Flight Experss

[Texanflyboy]

Hello to all the 135 pilots out there. I'm a CFI based in Houston and hopefully soon I'll be there in the soup with the likes of the rest of you, putting in my time and paying my dues to build my own experience and watch my piloting abilities grow.

So some questions....I recently talked to G.H. at FLX (Great guy), talked w/ him on Tuesday Nov. 22. Tried to call him back and i'm sure he's swamed, playing phone tag. I know "John Glenn" posts on here and I know that lots of you know him. So i'm hoping that someone can answer my q's.

FLX I know is looking for the pilots that have the flexibility to relocate anywhere in the system. I am flexible for 13 out of the 16 pilot bases due to my apartment lease which is up in March. My apartment has sister properties in every city except for FXE, HKS, and BHM. So getting based in these 3 will result in a $2,000.00 lease buyout. The other 13, not a problem. Aimco said a lease transfer to a sister property will be fast, painless, and costless.

I know that some of you out there have run into this problem.....what did you do? Will FLX help me in this situation? I hope being flexible in 13 of the 16 will not result a disconsideration.

I've talked with everyone I know and they all support a decision to fly 135 and make this move.....and I want too as well. It's great experience, great on a resume, etc.

Thanks to all for your help and look forward to seeing you on the flight line.

 

[a&p cfiguy]

Absolutly should not be a problem at all. I think all of those bases have only one run based out of them. So the chances of them needing you in that run and ONLY that run are pretty remote. Ops is a good bunch of guys and they'll do their best to put you where you want to go. It may not be available right away, so you may have to go somewhere that's not your first choice. But there's so much movement in the company, that eventually a run of your choice will open up. The whole key is to be flexible. Especially when it comes time to bid to a Baron run! The more flexible you are to move, the quicker you'll get that Baron run and start building multi time.

Get in now! I think theres a class in novemeber and december.

Can you give me some more info on this apartment / management company? They have apartment buildings in different cities and you can just hop from city to city without penalty? Interesting. I'll have make sure my next apartment is with this company if that's true. How many locations do they have? Expensive?? Really, no penalty?

 

[Texanflyboy]

That's what they said. It's Aimco Properties. Look up Aimco.com. Register and it will give you a list of sister properties. No cost to "transfer," but they'll screw you if you try to break the lease.

 

[NoPax]

Texanflyboy, I think you are thinking about it too much...these people, like my people, need people like you.

During the interview, tell them that you 'intend' to move, and are 'flexible' to cater to their needs....its pretty good odds that you'll get sent to one of the 13/16 bases you can go to.

If not, tell them that something unexpected came up and that you can do the 13/16 but not the 3/16 offered...FLX will find a way to work with you.

Also - try to get through the interview/training before you worry about this. You'll pass up so many great opportunities otherwise.

 

[Boris Badenov]

My class had 2 HKS, 1 BHG, and 1 LUK available. This is almost literally as bad as it could be for you, and if you'd scored best on the written, you'd still have had a spot you could take. My advice: Score well on the written, and don't worry about it. Even at the very worst if you get sent to HKS (as I did) you'll probably only be there for a short time. For some reason they don't seem to be able to keep anyone in HKS (perhaps it's the uh, town, such as it is, because the runs really aren't too bad.) Anyway, just explain your situation to Gary and I'm sure they'll figure out some way to accomodate you. Look forward to seeing you below me on the senio...I mean out on the line! If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[Lownslo]

You should move to GRR and fly for CASW.

 

[Way2Broke]

You should move to GRR and fly for CASW.

I would go to CASW over FLX anyday! Why wait the 10 months for a twin upgrade when you can go straight into a twin. Of all the planes I have flown, the twin commander is still my favorite. Although, I wish CASW would put in something besides a storm scope and install autopilots. But that is only because I am spoiled now with the exception of working long hours!

 

[Boris Badenov]

If you go to CASW, you might turn out awesome enough to ressurect posts from 6 months ago in order to slag another company. All of the CASW pilots I've met in real life were cool, and liked their jobs well enough. However, if we're going to debate the relative merits of the two companies consider that CASW has a contract, so you're going to be stuck there about as long as it takes to get a twin at FLX anyway. If you get a long run, which you can if you want to, FLX pays substantially better, and you can leave whenever you want. To be clear, I've no reason to think that CASW is a bad company or a bad choice, but for my part at least, I'd prefer to spend an extra six months flying freight and not qualify for food stamps.