Life @ Flight Options

[matchthehatch]

I have an interview shortly, and, although not offered a job yet, I do want to make an informed decision if I am. I've searched past posts, but have several questions if some of you would be so kind as to answer them.

I'm currently a 135 captain, furloughed airline. (No, I don't intend to return.) One of the few things I like about my present job is that I'm able to run the cockpit in a way that fosters mutual respect between myself and the person who I'm flying with. I suppose my concern is that I get paired up with a crusty old-timer who doesn't share that same philosophy. (Im only using that pilot type as an example - I've been there.) I'd like to hear about the cockpit culture at Flight Options such as - leg swapping, what happens if you are paired with a guy who you find intolerable, and is there, generally, a philosophy that FO's are treated as the professionals they are.

Is the pilot-management relationship as non-adversarial as I've heard? How does insurance work? I've heard something about an allowance. What will a pilot with a family pay in premiums? How about the 401K? I've seen on Fracstats that there is a 100% match? Sounds too good to believe, but it's got to be better than my current 401K. Oh yeah, I don't have one.

About the interview - Is there a sim eval for all pilots? Is the interview with Eric or with someone else? Technical or not?

Anything else that anyone would be so kind as to add would certainly be appreciated. Again - I hope that I get to make this decision, although if offered a job, I think I already have.

Thanks much!

 

[Joe Jet Pilot]

Flight Options Questions

I will try my best to help you out a bit:

Cockpit Culture:

My impression is that very very few people have flown with someone they can't get along with. If you were to have a problem all you would have to do is talk with your program manager to get things changed. Chances are you will not have been the first to have a problem with the person. As far as seat swapping, I will only speak to the Beechjet program as that is the one that I'm in. SIC's may fly legs with passengers from the right seat from day one, if the captain ok's it. After 100 hours in type, the SIC may sit in the left seat on empty legs, After 250 hours the SIC's may sit left seat with pax's. The guy I fly with we trade off days. Works great for us.

You Asked: "Is the pilot-management relationship as non-adversarial as I've heard?" I think so. I have always been able to speak freely with management about issues that I have had. The hardest part is getting a hold of them sometimes. Management appears to be doing all they can to improve quality of life IMHO.

You Asked: "How does insurance work? I've heard something about an allowance. What will a pilot with a family pay in premiums?" Someone with a manual on them will have to jump in here with the exact amounts, but family medical is around $150.00 a month, good overall plan, stay in network and you will not even have co-payments, paid medicals as well. The allowance is what is called the benefit credit. I think it is around $50.00 a month, once you select all your benefits, it takes that amount off the total.

You Asked: "How about the 401K? I've seen on Fracstats that there is a 100% match?" I believe it is 100% up to 4%, someone with a manual on them confirm.

You Asked: "Is there a sim eval for all pilots? Is the interview with Eric or with someone else? Technical or not?" When I was hired I did not have to do a sim eval (3+ years ago), but yes I think everyone does it now with Bob, he is a great guy. From what I have heard it is really basic. You will interview with one of the program managers, it is technical. You would do yourself some good by looking at the approach charts for ASE and EGE, understand fully and be prepard to discuss climb gradients. When I did my interview, all of the technical questions came right off those charts.

Hope this helps & good luck!

 

[matchthehatch]

Great stuff. Thanks for taking the time to give me such good info.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

match,

nice fish. where did you catch him??

Colorado by any chance?

 

[matchthehatch]

Thanks for asking. That fish was downloaded from the internet. My current avatar (just updated it) is a picture of a 20" brown I caught last Friday on the Madison in Montana. Definitely a plus to corporate/charter.

I've only had a chance to fish Colorado twice. Caught a nice 'bow on the Eagle last year, got skunked the next day.

matchthehatch

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

How long between app and call? I recently applied with a frends rec.

Also are you typed from the get go?

 

[FracPilot]

SIC's may fly legs with passengers from the right seat from day one, if the captain ok's it. After 100 hours in type, the SIC may sit in the left seat on empty legs, After 250 hours the SIC's may sit left seat with pax's.

I must make a correction here. Under NO circumstance, except for somebody going through Captain IOE with a Check Airman, is a First Officer allowed to occupy the left seat with passengers on board! It is published in the company SOPs on page 23 - look at it for yourself. If you are a Captain, do NOT let a First Officer occupy the left seat with pax - and if you are a First Officer, do NOT sit in that seat with pax on board. You will get yourself in trouble.

I may not agree with the rule, but I am not going to risk my job by letting the First Officer fly pax from the left seat.

 

[ukipilot]

Wrong, In the beechjet and Hawker programs this is the case, the program managers have decided that the first officer can fly with pax from the left seat, in fact I still have the voice mail from my program manager saved, we did it at travel air, and the reason that the program managers have done this here is that there are very few empty legs, so that is why, also it is going to change fleet wide soon, there are many rules that are written in the company manual that are not directly followed due to changes that are happening faster than they can write the change in, so for the most part, who cares if the fo pilots from the left seat with pax, both pilots get the same training, and we will soon be under part 135 where everyone will be current every 6 months

 

[flyboycpa]

.

 

[Frac Daddy]

Funny thing is, FracPilot, is that my SOPs seem to say that it is up to the PMs discretion to make the seat swapping rules. You should read them.

 

[Joe Jet Pilot]

I Wonder

I wonder if I will get an apology from Mr. FracPilot

 

[FracPilot]

I wonder if I will get an apology from Mr. FracPilot

No, you won't. If you do not have it in writing, it's worth nothing. Too many policies are passed down via voicemails at this company, and if things don't go right, they will fry you and deny that voicemail exists, or claim that there was a superceding voicemail. I've been here a long time guys, I know what I speak of. This is the first I have heard of this supposedly new "policy", but until it comes out in writing, it doesn't exist as far as I am concerned.

Funny thing is, FracPilot, is that my SOPs seem to say that it is up to the PMs discretion to make the seat swapping rules. You should read them.

You're right. It does say "Deviations shall be at the discretion of the PM". Get that deviation approval in writing, and you have something. Otherwise, it's no good.

In the beechjet and Hawker programs this is the case, the program managers have decided that the first officer can fly with pax from the left seat

Which Beechjet and Hawker programs? Both of each type? Which PM's have sent out these voicemails?

 

[Dep676]

King Air

It the same in the King Air fleet. We are swapping legs and seats no matter who is in the back. That rule was stupid from the get go. We all go to the same school and get the same training. Therefore we should be allowed to fly form the left anytime. I know somebody is going to say that is the captains responsiblity if something happens. Well the samething can happen if the fo if flying from the right seat. Just my .02.

 

[ProFracPilot]

They MAY officially change the policy, but swapping seats on ANY leg should ALWAYS be at the Captains discretion, IMHO.

 

[learflyer]

Hey Fracpilot, this isn't brain surgery what we are doing here. Yes, I do agree that it is up to the PIC on who gets to fly from what seat and during what times. The ONLY reason you are PIC and your FO isn't is because you were hired first! That's it brutha! So please, stop pretending to be Chuck Yeager and acting like you are the chosen one. Remember, most of us used to be captains at previous jobs, so knock off the "I will not let FO's fly from the left seat with pax on board" crap. Fly safe.

 

[rettofly]

If you do not have it in writing, it's worth nothing.QUOTE]

I agree 100 %. Voice mails don't count as far as the Feds are concerned. In addition, if the word "deviation" is associated with this verbal permission, that's a slippery slope for sure.

 

[FracPilot]

Hey Fracpilot, this isn't brain surgery what we are doing here. Yes, I do agree that it is up to the PIC on who gets to fly from what seat and during what times. The ONLY reason you are PIC and your FO isn't is because you were hired first! That's it brutha! So please, stop pretending to be Chuck Yeager and acting like you are the chosen one. Remember, most of us used to be captains at previous jobs, so knock off the "I will not let FO's fly from the left seat with pax on board" crap.

In case you didn't understand, I stated that I will not let FO's fly from the left seat with pax on board because it is COMPANY POLICY, and I am not going to risk my job just to let somebody fly from the left seat. If the policy is changed - it definitely has not been in my fleet - then I will allow it. I don't care which seat I sit in. If I am the PIC, I make the final decision, but if I have a competent FO - of which I have only flown with ONE here that I do not consider competent to fly pax from the left seat - then he or she will be flying every other leg, from the seat of their choice, regardless of pax or not.

You seem a bit upset about something. If you are paired with somebody that does not treat you as a professional pilot, and speaking about it with him/her does nothing, request a change from your PM. This job is not worth doing if you are unhappy.

 

[NJAowner]

NJA Policies

Anyone want to chime in on the NJA policies?

 

[Grim Reaper]

To NJAOwner

Mr. NJA Owner, if you want to learn about the NJA crew policies that directly you at the fractional company that you do business with, find out through offical channels.

 

[450]

You seem a bit upset about something

I agree. Sounds like a grumpy FO that needs his ego stroked by sitting in the left seat. I could care less which seat I sit in when I fly. Left or right. Who cares.