Contract Work - How do you find it?

[LegacyDriver]

I was just wondering how people manage to dig up contract work. I realize there aren't exactly a ton of Legacy jets around so my marketability would be on the small side, but I'd sure like to see what else is out there on days when I'm home.


Many thanks in advance.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Bump. Punt. Patooey.

 

[xdrvr]

Well you know man NETWORK. probably the same way you got this job. Mingle with other Legacy Drivers and let em know youre interested. Kind of like when we were trying to be CFI's .. keep your resume at the top of the pile... keep your name fresh in their mind. Believe it or not.. the pool isn't that large... with the flexibility that we have to offer our real employers we aren't always avail... people lookin for contract pilots usually move down the list pretty quick. Good Luck Bro

 

[G100driver]

Talk to your local WSCofD salesman. He can put you in touch with local CP's who can let you know their needs and put you on the short list for calls.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Good idea G100.


Thanks xd. Just trying to figure out how to contact the owners of a jet that I know occasionally uses contract pilots. I may have to stop by and say hello next time I see it on the ramp. I just hate bugging people when they're working.

Cheers!

 

[xdrvr]

Good idea G100.


Thanks xd. Just trying to figure out how to contact the owners of a jet that I know occasionally uses contract pilots. I may have to stop by and say hello next time I see it on the ramp. I just hate bugging people when they're working.

Cheers!

Don't think of it as bugging them.. just drop by and bs with them for awhile... let them know you're interested in contract work but show em your personality more.... they'll definitely remember that... just think if you were in a position to call a contract employee, and what type of person you would want to fly with ... fyi it's not usually the owner's who are doin the calling a lot of the time it's the pilot himself... of course that pilot is vouching for you, professionalism, flying skills etc.. but usually its the pilot who cant do the trip or the one that you'll b flying with that sets up the contract work. Good luck

 

[westshan]

Legacy, I used to work for Jet Professionals in the New York area a few years ago. Looks like they've expanded into other areas and belong to Jet Aviation's group now. It's a standard contract pilot service. They put you through an interview to determine if you're suitable for their clients. It wasn't too bad a few years ago, anyway. Not terribly technical or annoyingly psychological. My clients were at HPN, MMU, TEB, and ROC. They never gave me a bad client and they arranged for several interviews for full-time work. There is probably a small fee to list with them initially.

The bad news is that, of course, they take take a cut of your daily pay. They do handle expense account reimbursement and cut you a paycheck with the taxes taken out, generate a W-2 and so forth. They also handle all requests for your services, which keeps three of your clients with whom you are popular from calling you for trips on the same day.

I've worked for them twice over the years and they have a variable amount of work according to the economy. Seems encouraging right now--lots of people using contract pilots to avoid paying benefits. It's a weird life, though. You often sit down in a different cockpit with a strange crewmember on a daily basis. You have to adjust to individual flight department differences and preferences in a hurry. Ask to come in the day before to go over procedures when you get a new client--often you don't get that much notice, though.

You also have to be typed and current in the aircraft you fly. I found that I had to take about as many flights as I could stand to make a decent living. I figured that I had to fly about five months just to pay for my FSI training.

My parting impression is that they are straight shooters and it's a good stop-gap measure until you find full-time.

www.jet-professionals.com

Hope it helps.
Charlie

 

[LegacyDriver]

Many thanks!

I am full-time now, for the record, but I have lots of days off when I know I am free so the opportunity to pick up a flight now and then would help me pay down the mortgage and the wife's expensive habits.

 

[PC12Cowboy]

Wscod?????

 

[TOGA]

Whistling Sh!tcan of Death

 

[G21Agoose]

I was just wondering how people manage to dig up contract work. I realize there aren't exactly a ton of Legacy jets around so my marketability would be on the small side, but I'd sure like to see what else is out there on days when I'm home.


Many thanks in advance.

Advertising/networking and self marketing. Advertise on www.avcrew.com and
get yourself on www.contractcorporatecrews.com. It is definitely a self promotion exercise- think of it as having your own business.
Good luck.

 

[Lead Sled]

I just hate bugging people when they're working.

First of all, Chief Pilots never work. Second, a good chief pilot will want to know some contract pilots to draw upon.

I'll be looking for an Astra pilot to cover for us as we rotate through school in the next couple of months.

'Sled