Hop-A-Jet

[learflyer]

Thats true! I was tired of putting up with that type of treatment and found a better job elsewhere. Heck! even the regionals treated me better. For the same pay, at least all I did was fly, and time off was my time off and not attached to a beeper or cell phone. There are other options out there....I understand that regional flying isn't for everyone, but this is the time where we as pilots have a more choices than we did 10 years ago.

yeah, that's because this was 10 years ago!

 

[cr7driver]

yeah, that's because this was 10 years ago!

So, have things changed? Or is it still the same game down there in the S. Florida charter scene?
I would love to hear that the pilots are treated as professionals, but honestly knowing the mentality of the operators down there I sincerely doubt it.

 

[learflyer]

yep, still the same ole' crap. 135 is 135.

 

[FastJP4]

Have a good friend working there, and he says as far as a 135 operator, they are in the top 10%. He fly's the 604, shows up and flies - returns and goes home. His job after returning is checking the oil (automatic system on the 604) and shutting down the aircraft. That's it. He says they have a ton of line guys and the "cleaning the hanger" is totally untrue. Said 1st year FO was 60k and 1st year CA 90K. He's been there 6 months and seen one MEL on one of the 604's - and says mx is excellent. Says the CP is a good, down to earth guy and they have a good pilot group. He seems to be pretty happy with the exception of the legality of being "on call" all of the time. Overall he says a good place.

 

[cr7driver]

I would say that if you have to work flying 135 somewhere, then Hop-a-Jet would be it. I am glad to hear that the pilots are treated as professionals. Back in the day, it wasn't so. But as the previous post mentions, there are some legality issues, (ie: duty times, training ect etc).
Some operators had "real" training (Simuflite, Flight Safety), but most did not. I guess that they are having trouble finding pilots down there hence they are probably upping the pay/standards.
Good Luck, and hope it works out for you.