Flight Options new program!!

[sydeseet]

You know what I love about being a 121 pilot???? The comaradery and friendship shared between all the pilots; regardless of their company or background. I work for butthole airlines, inc. I jumpseat on about every major you can think of on a regular basis as I commute. I get nothing (okay, every now and again I get a jerk, but I usually win him over anyway) but friendly smiles and hearty handshakes followed by a very generous "welcome aboard" We don't flame each other, we don't compare how much money we make or what percent of the market our particular company is holding. Know why???? Because it doesn't matter. He's there and I'm here, it could very easily have gone the other way. A guy flying for United isn't any better than a guy flying for American - they both had resumes in at both airlines, fate just worked in a particular way.

I've been reading posts about the frax and am amazed at what jerks you guys are to each other. EJA vs. FO is about as substantial as East Coast vs. West Coast. Do you treat all of you fellow professionals this way????

You EJA guys with the big ego's. I got news for ya. 100 years ago Ford was revolutionizing auto-making. They were king; everyone was trying to model their techniques and their product. If you have noticed; for quite some time now they have shared the auto market with plenty of competition and it's is a VERY cut-throat business because of all the different options available. EJA isn't now, nor will they ever be, the only game in town. There are plenty of buyers seeking plenty of options (there's that word again) so just chill out.

Everyone else. Let's remeber that we all share a common dream, a common goal, and a common business. Brand X vs. Brand Y belongs on the boardroom table, let's leave it there.

 

[stingray]

I would like to see the pricing for all 5yrs of the deal to see what the true comparison is. Just something to think about.
Every frac pilot that I've met is respectful to me and me to them. Some of us are just amazed at one of the companies advertising practices. If you seen the adds you would understand!

 

[FracPilot]

"I would like to see the pricing for all 5yrs of the deal to see what the true comparison is. Just something to think about."

Go to the Flight Options website, it's all there.

"Every frac pilot that I've met is respectful to me and me to them. Some of us are just amazed at one of the companies advertising practices. If you seen the adds you would understand!"

I must admit that most pilots I run into on the road, regardless of company, are good guys/gals. Some have a major ego, most do not. Some of us are amazed at how superior some of the EJA folk think they are to everybody else, because EJA is "the biggest". Notice I said SOME, not all.

One question I have for you is.....how does Warren Buffet know exactly what situation(financial and otherwise) all the other fractionals are in? He MUST know, because he comments on it to the media. Specifics that he could know nothing about due to the fact that certain information is just not public.

 

[ArmyPilot]

Confusing

The new program is kind of confusing.

 

[Frac Daddy]

ArmyPilot,

Which part of the program do you find confusing?

Frac Daddy

 

[ArmyPilot]

Good idea

I think what Ricci has done is a good idea but I only wonder if in the end the pricing is virtually the same either new or old. If the pricing comes out the same why would you want to buy into the pre-owned when you will pay the same for new. I have not done my homework on what the price difference is but I am sure it is not much at the end of the day. The only reason I can think an owner would go into the pre-owned is once they retire out of the new program after 5 years?

I guess to sum up my confusion I would say that if I am going to pay more up front with less maint. cost or less up front with more maint. cost then why would I go pre-owned? Did I make any sense with that?

 

[ERJ - Jay]

I might be wrong, but here's what I see as the difference.

1) People who fly A LOT (1/2 to 1/4 share people)- want lower hourly rates, up front cost not a big deal because they're pretty well off anyway. So pay more up front, and have lower hourly costs. Makes that quick flight out to BFE more likely.

2) People who do not fly that much (1/16 people) - want all the perks of flying in their own plane (larger cabin w/ FA) can afford the lower up front cost of a used mid-size/large cabin (than a new one per say) and since they don't fly much the hourly rates being higher isn't as much of an issue.

I think the real difference is who is the customer?
What/how often are they going to be flying?

And most importantly, how do we differentiate (sp?) our RTA customers who bought "new" shares, and our existing FTO cutomers who bought a "used" plane because it was cheaper. This is a way to keep the original cutomers happy. Who knows though. It could also be that they're running out of good "bargins" on the used market, and have now decided that it would just be easier to offer new planes too since less "shopping" is required for the actual aircraft.

But what do I know.

 

[Frac Daddy]

Good point.

Armypilot,

Good point. When comparing new vs. used in the same airframe; why not just by the new airframe? You are assuming that it all comes out to be equal. A quarter share in a pre-owned Beechjet is 35% cheaper than a new one. The year one hourly operating cost is only 16% more expensive than the new Beechjet. The hourly operating cost of the new aircraft will increase until it equals the pre-owned aircraft in year five. The pre-owned aircraft is still cheaper. What we are doing is simply giving some relief to our new aircraft owners. Hope I was not too confusing. After all, I am just a rank-and-file pilot; not a CEO.

Frac Daddy

 

[EJA Capt]

I guess Ricci didn't think the one Netjets published LAST YEAR was unbiased enough.

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

PS...Take a guess where Options first SIIs came from.
PSS...Another guess where Avolar's HS125 came from.
Same answer for both.

 

[Jetz]

Dedicated crewing

I love the blurb about Dedicated Crewing...


"Does the provider use dedicated crewing? As in the military, certain providers maintain a policy whereby one captain always flies the same aircraft...not merely the same type of aircraft, but literally the same jet each timeout. The pilots are intimately familiar with their jets avionics, attitude and "feel" because thats the only jet they fly. This familiarity only further ensures the safety of each flight and the security and the comfort of those flying."

---How about a standardized fleet...dosent THAT contribute to safety in a way that dedicated crewing could NEVER do? How about each and every aircraft has the same exact equipment...all NEW equipment.

---and like the Military that dosent care about cost of operation, FO uses dedicated crewing. The military....home of the cost overrun...home of the bloated operating budgets...where no one is out to make a profit...

LEts face it, dedicated crewing is great if you fly a bunch of jalloppies or hundred million dollar fighter jets or bombers...but in airlines across the world, as well as the better fractional providers that fly a standardized fleet, dedicated crewing is not necessary for a safe operation. Not necessary, not practical, not even a very SMART idea.

Dedicated crewing is, in FO's specific case, an easy way for them to make sure they have a safe operation since EVERY aircraft has different equipment.

;-)