Flex schedules

[GCAP]

I'm on my way to FlexJet next mo. Would some of you Flex pilots post a typical schedule for the last couple of months. I'm just looking for days on days off info, for example, Jan. 5 on 3 off, 6 on 5 off 4 on 4 off . If you have a moment, add the cities flown-to and layover info also.
Thanks

 

[Going2Baja]

While on the subject of flex conditions how about also answering the following:

1) Do you train on days off?
2) Vacation time
3) Training contract
4) Bases - I've heard LAX, ONT, SNA - what's the policy?
5) Benefits - ie. Cost of Medical etc.
6) Pay & housing during training

Thanks

Baja.

 

[Going2Golf]

.....

 

[FraxJockey]

Info

1) Do you train on days off?

Training days are counted as working days so...NO

2) Vacation time

Two weeks after year one (min. of 13 days per week of vacation...I've seen as much as 18 days per) three weeks after year 3 and 4 weeks after year 10

3) Training contract

Yes 2 yrs. Prorated after the first year

4) Bases - I've heard LAX, ONT, SNA - what's the policy?

ONT base with satellite airports in SNA,LAX,and a few others I forget...

5) Benefits - ie. Cost of Medical etc.

Medical costs come out of the well care benefit of the health insurance and I believe are covered.

6) Pay & housing during training

Hotel and perdiem during training...I believe paid the baseline 17 day rotation during training, so 17Xthe daily rate.


Do search all these things have been hashed and rehashed...

With the new schedule in May, I believe you can get a combo of 5/4,5/4,6,4 or 4/3,4/3,4/3,4/3 or 6/4,6/4,4/4 or how many other ways you can split 16 working into 28 total days (or you can sacrifice your first born to the PBS gods and see what that'll get you).

Frax

 

[GCAP]

Hey fraxjock thanks.

 

[Peter_Griffin]

Clarification on medical...

Medical costs come out of the well care benefit of the health insurance and I believe are covered.Frax

I think he was asking about the cost of insurance, not the class 1 medical, but just to clarify:

If you choose, the cost of your class 1 medical can come out of a $500 well care benefit as defined by the plan. This well care benefit is also supposed to cover any preventative "maintenence" like cholesterol, prostate, colonoscopy etc. I know a pilot who was hit with a $2000 bill for a routine colonoscopy because the LIMIT last year on well care was $250. Anything over that limit is out of your pocket unless there was a medical requirement for the test. His sibling had just been diagnosed with cancer and he was encouraged to get one and ended up with far more up his rear than he first bargained for...

Last I heard, even after review by Great West, he was still responsible...

This still holds true this year if you are on the POS plan. On the HSA, if well care goes beyond $500 it does NOT toward the deductible, but the deductible is so high ($4k) it wouldn't much matter if that was your only big ticket medical that year. Point being though, you must be very careful about choosing for our health plan to reimburse for your medical, especially after 40 where you probrably want a physical that tests for things the FAA doesn't... Either way, you are paying out of pocket eventually...

On the health plan you have you choice between POS or HSA and they are both expensive and both SUCK. The POS is your typical co-pay deal ($40 I think), but your portion of the premiums alone will set you back over $3K -- maybe more -- before you pay a single co-pay.

The cheapest HSA plan has you knocking out $1500 for premiums, but then you are $4K out of pocket in deductibles before insurance kicks in a dime and prescriptions do NOT count toward deductible. Since the HSA is far cheaper for Bombardier, they kicked in $1k toward your HSA plan this year as an incentive to go that way.

Either way, whichever you choose POS or HSA, if you are having a major life event -- like surgery, baby, colonoscopy, accident -- you will bet set back close to $6500 in copays and deductibles!!! On last years plan it would have been more like $2500. On the plan we had the first year I was here, more like $1500. IT SUCKS!!!!

On a positive note, our well care limit has doubled this year to $500 per family member, so if you have kids and a healthy wife, they can get their school physicals and woman stuff taken care of without having to spend a dime.

Oh and by the way, we were hit with this news of what essentially amounts to a PAY CUT out of the blue only 2 months before the required switch.

I don't mean to sound bitter, but the insurance situation is what turned me around on the union issue. Before that I could not have cared less about it.

 

[FraxJockey]

Hsa 2000

I'm on the HSA 2000 and that amounts to about $70-75 a paycheck. The MAX out of pocket is $4500. The deductible is $4000 of which $1000 is paid by the company( for my plan anyway...spouse+kid(s))) then it goes to an 80%/20% plan until you reach $4500 and then it goes 100% paid by AETNA. So in MY situation the most out of pocket (not including premiums) is $3500. There are so many combos that I just wanted to post one scenario.

Frax

 

[Peter_Griffin]

Bases cities are essentially Dallas-Fort Worth, New York-North Jersey, LA and Miami-FLL. You must be within 100 miles of DFW, TEB, FLL or ONT at 0001 on your first duty day.

The training situation is top notch for new hires -- per diem, hotel and base pay during initial. On recurrents you only get paid for the day if you are dallas based. If NY, LA or FLL you get travel days, per diem and hotel in addition to pay.

$4500 (I think) relocation expenses to move to within 100 miles of base city.

I heard the training contract is now $24000 and prorated after your IOE back to date of hire for 24 months. If you don't pass IOE, you are released. In the past 4 years I have heard of this happening a few times... I have known a few guys who have left before the contract was over and they went after them, I have known a few who left closer to the end of the contract and they did nothing... Who knows...

13 guaranteed vactaion days for each week you get.

I doubt we will ever see 7/7, 6/6 as management has already said it does not fit into their scheduling needs and results in a loss a flexibility. Most of my rotations are 6/4 and 5/3 and only get 4 or less days when they need to slip in one to make the schedule work. I also get my share of 6/3, but usually no more than once a BP. I have not been on home reserve more than 3 times the whole time I've worked here and since November have not had more than a 14 hour rest except a handful of times, but it is peak season. Most of my days are OT days now too so > 12hrs, but you only get 10 hrs rest unless you go over 14. I always seem to end up somewhere around 13.5!

Having said that though, given a few QOL changes, Flex pilots will once again be the envy of the frac industry. Hopefully a successful union drive will help with that.

 

[Peter_Griffin]

I'm on the HSA 2000 and that amounts to about $70-75 a paycheck. The MAX out of pocket is $4500. The deductible is $4000 of which $1000 is paid by the company( for my plan anyway...spouse+kid(s))) then it goes to an 80%/20% plan until you reach $4500 and then it goes 100% paid by AETNA. So in MY situation the most out of pocket (not including premiums) is $3500. There are so many combos that I just wanted to post one scenario.

Frax

So add in your premiums using your own numbers and you are out $5600. Big whoop -- you have a $500 window where insurance kicks in 80/20, otherwise it's all you -- you are insane to be happy about that.

So Bombardier kicks in $1000 to the HSA -- I mentioned that too. But if they can afford to kick in $1k and still save lots of moola, that says to me the situation was about a lot more than stemming the "rising tide of healthcare" and looking out for joe employee.

Still amounts to a paycut my friend, and the kool aid doesn't make it go down any sweeter. You are trying hard though -- gotta love that about you...

 

[FraxJockey]

Griffin:

I doubt seriously that many will have to anywhere near the TOTAL out of pocket that you are saying. Bottom line is that HSA is only an advantage if you are reasonably healthy. Given the occasional sickness and routine checkups the MOST out of pocket will be around $1000-1500 (again not including premiums but $1000 of which is paid by the company). Bottom line is that I am a glass half full guy and it pains you to see anyone put some truth out there.

Vacation is as follows:

1 to 3yrs: 10 days (2 weeks)
3+to 10yrs: 15 days (3 weeks)
10+: 20 days (4weeks)

If you have any questions I suggest you read the employee handbook.

I thought this was going to be an informative post (and it is for the most part) but once again the term "koolaid" has managed to make its way in. Lets just deal in facts and not let personal opinions or attacks cloud and info....pretty please.

Frax