CitationAir To Cease Flight Operations On October 31

[outerfix]

My Pro Pilot mag just came in the mail. I had to chuckle at the irony of Textron being the featured flight department the same month they shut down CitationAir. Tailwinds to us all, we deserve it.

 

[gunfyter]

If NJ starts off the street hiring in a few months ... what kind of interest would you expect there would be from Citation Air pilots?

 

[outerfix]

I think that those of us that still wanted to stay with fractional flying are or will be working at Wheels Up. If i'm going to sit in the right seat for the next ten years, it's going to be at an airline.

 

[gunfyter]

Sounds good to me ... I was just wondering how easy it would be to find people that could quickly adapt to this business

 

[surveypilot]

I think that those of us that still wanted to stay with fractional flying are or will be working at Wheels Up. If i'm going to sit in the right seat for the next ten years, it's going to be at an airline.

There are plenty of guys at Gama (Wheels Up) that will have just completed their one year training contract about the time that NetJets starts hiring. The Wheels Up contract is still new enough that NetJets could decimate the workforce at Gama overnight.

 

[gunfyter]

There are plenty of guys at Gama (Wheels Up) that will have just completed their one year training contract about the time that NetJets starts hiring. The Wheels Up contract is still new enough that NetJets could decimate the workforce at Gama overnight.

Why yes ... all they have to do is up the SIC pay to comfortably above WU PIC pay

 

[surveypilot]

Why yes ... all they have to do is up the SIC pay to comfortably above WU PIC pay

They don't even have to do that. They just have to get SIC pay above WU SIC pay. The schedule improvement would do the rest.

 

[gunfyter]

They don't even have to do that. They just have to get SIC pay above WU SIC pay. The schedule improvement would do the rest.

What is the pay and schedule?

 

[surveypilot]

What is the pay and schedule?

The schedule is 6/3. King Air pay is $55k for FOs and $80k for captains. XL pay is $80k for FOs and $110k for captains.

 

[jonjuan]

They don't even have to do that. They just have to get SIC pay above WU SIC pay. The schedule improvement would do the rest.

What's the upgrade to WU vs nj?

 

[surveypilot]

What's the upgrade to WU vs nj?

Upgrades at WU are only loosely tied to seniority, so it is impossible to determine. In the first year, there have been a mixture of direct hire captains to guys that have upgraded in 6 months to guys that probably won't upgrade anytime soon. There is also no plan to transition pilots from the King Air fleet to the XL fleet. There are no pay scales. The base system is incredibly limited with pseudo home basing for some, but a restriction to just a few bases for most. In short, other than descent pay, there is not a whole lot that would attract anyone to WU long term. Time will tell if those issues will be addressed, but pay alone will not keep guys there long term. It is been a short term shelter for lots of Citation Air and Avantair pilots, but there will be better opportunities long term.

 

[jonjuan]

Upgrades at WU are only loosely tied to seniority, so it is impossible to determine. In the first year, there have been a mixture of direct hire captains to guys that have upgraded in 6 months to guys that probably won't upgrade anytime soon. There is also no plan to transition pilots from the King Air fleet to the XL fleet. There are no pay scales. The base system is incredibly limited with pseudo home basing for some, but a restriction to just a few bases for most. In short, other than descent pay, there is not a whole lot that would attract anyone to WU long term. Time will tell if those issues will be addressed, but pay alone will not keep guys there long term. It is been a short term shelter for lots of Citation Air and Avantair pilots, but there will be better opportunities long term.

Sounds like pay at nj in the late 90s. Should change as it did at nj over time.

 

[johnsonrod]

The schedule is 6/3. King Air pay is $55k for FOs and $80k for captains. XL pay is $80k for FOs and $110k for captains.

Don't worry - Kenny will bump it up to $112K for Sovereign Captains...

 

[FRACTRASH]

How much is enough? we all would like more. The impression I get from the NJ folk here, if your not on par with there pay and benefits you should be ashamed to go to work and feed your family on 60,80,90, or 110k a year. enjoy it and save as much as you can. Things sometime broadside you with little warning.