commuting to a fractional

[EMB Jockey]

I currently fly for a regional and am looking to make a jump to the fractionals. Leaving white plaines the other day, I was on the bus with a NetJets pilot who said he commuted to work from STL to DFW. He was a new hire at NetJets so he falls into the new contract. I thought that you had to live within a certain time/distance from your base. Wouldn't it be prohibitively expensive to pay your own way to commute to work? I've heard other fractional pilots who commute as well. Due to family reasons I cannot move for another 1.5 years. Is it worth commuting to one of these companies? Obviously I'd like to go to NetJets but would consider FlexJet, CitationShares, and Avantair as well. I just feel like I would like the type of flying the fractionals due compared to the airlines. Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[CA1900]

I currently fly for a regional and am looking to make a jump to the fractionals. Leaving white plaines the other day, I was on the bus with a NetJets pilot who said he commuted to work from STL to DFW. He was a new hire at NetJets so he falls into the new contract. I thought that you had to live within a certain time/distance from your base.

Nope. You receive a briefing the afternoon/evening before telling you what time your report is. It won't change, and there will be no 2am phone calls. All you have to do is make it there by your briefed showtime; they don't care where you live at all. That goes for pilots on the reserve schedule as well. And if by chance you're called in to sit airport standby on your first day of work and they don't use you, you're provided a hotel at your domicile.

Wouldn't it be prohibitively expensive to pay your own way to commute to work?

It could be, but keep in mind also that you'll know your schedule indefinitely once you're on the 7/7, and thus can purchase discount airline tickets way in advance. Plan on going the day before, and using hotel points for a free room at your domicile.

I priced out a STL-DFW one-way for late February, and it was only $64 including taxes. And while you have to report to your base, the company can send you anywhere you like at the end of the tour (up to the value of the original ticket "home"), assuming you're not actually flying a company aircraft back to domicile. (Which is pretty rare.) So it's definitely doable.

I'm doing it by car; 2.5 hours from central Florida to KPBI. Yeah, the gas adds up, but I'm only doing one roundtrip every other week on the 7/7 schedule. If you drove 15 minutes each way to a cubicle-slave job 5 days a week, it'd be the same amount of driving.

Is it worth commuting to one of these companies?

I think so. Better wages and terrific benefits -- it blows my previous company (a non-union regional) out of the water. I'm still new, and haven't really seen the ugly side, but I'm sure it's there like any company. But so far, the best day at my previous company hasn't compared to this.

Still, commuting stinks no matter how you look at it. Though I came here knowing I might be stuck with the domicile system forever, I'm sure that's going to be a big negotiating point for the next contract. Keep in mind, though, that this contract isn't amenable until November 2010, so it's going to be quite a while before it changes.

 

[NJAPLT]

The previous contract said how far you have to live from your gateway, that is eliminated in the new contract. Now it is your responsibility to show at your report time at your domicile airport, from there the company takes care of any arrangements while you are working, including hotels at your domicile for mid-tour overnights.

I know people who do a 3 to 4 hour drive, and I have heard of a couple of pilots who buy cheap Southwest tickets, or have jumpseat privledges from spouses and previous employeers.

There is a provision in the contract that allows you to apply the price of a ticket they the company would normally buy to get you to your domicile at the end of the trip to another airline ticket (that you book yourself). I've never done it myself, so all the info I have on it is just what I read in the contract.

 

[wolfpackpilot]

I'm still new, and haven't really seen the ugly side

Oh yeah? No prob....

Just hang around here long enough and you'll see the ugly bastard, his name is 'Starman'.

We throw more poo at eachother than two drunk monkeys with diarrhea. Just ask how the intergration is going and you'll see the fireworks.

Wolf
(Welcome to NetJets)

 

[CA1900]

We throw more poo at eachother than two drunk monkeys with diarrhea. Just ask how the intergration is going and you'll see the fireworks.

:laugh:

I've seen the arguments on here; that's enough for me for now!

(Welcome to NetJets)

Thanks! I'm greatly looking forward to it; so far, aside from the obscene inefficiency I see here and there, it seems like a good gig.

 

[wolfpackpilot]

aside from the obscene inefficiency I see here and there, it seems like a good gig.

I came from the airlines too, and I had the same observation. However, over time I realized it wasnt 'ALL' obscene inefficiency... the owners pay for most it! '06 was a very good year for NetJets. (even after all those steak and lobsters Diesel ordered).

 

[gunfyter]

I came from the airlines too, and I had the same observation. However, over time I realized it wasnt 'ALL' obscene inefficiency... the owners pay for most it! '06 was a very good year for NetJets. (even after all those steak and lobsters Diesel ordered).

Did one Jet Card revenue leg HPN - JAC yesterday. $10,400 per hr for 4.5 hrs.

I don't know how that money gets divied out ... but how many legs on a 1900 or SAAB does it take to generate $46.8K in revenue?

I think a little gets left over for Diesel's food orders.

 

[Diesel]

Crap i was eating ramen noodles just to keep wolfy from having to bring catering home to his kids.

 

[Guitar Guy]

The previous contract said how far you have to live from your gateway, that is eliminated in the new contract.

I don't recall that being the case. One of the guys who did my IOE back in early '05 was driving over 4 hours each way to get to his gateway.

 

[ozpilot]

I don't recall that being the case. One of the guys who did my IOE back in early '05 was driving over 4 hours each way to get to his gateway.

I believe the previous contract required you to be within 100 miles or 2 hours drive of your gateway at midnight on your first day of duty. There was no restriction on where you could live.