NetJets

[captain dad]

Does anyone commute to and from base at NetJets? Do you buy tickets or are there jumpseat options? I have heard they will pay at the end of a tour if your home ticket is cheaper then getting you back to your base. Is that true? I wish they were still home basing.

 

[netjetwife]

Many pilots and frac families wish NJ would offer homebasing to hew hires. At the very least they could expand the domiciles to a more reasonable selection, especially on the FO wages....

Jumpseating is rather few and far between, I gather. The pilots make their own arrangements but do share info. Yes, some do commute. Actually the ticket home arrangement is better than you stated. You're not limited to it being cheaper; you pay the difference if it is more than getting you to the domicile, but they will still send you to the city of your choice at the end of a tour. Some pilots with home basing have used that option to join their families at other locations. We have driven to see my family and my husband has ended his tour there. I hope that helps. Good Luck! NJW

 

[viking737]

Netjetwife.
Is your husband furloughed from AA?
If so, will he accept recall when AA starts recalling?

 

[netjetwife]

Yes he is and no he probably won't. The new CBA has raised the NJ wages to a level that we find competitive, especially considering the fact that my husband prefers frac flying to the airlines due to the greater variety, pax interaction, etc. For us his age is a factor because our youngest will only be 17 when he hits the dreaded 60 years mark. We will still have expensive years ahead so flying past age 60 is an important option that he would like to have available, should the need arise.

The "probably" caveat recognizes that situations can drastically change. The example given to me was if ineffective leaders were elected and/or the pilot group became apathetic and gave up the gains made in the last CBA in future negotiating sessions. My husband has reminded me in the past that you can only lead people that are willing to be led. Under that scenario he wouldn't stay at NJA.

Tempting reason to go--finish his career there if he would be allowed to retire and get travel privileges as part of a retirement package. That sounds appealing, but may have been wishful thinking. As the question isn't before us right now (and looks rather distant) we haven't done the actual research such a decision would require and our answer was based on the union remaining strong and the contract fair/good. NJW

 

[gunfyter]

Age 60 will go away soon. Raise to 65.

 

[Crack-Ed]

Doubtful, Vince.

 

[Crack-Ed]

my husband prefers frac flying to the airlines

Hire date of 4 June 2001. Furlough date of 1 Oct 2001. How much line flying did he do? You really are funny.

 

[d91papa]

I was hired in Feb. based in CMH but live in STL. I take SWA the day before my 7/7 start and get a hotel room. On day 7, I airline home to STL. My ticket has never been more than the NetJet tix to fly me to CMH.
I figure it's costing me about $300 a month to commute but driving to work everyday in a 9-5 scenario would be comparable.
Having SWA in STL is great...and I hope the future will be continued service to CMH. Ultimately I hope NJA opens more bases or does away with domiciles, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[captain dad]

Thanks for the info. I have been crunching the numbers and came up with real similar costs. I wish ididn't have to do it but in the long term it is well worth it.

Thanks

 

[netjetwife]

Hire date of 4 June 2001. Furlough date of 1 Oct 2001. How much line flying did he do? You really are funny.

I never said his career there was long; I've posted the opposite in fact. Nonetheless, he did enough flying to have a feel for the amount of pax interaction (definitely less than w/fracs) and knew that the schedule wouldn't change barring an emergency--unlike frac flying where changes occur regularly. He certainly knew the AA flights wouldn't be going into the smaller airports he lands at with NJA--much less variety, obviously. Actually, knowing these things any pilot could make a reasonable comparison of what his/her preference would be without having flown for both. The short AA stint just reinforced it for my husband. Not having to sit reserve in a crash pad was an advantage he noticed right away. What an odd sense of humor you have....