Flight Ops update

[GooseHZ]

Just thought you might like a update on Flight Options.

On the 28th all operations where being done out of CGF. All former RTA crews are now calling into Flight Options OCC. I can tell you it was a madhouse. I was in there for an hour and could not belive the changes...But the kinks are being worked out.

Hiring will start in April......get your resumes in now. I talked with HR and we are getting about 500 resumes a day......so get in line.

the senority list is still not worked out...they say that should be resolved in about a month.

drop me a note if i can help......FLY SAFE!!!!!

 

[Jetz]

Flight Options how about an update

How is the transition going over there at Flight Options? Have they resolved the seniority issue yet?

 

[jetwash]

They still have not come to a final decision but they have for now issued us all 2 seniority numbers one for the used aircraft and one for the new ones.

For example an origional Flight options pilot with number 100 on the used aircraft will have number 500 if he wants to bid on an aircraft that came over from Travel Air. And a Travel Air pilot that had number 200 will have a second number of 600 if he wants to bid onto a used Flight Options aircraft.

This seems fair for now until a final solution is found.

Any new guys hired after the merger will start with only one number which will probably be 950+ for both type of aircraft.
So anyone coming in plan on being in the right seat for a while since you will have over 950 guys in line ahead of you wanting up grades.

Hope that helps.

 

[ArmyPilot]

Personal Experience

I also was there during the "transition" and madhouse is a kind word for what it was. I have done 2 tours since the merger and it has been miserable. We have definetely regressed ALOT but there is good intentions by management to work out the kinks. I hope they do it soon becuase it took all I had to keep my cool these last 2 tours. Before the meger things ran great and I loved it now it is much different....

I am sure they will get it right... (fingers crossed)

 

[FracPilot]

"So, a pilot who has 6000 hours of heli time, but only 500 hours of Multi engine fixed wing would be a great candidate for a pilot of a Flight Options aircraft..."

Yea, that's exactly what they are saying. We want all the pilots that have 6000 hours of rotary wing time, and 500 hours in a Seminole. You really read into that one well.

"Additionally, a 20,000 hour pilot is way too experienced....according to this criteria."

Once again, you read into that one perfectly. I guess the fact that they left out a word(minimum), you can't understand what they are saying.

"How does one obtain a Captain certification from the FAA. 20 years of flying and many type ratings...and I have yet to see that on any of my licenses. WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT????"

I hope that you figured out that they were referring to type ratings. As you may know, most people have no idea what "ratings" the FAA issues. Many think that an ATP is only required for airline pilots.

"They also say that the AGE of the pilots is an important consideration....what exactly do they mean here?"

Considering that we have a wide age range in pilots, everywhere from 23 to mid to late 50's(as far as I know), your "grey hair" theory is pretty much dead. I would estimate the average age of our pilots in the 30-35 range.

What makes you so pissed off at Flight Options? You seem to be looking for reasons to criticize. Relax. Learn to have fun on your days off. Don't worry about what other companies are doing or saying - worry about yourself. If something a company is saying or doing is so ridiculous, don't you think the owners and potential owners will figure it out? Most of the people that are wealthy enough to buy an airplane are not idiots.

If I meet you on the road somewhere, maybe you can put aside your anger toward Flight Options and the pilots to drink a beer with us.

 

[Jetz]

Relax, dude

Relax, dude.

I was just pointing out some things in the"Smart buyers guide" that didnt sound very smart.

Chill out.

So, what is the AGE that Flight Options thinks a smart buyer should look for in a pilot?

 

[Vrefus]

Can anyone shed any light on this? I've heard that the conditions since the merger are awful and that a lot of the Flt. Ops. owners are pissed at the service. I've heard of schedulling not having any concern over crew rest or the fact that some crews are flying 120 hrs or so a month. Is this rare or the norm?

 

[flydog]

Sounds like unfounded rumors

I dont see how a pilot could fly 120 hrs a month working 16 days a month even with the 2 overtime days you can pickup.

Since the merger they are overstaffed with pilots since RTA crewed more pilots per a/c than Flight Options. Flight Options also has less workdays per year than RTA so their schedule requires less pilots.

Also the merger did not included a dozen or so aircraft that stayed with Raytheon 135 department.

 

[GooseHZ]

Rumors



Last month i flew 66 hours....(citation)

There have been some very crazy days....But its getting better...Thye made the move early, it will take sometime....


"I've heard of schedulling not having any concern over crew rest or the fact that some crews are flying 120 hrs or so a month. Is this rare or the norm?"

This is not true....where did you hear this?????

FLY SAFE!

 

[jetwash]

120 Hours a month is a joke!!!
If you bought that I have a bridge to sell you in San Francisco.

As for the service to the pax it stayed the same on the flight Options side and is still the same. On the Travel Air side the service went down after the announcement and before dispatch in Cleveland took over, sine the people at Raytheon dispatch knew they were losing their jobs in a month and just stopped working and caring about the pax. That is why Flight Options took over the dispatch a week earlier since the service from the raytheon side dropped.

I just flew some former raytheon owners in a upgraded flight options aircraft and they were very satisfied with our service and were surprised that our used aircraft looked so good. they could not beleive it was part of the pre-owned fleet. He said he listened to other and didn't check out our aircraft until now and is now interested in upgrading in class of aricraft from a smaller new one to a larger pre-owned one.

I also heard that some of the raytheon owners are now looking to upgrade to larger cabin (preowned ) from midsize new.

 

[tjsatter]

120 hrs - no problem

For most of last year I was flying 120hrs/month +/- it was a 4 nite a week scheduled 135 operation. in 4 weeks/16 days it would be 117 hrs scheduled. One month I got nearly 130 hrs. It was a good way to get a lot of jet time quickly (that I could then sell to EJA) but I wouldn't reccomend it as a steady diet.

Yes, I know of the 135 time limits on an annual basis but the operation didn't last that long.

tj

 

[Mach92]

Any updates in the seniority issue??? I hear Capt upgrade could go to 2 or 3 years OUCH !!

 

[Frac Daddy]

Yep. Two years sounds about right on the upgrade. Three sounds little excessive. Merging of the seniority lists should be finalized this summer.

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

A good friend of mine hired on with Options in February of 2001. He was just awarded captain in April. He was on the line for about 13 months before he upgraded, nowhere near two or three years.

Lots of airplanes on the way, upgrades won't take long.

 

[Frac Daddy]

It's true.

Well, all I know is that on the RTA side of the fence, we have former Beechjet captains that were not senior enough to hold a captain line at Options. The most senior of that group was hired July 2000.( How do I know this? I am one of them.) So, yes upgrades are close to two years. Don't know how the intergration of the seniority lists will affect upgrades, but don't be shocked if it is two years; especially in the larger airframes. Sill one of the best jobs our there. Fly safe.

 

[Vrefus]

Frac,

I've got a friend of mine that was flying a Hawker for RTA and at the time of the merger she was downgraded to F/O and she says the same thing you're saying, but, possibly longer to get her seat back.

 

[ArmyPilot]

About two years...

I have been at Options for a year and am expecting to upgrade no sooner then the end of the year. If I upgrade within 18 months I will be very surprised. However, I can't see it taking more then 2 years to upgrade.... if I had to put money on it I would bet on the 2 yr. number. Still a great job! I fly with a great Captain and if it was not for the money I would stay right seat with him well beyond 2 yrs.

 

[Frac Daddy]

TYPO

I meant to say Options is STILL a good company to work for. (Not SILL.) Honestly, I fly better than I can type.

 

[Turbanhead]

Unhappy pilots

Well, to you people at Flight Options, it sounds like you have a large bunch of unhappy pilots.

Someone posted a link to your pilot's bulletin board on the thread about the Flight Options Accident(s). Upon reading, it seems there is much animosity and hatred over there....what is going on at your company?

-Turbanhead.

 

[ArmyPilot]

Ignorant Board

The boardhost discussion group is a group of less then 10 people who have no idea what they are talking about. Everyone reads it for the entertainment value but the content is not worth my time. This discussion group is by far WAY more intelligent then what is posted on the boardhost board. In fact the boardhost discussion is pretty much a big "Pro-Union" forum for the Teamsters and there reps to try to convince all of us that our job stinks and that management is out to get us. (really don't want to get into that discussion). Anyways, you most definately have to take that board with a grain of salt because it does not even come close to representing the attitude of the pilot group.

Just my 2 cents...