FLOPS Hiring

[geojet707]

Any idea if and when FLOPS will hire this year and how many?? Thanks....

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Someone on here said not until the whole union thing gets sorted out. Are quite a few leaving FLOPS?

 

[guido411]

Someone on here said not until the whole union thing gets sorted out. Are quite a few leaving FLOPS?

It's not the union that is stopping hiring for now. It's the initiative to get rid of the old aiplanes and sell new/profitable contracts. We are going to show a net loss of aircraft this year, don't quote me but gaining somewhere around 10 and losing 15-20. They tell us this program to modernize is going faster than anticipated and should be mostly complete by year end 2006. Don't look for any hiring until Q1 2007, just my opinion.

Are quite a few leaving? That depends on your definition of "quite a few". About 20-30 depending on who you ask since January 1st.

 

[AceCrackshot]

That said, why come here?

1) The contract will take forever. 24 months, at least.

2) Even if a contract is signed, current upgrades are 5+ years on the Bjet. A March 2004 hire (almost exactly a two year pilot) is only 70 from the bottom. A transition to the Hawker is five years away, under a pretty optimistic scenario.

3) This place is for sale. Junior people are usually the ones that get the shaft in an aquisition.

4) Quality of Life is slipping. Even with the union, the quality of life on the road is slipping

5) You will have no schedule. You will be on a flex schedule. For right now, our schedulers can't handle a 8/7 schedule that never changes. However, they will figure out the flex someday, and you will be on it permanently, and this means no holidays for you. Holidays are a peak travel time.

6) Career organizations don't suffer the attrition we're suffering over the last 2 years. Its career stagflation around here. Attrition of personnel is matching the attrition of aircraft, so you have a job (good news) but its a totally dead end position (bad news.)
Caveat emptor

 

[greygoose]

5) You will have no schedule. You will be on a flex schedule. For right now, our schedulers can't handle a 8/7 schedule that never changes. However, they will figure out the flex someday, and you will be on it permanently, and this means no holidays for you. Holidays are a peak travel time.

So far the flex has been really nice to us new guys I have had the past 23 days off and counting.

 

[AceCrackshot]

Mostly because our schedulers are, to be charitable, pinheads.

The ultimate idea was to put captains, or force captains to be on corresponding flex schedules with you. The fact that you've had 23 days off is more indictative of OCC and upper management incompetence than anything else.

You've had your days off because of two reasons

1) All captains are off flex

2) Schedulers are operating at a sixth grade mentality

 

[WrknStff]

You just made any sixth grader reading this thread cry! Meanie!

 

[GEXDriver]

I am, however, glad to be unionized! We will fight to the end

Yeah, that should fix everything.

 

[guido411]

So far the flex has been really nice to us new guys I have had the past 23 days off and counting.

I've heard noth sides to this story. I've heard it's feast or famine on the flex. Some people say they're always at home (and I can't get vacation) and some people say they work the max 15 days every month (most being weekends and holidays) and hate being on call EVERY DAY for 21 days. Let's face it, this is a LOSER of a schedule. NJA has a flex that can be dealt with. . .sure, no 9 hard days off in a row, but they know their schedule 3 months in advance. none of this, "well, nothing now, call us tomorrow" BS. IMHO the NJA flex wouldn't be all bad, like a schedule an airline pilot would have but without the commuting on your own personal time. I wouldn't mind being home for fewer days in a row if I could work a few 4 day tours every now and then.

 

[toa2mdt]

It's nice if you like stby at home. I like knowing my sked. Of course I hate the 8 days but not having to deal with the compnay for 7 is nice. I am not a stby type person (home, hotel or fbo).


STAY AWAY FROM HERE

Upgrade is way too long, pay sucks, domicle program sucks.

There are better companies to work for.

I am, however, glad to be unionized! We will fight to the end

 

[flydog1]

I personally love the flex schedule. I think the most I worked one month was 12 days. The rest of the time I have had from 20 to 15 off in a row. Most of the time the days are combined with the hard nine off so I go two weeks or more not having to call in to see what my assignment is. I agree, I think we would be working more if there were more captians on the flex schedule with us.
I also think that if you ask to be paired up with some of your buddy captians they will use you more often. I would hate to have a schedule like the airlines. Go out for 4 days then home for 3-4 then back out. Gets real old. Been there and done that trust me, and I think other commuter and regional guys would agree. I hope when we get a contract signed that they will keep those who want to stay Flex on it. And for some info. there is no way that you have to call in all 21 days to check your schedule. You can only work 15. And for the hard nine off, we know that just as you know your 7 and 8 each month. Also as far as stdby at home they have only given that to me on 2 days since I have been here. Doesn't seem to be a normal thing. I have to admit it does kinda suck not knowing if you are going to leave that day or not.

 

[geojet707]

Now back to the televised program already in progress...any hiring this year???? Thanks

 

[be-400xpdriver]

Now back to the televised program already in progress...any hiring this year???? Thanks

Are you just looking to torture your self?

 

[AceCrackshot]

I would say, no. There is your answer.

 

[On Your Six]

Now back to the televised program already in progress...any hiring this year???? Thanks

Apply to Netjets until FLOPS has its issues ironed out (may take years)...

 

[geojet707]

I would say, no. There is your answer.

Not trying to bust anyones chops here just trying to find some work . I have sent stuff to Net Jets and Flex and am trying to improve the odds. Being that this thread has produced input regarding life at FLOPS, I'll be sure to send in my union card if hired.

Thanks to all who responded.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Does Flops pay for your health care?

 

[Dep676]

Does Flops pay for your health care?

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[guido411]

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT new hires have no sick leave. . .so why bother buying insurance? You can't get sick!!

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Do you guys find your own health care or is there some you can buy through the company and if so how much

 

[guido411]

Do you guys find your own health care or is there some you can buy through the company and if so how much

See my above post. . .

But in answer to your question, the company supplies insurance through United Healthcare. Single coverage is fairly affordable at $31.07 per pay period ($745.68 /year). Family coverage is the same whether insuring you and your wife, or the two of you and 8 chitlins. That bumps it up to $71.68 per pay period ($1,720.32 /year).

Dental is through Met Life and is $3.47/$9.63 single/family.

Just curious, why do you care? I think FLOPS may be THE place to work in a couple years if we're still around. But we probably won't even be hiring till far into 2007. You using this info to hold over your current emplyer?

 

[marinepilot]

See my above post. . .

Single coverage is fairly affordable at $31.07 per pay period ($745.68 /year). Family coverage is the same whether insuring you and your wife, or the two of you and 8 chitlins. That bumps it up to $71.68 per pay period ($1,720.32 /year).

Dental is through Met Life and is $3.47/$9.63 single/family.

Can you opt out of this insurance for more take home pay, or is it mandatory to take? I'm only asking because I'll be retired military and would probably stick with the TRICARE Prime they offer me at $460 per year for my whole family.

Thanks,

marinepilot

 

[Dep676]

Can you opt out of this insurance for more take home pay, or is it mandatory to take? I'm only asking because I'll be retired military and would probably stick with the TRICARE Prime they offer me at $460 per year for my whole family.

Thanks,

marinepilot

Yes but I think it is only like 25 or 50 a month. I do not know the exact dollar amount but it is not much. You are not going to get rich from it.

 

[Ticker]

Yeah, that should fix everything.

Yeah...And being non-unionized for 8 years has really worked out for me and my brothers!

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have some more KoolAide.

You must just be sweating losing your Snitch For Options elite pay status and CLE domicile pay.

 

[GEXDriver]

Yeah...And being non-unionized for 8 years has really worked out for me and my brothers!

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And increasing operating expenses by creating a unionized work force at a company that is already losing money will insure it's longevity and your quality of life. That makes rational sense to you?

Have some more KoolAide.

Ticker, clearly it's you that's intoxicated from over imbibing union Kool-Aid.

You must just be sweating losing your Snitch For Options elite pay status and CLE domicile pay.

???

I've worked for the same Fortune 50 flight department for 20 years and last time I checked you guys didn't have any Globals, so what are you talking about?

 

[Dep676]

And increasing operating expenses by creating a unionized work force at a company that is already losing money will insure it's longevity and your quality of life. That makes rational sense to you?

I've worked for the same Fortune 50 flight department for 20 years and last time I checked you guys didn't have any Globals, so what are you talking about?

With all due respect GEXDriver, I do not think that you have any idea what the books are like at Options. Therefore, for you to say that they are already losing money is not something that you can say or even think with credibility, in my opinion. What do any of the companies that are in the aviation industry say when it comes to giving the employees raises? They all cry poor. I am talking about the company in the business of trying to make money with their product, not part 91 operators. Just look at NJ’s, they were crying poor but at the last minute “found” the money.

You say you have never worked at Options. So how would know what is going on at Options at all? Let me guess, the press? How do you know how they treat their pilots? You do not see how they waste money on a daily basis in CGF. We the people that work there see it and are living it, everyday we have to go to work.

So I guess when upper management uses the owner’s airplane for so called “admin” flights to go on vacation with their families that is ok and we are suppose to believe them that they do not have the money to give us a raise or even keep us in decent hotels. Meanwhile they are chartering a plane to take the owner on his vacation. That makes perfect business sense to me, NOT!!!! Remember we are in the business of selling shares in planes to people to fly them around not our new CEO that just got here because the other one got the boot.

Speaking of new CEO’s, we could get a new on today and he did not like the way things were run. Well they start cutting. Where do you think they start cutting? The crews, been there done that and we are tried of it. No more of that is going to happen. CEO’s come and go. One thing that will not change anymore is our QOL at the whim of some pinhead CEO. The only thing that can happen is that our QOL will get better from here. It may take time but it will not continue to spiral downhill anymore.

Again you said you have never worked at Options. Well we had some pretty good SOP’s written by our previous chief pilot. Well he saw the light and moved on to “greener” pastures. The day after he left there were 5 revisions to those SOP’s with a simple e-mail. Who do you think those revisions benefited, the company. So when they (management) get a bug in their butt and send out a simple e-mail stating they are going to make changes to whatever they feel like that day. They can not do that anymore and I feel better about it today. That is just one example of the e-mails that come from our management.

I can say I envy you for the job you have. I myself am trying to get out and get a job like yours soon. In the mean time I want to improve this place and bringing the IBT in was the only way that the majority of us thought that was possible.

I think everyone is entitled to his/her opinion but when you chime in on something you have no idea about, that crosses the line.

This Sir makes rational sense to me.