Netjets vs CAL

[bizjet800]

Funny how our industry has changed. This question would have been unthinkable just 7 years ago! I say go for what is best for your family. When your kids are grown, you can't get any of that time back...good luck with your decision.

 

[Phrogs4ever]

I can see that you're not going to get much from the CAL perspective on this forum so I'll throw this out.

-Since the bottom 50% of your BES only gets 12 days off a month, you are in the worst seat for family time. Even more miserable if you commute.

-At two years, you probably have 1,000 pilots junior to you. You will not be junior on the 777 in Newark. You will be a lineholder and can get your trips in two work blocks (only two commutes!) per month. Potentially less if you're willing to go below mpg. In time (2-3 years), you could do the same in Houston and cut your commute time in half.

-At 50% BES as a 737 FO in IAH, you can easily get lines with 15+ days off if you bid correctly (read: can manuever in PBS and don't set too many avoids.) I'm doing it consistantly and I live in Houston; QOL has finally become manageable.

-I would say the BeechJet at FlightOptions is ten times the slave ship that the 737 is. Of course, leaving FLOPS was hardly the same decision as leaving NetJets would have been. Even still, think of the increased productivity at work as more time at home with the family.

-Think of how far your seniority has come in only two years. Look at the aircraft orders and retirements over the next three years and give yourself a conservative assumption of where your seniority would be at that point. Then think, from then until retirement it only gets better. (I know, past performance is no guarantee of future results, but until something happens...)

-One last thin straw, there may be a west coast base yet. Not enough of an argument to base a decision on, but still possible none-the-less.

-In two years, you will probably be able to scoop up a house in California that you never thought would be possible this time last year.

As for me, I'm tired of moving. I'm tired of pay cuts and starting over. I'm tired of being at the bottom of pilot lists hoping nothing happens in the industry. I'm optimistic about the future of my job at Continental. And most importantly, as I'm sure you can understand, my wife also agrees with that decision. Our roots grow deeper every month. Good luck with your decision, your only obligation is to your family.

 

[brokeflyer]

Airlines have never been a good place to work...all it will take is one small glitch in the economy and your job is gone.....

if you want to have a life go to netjets.....if you need to feed your ego and be a airline pilot...stay where you are.....

 

[acaTerry]

In my 3rd year at NJA. I'd quit flying before going back to the airlines

 

[johnsonrod]

I think Netjets would be a great choice. I think military pilots who skip the regional experience are sometimes surprised by the "realities" of airline flying. Yeah, it ain't as glamorous as it used to be. For example, nowadays you have to put up with the following on a consistent basis: long congo lines at JFK/EWR/ATL, bottlenecks at the busiest airports leading to terrible ground delays (more frequent now than in the past), putting up with TSA hassles in the crowded airports, cranky old stews, psycho redneck passengers who expect the world from you, constant concern about the financial viability of your airline (unless you are a SWA or UPS/Fedex pilot - for now), uneven schedules on reserve as a newbie, low pay at the beginning relative to a previous job and many more factors. It can be very stressful and that might not be expected by those who didn't experience all of that in the regional world. That's why a lot of regional pilots jump at fractional flying - they learn to hate the airline business and want to avoid the nightly congo lines at JFK and ATL and the constant stress of the job. Not all of it is stressful, but the job is certainly more stressful now than it was 10-20 years ago. And the economic incentives are no longer there for many airline pilots - pensions are mostly a thing of the past for many pilots. The allure of airline flying is evaporating.

I am not saying fractional flying is immune, but I am sure it can be less stressful here and there (unless you work for FLOPS which has a terrible operating enviornment, etc.). There may be different sources of stress in fractional flying too including frequently changing schedules/destinations, being away from home for 7 nights in a row, an occasional jerk passenger, etc. However, I think fractional flying for a quality operator like Netjets would be a great alternative to airline flying. Like others have said, it has a great contract that is improving for the junior people, the airplanes are top notch and you soon might be able to live almost wherever you want at Netjets - that's not bad. It is the leader in the industry too.

So, go get the interview and then tell us what you think. Good luck.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

You guys are awesome. Thanks again.

I'll post how my interview went if I get one. Then the real decision making begins.

Navin...

 

[jonjuan]

You guys are awesome. Thanks again.

I'll post how my interview went if I get one. Then the real decision making begins.

Navin...

Try to seek out NJA pilots leaving for CAL to compare notes.

 

[kman]

Think I am one of the few that are going back to the airlines, Its a great job, but its not for me good luck.

 

[JetFumes]

I am in the same boat trying to figure out if this choice is for me. I live on the west coast and there simply is no real opportunity to live west and have a good quality of life and income at JetBlue. They do way to many redeyes and the pay is just not there. I have been there two years and I am considering going to NetJets also. I am tired of the lack of real job security. Plus I will not be a captain on the bus out west for god knows how long. So if I can live in the bay area and be a capt at netjets in 5 years I might be better off. If the soft pay is there then I would not have to take much of a pay hit. Its time to consider it. Let us know what your decision is. I'll do the same.

 

[t-bone]

Another plug...

If you're living in the Bay Area, you could be a captain at XOJet in less than a year and fly out of Sacramento...

If you haven't heard of us, we're the company that just ordered an additional 30 Citation 10s and 80 Challenger 300s (20 firm and 60 options) with financial backing from TPG and Lehman Brothers. We've got somewhere around 80 pilots now (only 12 citations currently on the property, along with a few smaller planes) so you've still got a great chance of getting on early with a rapidly expanding company.

9 on 7 off schedule, with a good chance of getting home during those 9 days if you live near MCC or VNY. PHX and ILG/TEB/HPN are also pilot bases. I haven't been gone for a solid 9 days since June. If you want to live somewhere else, as long as it's reasonably close to an airport with good airline service, you can do so if you don't mind the 17/15 schedule. That one sounds kinda rough to me, but the guys and gals that are on that schedule seem to really like it. 15 solid days off (yes, cell phone can be turned off) is appealing to some. That would work for the guy that wants to live in Boise. And with this NJA TA that's out there and their 100 prospective bases, don't be surprised if our base options on the 9/7 schedule become a little more flexible in the near future.

Good luck, whatever you do!