Gulfstream Academy Webcam

[bart]

I count 17 complete idiots. That equates to $504,628. Way to go GulfStream. Good for them, finding a way to so efficiently part fools from such large amounts of money.

Who said you can't make money in aviation? A regional with PFT seems to be the way to do it. Either that or selling siding to senior citizens.

 

[willis]

My satisfaction w/ PFTers

The satisfaction that I find in PFTers is the amount of time they will have to spend in the right seat before they can even begin to think about an upgrade. I spent 2 years busting ass as a flight instructor to build enough time to move on to a 121 carrier, shortly after I was hired (1 1/2 years later) I moved over to the left seat. Now here is the cool part, PFTers that were hired 1 year before me are now my FOs. Nothing better than flying with a PFTer that has at least another 3 years before they can upgrade to CA. You can't buy a captain slot now can you!!!!!!!!!! I think PFTers should be listed in the Dorky pilot series thread!!

 

[AcroChik]

why do they have tableclothes on the tables?

My mom happened to be looking over my shoulder when I openned this thread and she said, "Maybe it's to get them used to bussing tables at Olive Garden?"

 

[bobbysamd]

Anti P F T posts

Great comments in the three posts above, especially how Willis, the street-hire, became captain long before the P-F-Ters who were "hired" ahead of him!!

My mom happened to be looking over my shoulder when I openned this thread and she said, "Maybe it's to get them used to bussing tables at Olive Garden?"

That's good, too!!

No jealousy, pity-seeking or envy in any of these comments.

I forgot to mention rancor in my last post. Let me throw that in for good measure as well. Am I rancorous? No. Once more, in 1991, I could have paid for an airline job. I did not, but kept applying to non-P-F-T regionals.

 

[Flyguy2k8]

For the record, my friend went to Gulfstream Academy and now works for Continental Express (expressjet). Do I pay tribute to Gulfstream for there outstanding ability to send graduates to Continental? No. I pay tribute to the fact his dad is Continental's cheif pilot, who0 practically handed him his job....I wish my dad was Southwest's chief pilot.

 

[Thedude]

In my opinion, Flight instructors are taking the long way to an airline. They are babysitters who have no real expierience and should all do the Gulfstream program or something comparable before applying to a 121 carrier. Knowledge of slow flight and turns around a point do not demonstrate what it takes to be an airline pilot. Go get some 121 training, then apply to an airline.

Get back to me when you have made Capt on your first airliner and then you won't think flight instructing was the "long way".

 

[100LL... Again!]

.....

 

[bobbysamd]

Gulfstream P-F-T captains

In my opinion, Flight instructors are taking the long way to an airline. They are babysitters who have no real expierience and should all do the Gulfstream program or something comparable before applying to a 121 carrier. Knowledge of slow flight and turns around a point do not demonstrate what it takes to be an airline pilot. Go get some 121 training, then apply to an airline.

Get back to me when you have made Capt on your first airliner and then you won't think flight instructing was the "long way".

Better be careful about what you wish for, you just might get it, thanks to the Gulfstream P-F-T "Captain" "program":

INQUIRE ABOUT OUR LIMITED
- Enrollment Part-121 Programs
- Gulfstream Fast Track Captain

• Interview Before Starting Training
• Secure Permanent Hire Seniority
• Acquire Airline Pass Rights
• Build Over 1,250 Flight Hours For As
Little As $39 Per Hour
• Receive ATP And Type Rating
• Obtain Captain Upgrade
• Assure Career Path To Left Seat

P-F-T has stooped to a whole new low.

 

[User546]

• Interview Before Starting Training

P-F-T has stooped to a whole new low.

Now your getting an interview BEFORE you start training? What the **** good is that? What possibly could be asked and said in that interview of any worth??

Bobby summed it up best, "PFT has stooped to a whole new low."

 

[Lineup&wt]

Sounds a little sketchy, buying a Capt. seat but what the heck. Before you can even get an interview with SW. you need to have a 737 type out your pocket. At least you get a type,ATP, 30K first year as a Capt. and they'll upgrade you at 1500 TT at Stream. SIt around for a 2 years and buy the time everyone else is getting ready to upgrade on there EMB or CRJ, your on your way to AirTran interview, I've seen a lot of these guys do exactly that. Sounds like a pipe dream and a shortcut, but isn'nt that the name of the game, get there as quick as possible, 121 PIC, seniority #. One more thing if you talk to some of these guys sure there is arrogance in some but a lot of them are good hearted guys choosing an alternate path on the time they build. No daddy does not have deep pockets in most circumstances, These guys for the most part are flat broke like many of us when starting off in this industry and still are 5 -10 years into it. So is good or Bad, not sure, maybe we'll find out, when we see a lot more BE1900D stickers on these guys Flight Cases while walkiing up to B-717. Or sitting on the street corner begging for change with there uniform on to keep them warm. Time will tell, Times are changing.

 

[bobbysamd]

SWA 737 type v. Gulfstream P-F-T Capt.

Sounds a little sketchy, buying a Capt. seat but what the heck. Before you can even get an interview with SW. you need to have a 737 type out your pocket. At least you get a type,ATP, 30K first year as a Capt. and they'll upgrade you at 1500 TT at Stream . . .

It's not analogous at all because the actual purchase of a 737 type may be unnecessary. There are bunches of 737-typed pilots who never spent a dime on their type. Some are furloughed from other airlines and some have types they earned in the military. There is a bizjet version of the 737, and some pilots are typed in that aircraft. Compare with the Gulfstream P-F-T captain program, where you have to pay, no matter what experience you have or aircraft in which you might be typed.

 

[Lineup&wt]

Sure there are a lot of guys that already have the type that did not have to pay for it and some not as fortunate. I think the whole point of this Capt program is for those who are low time and don't have types,seems logical. Why would you go there if you've already earned a type in some aircraft kind of selling yourself short.

 

[100LL... Again!]

I think that this webcam would not be considered family-safe, since we are essentially watching people receive very expensive hand jobs.

It feel real good, and they will tell you what you want to hear, but it leaves you feeling empty (in the wallet) afterwards.

 

[rumpletumbler]

Most of the time that is probably true. You never know when they might drop their drawers and say the Gulfstream Academy motto without words but with actions.

 

[Lineup&wt]

hears something that sounds really expensive. possicble not going here and not being able to get an interview with a regional at 500 or less hours. Becasue you choose the "noble way" of getting to an airline. Does it take a trips aviationinterviews.com to see that the CFI column with 1800 hrs and no 121 experiance that didv't get the job when the next guy down. 720 hours 121 experiance "hired" "yes". CFI great route if you can't or don't want to get a loan for one of these "scams". But if your willing to risk a little why not. Remember, A lot of us here want to land a regional job. Take the long way it may the fast way out. Take a short cut you may be saved. Seniority number, When it comes to that point the airline does'nt care who trained were and when but what number you are. I know I sound like I may be for it, but I'm not totally against it either. Once again much much respect for all CFI's trying to achieve their goals.

 

[rumpletumbler]

I have been a 400 hour pilot in Citations, Grand Renniasance commanders, etc. I don't think.......I KNOW that I didn't have enough experience to qualify as a crewmember that could contribute what I needed to the operation. It has nothing to do with being a good or a bad pilot it is simply at that level you don't have the experience to do the job as well as is required. That is not my opinion....it is a fact. It took me a while to realize it but the realization did come.

 

[Lineup&wt]

Rumple: Did you have any training in these A/c or did someone ask if you want to go fly with them in there jet?

 

[rumpletumbler]

Rumple: Did you have any training in these A/c or did someone ask if you want to go fly with them in there jet?

I flew part 91 flights SIC with a 135 operation. Of course the commander didn't require one but a lot of folks requested it. I didn't actually get to fly it much but I did the Citations. I had no formal training on either just manuals and videos on systems on the Citations. I might have if I had stayed but I did not. The Citations were incredibly easy to fly and manage but I didn't have what I needed the most which was the experience.

 

[bobbysamd]

The $29,684 risk

If your willing to risk a little why not . . . .

I do not call $29,684 "a little." If one is going to "risk" that kind of money, one should demand some assurances. After all, as well as being a trainee one is a customer under P-F-T.

A pro-P-F-T person wrote in rebuttal to that argument that life carries no assurances and that people can prove themselves via P-F-T. $29,684 is a rather expensive way to prove oneself, especially when there are plenty of free regional airline jobs out there. Once more, the operative word is "job." Having to buy a job implies desperation and lack of pride. I would again submit that those who P-F-T couldn't get it for free. In other words, it's not worth it to me to pay $29,684, or any sum of money, in order to prove myself for a job. It's still just a job. There is other gainful employment that one can get, free of charge.

 

[The_Russian]

Gulfstream is not PFT. I'm not sure how many times I have to say it and I'm not in denial, so don't say I am. PFT is when you buy a job. We do not "buy a job". The FO program is a training program which is very benifical to a professional career. Our pilots get hired by regionals all over because of their experiance, hard work, and dedication. Some of us get selected to stay on as "permanent hires" for different reasons. We cannot buy that. Some of the people who come through here are rich kids. Most of us are not. I have loans out my a$$. Some guys are military pilots doing a fixed wing transition which the GI bill pays for.

GA is not a "scam" or a handjob operation. It is a high quality academy which gives the finest training in the industry. Officials at GA and GIA don't tell us what we want to hear or feed us BS cake. They tell us how it is. As an employee at both operations, I appriciate the honesty from mangement. You will not meet one, not one GIA guy who feels he has been screwed.

I don't think that any of you can tell me otherwise because you know absolutly nothing about GIA except heresay. Too many of you disect the website, which is a "selling tool" like any other business has, and paste it on this board to make us look like sh!t. I work at GIA. I know what goes on here. I am not a regional pilot who bought my job. I earned it with time and service. I am not playing pilot. I am a flight crew member in a 121 operation.

Now, about the Fast Track Captain thing. We are against that because it IS buying a job. That is PFT. It is taking away the oppurtunity to have permanent hire first officers which is a well paid position. I make more money that most first year CRJ first officers and I drive a little 1900. It is also taking away the airline's right to select the finest and make them permantent hire.

Rumple, it doesn't matter how much time you have, it's the effort put forth and the quality of training. Military pilots have 200TT or so when they get thier FA-18 to go to work in. We do 60 hours of sim training prior to entering the cockpit of the beech.

Most of you must be pretty p-o'ed at life to bash us GIA guys. Go bust on someone who deserves it. Maybe the managment at your airlines that are treating you like poop or running your company into the ground. I'm happy with my job and the way I got here. I feel that it was all very well worth the penny and the time. I'm not sitting on my a$$ pumping fuel anymore. Since I went through the F/O program I have had 3 employement OFFERS from regional airlines. How many have you had?