Since I posted this opening, let me clear up a few things:
1. Home Depot is a government contractor, as such they are required to track EEOC data. Of the last few pilots hired 2 were white males and 1 was a white female. The Department has women, Hispanics, and African-Americans in the pilot group.
2. Until this year there had not been any turnover in the pilot group for 5 years. There is a lot of turnover in the rest of the Department, but not among the pilot group. One pilot left for a better paying job flying a larger aircraft. One pilot is leaving because she is moving out of state and anticipates recall to the airlines (at least that is what she is saying). One pilot was added when Home Depot bought another company. They are looking to hire and FO now, and to build a pool for another FO hire sometime in the future.
3. They have posted the FO position a few times in the past. One position was in another state, but that position was eliminated before someone was hired because they decided to sell the aircraft. They have tried to hire several times in the past few years only to be stopped by a company-wide hiring freeze before the process could be completed.
4. The pay is below industry standard for company size and equipment type for all pilots except the 5 senior pilots. Benefits are standard for a retail company, not so good when compaired to a typical Fortune 500 company.
5. The schedule changes daily. They keep the pilots understaffed by 1 or 2 positions. They expect you to work in the office doing "projects" for 4 days per month. You only get 4 days off per month, the rest are considered "unscheduled". The 4 days off can be taken away, they are not hard days off, only vacation is considered a hard day off. Typically you will fly 12 days per month, around 35 hours per month, and have 5 overnights per month.
6. You will always have a rental car at the FBO and a day hotel room if you have more than 6 hours on the ground. You get $50 per day for meals domestic, there is no limit on an international trip. The uniform is provided by the company (everything except socks and underwear).
7. I consider this a good timebuilding job for an FO. You will get some Falcon types and quality corporate time in an IS-BAO certified flight department. Promotions are generally slow. If you want to make the big bucks and advance to Captain in less than 4 years then you will have to take the experience from this place and go somewhere else. The last two pilots that left landed much better paying jobs with better Departments.
1. Home Depot is a government contractor, as such they are required to track EEOC data. Of the last few pilots hired 2 were white males and 1 was a white female. The Department has women, Hispanics, and African-Americans in the pilot group.
2. Until this year there had not been any turnover in the pilot group for 5 years. There is a lot of turnover in the rest of the Department, but not among the pilot group. One pilot left for a better paying job flying a larger aircraft. One pilot is leaving because she is moving out of state and anticipates recall to the airlines (at least that is what she is saying). One pilot was added when Home Depot bought another company. They are looking to hire and FO now, and to build a pool for another FO hire sometime in the future.
3. They have posted the FO position a few times in the past. One position was in another state, but that position was eliminated before someone was hired because they decided to sell the aircraft. They have tried to hire several times in the past few years only to be stopped by a company-wide hiring freeze before the process could be completed.
4. The pay is below industry standard for company size and equipment type for all pilots except the 5 senior pilots. Benefits are standard for a retail company, not so good when compaired to a typical Fortune 500 company.
5. The schedule changes daily. They keep the pilots understaffed by 1 or 2 positions. They expect you to work in the office doing "projects" for 4 days per month. You only get 4 days off per month, the rest are considered "unscheduled". The 4 days off can be taken away, they are not hard days off, only vacation is considered a hard day off. Typically you will fly 12 days per month, around 35 hours per month, and have 5 overnights per month.
6. You will always have a rental car at the FBO and a day hotel room if you have more than 6 hours on the ground. You get $50 per day for meals domestic, there is no limit on an international trip. The uniform is provided by the company (everything except socks and underwear).
7. I consider this a good timebuilding job for an FO. You will get some Falcon types and quality corporate time in an IS-BAO certified flight department. Promotions are generally slow. If you want to make the big bucks and advance to Captain in less than 4 years then you will have to take the experience from this place and go somewhere else. The last two pilots that left landed much better paying jobs with better Departments.
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