JOB w/Coke in KFTY..

[Heavy Set]

Hey G4G5,

Any luck with Coke? I guess the airline bug bit you earlier and you decided to leave your GIV/GV job. Having flown both large corporate aircraft worldwide and now MD80s for American, which job do you prefer from a lifestyle and other standpoints? Unfortunately, with American's salary situation, I bet a senior GV captain will now make equal to, if not more, than most senior AA pilots (at least for the time being).

So, what's your status? Are you going to strap on a GV again?


Good luck. I wish I had your background - I'd apply to Coke myself!

 

[tittyjet]

THe Coca-Cola Company

A bit of advice: first of all, if you want to get a job with the Coke flight department, do not address any correspondence to the 'Coke' flight department. The place is referred to as The Coca-Cola Company.

As someone who used to insure that very flight department and, therefore, knows it quite well, I can assure you that the quickest way to get your package tossed into the vertical file is to address anything to 'Coke'. Furthermore, do not get this flight department confused with that of Coca-Cola Enterprises, located acrosss the field; it is a completely different company.

As for all of this crap about captains there having to babysit low-timers, all I know (and I should) is that the Flight Department at the Coca-Cola Company is one of the safest, most professional, well-run, and, most of all, high morale flight departments in the Fortune 500. You could not dream of working for a better bunch of people. I play golf with several captains from there on a regular basis -- one being my neighbor -- and can tell you that they think this is a bunch of just what I said -- crap.

Best of luck.

 

[G4G5]

Originally posted by Falcon Capt
Just curious as to why you left?

G4G5
I got caught up in the hiring wave that was going on at the Airlines. I was pretty happy but felt that the grass could be greener so I applied to everyone that was hiring. With in 6 months I had offers from NWA, DAL, AA and JetBlue. So I packed up my gear and gave it a try.
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This I don't agree with, at my company I have moved ahead of several pilots who are senior to me based on hard work and good, consistent performance.

G4G5
I did the same thing and that what I love about corporate. You work hard you advance. At the airlines you are a number and always will be.

 

[G4G5]

Originally posted by Heavy Set [/i]
Hey G4G5,

Any luck with Coke?
G4G5
Nope, I have not heard a thing. Kind of thought that they may get to me this week but nothing has come, (yet?).

I guess the airline bug bit you earlier and you decided to leave your GIV/GV job. Having flown both large corporate aircraft worldwide and now MD80s for American, which job do you prefer from a lifestyle and other standpoints?

G4G5
The airlines have the Q of L. If you are senior enough to hold a line/pattern/sequence. You are set. You know your schedule in advance and life is good. I looked over my log book and I flew 725 hours last year and did 14 over nights (including training). This was exactly what I was lloking for after all the long haul intl flying I had been doing. But after 2 years of doing DFW and FL turns I was about to blow my head off. I don't know how some guys do for an entire career. Here lies the problem of the airlines. That's all my seniority would hold, even if I wanted off, I could not get off.

At corporate (the better departments) you have some sort of a schedule with a few defined days off. This is 10x better then sitting reserve for any airline. So instantly you are better off then 30% (reserve folks) of the guys who work at an airline (Q of L).

Then you get to visit IMHO better destinations with corporate. I was amazed to see that folks with 15-20 years of seniority were waiting in line to fly to Tokyo or Zurich. This was something that I had taken for granted. At AA you had to be super senior to even think about it, no less be the captain. in corporate, I could tell you the better places to eat and get a drink at.
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Unfortunately, with American's salary situation, I bet a senior GV captain will now make equal to, if not more, than most senior AA pilots (at least for the time being).

G4G5
This is unfortunaly the truth. I was flying with 10+ year MD80 captains who now due to the cut backs are going to be flying 767 Dom Fo's. With the new contract rates (23% reduction)I make more as a G4 captain then the 10+ year guys I was flying with at AA.

The pay just the begining. At UAL their contract allows them to fly upto 95 hours a month(I know the 1000hr limit but they don't count vacation and training), so you will be getting close to the limit. That's a lot of trips to the airport or a lot of time away from the family.

The retirement is not what it was. This was my biggest reason for taking the airline job. My company was in the process of changing the retirement program. After a carreer in corporate I would be coming out with over a Million less if I stayed (vs traditional airline retirement). AA put's 11% of your base monthly pay away for you. You contribute nothing.

That's the way it was by the time I get to 60 I don't expect to see the current airline retirements surviving. Another reason not to hang around.
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So, what's your status?

G4G5
I just came back from G4 recurrent. I am flying G4 Captain on a nice brand new SP. I am happy as a clam. Their use to be days that I would check out the airline section first then come to corporate board. Not anymore. I realized that their is no greener side to aviation. It's brown on both sides, it's up to you to make it green.
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Are you going to strap on a GV again?

Who knows, maybe Coke Cola calls.
My new employeer is considering a used Global or a G5 based upon the current depressed prices in the used aircraft market. It's good job but I think if I get back to a captain at a fortune 20 company, I would call it a day (and forget the airlines). Been there, done that, got the uniform.

Thanks.

 

[G4G5]

Re: THe Coca-Cola Company

A bit of advice: first of all, if you want to get a job with the Coke flight department, do not address any correspondence to the 'Coke' flight department. The place is referred to as The Coca-Cola Company.

As someone who used to insure that very flight department and, therefore, knows it quite well, I can assure you that the quickest way to get your package tossed into the vertical file is to address anything to 'Coke'. Furthermore, do not get this flight department confused with that of Coca-Cola Enterprises, located acrosss the field; it is a completely different company.

As for all of this crap about captains there having to babysit low-timers, all I know (and I should) is that the Flight Department at the Coca-Cola Company is one of the safest, most professional, well-run, and, most of all, high morale flight departments in the Fortune 500. You could not dream of working for a better bunch of people. I play golf with several captains from there on a regular basis -- one being my neighbor -- and can tell you that they think this is a bunch of just what I said -- crap.

Best of luck.

It's funny, what you wrote about Coke.

I had my resume all printed up and I had Coke on it. Then I went back and said that just doesn't look professional, let me take a look at the way it's written on the post.

I saw the Coca-Cola Company was what they wanted and that's what I changed it to.

Thanks for the info, do you know how many 4's and 5's they operate and approx how many pilots they have?