Hiring one good pilot for ExpressOne

[flyinloki]

Everything went well last night, no hitches or anything. Should be interesting.

 

[SlapShot]

Alright, I am insulted that a company flying one Piper Cherokee between two cities that are 5 miles apart is calling itself Express One. To say they are using the name only is a lie. They are using the name, logo, website…

At least it has one thing in common with the old EOI, they talk about bringing on equipment that they know will never happen. I remember the 747 rumors and the Airbus rumors being thrown around in IND and AUS crew rooms.

 

[flyinloki]

Alright, I am insulted that a company flying one Piper Cherokee between two cities that are 5 miles apart is calling itself Express One.

Facts again....hrmm Its not one piper cheerokee and its not even a piper cherokee. Now since your flyin' "bigger things" you may not think its much of a difference but its now 3 Piper Chieftans. To me thats just a litttttllllleee different from a piper cherokee. Don't you think so?

Oh yah they do leaseback a 182T brand new for some charters and they are probably gettin a King Air C90 or 200.

 

[tindriver72]

Now since your flyin' "bigger things" you may not think its much of a difference...

Ya know what's funny, He flies the saab that YOU want! And, as I'm sure he will attest, you don't know the kind of pain-in-the-a$$ trouble your in for if you actually get one. Oh yeah, better get 3. Cause you'll need the parts!

 

[flyinloki]

Just sayin there is a difference.

 

[siouxicide]

Not to bust your balls dude, but once you get a bit more experience you'll learn not to get into pissing matches over how neato your airplane is, how extensive your experience is, how much smarter you are, etc. I see you have 2,220.957124x10 hours, which is a decent amount, just realize that someone out there has more hours, a bigger plane, faster car, hotter wife, etc.etc. You'll only look stupid trying to fight about it. Imagine a kid who just soloed telling you how good he is and fighting with you over the difference between a Warrior and an Archer. It's not exactly what's happening here, but it's how you're being perceived and people are having a ball tearing you up because of it. So act like a guy with 30,000 hours would....having pissing matches like this isn't worth the time, he's got nothing to prove, and it screams immaturity.
With that said, that's great to see you enjoy your company. More companies need guys with fire like that and such a positive attitude about the company's future. For your sake, hopefully they're not blowing smoke up your a$$, but it seems to me they have a three-pack-a-day habit.

 

[slowto250]

Flyinloki,
Noticed your profile and thought it might just be easier to scan your logbook onto your profile. Please........get a clue.

 

[SlapShot]

We are parking a bunch of our Saabs. He/She (whatever) can have the **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** things.

 

[lear24]

flyinloki-

You have an amazing positive attitude, but in some years, and after being burned a few times by this industry, you'll be a pessimistic, snarling freight dog like the rest of us. Until then, enjoy the ride.

We're just a little left over from the way EOI went out on us, and how "it" was sold off and will never be like it was again. I do imagine the new EOI has rights to the money the postal service owed the old EOI after they walked away from the contract that ran through 2007. To see the new EOI show pictures of what we did on their website, and act like they were or are a part of that strikes a chord. We've seen plenty of start ups come and go over the years, and if you do some homework, the new EOI has been planning on getting saabs for several years. What happened to the Caravan operation? What about the 757s they were going to have? My point is don't hold your breath, or you will be sorely disappointed, and end up a crusty, burned old crumudgeon like us.

I do hope that whatever the new EOI becomes does well, but it will never be what the old one was. Maybe it will get bigger and be a mighty empire, but beware, ours came crashing down with such a fury it was scary.

Best of luck to you, and keep the dirtier side down.

 

[flyinloki]

I understand what your saying Lear. At least your doing it in a calm and civil way and not attacking me like some of the others. After being involved with a regional i truley believe that I am in the right place right now and I'll go with it for as long as it lasts. In the case of how EOI ended I've heard it was abrupt and not fun. There is actually at least one former EOI guy working as our Chief pilot currently (he was an FO on the 727). Yes the Saabs are coming and if they are a pain in the ass like slapshot says then I guess I will find out but I'll find out and get experience from it which is also fine with me. They are actually sending two of our guys to FlightSaftey this month to start training as the initial cadre for the required proving runs. Feds just approved the program last month. The Caravans are actually operating with our sister company Bearskin Aviation who is owned by the Wyandotte indian tribe. Not sure how all the logistics will quite work out in the future but i'll just ride with the flow. I know the aviation industry is cyclical and volitile but its what i chose for a professional and I'll ride the waves for as long as possible. The 757 thing musta been in the past cause that is certainly a long way off. But thanks for the reply I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Flyingloki:

So how much flying have you been getting a month over at the new Express One?

 

[NavajoKing]

So what happened to the old express one?

 

[Hollywood82]

Express one has since packed it up and gone back to where ever they came from. They no longer exist in the midwest. Not sure but I don't think they even made it a year up here.

 

[aussiefly]

Express one has since packed it up and gone back to where ever they came from. They no longer exist in the midwest. Not sure but I don't think they even made it a year up here.

What so no saabs?????

 

[flyinloki]

Actually there were Saabs. 2 of them with 2 more coming. This was last october. They were actaully sitting on the ramp staring at each other in Sanford, FL aquired from Shuttle America I believe. Two Bearskin pilots were trained on them at FSI, our whole maitenance staff was trained on them as well over at PanAm. They were just sitting their waiting to start routes.....and then the craziness with the Wyandotte tribe started. They wanted profits that they didn't deserve and wouldn't pay the leases that they agreed to on the planes. So it all fell through in the end which I suppose isn't the first failed deal ever in aviation. It had a good chance all that was holding us back was the money from the tribe. The first passenger route was ready and facilities were in place and proving runs had been done I believe. Anyway, EXO pulled out in Oct. of 2005 with the board of directors citing the reason being no proifts being made on the freight runs, and in fact a slight loss. Thats well and good because I made about 500 hours flying for them. I flew another job in a navajo for 5 months kinda parttime outta ANE before finding a new job which has been interesting thus far. Although EXO sold both the chieftains they had to Mokuele airlines in Hawaii. They actually just bought them back (because Mokuele is getting Caravans) this month and are working towards some kind of an air ambulence operation with them back up in the dakotas. Actually got a call from them a couple months ago with a job offer but I had to turn it down. Supposedly its a large contract for many aircraft but as far as I know they don't have many yet. So they are getting back into it. Their flight side was never as much of a priority as their ground service contracts for the government around the u.s., england and heavily in south america. Thats where they make their money. Well, if anyone wants to move up to the dakotas give them a call, they are looking for Chieftain pilots.

 

[aussiefly]

flynloki, cant say i'm surprised that it went down this way anytime you deal with intermediates and different tribes its hard at best. Good to see you got on with someone else and are finding the ops interesting.

Shame about the saabs though. Always a shame to see 2 perfectly good birds sitting on the ramp.