contract or buy it out. Nothing is more irritating than someone who gets typed and bails a month later to a better job.