NetJets' Captains need to get over themselves!

[RJ Bum]

Easy for you to say RJ Bum. Still on probation and that won't happen until I am here a year.

Unless things have changed very recently, you don't have to be off probation to go on the boards. I could be wrong.

Hey man, I feel your pain. I've been her a year and a half and being an airline guy, it took me a while to get used to some of the quarks. All I'm saying is that it's easy to forget that this is a public message board, and owners do log on here. No reason to rant about something you can easily talk to your captain or other NetJet employees in private about.

But ride it out man, ya get payed the same and I assume you're here for the long haul so enjoy the job. You're not building time anymore.

 

[Porter]

We had a ferry flight last week, that had a company pilot in the back. My captain said I couldnt sit in the left seat with a pax in the back. No problem. I am not here to build time or sharpen my skills. I am here to go home on day 7, and get paid every other friday. When I upgrade, I can be in charge again. Until then, I am the FO, and do as I am told.

I disagree. This is your viewpoint and opinion and that's fine, I'm obviously on here expressing mine.

However, I don't get it. Do you really think that is "what you are here for". When it comes to this issue it isn't about "who is in charge". Sounds to me like you are of like mind with these types of Captain's and will be part of the problem when you upgrade.

You are part of a CREW. Period. Ultimately the PIC has the final say so, and it should be that way, but a crew is a crew and we should treat each other with mutual respect regardless of the seat. Like I said before (and NO I was NOT tooting my own horn, I was trying to highlight that I've been on both sides of the fence many times) I've been a Captain and had to confront this very issue before. As a Captain I have turned to my FO and explained to him that I would be taking the leg due to the sketchy weather, not that I thought that I could do it better, but that if we dinged something I wanted it to be because I did it. Then they would always get the next two legs if the situation permitted it.

I'm not here to build time or "sharpen" my skills either. This is a career for me. However, I need to stay current. I also need to feel part of the team and respected by my colleagues. If you don't need that that's fine, but I and many others do.

I'm glad on other fleets there is a ritual discussion on this issue when new crews are paired up. I haven't seen it on mine.

 

[sparticusflt]

I am a Gold Seal flight instructor (CFII, MEI) who is an expert on teaching and performing such "advanced" flying techniques as the "dreaded" crosswind landing.

Dude I wouldn't let you fly passengers after reading that dorky statement. An actual expert of teaching and performing. Wow. We've done things the same for years here. It takes a while to reprogram people, it will happen shortly. Sooner or later. I know in the G200 we no longer swap seats anymore. A lot of guys have a problem with that, on account of they are equally typed. However, the airlines do it so whats the big deal. No tiller time?

As far as swapping passenger legs I agree, I really don't care. Most of the guys like to fly the empty legs. Whatever. You sound younger, you have time, and being an Expert Gold Seal flight instructor you will get your chance soon enough.

Talk to the guys about swapping, if they have no problem then good. If they do, then maybe you should just STFU, take the paycheck and not get on an outside board. Your on probation, big deal. You think the company and union is going to target you for speaking your opinion? Come on already. Maybe you shouldn't be flying passenger legs on account that your to afraid to man up or grow up. You just might find out that maybe you might be one of the dorks we make fun of, or perhaps your not as smooth as you think you are. Or maybe your just a tool that we can't stand and prefer to irritate you by not allowing you to fly passenger legs.

 

[skiandsurf]

In my past life I was a captain for 15 yrs. I never had to take a plane from anyone, or didnt let a guy fly. But those were the airline days, when you slammed it on and laughed about while not caring about the people in the back (you know what I mean). This is a different type of flying. The captain has more responsibilties at the fractionals than at the airlines. I am here to assist him. I usually have 10,000 hours more flight time, but I understand that he is the captain and its his a$$. I dont have a problem with that. Do I still like to fly? sure I do. Do I want to fly from the right seat? Not really. Can I fly from the right seat? sure, its just a little odd for me. Do I get upset if I dont fly during the tour? not at all. I am here to help the captain, go home, and get paid. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[x402]

Hey Porter,
Let us know what fleet you have landed in (DA2000)
Do you get paid any less for PNF?
You have an incredible job, relax. When you have the chance you can be the PIC you always wanted to fly with.
The PIC's at NJA are nothing like you suggest, I know because I am one.

 

[Porter]

Sparticus, you didn't get it. That was a little sarcasm, dorky or not. Read it again. The quotations define it as sarcasm.

Anyway, sounds like you are one of the 5% and part of the problem. You wouldn't "LET" me fly pax because of a "dorky" statement. WOW.

Also, I never mentioned seat swapping. I'm talking about flying every other leg from your assigned seat. Not from the left seat.

Also, telling someone to "STFU" when they are expressing a legitimate concern once again goes right to the heart of the matter. Man I hope I never have to fly with you. And no I am not on the G200.

One of the "dorks" "We" make fun of. "Perhaps I am not as smooth as I think I am???". I won't defend this statement because it doesn't deserve it. Once again you paint yourself as the EXACT type I am talking about.

Also, your assumption that new hires at NJ need to be "reprogrammed" sounds like your way of saying that none of us new what we were doing before we learned the "real" way to fly at NJ. Get over yourself.

 

[Porter]

The PIC's at NJA are nothing like you suggest, I know because I am one.

How very humble of you. I stand utterly corrected.

 

[skyaddict]

Strange- it sounds like a fleet specific issue and bad luck in your start day's cohort? Once I met the minimums for time in type for pax legs, it has *never* been an issue with the scores of Captains I have flown with. Almost all have alternated legs with me, and many have asked if that's ok with me in case I do end up with the stubby ferry legs. But usually, 60% of legs are so are pax so it ends up mixing up even then i.e. sometimes I get all the pax legs.

 

[skyismyoffice]

Wow! These problems are exactly why I don't work at Net Jets. That and maybe the fact that I didn't get hired the first time .

If you really need to fly passenger legs so bad I suggest going to Flight Options. We usually swap in and out of the left seat every other day. Oh, but then there is the other pesky problems of being the lowest paid, still fighting with management for our first contract, etc...

I'm not sure what your previous job was, but I think you have lost perspective that you now have one of the best flying jobs. Chill out, have fun, take your big paycheck home. Most of us on the outside would be glad to have your problems. You will get to be the boss someday...

 

[o2bflyn]

If you confronted me with this kind of rant I probably would not let you fly either. I understand what you are saying but I think you are go at it all wrong.

Maybe the Captains have seen something in your flying that they don't like. Ask them. "Hey is there something I have done wrong?" You m ay find if you confront them in a professional manner, they may just give you a chance.

Believe me, I know that there are Captains that are out there that think they are the next Chuck Yeager. My advice would be to play into their ego. "Hey man, what do I need to work on so I can fly more legs?"

For the record, if you walked onto my airplane with only a few months experience and I had not flown with you. I would not let you fly passengers either at first. Show me you can fly the airplane first then I'll let you embarrass yourself with passengers.