NetJets International Interview

[Publishers]

My charter operation was one of 4 divisions under my management unmbrella. At $4.0m a year, it was also the smallest. We had 19 aircraft in charter and had a close relationship with Airnet. I had at that point been looking to change from the coo position in this other industry to something in the aviation industry and heading up the EJA marketing would have been an interesting challenge, especially as the general had indicated that they would be open to some of the things I had created with our 135. While it may not have been as prestigeous nor pay as well as my previous employment, I looked at it as an opportunity to transition into another industry and to do something else on a national scale.

When that did not work out due to the purchase, I resigned from the company and looked at some other opportunities. That is when the Flying Tigers opportunity came along. While running the 135, we had formed a joint venture for a 121 operation flying Convairs for Emery. The individual from that venture partner went to work for Tigers. He hired me to do the hub project.

Shortly after that, I sold my 402 and Aztec and became pretty oriented to the air freight business and distribution. That led me to meet Del Smith at Evergreen and eventually I went out there. They had just received the Post Office hub contract so it was another chance to do something interesting. Eventually they started buying a number of aircraft and Del sent me on that mission.

This was a hobby of mine that had obviously gone amok. I kept some track of Netjets as I was a Columbus guy and had served on every committee in the Chamber and other groups there.

 

[Live4flyng]

So what you are saying now is: You were the COO of a 135 operation, correct? Then how could you sell it to RTS if you weren't the owner? This is one problem with small time managers, they think they own a company when given a little responsibility. Please spare us from any more input on union/management negotiations. NJA finally has a union (rid of corruption), that is already begining to take care of business. Just sit back and watch, you will have plenty to write about shortly.

Love,

S/U

 

[Publishers]

I was the COO of 4 divisons of a public company doing a bit over $60.0m per year with aviation (corporate/charter) accounting for $4.0m. The Chairman and I bought and sold a number of companies during this period plus created several joint ventures with the boards approval. One I bought was the 135 as I saw an opportunity to make our flight operations more efficient and less costly. It worked quite wwell during the fuel shortage and ATC strike.

So far this union has not accomplished jack so I will anxiously await them actually doing something other than voting down deals.

 

[SafetyTheSeat]

CATYAPPER



History-I’m talking the future here and you are getting your thongs in a knot.

NJI/GulfStream will be gone and merged with NJLA, NJI pilots will be at the bottom of the list when it occurs. Say what you want about a UNION being on the property. There’s good and bad with any UNION- 90% good, 10% bad-I no, I no, the pay is the 10%-there.

Dassault will replace the G-birds for long range. VLJ’s will also be joining our company and will be a very good seller with Safe, Professional, UNION pilots flying them. The same Professional UNION Pilots which have grown this company into what it is today and will be tomorrow.



Pilot growth will be 350 to 450 pilots a year minimum for the next 3 years, topping out in the 5000 pilot range. Additionally; keep an eye out for the Fokker 100 Executive configured Jet coming to the only fractional provider in your neighborhood with a 121 certificate in the near future-crewed by Professional, Safe, UNION aircrews.



Don’t take it personally….



Resistance is futile, you will be Assimilated… It’s the NetJets business plan.

 

[gunfyter]

SafetyMan

Don't make me charge you for borrowing my Crystal Ball.

 

[CatYaaak]

CATYAPPER



History-I’m talking the future here and you are getting your thongs in a knot.

NJI/GulfStream will be gone and merged with NJLA, NJI pilots will be at the bottom of the list when it occurs. Say what you want about a UNION being on the property. There’s good and bad with any UNION- 90% good, 10% bad-I no, I no, the pay is the 10%-there.

Dassault will replace the G-birds for long range. VLJ’s will also be joining our company and will be a very good seller with Safe, Professional, UNION pilots flying them. The same Professional UNION Pilots which have grown this company into what it is today and will be tomorrow.



Pilot growth will be 350 to 450 pilots a year minimum for the next 3 years, topping out in the 5000 pilot range. Additionally; keep an eye out for the Fokker 100 Executive configured Jet coming to the only fractional provider in your neighborhood with a 121 certificate in the near future-crewed by Professional, Safe, UNION aircrews.
QUOTE]

Well Rah Rah Rah and hooray for your collective circle-jerk. Frankly, union stuff bores me to death when it's not simply comical, and it did even during the years when I was a member of one myself. Every ALPA job I ever had paid less than every non-union corporate job I've ever had, and was less secure.

But if it makes you feel better to wave your little banners......carry on.

 

[SafetyTheSeat]

CATYAPPER…….

You didn’t post the best part of the quote. Here I reprinted it for you.



“Don’t take it personally…. “



“Resistance is futile, you will be Assimilated… It’s the NetJets business plan.”



It’s only a matter of time, your boss will be flown by Safe, Professional, UNION pilots in a UNION maintained aircraft.



Best of luck to you and yours.

 

[CatYaaak]

CATYAPPER…….

You didn’t post the best part of the quote. Here I reprinted it for you.



“Don’t take it personally…. “



“Resistance is futile, you will be Assimilated… It’s the NetJets business plan.”



It’s only a matter of time, your boss will be flown by Safe, Professional, UNION pilots in a UNION maintained aircraft.



Best of luck to you and yours.

Saw it...bored me....now I'm laughing.

You see, unions of any kind don't exist in the country where I work...they're illegal in fact...and the boss and his lot?...well, they literally run the country and make the rules so that pretty much takes care of your union babble. And with everything from Citations to 777's already in the stable for personal use and BBJs commonly used to accompany them all just to carry luggage, I can't see that your plans for a solitary Fokker 100, or whatever, will make much of a splash anywhere except in your NJA world.

So keep dreamin' those big dreams of assimilation Union boy, and as you say, "best of luck", and "nothin' personal".

I do find myself chuckling, however, at the thought of you believing that your thinly-veiled, union-thug rhetoric to somehow be worriesome to me. In fact, you re-printed and then added to it as a response to my ignoring it the first time, which makes your chest-puffing downright funny. With the real concerns and threats one has and gets in this part of the world lately, you've provided some comic relief with your...um...."scary!" threat to put me out of work (Oh golly, how shall I ever get to sleep tonight?) Thanks!

 

[gunfyter]

What the hell kind of communist country has made unions illegal? Say hello to Fidel for me.

 

[Sctt@NJA]

I am wondering about that too... BBJs for the luggage? Where ya workin?

 

[gunfyter]

I don't know. Every civilized country in the world has unions. Its what makes America great. He must be working for Aramco in the Kingdom or maybe Singapore or Indonesia.

 

[Muddauber]

What the hell kind of communist country has made unions illegal? Say hello to Fidel for me.

I think you got it backwards, gunfighter, Castro would love to give you pointers on your organized labor efforts - it's right up his alley.


"Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains!"

Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto.


Muddy

 

[gunfyter]

I don't have it backwards Mudman...

Every FREE country in the world has labor unions. Its part of being Free.

Only Slave states do not have labor unions.

Labor unions are the epitome of capitalism brought to the common worker. You seethe goal of Capitalists as anyone who has ever played Monopoly knows is to achieve a MONOPLY or Cartel to AVOID Price Competition.

Unions are simply cartels of labor.

Additionally, you need to remember how Communism was defeated in Europe. It was the Labor Unions and Lec Walesa in Poland. Walesa, the founder of the Solidarity movement and a key figure in the toppling of communism in Poland, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. He was president of Poland from 1990 until 1995.

What propped up communist regimes? Large mutinational corporations did. These corporations love communist dictatorships because it is easier to get the cooperation of the govt to achieve Monopoly. All you have to do is know who to BRIBE.

The difference between Walesa and Castro and Marx? Walesa was a Worker... Marx and Castro were academics and were never laborers... something they have incommon with most Management types.

 

[AcroChik]

My Favorite Soviet Slogan

An actual graffito I saw on a wall in Moscow when I visited with my parents as a child:

"We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us."

As an addendum:

I've read, literally, every post on every thread about the state of affairs at NetJets. I truly empathize with everyone living through this confusing, extended, difficult situation. For the last five years, I've imagined myself eventually sitting in the right seat of some spanking new Citation, delivering people here, there, anywhere. In just one month since having signed up on this forum, I've received a lifetime's education about the challenges of our industry and trying to make one's way in it.

I'm now a little confused about what my own next career steps are to be (aside from NOT taking a NJ interview). I thank everyone for their time, their passion and their thoughts on these threads. I pray the situation improves for everyone. But I know that's not going to come before more pain. God bless.

 

[G550Driver]

I just got offered the job at NJI.



Lets just say the pay isn't as good as you all think. Actually I was shocked how low they they pay to fly a gulfstream

 

[GVFlyer]

Congratulations! It's a fine organization with great equipment. I think you will enjoy the flying and the comraderie that you will find there...and the pay gets a lot better. You may have to improve your golf game, though.



GV

 

[G550Driver]

I am excited to be offered a job.

The pay is half of what I am making now to Captain a G550 but quality of life will be much better. Plus I can live anywhere that has airport service within 1 hour.

 

[TCA]

Nji

Congrats on the job. Check your P.M.

 

[NJIG4Driver]

Congrats to G550 on the job. There are good and bads here, hope this is what you want. GV Flyer is obviously a senior G5 guy who has made money the rest of us will never see with comparable time in service. If you're taking a 50% cut in pay, understand you may never see that kind of money again in your career here, no matter how long it may be.

 

[SafetyTheSeat]

CATTAPPER



Man it must be tough working in a country ran by dictators. You better be careful you may lose an eye or something reading the web like you do.



Let me ask you a question; why do you hang out on a thread about NetJets knowing we are Unionized and then bad mouth UNIONS so much?



Why are you so hostile? You take everything so personal… What is the issue?



One more point before I go down to the store and buy some Ice Cold American Beer and some nice juicy USDA 20 oz. steaks to cook on the grill for the family.



NetJets Middle East is selling shares faster than we can provide airplanes….

It’s only a matter of time my friend, only a matter of time.