Full Circle Validation

[wolfpackpilot]

My last tour I flew with a 20yr veteran of Delta Airlines. He came from NJA a few months back. This tour I'm with another Delta pilot veteran, 25 years. These guys have been a blast to fly with.

When I was a kid I dreamed about flying for Delta Airlines. To me it was the get-all and be-all of aviation. I dreamed of starting out being a Flight Engineer on the 727, or the L-1011. I would watch the DC-9's fly over my grandmothers house on final approach into GSO. Just as they crossed the field, the gear came down. I watched so many of them land I could tell the difference between Delta and Eastern Airlines. It was my dream to get there and fly those planes. I was well on my way until the events of Sept. 11. My dream to fly for Delta never happened and it never will. So I moved on.

I've been at NetJets now for 3.5 years. In that time I have traveled the world... completely around it 4 times (once even going West bound). I have landed on 4300ft strips, flown NDB approaches in China, and went to FL510 off the Coast of NC where I went fishing as a kid. NetJets has been good to me, very good. I feel blessed to have my job. But I always wondered "what if".

Well its as if God wanted me to hear it twice, I fly with these two guys from Delta. Both have told me the best flying they've ever done was right here at NetJets. Both said they enjoyed their careers at Delta, but never in their wildest dreams did they think they would enjoy a job like ours.

And thats where it ends for me. A full circle validation that NetJets is without a doubt the place to be if you fly airplanes. No bragging, no Mr. Tuff-Guy, no G Whiz crap. I'm telling the truth the way I see it, feel it, and analyze it. I'm a very blessed man to be here.... Period.


I think we all need to step back at times and really look at whats important to us in terms of flying airplanes. Two retired Delta pilots taught me that I have a lot to be thankful for.


Wolfpackpilot

 

[gutshotdraw]

BV

I hear ya bro but I was the exact opposite. Grew up down the street from where they built the jet that was the generic term for private jet once upon a time (you know the one, the cool little plane with the tip tanks). My first aviation gig was fueling bizjets as a "PLST" (Professional Line Service Technician). The first time I stuck my head in a G-III, I knew where I wanted to be. The flying club where I instructed wanted me to be an instructor in their airline training program: Nope, I wanted to go to the 135 charter side of the house because the skill set translated better to corporate flying. I toyed with the idea of the major airline thing when the boss sold his jet to sign on with Netjets. Funny how you get lucky when it really counts. Nine years now and I wouldn't trade this gig for ANY airline gig on the planet and damn few corporate gigs. Be well and fly safe.

 

[Wankel7]

Great post man...this is the place to be!

I started off flying 135 charter cargo and stayed with it for almost four years. I did a scheduled run for two weeks with that company. And although it was neat to be home everyday. It was not for me. I wanted random in my life. And doing the same city everyday was not working.

My dad is retired airline and my mom is a flight attendant. So, growing up all I wanted was to be an airline pilot. That dream is done. I still enjoy seeing the heavies fly around and think how neat it would be to fly that. But, I know the novality would fade quickly when the reality sets in.

After cargo I went to the fractionals. I am so happy with my choice to come to Netjets. Even happier they agreed with my desire when I interviewed

Fractional flying is the place to be right now. And I can only hope that it continues to be the case with all of the economic challenges that are ahead.

 

[ozpilot]

My last tour I flew with a 20yr veteran of Delta Airlines. He came from NJA a few months back.

I suspect your talking about Anthony. I flew with him on his last tour at NJA. A true class act. I'm glad he's enjoying NJI

 

[gutshotdraw]

So, when are you bidding over Oz?

 

[skyward80]

Wolfpackpilot:

Moving on is a big deal. My career is nowhere near where I thought it would be. I was inspired to fly when I was about 5 as I watched a B747-300 departing Amsterdam early one fall morning. My whole life I wanted to fly for the airlines and possibly even take the controls of a B747. Two uncles and one cousin have B747 type ratings. I remember listening to their stories of shooting approaches into Kai Tak. I was hooked!

9/11 didn't change everything but it did bring about the inevitable (in terms of industry change) at nose bleed speeds. At 22, fresh out of college, I saw all of my job prospects at the regionals disappear. I knew I didn't want to flight instruct forever. I was driving home from work in Tucson one evening and saw an Air Force Reserve recruiting sign. It was shortly after the first anniversary of the attacks and something just clicked inside of me.

I started making calls, sending e-mails, and removing nay-sayers from my path (f***ing recruiters). A few years later, I was on takeoff roll in McDonnell Douglas' DC-10 at Honolulu as the sun was rising over Diamond Head, moments after we broke ground and started our turn, I looked to the right and left and saw F-15 Eagles 3 by 3 on the wing. Somewhere between the "Flaps up, bug me up" and "slats retract" call, I thought, "when did this become my life?"

So, now I'm in the left seat, flying internationally ever other week, and I just can't imagine going back and doing it differently. I look at the guys in my unit who work for the airlines and see how miserable they are about their jobs there and their reluctance to return. All I can think is that it won't be me. I'm headed to NJA. I might be one little nobody in a long line of highly qualified candidates, but I will wait my turn patiently. Some things are worth waiting for.

Skyward80

 

[Willy21]

I also wanted to fly for Delta like my father. My goal was to be in the right seat for his last trip there. As we all know 9/11 changed all of our plans. Thanks to NetJets that plan is going to have a good chance at happening. We are just waiting for the bid that will put us both in the same fleet. Then we will have about 7 years to enjoy flying together. Thanks NetJets for allowing this dream to stay aloft.

 

[gutshotdraw]

THAT would be very cool. We have a father-son team over here as well. They fly together when the opportunity presents.

 

[cjdriver]

THAT would be very cool. We have a father-son team over here as well. They fly together when the opportunity presents.

I have been very fortunate to be able follow in my fathers footstep's, literally. I currently fly the airplane he retired in, I even have his old office at the hangar. I came back home to take the job last year and we sat together in the cockpit before I went for my type and went through procedures. What an honor. He recently passed away after logging 20k incident free hours. He was still flying professionally when he passed, and had recently flown a 15 hour duty day that included 8 hours of flying and a 0/0 single pilot departure in a King Air. Flying may be in a low spot right now, but I wouldn't trade it, or the memories it has provided for anything.

 

[old*art]

I thought it would be Delta for me also. I even took heavies over fighters in the air force and luckily got the international bug out of my system early. No offense Wolf, but I can remember looking out of the cockpit of a C-130 at a G-IV and thinking " you want to fly international in THAT tiny airplane ? " As to my position at NJA, it is nice to be able to say I envy noone's airplane and noone's job.

 

[realityman]

I thought it would be Delta for me also. I even took heavies over fighters in the air force and luckily got the international bug out of my system early. No offense Wolf, but I can remember looking out of the cockpit of a C-130 at a G-IV and thinking " you want to fly international in THAT tiny airplane ? " As to my position at NJA, it is nice to be able to say I envy noone's airplane and noone's job.

LOL!! That's great! Perspective is an amazing thing, isn't it? I've never flown any of the 'heavy iron', but when I'm topping a huge line of weather at FL470 in the X, and I look out the window and see a B757 or C130, or something similar way below me, I always think "wouldn't it suck to have to try to get through the weather in those things? Much easier just to fly on top of it!"

RM

 

[old*art]

I understand .. but Boeing and Lockheed build them to withstand the weather and Cessna does not !!

 

[johnsonrod]

You have to admit that Delta pre-911 was pretty sweet. Delta pilots earned great salaries and growth meant nice airplanes, nice worldwide variety and pretty good upgrade times. Everything changed after 911 and a career at Delta currently is not as desireable but still more attractive than other 121 options.

It's true that NJI/NJA is a fantastic opportunity nowadays but you need to compare apples to apples. If you compare NJI/NJA today to Delta pre-911 it would be less clear which is more attractive. I have an Atlanta-based buddy who currently flies 757/767 at Delta and his gig is still pretty sweet despite the lower pay and some job insecurity.

 

[mt2]

It's all relative. I've been around the world with brand X and had great fun and enjoyed the crew comraderie and variety of flying there, even if I wasn't making the legacy salaries. I recently did the phone interview with NJA and hope to move to the next phase soon and, eventually, earn a spot there. To me it's all about job satisfaction and QOL -- if you don't enjoy the job, the flying, and customers/owners then the great pay and bennie package won't be worth it. Good for those that see and appreciate the importance of that -- I look forward to flying with you at NJA someday soon.

 

[wolfpackpilot]

It's all relative.

It certainly is. I guess what I forgot to say was that for years it nagged on me that I felt like I had only achieved 2nd place; and that my dream was never going to happen.

After flying with C & M... I realized that what I thought my dream was doesn't exist anymore. And although I could have gotten there, what I would have hoped it was.... wouldn't have been.

I know now that for me, I have achieved a level and place that is clearly the best I could ever do, and looking back on what I've made, what I fly, where I've went and where I'm going... I have made to the top. NetJets is the new "dream job".

Sitting in the cockpit with a man who retired from Delta as a 767-400 Captain, and have him look you square in the eye and say.... "Billy, don't ever leave this company because you will never find anything close to it in the 121 world" is hard core advise.

But then again, I'm still an old school pilot... I wish for a day when all pilots earned a wage and have benefits equal to their professional abilities.

 

[G200_PILOT]

What a great post sir! Thanks for sharing it.

I'd like to share my story as well. Back in 2000, I decided to jumpseat back to Germany to see my family. Since NJA didn't have any "official" agreements with any carriers, the chances were about 50/50. Anyway, I was able to jump from my hometown to ATL so hey, my luck was going good. I went right to Frankfurt gate and waited there till I saw the crew approaching. I went to guy with the four stripes and began to plead my case. It turns out that the guy I was talking to was the IOE captain for the flight. He started to tell me that he normally doesn't allow and jumpseaters during an IOE event BUT,,, he was going to make an exception this time because he wanted to learn about this "little operation called Executive Jet." We spent quite a while talking about it and had a blast.

Move ahead two years... While grabbing a cup of coffee at the old First Aviation, I noticed a guy sitting in the pilots lounge that looked familiar but I couldn't pin point it. Sure enough, it was the same IOE captain that had allowed me to hop along so that I could see my family. It sure is a small world and an even smaller industry.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the retired Delta guys are some of the most fun guys to fly with. They love what they're doing even after 40+ years.

 

[mt2]

wolfpack --

I hope you didn't think I was dishing your post with my "relative" comment. I was merely trying to validate what you had said.

The big iron is pretty cool but you'd be amazed at how many of us look at your ride and say "Nice airplane!, wouldn't it be great to fly that".

 

[hammer2]

I got to agree with Wolf. Although I'm not at Nja, Flex has been good for me. I had the same experience with a couple of retired US AIR pilots, peidmont side.I feel blessed to be in this industry as well. This is my stopping point.

 

[TurboJetCpt]

You have to admit that Delta pre-911 was pretty sweet. Delta pilots earned great salaries and growth meant nice airplanes, nice worldwide variety and pretty good upgrade times. Everything changed after 911 and a career at Delta currently is not as desireable but still more attractive than other 121 options.

It's true that NJI/NJA is a fantastic opportunity nowadays but you need to compare apples to apples. If you compare NJI/NJA today to Delta pre-911 it would be less clear which is more attractive. I have an Atlanta-based buddy who currently flies 757/767 at Delta and his gig is still pretty sweet despite the lower pay and some job insecurity.

Nothing Pre-9/11 matters...the only thing that matters is what the industry looks like TODAY.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Nothing Pre-9/11 matters...the only thing that matters is what the industry looks like TODAY.

That's pretty flawed thinking and it's also the reason why pilots are continually willing to settle for less, and less, and less...

No historical perspective, reference or preference.

Sad. But thanks for illustrating the point.