NJ A/C Choice

[flagshipper]

Constantly asked question with a different spin on it. Which NJ A/C should newhires choose to have the best relative seniority? Skeds, vacations and such are bid on by seniority so you would be better served to pick a fleet where you would move up the quickest. Am I understanding this correctly? So you would better off going into a growing fleet like the Encore+ instead of a stagnant or depleting fleet like the Ultra? I am not sure how many FOs are swapping fleets and such. At CS it is weird. Our Bravo FO force is much more senior on average than our XLS FO group

 

[Dr Pepper]

That sounds reasonable, pick one of the growing fleets or one of the large fleets.
More FOs will be moving around as the upgrade forcasts expand.

 

[RJ Bum]

Makes sense to me if you have that flexibility. I'm on the 800XP Honeywell and the fleet is very stagnant. Been here close to a year and only have 2 guys underneath me. No one is leaving it so they don't have to hire into it. So bidding is a bit of a chore.

 

[flagshipper]

Is that Hawker a little roomier than the Beechjet or Ultra/Encore? (if you have ever sat in them)

 

[learflyer]

yes it is. Not to mention a microwave oven, and an apu as well.

 

[CA1900]

The 800 is a lot roomier than either of those.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Which NJ A/C should newhires choose to have the best relative seniority? Skeds, vacations and such are bid on by seniority so you would be better served to pick a fleet where you would move up the quickest. Am I understanding this correctly?

I think the more larger (sometimes called "more desirable") fleets will start to get filled by SIC's bidding to a second plane after their initial seat lock is up. So while a new-hire may still get offered something like a G200 or Sovereign, I think more and more of the SIC slots in the larger planes will get filled by existing SIC's coming off of seatlock, thereby keeping a new-hire quite low on that plane's SIC seniority list. A small but growing fleet in something like the Encore+ might be the best road to quicker relative seniority growth for an SIC.

An interesting choice, however, might be a dieing fleet like the Ultra. Once that fleet is basically gone, there will be a displacement bid for the remaining Ultra pilots. When that happens, someone could pick (within limits) a new fleet and by the time happens, have a better read on which fleet that person wants to be in. Plus, you wouldn't pick up a new seatlock if you end up in a new fleet as a result of a displacement bid.

And you are correct in your other question about seniority in fleet/seat being the basis for bidding schedules and vacations. Stated another way, an XL SIC only bids against other XL SIC's for vacation and schedule options.

 

[notaNJApilot]

Something else to consider is that you do not incur a seat lock when upgrading in-type. Choosing an aircraft like the Ultra, Encore, Hawker 400, etc as a First Officer will put you in the best position to upgrade without a seat lock. Being a FO in the G200, for example, will not provide you the same benefit since it is a much more senior fleet.

 

[Guitar Guy]

I can't imagine how long it would take a new-hire to hold G200 PIC. That would be a very long wait.

 

[rydog]

I think the more larger (sometimes called "more desirable") fleets will start to get filled by SIC's bidding to a second plane after their initial seat lock is up. So while a new-hire may still get offered something like a G200 or Sovereign, I think more and more of the SIC slots in the larger planes will get filled by existing SIC's coming off of seatlock, thereby keeping a new-hire quite low on that plane's SIC seniority list. A small but growing fleet in something like the Encore+ might be the best road to quicker relative seniority growth for an SIC.

An interesting choice, however, might be a dieing fleet like the Ultra. Once that fleet is basically gone, there will be a displacement bid for the remaining Ultra pilots. When that happens, someone could pick (within limits) a new fleet and by the time happens, have a better read on which fleet that person wants to be in. Plus, you wouldn't pick up a new seatlock if you end up in a new fleet as a result of a displacement bid.

And you are correct in your other question about seniority in fleet/seat being the basis for bidding schedules and vacations. Stated another way, an XL SIC only bids against other XL SIC's for vacation and schedule options.

Thats good news for me. I just had the option of the X or the Ultra and picked the Ultra hoping to displace off it.

Does any one know how many Ultras are being dumped per month?