Avantair, Alpha Flying, or Cape Air Training Contracts?

[glasspilot]

God this makes me mad...

To continue:

...when it comes to training contracts it's what I owe you verses what you owe me. Typically the company owes me training and I owe them an amount of time of service. Not great, but fine. I can live with it.

Now, this whole "non-compete" thing. They give me what? Employment? Okay....I guess that's what I get. What do I give them? A degradation to MY CAREER? How is that fair? I get a JOB... and they get my reduced ability to get another JOB?!?!?!

Reality check people! Tell these people to pound sand. NO WAY IN GODS GREEN EARTH would I agree to this non-sense. Anyone who has agreed needs to have ALL of their certificates revoked on the basis of a demonstrated lack of decision making ability AND a strong suspicion of drug use.

This is almost as crazy as paying your SE Florida employer $26,000 for privilege to go to work!

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

As I understand, Alpha has had pilots leave and fly PC-12's for owner operators before. Usually for extremely generous increases in salary. I have no idea how it was handled by either side really.

I agree glass, not in a million years would that crap hold up in court. Just a way to get pilots to both think they have an "important" contract with a company and a way to intimidate them into not flying a PC-12 for people that might otherwise have to go to Alpha and request the services of a pilot thru the company.

Mr. I.

 

[phr8dawg]

The purpose of a no-compete agreement, at least at my employer, is so that a departing employee can't quit and take proprietary knowledge and clients to his next employer. A financial advisor I know recently resigned from a big firm and they locked down her files, fired her, and escorted her out of the building.
Unfortunately its a real business risk.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

The purpose of a no-compete agreement, at least at my employer, is so that a departing employee can't quit and take proprietary knowledge and clients to his next employer. A financial advisor I know recently resigned from a big firm and they locked down her files, fired her, and escorted her out of the building.
Unfortunately its a real business risk.

True, but pilots don't have proprietary knowledge of the company, high-level management does however. That's where most non-competes are, not at a pilot level. The one being referenced is there only to keep pilots from going to other PC-12 positions that pay more $$$.

Mr. I.

 

[Takeoffroll]

I agree with phr8dawg on his points on client stealing. In addition to client stealing, other reasons that an employer may add a no compete clause include trying to limit the unscrupulous bottom feeders that will use a company to get accredited training and then prior to completing the agreed upon time at the company, they will represent themselves as a trained pilot for a position at a competitor or even a client looking to get their own aircraft.

I believe that both training and non-compete contracts were created to reduce the impact of unscrupulous pilots on companies. Unfortunately, there is a small percentage of pilots that create problems for everyone. Companies try to limit their exposure to risk. A pilots pay, benefits and training costs are all factored together, the pilot that completes training only to leave within weeks or months alters the amortized cost of the training. Not all companies have unlimited funding.

I would hate to think that the reasons given by some on here are true. If they are, then the rest of the conspiracy theories of our time may be true also. The republicans want to starve our elderly and children, the capitalists want to pollute our water and air and waste every natural resource on the planet all to bring them greater wealth and our government planned the attack of Japan and 911 to motivate the people of the us to go to war to stimulate the economy.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

I agree with phr8dawg on his points on client stealing. In addition to client stealing, other reasons that an employer may add a no compete clause include trying to limit the unscrupulous bottom feeders that will use a company to get accredited training and then prior to completing the agreed upon time at the company, they will represent themselves as a trained pilot for a position at a competitor or even a client looking to get their own aircraft.

I believe that both training and non-compete contracts were created to reduce the impact of unscrupulous pilots on companies. Unfortunately, there is a small percentage of pilots that create problems for everyone. Companies try to limit their exposure to risk. A pilots pay, benefits and training costs are all factored together, the pilot that completes training only to leave within weeks or months alters the amortized cost of the training. Not all companies have unlimited funding.

I would hate to think that the reasons given by some on here are true. If they are, then the rest of the conspiracy theories of our time may be true also. The republicans want to starve our elderly and children, the capitalists want to pollute our water and air and waste every natural resource on the planet all to bring them greater wealth and our government planned the attack of Japan and 911 to motivate the people of the us to go to war to stimulate the economy.

How long have you been working in management?

Mr. I.

 

[Takeoffroll]

sticks and stones Mr. I, sticks and stones.
btw, i owned my own business before i got into aviation. It kinda gave me a different perspective on things.

 

[Geronimo4497]

Glass,

Avantair does have a non-compete clause in the new pro-rated contract, just so you know.

 

[glasspilot]

Yeah, I just found that out and is why I have been keeping quite on the issue. (isn't my face red)

Even though, it still makes me mad. I don't think it's fair at all and wouldn't advise anyone to sign one. In addition I can't imagine any way on Gods green earth it could be upheld.

 

[AftCG182]

Geronimo, Glass... You both know how good we have it here. Irrespective of "long term" career goals, nobody in their right mind would leave Avantair before their first year is up. Why make a big deal out of something that doesn't really matter?

 

[Geronimo4497]

I'm sure it hinders recruiting. In fact I know it does. I have recommended this place to a couple of friends, but they won't come here because of the contract.

 

[AftCG182]

I'm sure it hinders recruiting. In fact I know it does. I have recommended this place to a couple of friends, but they won't come here because of the contract.

It's something that I just don't get. Are you having a hard time getting O/T? I don't know if it's my Sunday start day or all the FNG's we've hired. Hard to get more than one day per tour of O/T any more... That O/T pay is pretty nice......

 

[Geronimo4497]

I'm just starting thursday starts, so we shall see how that happens. We are certainly fat on FOs, but I think the OT will pick up come the end of the winter and when everyone starts taking vacations. Be careful what you wish for.....

 

[AftCG182]

Well, between my ERAU degree (earned and appreciated), and this P.O.S. that I fell for called Airline Training Academy, I owe 100K in student loan debt. I'll be an overtime whore 'till the day they plant me six feet under. It's o.k., because overtime just means more time in the cockpit of the Piaggio.

BTW, Airline Training Academy was owned/run by some pieces of $hit from the Williams family of thieves. Keep an eye open for them, especially around Florida.

The industry is once again becoming a welcoming place for them.

 

[glasspilot]

Didn't they go bankrupt and steal everyone's money that they required to be paid in advance? Or was that someone else? It's been 3 or 4 years now I guess...