Finding a contract pilot

[Fly91]

I have a question for everyone . I have a co-pilot that routinely decides to take a day off even after a trip has been scheduled far in advance . I have no problem with him taking off , the problem is he unloads this on me 3-4 days before trip and doesn't lift a finger to get a qualified pilot to take his place . Just would like to know how other flight departments would handle this . This guy has called me the night before a trip and bailed on the trip for some personal reason . Would like to know what policies are in place in other flight departments . Thanks in advance .

Basically, your letting a jerkoff walk all over you and your owner....and that jerkoff should be happy to have a job.

Get rid of that loser....

 

[Flying Biker]

And here I have the opposite problem. I was called up by a company to do some contract work for them. They just got a new turbine a/c and their pilot, who has zero time in it, just went to class and got his type and a single pilot waiver for it but the insurance was requiring him to get 25 hours with an experienced pilot in that a/c before they would give him the blessing. Because I own my own company now, I rearranged my work schedule and even canceled a horseback camping trip with some friends so that I could help this company out.

They had me scheduled for about 3 trips a month for the next 3 months. The first trip I was suppose to do got cancelled the day before. OK that happens, no big deal. Then the next trip came up and again the evening before the trip, their pilot calls me up and tells me that the owners want to save money and that they do not want to pay for a second pilot and its "just a short trip anyways" so they are not going to use me for this trip. I then advised him that I am cancelling all the scheduled trips with them and if they really need me, to call me 2 days before and I will see what I can do. Flying is not my life anymore and I was bending over backwards to help them out. I knew this bridge was a short one, that is why I accepted the temp job. What really pisses me off, is they are the ones who called me, I was not out soliciting. It did cross my mind to invoice them for some of the time due to the inconvenience.

 

[CorpCaptain]

It did cross my mind to invoice them for some of the time due to the inconvenience.

When I was flying contract I had a provision that if the said company cancelled within 3 days I wouldnt invoice them. If there was a mechanical, or inside 3 days the DO would have a bill sitting on his desk Monday Look at the bright side. Atleast your out of this rat race, that in itself should make your day.

 

[Flying Biker]

Look at the bright side. Atleast your out of this rat race, that in itself should make your day.

Your absolutely right! Sometimes I forget how I was treated in the aviation world but these little reminders just kind of slaps one in the face. It just amazes me how someone can go and by a multimillion dollar aircraft just to skimp on pilots and safety all in the name of saving $1500.00.

 

[Nolife]

Your absolutely right! Sometimes I forget how I was treated in the aviation world but these little reminders just kind of slaps one in the face. It just amazes me how someone can go and by a multimillion dollar aircraft just to skimp on pilots and safety all in the name of saving $1500.00.

It's simply lack of respect for pilots and safety from the owners and that comes from their lack of experience with aviation. Their pilot/manager should have explained this to them however it wasn't done. The view is that if the plane can be flown single pilot why waste the money for the other guy who would do nothing but fill the seat. I see this all the time.

The one that gets me are the folks who own an airplane, typically a King Air or Citation, and use only contract pilots. Then one day no one is available for their trip and the owners and the airplane manager are mad that they missed a trip. Had a guy get mad at me for saying no when I already had a trip booked with someone else. If you can afford the airplane you can afford the pilot salary; end of story.

 

[TXCAP4228]

We don't know enough to make a judgment here.

On the one hand, if you’re part 91 and this guy is contract then you get what you pay for when you use contract pilots. If the owner doesn't want to actually hire a pilot at a fair salary and provide the benefits that any other employee would get then either you or the owner deserve what you get by being too cheap to hire a pilot. Let’s be honest, either you or the owner have opted not to hire a pilot because its more convenient for you not to hire one. So, in exchange for that, you need to accept that sometimes your pilot will not fly for you if it’s not convenient to him or her. It’s that simple. It frustrates me to see owners buy a jet that they’re not even remotely qualified to fly themselves, choose not to accept the expense of hiring a crew and keeping that crew current, and then complain when they suddenly can’t make a trip in their own jet at any damn time they please.

Having said that…
On the other hand, it is without a doubt unprofessional to cancel on short notice. That does not obviate your culpability in not caring enough to hire a full time pilot, but yes, it’s not professional. More than that, though, if this guy IS a full time pilot, if you’re paying for his training & currency, and if you’re paying him a fair salary….then dump him.

 

[Ty Webb]

We don't know enough to make a judgment here.

On the one hand, if you’re part 91 and this guy is contract then you get what you pay for when you use contract pilots. If the owner doesn't want to actually hire a pilot at a fair salary and provide the benefits that any other employee would get then either you or the owner deserve what you get by being too cheap to hire a pilot. Let’s be honest, either you or the owner have opted not to hire a pilot because its more convenient for you not to hire one. So, in exchange for that, you need to accept that sometimes your pilot will not fly for you if it’s not convenient to him or her. It’s that simple. It frustrates me to see owners buy a jet that they’re not even remotely qualified to fly themselves, choose not to accept the expense of hiring a crew and keeping that crew current, and then complain when they suddenly can’t make a trip in their own jet at any damn time they please.

Having said that…
On the other hand, it is without a doubt unprofessional to cancel on short notice. That does not obviate your culpability in not caring enough to hire a full time pilot, but yes, it’s not professional. More than that, though, if this guy IS a full time pilot, if you’re paying for his training & currency, and if you’re paying him a fair salary….then dump him.

DING! DING! DING! We have a winner.

I have to laugh at all the knee-jerk "Fire the guy!" comments. Wouldn't you like to know more . . . . like:

1) Is the guy an employee? If so, what's the policy?
2) If not, how often do you use him? Are you paying market rate or better?
3) Who keeps him current? Does he have an obligation to someone who does or who pays better?

I'm betting there are two sides to this story; if not, the guy has some "issues".

 

[Apache06]

I have a question for everyone . I have a co-pilot that routinely decides to take a day off even after a trip has been scheduled far in advance . I have no problem with him taking off , the problem is he unloads this on me 3-4 days before trip and doesn't lift a finger to get a qualified pilot to take his place . Just would like to know how other flight departments would handle this . This guy has called me the night before a trip and bailed on the trip for some personal reason . Would like to know what policies are in place in other flight departments . Thanks in advance .

you simply fire him and find someone who values his/her job and wants to work.

 

[jdubya]

Tex is right on the roman coin there...I was wondering how things worked out for you.

 

[Fly91]

DING! DING! DING! We have a winner.

I have to laugh at all the knee-jerk "Fire the guy!" comments. Wouldn't you like to know more . . . . like:

1) Is the guy an employee? If so, what's the policy?
2) If not, how often do you use him? Are you paying market rate or better?
3) Who keeps him current? Does he have an obligation to someone who does or who pays better?

I'm betting there are two sides to this story; if not, the guy has some "issues".

NO, I know enough....a flight gets scheduled far in advance and he takes a day off on that day and only gives the company 3-4 days notice he can't make the trip...AND he routinely does this....what on earth more do you need to know...........he's a scumbag taking advantage. PERIOD.....

 

[Ty Webb]

NO, I know enough....a flight gets scheduled far in advance and he takes a day off on that day and only gives the company 3-4 days notice he can't make the trip...AND he routinely does this....what on earth more do you need to know...........he's a scumbag taking advantage. PERIOD.....

Newsflash- We've already heard one side of it; obviously there's another side to it.

Clearly, this "job" isn't his number one priority; I'd be interested to know more about the "job" before just deciding the guy's a scumbag. There are plenty of operators out there that deserve the title of "scumbag", too.

 

[gern_blanston]

If it were that bad, and he had any balls, he'd quit.
I suspect he is, indeed, a scumbag.

 

[spg2bmd]

ditto