Emerald Coast at Air Inc in Dallas

[HoursHore]

and as a single guy in Manhattan,

How do you afford to live in Manhatten? Rent Control?

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Or gay.

Just kidding man, I couldn't resist. Have a good one!

Ah, that only holds true if it is one guy with a gaggle of girls. One guy with one wingwoman is different. I've had this explained to me by umpteen girls who all swear up and down that they notice men who are with women...not men who are with four other men who are obviously trolling for a$$.

-Neal

 

[BluDevAv8r]

How do you afford to live in Manhatten? Rent Control?

I think you missed the key word in my post..."single." I couldn't afford a 2000 square foot 3-bedroom condo or townhouse obviously (those are all $2mm +). But a single person (no kids) in this industry (let me clarify by saying that someone who is making over $50k) can easily afford to live in NYC if they want to make some sacrifices (such as space/square footage for location).

Oh yea, there is very little rent control in NYC left believe it or not and those that have it will never leave so the rest of us who have moved in over the past few years will never get access to it (especially since the laws letting rent control go away over time). Although I have 1 friend who is living in his late grandmother's 3 bedroom upper west side apartment for $1700/month (it would normally rent for well over $5k/month). Lucky bastid.

But generally speaking, I think many people that live outside of the NYC area have a misconception of what it costs to live in Manhattan, etc. I get the same question that you asked me from the guys I fly with all the time. It just comes down to sacrifice. No car (I love it...no d&d worries and I pay $6 each way to EWR on a shuttle), small apartment (500 square feet), and very little cooking (I love the fact I can get anything delivered 24/7). But it is very doable and my apartment has been a great investment (even in the short time that I have owned it). My friends who bought houses in IAH last year can't say the same thing obviously about their real estate market.

It is great...I have always wanted to do this and now I am. It is like one big adult playground (with great pizza and bagels).

-Neal

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Oh yea...sorry for the thread drift Albie (but I guess the conference is over anyways). Hope it went well! And I hope you can get my buddy hired at SWA (since he is senior to me of course). Drop me a line whenever you get that EWR layover.

-Neal

 

[SOMcGill]

Really? Not getting rich? You claim to have helped 500 pilots in the past three years. At $350 a pop, that's $175,000. Not exactly chump change. That doesn't count your SIM prep money either. Even if half of those people don't make it and you refund their money that's still $87,500 you've made. I'm sure to guarantee your services you turn away people you think don't have a chance. And how many of those people actually ask you for refund? I'm gonna bet that it isn't that many.

 

[Malter1]

Really? Not getting rich? You claim to have helped 500 pilots in the past three years. At $350 a pop, that's $175,000. Not exactly chump change. That doesn't count your SIM prep money either. Even if half of those people don't make it and you refund their money that's still $87,500 you've made. I'm sure to guarantee your services you turn away people you think don't have a chance. And how many of those people actually ask you for refund? I'm gonna bet that it isn't that many.

SOMcGill,
You sound like one cynical, bitter dude. If Albie were able to help you land a job at a major, I doubt you'd have such disdain for his entrepreneurship. As a client, I hope he makes millions! He is very good at what he does, he helps people achieve their goals, and he makes some money doing it. Sounds like a productive American to me.....Go ahead, John Wayne your next interview without interview prep and see how well you do......

(Nice first post, by the way. Welcome to the coliseum.)

 

[AlbieF15]

...I'm trying hard not to bite on flamebait, but I do think I need to clarify something...

We NEVER turn down a client who asks for help, unless it is the night before an interview (believe it or not, we get these calls at every Jetblue session). As for refunds--there are some board regulars who have gotten refunds from me, but in the interest of their privacy I have never mentioned names. One of them, however, is now an interviewer for Jetblue. Another is a recent new hire (it took two tries) at FedEx. If we failed to provide refunds how long do you think before someone complained loudly on flightinfo? You can call me an opportunist if you'd like, but please don't don't accuse discriminating against certain clients or not honoring our promises.

Our success rate, BTW, is a lot higher than 50%---more like 85% across the board. Our margins on the sim are small (if you can swing me a better deal on a DC10 within driving distance of Memphis let me know!), and I actually started the business after I had 3 clients in a row bust the sim. (One gets another chance this week, another is at UPS, and yet another is at Jetblue). I did it not to make a mint but to try to help the folks I was already serving. That side of the business has grown, but before we started doing this there weren't nearly as many options for folks who wanted the extra help. Try getting any money back for any of the Air Inc products you bought, or calling Kit Darby the night before your interview for some last minute help. Want an Air Inc sim prep? They have NO full motion sims! We've never claimed to be perfect, but just try to be a hell of a lot better than anyone else in the industry. Its a tough gig--Southwest hired about 28% this last round. Several guys have come and gone in this business since we started in 2002. We are still here--still working--and I think our reputation speaks for itself.

And finally--dude--I got three girls, a wife who does beauty pageants, and a 1962 airplane. All of them are in a constant race to see who can spend the most money the fastest...so that is why I am a capitalist. I've also seen enough trashed retirement plans to know that while I love my airline I am not going to let them do ALL my retirement planning. There are tons of pilots in real estate, land development, pyramid schemes, car sales, etc. etc. etc. I just happen to have a team of guys and gals that are pretty darn good at teaching effective communication skills. I'm proud of them, I'm proud of our product, and I'm very proud of our success rate.

FYI--however--we are now sleeping with the Devil. Our first ads will appear in the Air Inc publications and website next month. I know everyone loves to throw a barb Kit's way here and there (me included) but there were 500 guys who seemed pretty happy to able to hobnob with the airline reps yesterday. He provides a valuable service, and although our products compete they are willing to allow us to advertise and join them at the seminars in conjunction with Pan Am. So--if you don't like us now because we've helped about 700 folks successfully interview, then I'm sure you are really going to hate us as we try to grow and help even more in 2006.

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Albie, I know you agree with me (but felt compelled to respond regardless) but you don't owe that guy one NY minute's worth of an explanation or a defense of your business and services. Good for you to leveraging your strengths and exploiting other company's weaknesses. Offer the market a product and the market will determine its worth and success. Congratulations...sounds like it has taken off (no pun intended) nicely. There are very few guys like you out there (I call them the 1%'ers)...keep up the good work. Even in the short time we met in person I could tell you were the real deal...and I'm glad you finally got your toy plane to burn holes in the sky in! I'm still saving for my T-6 however...

-Neal

 

[AlbieF15]

...if you think I'm a 1% guy (and I don't..) then you should see my other team members. Take a look at my counselors! Every guy and gal on there has done some incredible stuff--from flying F-22s to marketing for the Downtown Athletic Club and the Heisman trophy. I'm only as good as the team around me.

FYI...2 clients I helped are now at FDX, both with T-6s of their own. Another guy just hired is building the new Pitts with the Russian engine, and yet another lives on a nearby airpark. My goal isn't to get rich, its to build a good GA squadron of guys to go fly around with when we are stuck on reserve together. I've flown a ton of neat stuff, but GA is STILL my very favorite part of aviation...

 

[SOMcGill]

Pardon me, 700 clients. That's $250,000 you've made. My problem with you is saying that you say aren't getting rich on this gig. You are - so quit with the good guy crap. I've been lurking the boards for a while now, and I think its interesting how many of the threads talking about how great you are happen to be started by people who have one or two posts, and every one of their posts are about your service. Making up screennames to promote your business is anything but ethical. If your wife and daughters are spending your money, get some balls and get them under control. I certainly have no intention of funding their spending habits or buying you an airplane.