NJA 91K Q&A

[IFlyOU]

Most common questions I have asked by crewmembers.

Q: Why are we selling off so many flights?
A: As I mentioned in a previous thread, 4 main reasons that I can think of right now:

1) NJA no longer has a 'core fleet' (aircraft owned by Netjets). Bash Marquis all you want because of that... but not too hard. Who kept us afloat after 9/11 when we were all twiddiling our thumbs listening to the rumors of 'NO MORE GENERAL AVIATION!'? Don't forget that.

2) imagine you're in a hotel room in the middle of nowhere in rest. above you a QS tail breaks with PAX on board and has to land nearby. You're perfectly rested, however we can't ASAP you out there to recover the flight due to the whole 'prespective rest' issue. This explains your 5 hour show-go's.

3) we have a large number of crewmembers, and a large number of aircraft. we can only communicate to each other so much. as crew services, we want you to communite to us. Tell us if you see a perfectly fine airplane across the ramp sitting there to recover a flight instead of sending one 500 miles away. We want to know this information. This will cut back on sellofs.

4) show times are static. passanger bookings are fluid. we can't predict when and where a trip will pop up. we do what we can with the 'hot spares' and 'hot standby' created by the planning and forcasting department. There is a large difference between 'hot spare' and 'hot standby' by the way in case anyone is curious...

Q: Help! I'm rotting in an FBO/Terminal. I'm not attached to a tail and I don't have a partner!
A: Everyone must be on duty at some point on their duty days. When we put you on the schedule, the schedule planner will create your show time and the computer will default to a 14 hour duty day. You'll be thrown down in a pile into the "don't have anything to do" list, and scheduling doesn't really pay attention to the guys sitting around with nothing to do. Give crew services a call in this situation, We'll try to send you home or to the hotel as soon as possible

Q: My first day out brief sucks! Can I change it?
A: Maybe. Again if you're not attached to a tail, we may be able to change your showtime. Call us the day before and we may be able to 'rebrief' you for something better.

Q:Some pilots have it easy all the time. Why do my tours always suck? Scheduling must have it out for me...
A: Nothing could be further from the truth. Schedulers are problem solvers. They see a hole and they patch it. They really do care about all of you guys, but sometimes they may seem unfair because they have to do everything in their power to make the customer as happy as possible when things go wrong.

Q: I've worked over 12 hours every day this tour! Why!!?
A: Simple. Because when we shut you down early, we lose a crew that can help keep us from selling off a flight should an airplane break elsewhere.

Q: I have a 4 hour show-go? What happened to the normal 1 or 1.5 hour?
A: Please read reason #2 for why we sell off so many flights.

Q: Where's my crew food?!!!
A: Should be there... If it isn't, we'll do everything we can to get it on the next leg. Actually, and this is new, when you guys order food, we in crew services will add 2 or 3 steps to your order process to help ensure that it gets there should a ferry get deleated overnight (along with your crew food). It's getting better. If you still don't get fed, let us know immediately. We'll try to get something to you as soon as we can.

Q: I'm tired. Can I stop flying now?
A: KNOW YOUR LIMITS!!!!!!! I cannot stress this point enough. Nobody is going to think any less of you if you call in fatigued. Sure it may screw up some owner trips or throw a wrench into scheduling's plan for you guys but that's not the point. If you start making mistakes because you're tired in flight then let us know about it as soon as possible! You guys bust your asses off every day! We want you guys to go home safe and sound at the end of your tour.

Q: Is crew comm down?
A: Yes

Q: Where's my release?
A: It might be there, it might not. Ask crew services 'Do you see a dot above our upcoming trip?'. If they say "Yes", then chances are, your release isn't there. a dot = probably no release as of yet. This will help dispatch out by cutting down the call volume to them so they can get your release to you as soon as possible.

Q: Can we show at the hotel?
A: Maybe... it depends on a lot of things. Showing at the hotel instead of the FBO can be tricky to handle. Call us a half hour or so before your show. We may be able to approve it. HOWEVER, if we change your show from the FBO to the hotel, we can only change yours. Your partner is a different story. We can't have crewmembers breaking each other's rest. Let us know if your partner has approved the change in show location as well if we do approve it.

Q: Do you show any changes for us?
A: Yup

Q: What we are doing makes no sense! What is going on?
A: Somebody knows. Don't hang up the phone until you get an answer that makes sense. If it doesn't make sense, then, well, don't hang up the phone!

Q: Can I order crew food out of columbus?
A: Yes!! Bring leftovers!

Q: I've been on hold with MX Control for over 20 minutes!
A: I know. It sucks. Hang in there, we're hiring!

Hope this helps guys. If you have any other questions, then please please PLEASE post them or Message me. I'd be glad to help!!

 

[On Your Six]

Thanks for your input. I'm sure the NJA guys appreciate your enthusiasm and your willingness to communicate and share insight with them. That's very refreshing.

 

[Guitar Guy]

2) imagine you're in a hotel room in the middle of nowhere in rest. above you a QS tail breaks with PAX on board and has to land nearby. You're perfectly rested, however we can't ASAP you out there to recover the flight due to the whole 'prespective rest' issue. This explains your 5 hour show-go's.

I don't understand what you are saying with this point. If the crew was needed after the end of their of rest period, they could still be assigned to recover the trip. I don't understand why a required rest period then necessitates a 5-hour "show-go" in this example.

Are you perhaps saying that the recovery trip was subcontracted and as a result, a rested NetJets crew must wait 5 hours in an FBO?

Thank you for posting. I did find your responses interesting. I hope that all of the operations folks (pilots, mechanics, flight managers, dispatchers and schedulers) can work together and realize that we are all on the same team.

 

[IFlyOU]

Q:

I don't understand what you are saying with this point. If the crew was needed after the end of their of rest period, they could still be assigned to recover the trip. I don't understand why a required rest period then necessitates a 5-hour "show-go" in this example.

Are you perhaps saying that the recovery trip was subcontracted and as a result, a rested NetJets crew must wait 5 hours in an FBO?

Thank you for posting. I did find your responses interesting. I hope that all of the operations folks (pilots, mechanics, flight managers, dispatchers and schedulers) can work together and realize that we are all on the same team.

A: the long show-go's is schedulings way to cover their own rear ends. there are 2 types of schedulers: current day and next day. the next day schedulers are the ones who come up with these long show/go's. they have a big picture of what is going to happen overnite, and they are thinking that something may go wrong in your area and we may need you early.

say you're legal at 10am. say we have you show at legal (10am) and your go time is at 3pm with passangers. That's 5 hours. You show up at the FBO, preflight, and sit for a little bit. You then get a call from us saying that we need you to ASAP elsewhere for a quick recovery.

Well what about your go time at 3pm with passangers? Doesn't apply anymore. It's a long way in the future and scheduling is already working on replacing your origional trip with something else.

Beleive me, the next day schedulers hate to do this, and we hate to tell you this the night before when we shut you down after a long day... however, it is impossible to predict what will happen overnite, and what airplanes will break.

I'm not saying we will subcontract a flight in this case if we can't find anyone nearby. Scheduling never wants to subcontract, ever.

I will admit that we do have a lack of aircraft available (as well as too many Marquis owners) and this one of the reasons for subcontracting. We no longer have a core fleet, and we have more marquis owners than ever. We have (i think) well over 100 aircraft on order over the next year or two to speed up the recovery time and minimize the number of subcontracts... and you guys rotting in FBO's will be the ones to fly them!

I know, there are a lot of things that suck right now, but they are getting better.

 

[IFlyOU]

I hope that all of the operations folks (pilots, mechanics, flight managers, dispatchers and schedulers) can work together and realize that we are all on the same team.

Me too...

I think everyone who works in the casino should hang out with you for one tour and see how they like it! I don't think i would last very long...

*respect*

 

[Guitar Guy]

Me too...

I think everyone who works in the casino should hang out with you for one tour and see how they like it! I don't think i would last very long...

*respect*

We all have our own piece of the puzzle to work. I think the trick is being able to see other people's pieces as well your own. Thank you for your response.

 

[IFlyOU]

Q: I'm going to Canada. What do I do?
A: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CALL CANPASS 2 HOURS PRIOR!

Q: Tomorrow's my last day. Can I airline home a day early?
A: Most likely no. If the ACP approves it, then it is considered favoritism on the ACP's part.

Q: Can I waive my rest to airline home early on my last day?
A: Yes you can. We have questioned the FAA about this and have found it to be legal to waive rest to airline home early on your last day. You must approve it, as well as scheduling and the ACP on duty.

Q: My airline is delayed on my last day, Can you adjust my shutdown time?
A: Not anymore. Get a Fli-Flow from the airline upon landing and submit it with your expense report. We're trying to get that changed so we can spare you guys the hassle of getting one. This may change soon however. It may be the way it used to be (if it's less than 3 hours, we'll take your word for it and adjust shutdown. if it's more than 3 hours, get a fli-flow).

Q: What is the difference between hot spare and hot standby?
A: Schedule planning comes up with the hot spares. Scheduling treats them as important as the owner trips, scheduling 'assigns' the hot spares before the owner trips. Hot spares must be covered! Hot standby, on the other hand, is basically you backing up another a/c in the area.

Q: I've just got to the hotel and my whole brief sheet isn't here! Just the duty line summary. What gives?
A: Crew services sent the next day fax and your next day page at the same time. Computer flaw. Not everyone in crew services knows this. Let them know to not send the fax and the page at the same time.

Q: Why can't my partner and I order the same meal?
A: Because the caterer may poison you. If you do get the same meal (eg. 2 breakfasts burrito's), one of you must agree to eat yours after the other per the FOM. Remember the movie Airplane?

Q: I blocked out 1 minute late. Why do i have to talk to the ACP?
A: As of last week, Santulli's orders. (Won't go too much into detail on that one for lots of reasons). This only applies to the Ultra/Excel guys for now I believe...

Q: I'm empty to an international location part 91 and coming back part 135 (so says my brief sheets). Doesn't the inbound flight rule have to match the outbound flight rule?
A: Yes, it does. Ignore your brief sheets if the flight rules don't agree. Everyone knows what flight rule you are, and everyone should have been advised. If you're 135, Make sure crew services or JEPPS has sent the APIS, the GenDec, and the 178 forms as necessary for both legs.

Q: I don't have a brief for next tour
A: Did something recently change for you? Were you a PSIC upgraded to an SIC, did you change from Flex to 7/7? This will make you slip through the cracks. Let us know if you've had any changes to your schedule / flight status so we can have crew planning put you into the system.

 

[CE750Driver]

About the same crew food. The entire rest of the contents are the same, and are the things most likely to get you sick. Potatoe salad, pasta salad, rotten fruit. So the argument that food poisoning is the issue in ordering the same main dish, is really weak.

And Airplane was a comedy. (I still dont eat the fish)

 

[IFlyOU]

About the same crew food. The entire rest of the contents are the same, and are the things most likely to get you sick. Potatoe salad, pasta salad, rotten fruit. So the argument that food poisoning is the issue in ordering the same main dish, is really weak.

And Airplane was a comedy. (I still dont eat the fish)

Technically, it's any food. If you both get an apple, eat yours an hour after he eats his. It doesn't have to be the same 'meal' per se.

It's in the FOM, approved by the FAA... therefore it's a federal regulation...

Is it always followed? Nah... and don't call me Surely.

 

[Guitar Guy]

It's in the FOM, approved by the FAA... therefore it's a federal regulation...

Is it always followed? Nah... and don't call me Surely.

Surely you jest - all regulations are obediently and blindly followed to the letter.

And I didn't call you "Shirley".

 

[Live4flyng]

Ok smarty pants!

Q: I'm going to Canada. What do I do?
A: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CALL CANPASS 2 HOURS PRIOR!

Can't call CANPASS 2 hours in advance when you find out about the trip in less than 2 hours time. 1 hour show time ring a bell?

Q: What is the difference between hot spare and hot standby?
A: Schedule planning comes up with the hot spares. Scheduling treats them as important as the owner trips, scheduling 'assigns' the hot spares before the owner trips. Hot spares must be covered! Hot standby, on the other hand, is basically you backing up another a/c in the area.

According to the FOM which is regulation as far as you are concerned, there is no such thing as "Hot Standby". Maybe you need to review section A1.20.2. No wonder crews are questioning this.

Q: I blocked out 1 minute late. Why do i have to talk to the ACP?
A: As of last week, Santulli's orders. (Won't go too much into detail on that one for lots of reasons). This only applies to the Ultra/Excel guys for now I believe...

Good, happy to help make the operation more efficient with my requested input on safety and Gary Harts Memo of "we control the pace" BLA BLA BLA! How about a realistic schedule for a change. Maybe an hour and a half show when picking up a new airplane. I know, you are just the messenger and things will never change.

Here is my favorite question from crew services while holding short of the runway, or loading PAX bags from the tractor trailer combo that just pulled up.....ETD ETD ETD???

Answer: AS SOON AS WE PHYSICALLY CAN!

Jesus H Christ on a popsicle stick, sometimes this place kills me.

 

[FracCapt]

Can't call CANPASS 2 hours in advance when you find out about the trip in less than 2 hours time. 1 hour show time ring a bell?

The 2 hour rule for CANPASS is 2 hours before your ARRIVAL into Canada(landing, not crossing into Canadian airspace). If you can't give 2 hours notice, then delay your flight until it WILL be 2 hours from the call to arrival.

 

[Diesel]

What makes me laugh is that our go time is when the pax show up.

Maybe a pax shows up a minute or two early but not usually.

Let's see lets load the suv, the kids, the pax brief them and fire up.

 

[Live4flyng]

The 2 hour rule for CANPASS is 2 hours before your ARRIVAL into Canada(landing, not crossing into Canadian airspace). If you can't give 2 hours notice, then delay your flight until it WILL be 2 hours from the call to arrival.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. Imagine a flight from NY to Montreal, 0.5 flight time. Crew Comm comes in with an ASAP message to Montreal. YOU CAN'T do it with a 2 hour notice. Aww forget it..... Next time I will call in sick and F'in tired! Maybe FracCapt can cover the flight.

 

[IFlyOU]

Here is my favorite question from crew services while holding short of the runway, or loading PAX bags from the tractor trailer combo that just pulled up.....ETD ETD ETD???

Answer: AS SOON AS WE PHYSICALLY CAN!

Jesus H Christ on a popsicle stick, sometimes this place kills me.

I don't have on on me, but somewhere buried deep within the FOM, it will state that crewmembers are required to submit a reason for the delay should the off time be greater than 14 minutes, and a 15 minute update thereafter.

Of course we don't want you to let us know as you're loading the bags. Shoot us an AFIS or a page, or let us know once you get on the ground. We're required to document that stuff.

The reason being: The owner is obligated to retrieve any any information regarding exactly why the delay happened... and there are many reasons why delays happen (traffic, WX, FBO, etc etc). We call this case management.

PAX late occour for a majority of the delays. These are internal cases which don't effect the owner's experience (but may screw the next pax trip, which, in turn, those owners can obtain a written report of why their a/c was late).

From this we can determine the % number of Controllable vs Uncontrollable delays...

Yeah, I know those 'ETD' pages are very annoying... I hate sending them out too... but like I said, don't let them slow you down. Just let us know when able.

Hope that clears it up a little Live4flyng. Just following orders.

According to the FOM which is regulation as far as you are concerned, there is no such thing as "Hot Standby". Maybe you need to review section A1.20.2. No wonder crews are questioning this.

Sometimes on your pager, you will see a "TNTV" trip (i think it's TNTV... it may be TV)... This stands for tentative (You'll also see it if you have a show but no go and have ordered food just so we can attach a trip number to your food order). Know you've all seen them. It's scheduling's way of telling everyone what you MIGHT end up doing. It isn't recgonized by the FOM, nor will it be. It's just a communication tool for all of us screenreaders to let us know what may happen... we don't call them hot standby because they wern't created by the forcasting and planning department (A1.20.2). It's just a term we throw around in the flight center...

...and I don't think it should be used. In fact, the word "Standby" and "Bullpin" are 2 words we need to have dumped from our vocabulary since Feb. 17th... Technically, there is no such thing as these two things anymore...

You may also see these tentative trips if you're in the process of a recovery. Again, we use them for communication to forcast your departure and arrivial time since scheduling can't touch the go times of the PAX trips.

Surely you jest - all regulations are obediently and blindly followed to the letter.

And I didn't call you "Shirley".

I can't spell

I UNDERSTAND THAT. Imagine a flight from NY to Montreal, 0.5 flight time. Crew Comm comes in with an ASAP message to Montreal. YOU CAN'T do it with a 2 hour notice. Aww forget it..... Next time I will call in sick and F'in tired! Maybe FracCapt can cover the flight.

You may be screwed in this example, and you may not. Ask what tail number was origionally supposed to do the trip... then tell CANPASS what happened. Chances are, the origional crew already called CANPASS...

The PAX haven't changed, but the tail and crewmembers have. CANPASS should be able to provide a quick amendment since they have already been notified. Happens all the time.

You'd be suprised how many 135 customs we arrange over the weekend on a bogus tail. Lot of times, Customs and Border Protection, immigration, and agriculture aren't open on the weekends.

Crew Services or JEPPS will sumbit a bogus inbound or outbound request to these guys on a bogus tail, typically on a friday afternoon before 5pm local time... because we have no idea what tail/crew will end up taking the flight...

100% of the time there is a tail number change, but has CBP, INS, and AG been notified to meet youat wheels down?

Yup.

All is good.

Q: Where's my crew food?!!!
A: Should be there... If it isn't, we'll do everything we can to get it on the next leg. Actually, and this is new, when you guys order food, we in crew services will add 2 or 3 steps to your order process to help ensure that it gets there should a ferry get deleated overnight (along with your crew food). It's getting better. If you still don't get fed, let us know immediately. We'll try to get something to you as soon as we can.

I almost forgot...

If you ordered breakfast in the morning, and if your first trip of the day is an empty ferry, ask for a Trip Number.

If the ferry gets deleated, the trip number gets deleated. If the trip number gets deleated, there's no way to recover it. Ever. Like I said, we're working on this issue...

Most of the time, the caterer will drop the ball and give a false delivery time than what we have in our system. Catering doesn't follow up with crew food orders simply because they don't have time (they do for the PAX trips however). Our system is getting closer to perfection, however, a lot of times, crew services will order the food out of the wrong airport by accident... we are putting in safeguards to help keep this from happening.

 

[IFlyOU]

Q: I'm airlining home tomorrow and calling in to see if my airline is booked before I go to bed...
A: Most likely no if you're on the 7/7 schedule. Sundays and Mondays are big airline days for Travel because everyone seems to go home and come out on the same days. Travel is really overworked during this time...

Q: [Via AFIS]: There are no hotel rooms left in vegas? Have you tried a place called the 'Bunny Ranch?'
A: NEVER AGAIN!

Q: This locker combination doesn't work!
A: Yeah I know. We changed all of them. Call in...

Q: Who created my First Day Out showtime?
A: Crew Planning. It's pretty much guesswork right now... Who you are paired up with, is not guesswork. It's a little more scientific then you may realize...

Q: I've had 5 different showtimes for 5 different tours. My partner's is always the same. What the hell?
A: We're doing the best with what we've got. Your previous show times are written down on paper, and a lot of times, crew planning simply doesn't have the time to check and see what you've had previous. This may change soon... We're working on a feature in IJet that will allow us to 'lookback' and see what you've had for your previous tours instead of digging through mounds and mounds of paperwork. Scheduling will also have this feature so they can easily look a day or to in the past and see how hard we've worked you guys.

As I mentioned above, the 7/7 guys are almost coming out / going home at the same time. This increases the workload to crew planning much as it does travel.

Q: NetJets did a horrible job rolling out the 91K stuff last minute
A: Yeah, it sucked for me because i manually had to type out all of your briefs *30 hours overtime*.

Truth be told, we have a multi-million dollar computer system that is one of the most complex pieces of software I've ever seen. Now, with all of the new rules that went into effect on Feb 17th, we simply couldn't throw all of this written code and new programs into the system all at once to check for things like DAAP requirements, crew briefings, auto re-upping of hotels for next day prospective rest issues etc etc etc... It has to be done slowly. First thing was the DAAP, once we threw that into the system, we debugged, debugged, and debugged some more (to make sure one set of instructions didn't interfear with another). After that, we threw in something else, and bam, debugging process starts all over again.

We actually started testing all of these variables in a 'Fake Environment' before we rolled it out into the real one. This started months and months before Feb 17th. Once you dump a program from a mostly static testing environment (with a few people changing things in the program while it is running) into a continously changing real environment (hundreds of people), who knows what will happen.

We would have loved to dump it all in at once, But that would have been a disaster... even with all of the debugging, my fingers still hurt for all of that manual typing I had to do with no sleep... so yeah, nobody's more pissed off at that then me...

Q: Can I take a Hooters Air flight home on my last day?
A: Don't think they're on our prohibited list yet... request it!

Q: I can't figure out what's going on with my blackberry / pager! Who do I talk to?
A: Call the helpdesk or pager support. A lot of the problems with the blackberries can be solved by taking out the battery for a couple of minutes. A lot of the problems with the pagers can be solved by chucking them across the ramp.

Q: I'm in a smoking hotel room! Please change it.
A: There's no formal rule on this... We'll do everything we can, however we're not obligated to move you across town for a new one.

Q: My hotel is overbooked.
A: Have the hotel 'Walk' you to a room. This basically means that the hotel is required to set you up in a hotel nearby, and sometimes, at no cost.

Q: Can I go standby for an earlier flight home?
A: Depends on the situation. Most of the time, yes. If it's like US Airways and they require a 'Standby Fee' (which i just recently discovered ), then it'll come out of your own pocket. If it's no additional cost, then let us know what flight, departure time, and arrivial time.

by the way, I have a question for you guys...

If I rent N172QS (a cessna 172) next week and file IFR, Can I call myself "execjet 172?" That'll really screw up the controllers...

heh... maybe "execprop"?

 

[Live4flyng]

I don't have on on me, but somewhere buried deep within the FOM, it will state that crewmembers are required to submit a reason for the delay should the off time be greater than 14 minutes, and a 15 minute update thereafter.

It also states that we are no to use them in flight. AFIS doesn't work on the ground either. Sending a message as soon as we land is pointless since we are going to call in. Point is, rarely is there time to send a message, unless we are waiting on PAX to show and they are more than 15 minutes late.

In fact, the word "Standby" and "Bullpin" are 2 words we need to have dumped from our vocabulary since Feb. 17th... Technically, there is no such thing as these two things anymore...

According to the FOM, there is standby at the airport, and standby away from the airport. We just follow the rules as crazy as they are often.

Go ahead and file with "ExecJet" in the remarks section as a call sign, they may accept it.

 

[FracCapt]

I UNDERSTAND THAT. Imagine a flight from NY to Montreal, 0.5 flight time. Crew Comm comes in with an ASAP message to Montreal. YOU CAN'T do it with a 2 hour notice. Aww forget it..... Next time I will call in sick and F'in tired! Maybe FracCapt can cover the flight.

Your profile says you're a Captain. Act like it, take charge. If you can't give 2 hours notice, you delay your trip until you can. How hard is that? Don't let them push you into doing something that will get YOU, not THEM, in trouble. Get a clue, dude.

 

[Live4flyng]

Your profile says you're a Captain. Act like it, take charge. If you can't give 2 hours notice, you delay your trip until you can. How hard is that? Don't let them push you into doing something that will get YOU, not THEM, in trouble. Get a clue, dude.

Spare me your BS dude. Who said anyone was pushing me around? If you would open your eyes and shut your cake hole for a few minutes, you would realize I was responding to one of his Q & A sessions about going to Canada and calling CANPASS 2 hours in advance. Trying to point out that often it can't be done the way things are scheduled and then you get the ETD pages after explaining it over the phone. By the way, who the Fk are you to tell me to act like a captain, worry about yourself.

 

[IFlyOU]

It also states that we are no to use them in flight. AFIS doesn't work on the ground either. Sending a message as soon as we land is pointless since we are going to call in. Point is, rarely is there time to send a message, unless we are waiting on PAX to show and they are more than 15 minutes late.

According to the FOM, there is standby at the airport, and standby away from the airport. We just follow the rules as crazy as they are often.

Not 100% sure on this, but on all of our aircraft, moments after you blast off or touch down, and automated AFIS get's sent to us and records your off, and sometimes your on times (which i always thought was cool)...

Now if you're 30 minutes late (because there's no sign of pax), how are we to distinguish the difference between PAX being late, or god forbid, another 397QS...

We need to know you're ok... you're like our childrens!