Fractionals from CFI?

[FlyingToIST]

To me looks like most of the fractionals are interested in pilots that have more experience than a regular CFI/Freight Dog route. They look like they prefer people from the regionals. Are there any cases where a Cfi got hired by Fraactionals?

 

[Baronman]

I'm speaking from a regional pilot's point of view, but in short I think that most fracs are looking for pilots with previous turbine time, mostly ex-121/135/military guys. And I don't think regional guys are necessarily preferred but we probably have already been through similar training cycles in similar types of aircraft.

 

[Guitar Guy]

I happened to bump into one of our pilots who does interviews and he said that NJA usually likes to have a mix of backgrounds in each interview class, from low-timers to retirees. And he did mention that they aren't seeing as many regional pilots as they used to.

For my two cents, I think it would be a big benefit to have some sort of background with an intensive training regimen, either the airlines or at least FlightSafety or SimuFlite. I'd feel pretty sure that NJA wants to see that an applicant has shown that he or she can pass some more rigorous training. Along with that, I think they'd like to see background in some sort of professional flying above the CFI level.

But you know what? The best thing to do is apply and let them decide. And it certainly bolsters your case if you have some internal recommendations.

 

[pilotyip]

We have had a lot of pilots go from the on-demand Turbo Jet business into Net Jets.

 

[gunfyter]

Freight... its good time and NJ likes it.

 

[Gator1999]

I only know of 1 person who has gone from the ranks of CFI to NJA, however, he was an instructor at NetJets flight school in CMH.

 

[Diesel]

Whatup Gator

yeah they want to see 121 or 135 experience.

2500hrs as a CFI? They would take a real hard look at that to find out why in the world.

 

[milehigh6080]

Don't lump Freight flying in with CFI in terms of experience level, it's a completely different world- I'd put freight experience up against that of any other type of flying. My freight company has sent loads and loads of pilots to NetJets- and they were even dumb enough to take me! We are one of the larger ones though and we operate jets as well as a prop fleet. I really got the feeling in the interview that crew experience is a big deal to them, so CFI only is probably not going to cut it unless you're an amazing interviewee.

I think any preference that you may perceive to the regionals is strictly because there are so many more regional pilots out there than freight pilots. My company is one of the bigger ones, and we have around 250 pilots. That would be tiny for a regional. If you see greater numbers of regional pilots going to NetJets, it doesn't necessarily mean a greater success rate for regional pilots in an interview compared to other types of pilots. Based on my interview group and that of a few friends who have interviewed recently, there will be a good mix of 121, 135 and part 91 represented- but you'll have to look really hard to find applicants without crew experience.

 

[Gator1999]

What's up D? I'm just chillin in the SJC...

Yeah, the guy I know was an exception rather than the rule to NJA hiring CFI's direct. He was CFIing at CMH for NetJets for a few years and knew the right people. He's a great guy and obviously a good pilot, but he is the only one that I know to have made the big jump without having to slug it out at Airnet or at a regional.

 

[Diesel]

I'm not lumping CFI'ing with Freight.

I'm lumping CFI'ing with CFIing.

If you instructed for 2500hrs NJ is going to look long hard at why.

 

[guido411]

If. . .

If Flops ever starts hiring again they might have to hire CFIs. I would hope that nobody with another option would chose Flops before a contract is ratified.

 

[flywest]

I know PLENTY of guys/gals at Netjets that have worked for Airnet or Ameriflight. No worries taking the CFI-cargo route.

 

[Diesel]

Are there any cases where a Cfi got hired by Fraactionals?

This was the question.

 

[milehigh6080]

Diesel, I wasn't responding to you about lumping CFIs with freight. This is what I was responding to, from the initial post . . .

To me looks like most of the fractionals are interested in pilots that have more experience than a regular CFI/Freight Dog route.

I just think it's insane to think that CFI and freight can be mentioned in the same breath as far as experience goes. I haven't started class at NJA yet, I guess I still have some freight dawg insecurities to work through once I move on.

 

[Waldom]

I work for a fractional. There are 300+ pilots in my division and I am not aware of any of them that went directly from a C.F.I. position to this company. You can bet that the majority of our pilots are currently C.F.I.s or were in the past, though.

Our pilots have a wide variety of backgrounds, including freight, airline, and military.

Don't assume that ex-airline pilots have an automatic "in" when applying to the fractional industry. This is a service industry; it is really a blue collar job. It involves a lot of baggage handling and cabin cleaning, including the toilet. You will also work with the F/A providing whatever extra help they may need (at least pre- and post-flight). Not all retired Delta captains are comfortable performing these tasks. Pilots also need to be trip managers. By this I mean thinking about the flight from a passenger service point of view from the time the owners walk out of their door at home until they arrive at their destination hotel [as opposed to just moving an airplane from one airport to another]. In case of communication problems, we also need to know how to quickly and efficiently plan a flight and file a flight plan....internationally as well as domestically. There are good people in our Owner Services and Dispatch departments that normally perform these tasks, but the flight crew has to check every detail of the passenger's trip to make sure nothing "fell through the cracks".

These comments are not at all meant to be disparaging to the airline industry. They are only intended to indicate that fractional flying is different from scheduled airline flying.

 

[NJA bound]

CFI to ExecJet I mean NetJets, if you go back a few years it happened, those guys have Easy jobs now.

 

[sgmick]

``````

 

[Fozzy]

Why worry about NetJets. Just go to a regional! Hey look on this very message board at the ALL ATPS add. They can get you hired as a FO with less than 500TT!!! Isn't that great!!??!! 500 hour FO's. Man that is awsome! Great job ATP guys, keep sending those unexperienced pilots along willing to work for nothing in a big shinny jet. Hell I was barely qualified to fly as a MEI with that time for you folks years back. Got to wonder how many hours the MEI's have that are doing the instruction! Hell who is doing the CFI sign offs now?

Okay, seriously. Go to a stinking commuter (that includes regionals, they are all scum bag outfits). Get turbine time and just keep applying with NJA if this is the place you want to be. It will happen, and faster than staying as a CFI waiting.
Then when you get the class date, burn that bridge and never look back. Just do yourself a favor. While at that job, don't talk about how you want to just get time and leave. Just smile and do your job. No one wants to hear about how you want to get time and go. There are a lot of A-team aholes out there that would love to sell you out.

 

[honeycomb]

Why worry about NetJets. Just go to a regional! Hey look on this very message board at the ALL ATPS add. They can get you hired as a FO with less than 500TT!!! Isn't that great!!??!! 500 hour FO's. Man that is awsome! Great job ATP guys, keep sending those unexperienced pilots along willing to work for nothing in a big shinny jet. Hell I was barely qualified to fly as a MEI with that time for you folks years back. Got to wonder how many hours the MEI's have that are doing the instruction! Hell who is doing the CFI sign offs now?

Okay, seriously. Go to a stinking commuter (that includes regionals, they are all scum bag outfits). Get turbine time and just keep applying with NJA if this is the place you want to be. It will happen, and faster than staying as a CFI waiting.
Then when you get the class date, burn that bridge and never look back. Just do yourself a favor. While at that job, don't talk about how you want to just get time and leave. Just smile and do your job. No one wants to hear about how you want to get time and go. There are a lot of A-team aholes out there that would love to sell you out.

Now this was a good post. The truth hurts sometimes. But, it doesn't make it less true.

:beer:

 

[pilotyip]

Fozzy has hit the nail on the head, the regionals are a stepping stone where you build resume fluff, and then move on down the line.