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Fear Uncertainty and Doubt

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Vinny

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2011
Posts
51
Fear Uncertainty and Doubt...

March 31, 2016

Dear Pilots,

During the Company update, we were all given the opportunity to better understand how the brands and business have changed and matured over the past few years. As Kenn stated, our industry is in the process of shifting from an emphasis of guaranteed aircraft availability to a more price-sensitive, on-demand model. We have always excelled at adapting to new market trends, and we will continue to do so with innovative programs like the Gulfstream fleet, international expansion and Red Label. And while these initiatives bring unique opportunities for growth in a highly competitive market, they also bring certain challenges, which we will face as one unified Company.

One of this Company's points of pride is that we have always thoughtfully considered how each decision will impact the lives of our employees, while balancing what is necessary to continually adapt to market conditions and move the business forward.

As you know, fleet adjustments are a common practice in our industry. They are a necessary and beneficial way for an operator to update their fleet based on industry shifts, customer demand, aircraft age/productivity and a range of other factors. In our case, fleet adjustments will help grow programs like Red Label, which includes some of our newest aircraft: the Legacy 450/500, Challenger 350, Global Express and Gulfstream G450 but also will see the retirement of the Lear40XR and the Challenger 604/605 fleets.

By recognizing the shift of some customer preferences to the on-demand business model, we are strategically phasing certain aircraft types ? specifically the Nextant 400XT and the Citation X, - out of the fractional business model into on-demand flying. In doing so we will significantly strengthen our competitive position in the marketplace.

This shift in our fleet deployment and the transition to the on Demand model will have a proportional impact on the size of the pilot group. The On Demand model, unlike the Fractional model, does not provide the customer with Guaranteed availability and therefore requires less pilots per aircraft. The actual number of pilots needed will be determined after we have determined the success of the program. But, suffice to say, it will be less pilots than has been required for Fractional operations. While both brands have historically handled overstaffing through a furlough, we hope to use voluntary measures to recalibrate the number of pilots on staff.

We will begin by allowing interested pilots the opportunity to apply for a Voluntary Separation Package. This program offers pilots who may be considering a change, whether for retirement or other reasons, the chance to receive a severance package to assist in their transition. It is important to note that this is not a furlough; participation is completely voluntary with no rights to recall. While the details will be outlined in a special separation agreement, the highlights include the following:

All Active Pilots

  • Six months continued salary (payable as salary continuation)

  • Six months continued Health and Dental Insurance at the employee/employer rate

  • Payout of any remaining PTO balance

  • Individually timed release with 21-day advance notice, to begin within the next 12 months

Furthermore, based on the circumstances surrounding the fleet realignment and recent furlough recall, we are offering additional compensation to pilots who meet certain criteria. If interested, and you fall into either category below, you may be eligible for an additional incentivized separation packet:


  • Learjet 40XR, Challenger 604/605, Nextant 400XT and Citation X pilots will receive an additional three months of continued salary and benefits above the baseline Package, for a total of 9 months.

  • Pilots recalled from furlough within the last two years will receive an additional six months of salary and benefits above the baseline Package, for a total of 12 months.

While this offer is initially being made available to all Flexjet pilots, we have presented a Letter of Agreement to the Union requesting that Flight Options pilots also have the ability to participate in this voluntary program. To apply for a Voluntary Separation Package, submit a written request to vsp@onesky.com no later than April 16, 2016.

For operational reasons, availability may be limited. Pilots who apply for and are granted a Package will be released on a timeline that ensures a smooth transition.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out to your manager or myself.

Best wishes,

Jason Weiss
Executive Vice President of Operations
 
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This is Spooky's chance! He won't have to pay dues!
 
Hmmmmmm netjets is hiring into their Phenom 300 's. That seems like a small cabin aircraft to me. They must still be selling fractional shares in them.
 
AUGUST 2015 -

Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro. “Our [year-over-year fractional share] sales for the year are up 20 percent and the marketplace clearly is hungry for extended-range products from Gulfstream.”

New aircraft are expected to expand the Flexjet fleet by at least 50 percent, if not more, from about 85 earlier this year “to the low to mid 100s,” according to Silvestro.

APRIL 5, 2016-

“Our companies have seen a significant shift in the fractional marketplace over the past year and a half,” Flexjet said in a statement to AIN. “While customer demand has historically been high in the light- and midsize-cabin segments, much of it has since shifted to on-demand flying.“

Was he lying in the first AIN article or the second? Because those statements contradict each other.
 
I'm confused. We ran into Options crew this morning got to talking about the usual. Mentioned the retirement package and looked at me like I was crazy. He knew nothing and it was not offered to Options pilots and as a matter of fact they just opened up bidding for 5 new aircraft which would also equate to 10 upgrades and 10 callbacks or new hires.

I thought Options were winding down and Flex jet was the new brand. If that's true how cone they are growing and we shrinking with no new planes and furloughs on horizon? Why are they now getting the new planes and Flexjet has stopped.

Somebov lying. he also said were being whipsewn, a union term I should get used to. I understand FUD but what is this?
 
I'm confused. We ran into Options crew this morning got to talking about the usual. Mentioned the retirement package and looked at me like I was crazy. He knew nothing and it was not offered to Options pilots and as a matter of fact they just opened up bidding for 5 new aircraft which would also equate to 10 upgrades and 10 callbacks or new hires.

I thought Options were winding down and Flex jet was the new brand. If that's true how cone they are growing and we shrinking with no new planes and furloughs on horizon? Why are they now getting the new planes and Flexjet has stopped.

Somebov lying. he also said were being whipsewn, a union term I should get used to. I understand FUD but what is this?

"Whipsaw" is a term used when a management team pits one pilot group against another in order to have one group undercut the other. Ask any current or former regional airline pilot about this. We've all lived it in our past.
 
I'm confused. We ran into Options crew this morning got to talking about the usual. Mentioned the retirement package and looked at me like I was crazy. He knew nothing and it was not offered to Options pilots and as a matter of fact they just opened up bidding for 5 new aircraft which would also equate to 10 upgrades and 10 callbacks or new hires.

I thought Options were winding down and Flex jet was the new brand. If that's true how cone they are growing and we shrinking with no new planes and furloughs on horizon? Why are they now getting the new planes and Flexjet has stopped.

Somebov lying. he also said were being whipsewn, a union term I should get used to. I understand FUD but what is this?

And here you have your typical pilot(s) that do not pay attention to anything and then go get pissed at the Union for not doing this or telling them that.
There was plenty of communication from the Union about the "VSP".
They should have known, but of course they don't get on the VUH, and they don't ready any emails (if they even read email).

The upgrades, yes they are for 4 pic&sic in P300, and 2 pic&sic in Legacy (options legacy, not new legacy 500).

So yes they are trying to throw dissention into the ranks with making the Union look bad. They won't take the vsp offer, boo hoop, we will need to furlough, whaaaaa!
Oh wait we need to do some upgrades because we are short staffed.
 
"Whipsaw" is a term used when a management team pits one pilot group against another in order to have one group undercut the other. Ask any current or former regional airline pilot about this. We've all lived it in our past.

Yes and after working for not just one but two companies infamous for this technique, I learned my lesson and moved onto a segment of the industry I thought was safe from such shenanigans. Guess I was wrong.

We are being completely whipsawed but not in conventional terms. I think Ricci is using the whipsaw for the long range plan of decertification. As far as using the whipsaw for negotiations, I believe his plan is to stall on all these cursory issues (fence, cba, sli) long enough to get us to the decert. Hence, it is not really a whipsaw in the traditional sense but still an accurate terminology in my opinion.

So far he is wielding the saw pretty darn effectively and we are helping. Yammer is nothing going but a whipsaw tool. If you care at all about your job as a Flexjet you would recognize the propaganda for what it is. It's not just a divide and conquer tool of FJ vs FO but of Flexer against Flexer. The BS RH is spewing about SLI and other matters is disgusting. Have you noticed how good Handschuch is at suggestive reasoning? There's no way he is still not getting "help" with his Yammer posts. Why are you going to read what some law firm drilled up? The con job over VSP is disgusting. Threatening the livelihood of an entire workgroup so you can stall or win negotiations is disgusting. We should all boycott Yammer. Every post there, even if you think it's for a righteous and glorious reason, just adds one more slide of that whipsaw. I don't know why we can't see that. I am so disappointed in the union blowhards especially that still use it. In truth it's these kind of amatuer hour techniques that keep me wondering.

I get it was useful during the vote phase. As ugly as it got, I get it had to be done and I respect the amount of cajones it took to get on there after 2 guys were fired over Yammer. But the time has passed and anyone who posted on there after Dec 16 needs to recognize it's their own hand on the end of that saw. Not just Ricci's, not just Handshuch's, not just the lawyers but you as a pilot, union representive or anything, are just helping that whipsaw right along. Is the sound of your own voice really that important? Some of these fools need to realize they are not really leading if, at the end of the day, it's still just all about them.

A little humility never hurt a person and I think some of these union guys need a big dose of it to stop helping that whipsaw along. Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize. It's not about you. It's about me and 700 others right now. Now STFU and get to work on crap that matters.
 
And here you have your typical pilot(s) that do not pay attention to anything and then go get pissed at the Union for not doing this or telling them that.
There was plenty of communication from the Union about the "VSP".
They should have known, but of course they don't get on the VUH, and they don't ready any emails (if they even read email).

The upgrades, yes they are for 4 pic&sic in P300, and 2 pic&sic in Legacy (options legacy, not new legacy 500).

So yes they are trying to throw dissention into the ranks with making the Union look bad. They won't take the vsp offer, boo hoop, we will need to furlough, whaaaaa!
Oh wait we need to do some upgrades because we are short staffed.

Union look bad? They choose to remain uninformed. The one's that look bad are the ones that ask the questions that have been already answered. It's not the union leadership's job to hold your hand. If you don't take an active role now, it only gets harder for those who already volunteer. Now is the time to follow the rules because the company will be looking to take hostages again. The only way for us to succeed in the long term is to stick together and stay informed.
 

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