Flying the Ultra at Netjets - More Regional flights?

[On Your Six]

I realize that in the fractional biz, you can end up flying anywhere at a moments notice - it's inherently unpredictable (wherever the customer wants to fly).

That being said, do some fleets fly more regionally than others? For example, you would expect the X or the 2000 to fly a lot of transcon.

So, given the range constraints of the Citation Ultra/Encore, do the trips tend to be more regional and shorter in nature? So, if you are based out of a West Coast gateway like LAX or PHX, would you fly more regional flying or would you "typically" fly all the way to the East Coast and back? Compared to the G200 or the X, is the Ultra flying a lot more short-range trips per day "on average"?

I have a buddy who just got on and he thinks he will be assigned the Ultra - which he would enjoy flying. He prefers the multi-trip, short-hop style of flying to the long-haul...

Any Netjets Ultra pilots out there? How do you like the Ultra?

 

[niteflyr]

The mighty ultra u-boat etc...

I am one of the lucky drivers of the Ultra. Actually I like the airplane. First the only bad part of flying is the lack of an APU which is not a big deal, usually a power cart is available to run the A/C. The cartridge style toilets can be nasty too, but most FBO's will service it for you without you having to do anything but tip the poor guy. The thing I like is as you mentioned, short hops. You get the very occasional 3 hour leg thrown in, but for the most part you fly .5 to 1.5 hour legs, 4 or 5 legs a day. Gives you lots of practice landing the stiff legged airplane that it is. You also get into and out of the shortest fields, this is a positive thing for some, but also viewed as negative by others depending on your preference and where you are comfortable flying. As for the regional idea, unfortunately you still cover the whole country, just not all at once. You could end up in the Northeast and stay there for most of your tour now and then, but out west usually doesn't work that way, at least not for me. So your buddy should enjoy the flying if he hates the long haul stuff like I do.

 

[Nightmare67]

Niteflyr makes good points...the U boat is a good airplane, except for the lack of an APU.
I'm an FO on the X. Our days are usually quite long as well. What I like about the X at NJA is, one day, you may do what I call Ultra flying, 3 or 4 legs to smaller airports all in the same region, then, the next day, you may do TEB DAL ASE MTJ TEB. Thats alot of flying! I've also done St Maartin to West Palm to San Diego and another time , Maui direct to Salt Lake.
The down side of the X is, Its the "Go To" airplane. What I mean is, If a smaller plane breaks...they send a X to cover the trip...the pax are happy because they get a bigger FASTER plane for the same price...If a Falcon or G-whiz breaks, they send a X and the pax are OK with it because, at least they are getting there FASTER. (not always...we have to slow to .85 on the longer trips for fuel!)
My point is, if you get the X at NJA, you will WORK every day...ALL day.
BTW, The coolest pilots By FAR are in the Ultra! They're easy going and quick to help...they work hard and play hard...when they get the chance!

 

[FLYLOW22]

HAHHA!! Dude! i don't know what X you've ben flying but my X did 4 legs today.... and 5 yesterday... and 3 tomorrow......

 

[Nightmare67]

Yo FlyLow...whats your point?

 

[DesertFalcon]

How's the new contract going?

 

[EJPilot]

I flew the Ultra for 2.5 years at Netjets. My gateway was Las Vegas for most of that. Out of Las Vegas, I rarely, I mean RARELY flew east of the Mississippi River. If I did, it seemed to be the southern states like Florida and then shoot right back to the western half of the U.S. I did occaisionally go to the Northeast which was a nice change of pace. My last tour in the Ultra, I went to TEB. It was the first time in over a year (almost a year and a half) I had been there. My personal experience in the Ultra paints a picture of the Ultra's being very regionalized. But, then again, you can end up anywhere in any plane at any time.

Now that I am in the X with an east coast gateway, it is very random where I fly during the week. Legs are usually 3 or 4, occaisionally 5. I don't get overtime (over 12 hours) very often. When I was LAS gateway in the X, I spent more time flying the west coast because I started my tours there. Now, some other X driver will chime in that he works much harder. Probably, but it is all random on what you get duty wise unless one is an A-Team cockroach. No A-teamer ("Go Team") BS going on from this pilot.

 

[DesertFalcon]

I flew the Ultra for 2.5 years at Netjets. My gateway was Las Vegas for most of that. Out of Las Vegas, I rarely, I mean RARELY flew east of the Mississippi River. If I did, it seemed to be the southern states like Florida and then shoot right back to the western half of the U.S. I did occaisionally go to the Northeast which was a nice change of pace. My last tour in the Ultra, I went to TEB. It was the first time in over a year (almost a year and a half) I had been there. My personal experience in the Ultra paints a picture of the Ultra's being very regionalized. But, then again, you can end up anywhere in any plane at any time.

Now that I am in the X with an east coast gateway, it is very random where I fly during the week. Legs are usually 3 or 4, occaisionally 5. I don't get overtime (over 12 hours) very often. When I was LAS gateway in the X, I spent more time flying the west coast because I started my tours there. Now, some other X driver will chime in that he works much harder. Probably, but it is all random on what you get duty wise unless one is an A-Team cockroach. No A-teamer ("Go Team") BS going on from this pilot.

Thanks for the interesting post. I would like to try the NetJets lifestyle.

Do you still enjoy your job?
Do you think you will stay with NJA as a career?

What's the hardest part of your job?

 

[Stickshaker]

Hey Desert,

First of all I also fly the U- Boat and i think Niteflr was right on about the Ultra.

To answer your questions

1- I still like my job as much as any job, and more then a lot of others.
2- NJA will be my last flying job. I'm here to stay. I plan on being here 20 years.
3- 10 hour turns are the hardest part of the job for me.

now remember we have close to 2000 pilots and you may get 2000 different answers.

 

[Heavy Set]

Seems like a lot of regional pilots migrate over to Netjets. How does life at Netjets compare to life at a regional? Do you miss your former CRJ/ERJ vs. what you are currently flying?