LXApilot
Owes More Than He Makes
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2003
- Posts
- 262
Dear Readers,
I thought I would take a few minutes to seek your advice and opinions regarding my current situation. As most of you remember from a well-read previous posting; I was laid-off for over 18 months from 2008 until earlier this year. I'm grateful for the position I've been able to have this year and am thankful for the opportunities I've been given in my current position. However, I'm now staring down a few serious decisions and figured I could get a few perspectives from my fellow pilots... Here is the situation:
I've been flying as a PIC for a charter company flying the Cessna Citation 650 (again) but the company and the aircraft base is 2,000 nm away from my home, family, life and friends. It's very hard to be away - I've been at this position since April 1st and have had a total of sixteen nights back at home since then. Due to the conditions/pay situation at my current job I'm living in a cheap hotel near the fbo where our aircraft is based. Renting a one bedroom apartment is the mathematical equivalent to staying at the hotel for almost two weeks. I just cross my fingers and hope that we're "on the road" at least that much per month. I haven't ponied up the dough to purchase a car here either- to ship my car to my location would be over $1,200. I figure that at some point; I'll want to return home and that would mean another $1,200... so I've given up on having a car out here.
We fly approximately 15-25 hours per month. (Not much at all). Our company pays us an "acceptable" but not "good" salary... I'm very grateful for it- but it is below NBAA averages. Our company also does not give us "per diem" in the traditional sense. Instead, the company provides us an allowance of $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner. We pay our own meals and then later apply for reimbursement on each meal- but reimbursement is capped at the mentioned levels. I have never worked for a company that has worked in this manner. I'm grateful for getting something- but feel it is somewhat substandard.
Our company practices some strange policies... we get 8 hard days off every 3 months... but my understanding of the FAR's indicates we are supposed to get 13 days off per quarter. When I ask about making up the difference; our DO has explained that: "Our POI and I are on the same page..." explaining that on days we do not fly, they are retroactively counted as days off. Unfortunately, on these days we do not fly, myself and the first officer are not allowed to drink, we must answer our telephones and be within 60 minutes of being able to report for duty. Did I mention that they want us to meet those expectations 24 hours per day, 7 days per week? That means that if we want to go to a sporting event, the mall, beach, etc. that it is practically impossible without risking our job(s). I always believed that a day "off" meant that a crew-member was released from all company related duty- including the requirement to be available or answer the telephone. What are your opinions on that?
Also; at our company the policy is to not let the F/O fly the aircraft except on empty leg reposition flights. I believe this is extremely detrimental to the F/O's flying proficiency and development of skill and judgment on this aircraft. Furthermore, there are certain restrictions even on those empty legs... if that empty leg occurs on the first leg of the day, or in marginal conditions, then the PIC is required to fly the aircraft- further reducing the F/O's exposure to flying the aircraft. Is this a common practice at many charter companies/flight departments? When I was gaining experience I was always allowed to fly 1/2 of the legs of the aircraft. At the airlines this is also standard practice.
In addition to these practices the company also exhibits significantly hostile and unreasonable behavior towards flight crews. I won't go into too much detail because it might reveal too much on this forum... however, we are repeatedly told that we are treated this way because: "[we] just fly this little Citation" and that when we fly a "real" aircraft such as the Gulfstream, Global, BBJ then we can discuss increases in pay/work rules/days off, etc. I believe that this is also unreasonable? The Global is a great aircraft and is large for a corporate aircraft- but when placed on the ramp next to the 737 or even E190 it is quite small. It is surprising to me that company management exhibits this "big airplane" mentality which is usually reserved to certain pilots you might run into in flight operations.
In short, I'm getting burned out... I am ready to go look for work elsewhere. However, it still seems the job market is very tight and that I should preserve the position I've got. What are you all seeing/hearing out in the job market right now? In my hometown of Atlanta there is absolutely no hiring or corporate/charter jobs available in any capacity.
In addition to this conundrum I also am having to consider that a former employer has offered me the ability to go to G-450/G-550 initial in the next few months in consideration for some work I've done for them. However, their offer only lasts for another few months. There is no job associated with this training.. it is just a rating which they are willing to pay for as part of some compensation they owed to me. As many of you already know; this training is probably worth $60k and requires 5 weeks of attendance in class. My current position, described above, would never allow me the time off to attend this type rating course. To attend this class, I would have to tender my resignation. Would you quit to attend this G450/550 initial training? Would another rating be a better qualification for someone going into the contract pilot market?
I appreciate all responses and am interested to hear your opinions regarding my current position and the possible training scenario. Thanks in advance for your time.
- LXA
I thought I would take a few minutes to seek your advice and opinions regarding my current situation. As most of you remember from a well-read previous posting; I was laid-off for over 18 months from 2008 until earlier this year. I'm grateful for the position I've been able to have this year and am thankful for the opportunities I've been given in my current position. However, I'm now staring down a few serious decisions and figured I could get a few perspectives from my fellow pilots... Here is the situation:
I've been flying as a PIC for a charter company flying the Cessna Citation 650 (again) but the company and the aircraft base is 2,000 nm away from my home, family, life and friends. It's very hard to be away - I've been at this position since April 1st and have had a total of sixteen nights back at home since then. Due to the conditions/pay situation at my current job I'm living in a cheap hotel near the fbo where our aircraft is based. Renting a one bedroom apartment is the mathematical equivalent to staying at the hotel for almost two weeks. I just cross my fingers and hope that we're "on the road" at least that much per month. I haven't ponied up the dough to purchase a car here either- to ship my car to my location would be over $1,200. I figure that at some point; I'll want to return home and that would mean another $1,200... so I've given up on having a car out here.
We fly approximately 15-25 hours per month. (Not much at all). Our company pays us an "acceptable" but not "good" salary... I'm very grateful for it- but it is below NBAA averages. Our company also does not give us "per diem" in the traditional sense. Instead, the company provides us an allowance of $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner. We pay our own meals and then later apply for reimbursement on each meal- but reimbursement is capped at the mentioned levels. I have never worked for a company that has worked in this manner. I'm grateful for getting something- but feel it is somewhat substandard.
Our company practices some strange policies... we get 8 hard days off every 3 months... but my understanding of the FAR's indicates we are supposed to get 13 days off per quarter. When I ask about making up the difference; our DO has explained that: "Our POI and I are on the same page..." explaining that on days we do not fly, they are retroactively counted as days off. Unfortunately, on these days we do not fly, myself and the first officer are not allowed to drink, we must answer our telephones and be within 60 minutes of being able to report for duty. Did I mention that they want us to meet those expectations 24 hours per day, 7 days per week? That means that if we want to go to a sporting event, the mall, beach, etc. that it is practically impossible without risking our job(s). I always believed that a day "off" meant that a crew-member was released from all company related duty- including the requirement to be available or answer the telephone. What are your opinions on that?
Also; at our company the policy is to not let the F/O fly the aircraft except on empty leg reposition flights. I believe this is extremely detrimental to the F/O's flying proficiency and development of skill and judgment on this aircraft. Furthermore, there are certain restrictions even on those empty legs... if that empty leg occurs on the first leg of the day, or in marginal conditions, then the PIC is required to fly the aircraft- further reducing the F/O's exposure to flying the aircraft. Is this a common practice at many charter companies/flight departments? When I was gaining experience I was always allowed to fly 1/2 of the legs of the aircraft. At the airlines this is also standard practice.
In addition to these practices the company also exhibits significantly hostile and unreasonable behavior towards flight crews. I won't go into too much detail because it might reveal too much on this forum... however, we are repeatedly told that we are treated this way because: "[we] just fly this little Citation" and that when we fly a "real" aircraft such as the Gulfstream, Global, BBJ then we can discuss increases in pay/work rules/days off, etc. I believe that this is also unreasonable? The Global is a great aircraft and is large for a corporate aircraft- but when placed on the ramp next to the 737 or even E190 it is quite small. It is surprising to me that company management exhibits this "big airplane" mentality which is usually reserved to certain pilots you might run into in flight operations.
In short, I'm getting burned out... I am ready to go look for work elsewhere. However, it still seems the job market is very tight and that I should preserve the position I've got. What are you all seeing/hearing out in the job market right now? In my hometown of Atlanta there is absolutely no hiring or corporate/charter jobs available in any capacity.
In addition to this conundrum I also am having to consider that a former employer has offered me the ability to go to G-450/G-550 initial in the next few months in consideration for some work I've done for them. However, their offer only lasts for another few months. There is no job associated with this training.. it is just a rating which they are willing to pay for as part of some compensation they owed to me. As many of you already know; this training is probably worth $60k and requires 5 weeks of attendance in class. My current position, described above, would never allow me the time off to attend this type rating course. To attend this class, I would have to tender my resignation. Would you quit to attend this G450/550 initial training? Would another rating be a better qualification for someone going into the contract pilot market?
I appreciate all responses and am interested to hear your opinions regarding my current position and the possible training scenario. Thanks in advance for your time.
- LXA
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