Hold on tight

[chief9404]

Ask a former RTA pilot how the transition was to Flops. It won't take the Flex Jet pilots very long to join the 1108.

I mentioned this transition was going to happen months ago and got flamed by Flex pilots. Welcome to Directional / Flops. Now get ready to bend over.

 

[Frac Cap]

I assume when Flex comes on property, they will be under the same work rules which also includes pay and benefits. To answer some questions I have seen asked, Flight Options pilots get 24 days a year vacation with no sick days. If you are sick, it comes out of your vacation bank. We have a 401K program, BUT there is no 401K match. You have one of three schedules, a 7/7, 8/7 or 18 day flex. On the 18 day flex, the extra two days you may or may not be used, and if you are not, you do not get paid for the extra two days. The 8/7 is the default schedule and you have to bid and have the seniority to get the 7/7. Hope this helps

 

[AeroBoy]

Good scoop...don't like these types of teases, but you delivered the goods.

There's more. Another significant charter/fractional announcement tomorrow and another likely next week. This ride hasn't come to a complete and full stop yet.

 

[el raton]

Ask a former RTA pilot how the transition was to Flops. It won't take the Flex Jet pilots very long to join the 1108.

I mentioned this transition was going to happen months ago and got flamed by Flex pilots. Welcome to Directional / Flops. Now get ready to bend over.

I'm already feeling the love.

 

[Gators]

There's more. Another significant charter/fractional announcement tomorrow and another likely next week. This ride hasn't come to a complete and full stop yet.

Shares merge and a Wheels Up partnership? Just guessing, am I warm?

 

[Photoflight]

I assume when Flex comes on property, they will be under the same work rules which also includes pay and benefits. To answer some questions I have seen asked, Flight Options pilots get 24 days a year vacation with no sick days. If you are sick, it comes out of your vacation bank. We have a 401K program, BUT there is no 401K match. You have one of three schedules, a 7/7, 8/7 or 18 day flex. On the 18 day flex, the extra two days you may or may not be used, and if you are not, you do not get paid for the extra two days. The 8/7 is the default schedule and you have to bid and have the seniority to get the 7/7. Hope this helps

Screw that.

 

[rsm]

It's Citation Shares. They are also being bought by Directional Aviation Capital.

 

[BlueNose]

It's Citation Shares. They are also being bought by Directional Aviation Capital.

Or maybe just the assets, we'll see. Wonder what the 3rd act might be? Anyone hear any XO rumors? I don't think anyone would buy those Avantis.

 

[cldsfr79]

http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130905-906994.html

Congrats to Flex if it means growth and jobs! It's nice to hear that the fractional industry isn't quite imploding yet.

BUT....Good luck selling all those planes with a tight market still. Over at NJA to scare us lowly pilots into concessions (never will happen), we are being told that selling fractional shares are getting more and more difficult and that we are getting our ears boxed in by XOJet and tiny mom and pop charter companies. But if I take a pay cut, all will be better. But it's strange how all our new planes rolling in are all sold out well in advance. Hmmm.......

Ok, back to Flex....good luck and hope all goes well.

 

[gutshotdraw]

The term "whipsaw" comes to mind...

Ding!

Winner, winner. Chicken dinner.

 

[johnsonrod]

There's more. Another significant charter/fractional announcement tomorrow and another likely next week. This ride hasn't come to a complete and full stop yet.

2 more big deals?

In my mind something is being done about the grounded P180s - otherwise Piaggio is screwed with that inventory sitting on the ground. They must be looking for a deal. Who could buy/lease 30-40 dormant P180s to get that fleet up and running again?

Another guess would be Wheels Up linking with an established player - maybe Netjets given the owner's previous partnership with Marquis Card. XOJet has already partnered with TMC - so, they probably have their bases covered with the full product line from the Beechjet to the CL300.

 

[BentOver]

Another guess would be Wheels Up linking with an established player - maybe Netjets given the owner's previous partnership with Marquis Card. QUOTE]

Welcome to Netjets...here is you brand new shiny...ummmm.. King Air:erm:


:beer:

 

[RNObased]

Ask a former RTA pilot how the transition was to Flops. It won't take the Flex Jet pilots very long to join the 1108.

I mentioned this transition was going to happen months ago and got flamed by Flex pilots. Welcome to Directional / Flops. Now get ready to bend over.

The Flex guys are going to be hating this when it is all said and done ask any ex-RTA pilots.

 

[johnnyride24]

Flex pilots have been assured that our pay will remain the same

Those are the same people that said several times: FLEX IS NOT FOR SALE!!!

YOU GUYS ARE SO CLUELESS.

They bring in new management, FT, DG, TC all bail. Bombardier was planning a sale for the last two years. We had a chance to Organize and all you koolaide drinkers shut it down.

Pay cuts coming get the resumes out.

 

[Fresh Air]

I will have to respectfully disagree. FO management likes nothing better than to slap our Union in the face. I expect that they will treat the non-union Flex side much better than they treat us for that very reason.

 

[el raton]

Flex has 6 months to organize.

 

[Pervis]

Flex pilots have been assured that our pay will remain the same

I would like to see a response from a former Travel Air pilot. Seems they were told one thing and realized another. It would be most wise to join 1108 to cover your buttoxes. Even if you remain separate and require your own CBA, it will be with the same local.

 

[johnsonrod]

Another guess would be Wheels Up linking with an established player - maybe Netjets given the owner's previous partnership with Marquis Card. QUOTE]

Welcome to Netjets...here is you brand new shiny...ummmm.. King Air:erm:


:beer:

Evidently the King Air 350i will be very well equipped. I doubt the founder would fly anything dumpy - it will probably set the standard in that category if he wants to sell 70-100 airplanes worth of shares.

Who knows - just speculation..............

 

[Club ORD FO]

I would like to see a response from a former Travel Air pilot. Seems they were told one thing and realized another. It would be most wise to join 1108 to cover your buttoxes. Even if you remain separate and require your own CBA, it will be with the same local.

Agreed. I don't think any of us flex folks know much about the details Of travel air. If anyone has knowledge and specifics, please share what happened.

 

[AeroBoy]

I will have to respectfully disagree. FO management likes nothing better than to slap our Union in the face. I expect that they will treat the non-union Flex side much better than they treat us for that very reason.

IMO, Fresh Air is absolutely correct here. Also, Kenn doesn't want a union at Flex, so that's why there won't be any pay/benefit cuts -- he knows that if he would do any cuts, the pilots would vote in a union really, really fast.

Also, let's not rewrite history when it comes to how the union came about at Flight Options. The union drive started under Raytheon's rule because they were greatly mismanaging the company. Kenn announced he was buying Flight Options just weeks before the union vote and asked the pilots to vote no and give him a chance. The problem was that the pilots were already so abused by that point and didn't want to have to wait another year (per NMB rules) to be able to do another union drive/election if he didn't deliver. Scared and abused, they voted in the union, but it wasn't Kenn's fault. Also remember that when the Flight Options transaction closed, he pledged to work with the pilot union on the initial contract. How many other execs have you seen do that lately? Yeah, he negotiated hard with the union reps. He also negotiated hard with Raytheon, Sentient, Bombardier, Everest, etc., when he bought properties from them. Kenn's a good negotiator -- that's why he's successful in the bizav segment when other companies aren't (Beechcraft and Avantair come to immediate mind here). You don't honestly believe that he was just going to roll over and play dead during the Fl Ops pilot negotiations, do you?