office

[CAVOK69]

is it normal with an only pilot operation that your employers want you to hang around the office during the week when your not flying and not taking care of the aircraft???

Just want to know what y'alls experience has been.

And if it is like that.... how much more pay do you see from what standard is?

 

[murfdawg998]

only one thing to do...start searching for a new job; or at least a hefty raise to hold ya over until ya get the next job. Make sure that it's a FLYING job; not an office job.

MURF

 

[CAVOK69]

well, that is what i was told, and that is how it has been going, but they have started expecting me to be there all thet time. And when I try to get out of it, i hear the whole " you are paid salary, flying or not"

 

[Workin'Stiff]

A good friend of mine quit his G5 job over the same deal. They'd get home from some long azz trip and then they'd be expecting him in the office during the days off... He got the hell outta there pretty quickly after that...

 

[stratman560]

I know this is easy for others to say but dangling the whole "salary" carrot in front of your nose like that is a low blow. Man, if it was not brought up in the interview that you were expected to be at the hangar on non-flying days I would start updating the ol' resume. Sure we all enjoy the flying gig and maybe to others it seems like a small price to pay but where are they when we are flying over holidays and staying in some hotel in some far away place. Or where are they when we go on our 7/14/21 day trips on the road? (Sorry, I fly a two-pilot operation with four owners....we do 21 dayers sometimes.) Im guessing they are with their families, we would like to be but its the nature of the job and we understand. In the end I know every corporate operation is just a little bit different than the other but if the airplane is kept clean, Jepps are updated, and all the loose ends are tied down, then you are doing your job and any extra time spent out there should not be expected. Just my opinion man, as always, its open to interpretation.

 

[CAVOK69]

I completely agree. I am the only pilot here and I keep the aircraft spotless, jepps always up to date, FMS always up to date, and my desk clean. Yet, when I am not flying, I have to "check in" and hang around the office until I get the " ok, you can go now" .... When I took the job, they told me " when your not flying or taking care of the plane, that time is your time."

I have about had it with corporate. I really want to stay with a job long enough to build some tenure with the company. I haven't been here long at all, and already they are changing major issues with my job. This is only one of them....:angryfire

 

[phishn@daves]

Tell them you are going home to your avatar.

 

[CAVOK69]

what a solution!

 

[PlaneStupid]

It is time to start looking for a better job. In my experience most of the smaller flight departments expect some office work (cleaning, maintaining stock, jepps, and computer misc.). But very few require you to just sit there waiting for something to do - these are the jobs to stay away from and are usually ran by someone without much of a life to go home to.

.02

 

[Diesel]

what do they want you to do crunch numbers, do data entry?

Sounds totally BS.

I would keep a log of my time on the road. Let's see i spent 2 days RON that's 48hours away from home. That's 8 more hours than some desk job. So you guys owe me 8 hours of hanging around my house till i have something for you to do.

Total crap. I was offered a job like this once. Flying king airs and then when i wasn't working i'd help out with presentations and around the office. I smiled said no thanks and bailed. He ended up hiring some guy who lasted a week. He said he was flying the plane then doing presentations on the road then flying the plane at night while everyone was in back sleeping.

No thanks.

 

[CAVOK69]

they just like me to be there since they are generously paying me during my days off I usually don't do anything at all. And when i took the job, they told me this was not required....

Im just trying to get some fellow pilot's opinoins

 

[rice]

they just like me to be there since they are generously paying me during my days off I usually don't do anything at all. And when i took the job, they told me this was not required....

Im just trying to get some fellow pilot's opinoins

Well, I think you've got them. Heed the advice, start looking for another job and when you find it have a heart to heart with the boss. If he doesn't come around then its time to bail.

 

[RichardRambone]

Frick that office bs. I work in an office most the time but once I get my time no more office for me. It blows when you hang around with nothing to do and noone will give you anything to do. It happens alot around here especially now during the winter. I have to do it for flight hours but once I've got what I want, no more office bs and no more cleaning airplanes. BAIL!!

 

[stratman560]

I completely agree. I am the only pilot here and I keep the aircraft spotless, jepps always up to date, FMS always up to date, and my desk clean. Yet, when I am not flying, I have to "check in" and hang around the office until I get the " ok, you can go now" .... When I took the job, they told me " when your not flying or taking care of the plane, that time is your time."

I have about had it with corporate. I really want to stay with a job long enough to build some tenure with the company. I haven't been here long at all, and already they are changing major issues with my job. This is only one of them....:angryfire

Hang in there dude. Don't quit on us man! The corporate gig can be a tough road to hoe sometimes. Just keep your head up and the right job will find you man. Remember, the best time to look for a job is when you have one. Plus, all the extra time at the office will give you the perfect opportunity to start working on the resume and begin the job search.

 

[Headwind]

Your office should be in the hangar. If you are the only pilot then you have plenty to do there. Your mission should be to provide safe and efficient air transportation for company employees. This has nothing to do with the office at corporate headquarters. If your boss don't know this it's up to you to educate him. If you don't someone will after you're gone. If this is a new flight department other employees (non flying) will try to compair your duties, compensation, or working hours to their own. You must stop this early and let them know that they are not qualified to do your job and you want nothing to do with their job. Many here who started small have had to deal with this.
You have two choices: Quit or be professional.

 

[CAVOK69]

Headwind, good advice.

I have since tried to talk to them, and they are very nice about it, and they told me they dont want just a pilot, they want someone who will do more.

They have had several pilots before me and it was that way with them too.
Guess I am the only one it bothers.

I feel that I payed for my flight training and paid dues so I wouldn't have to have an office job. Corporate is just so hit or miss with the QOL. I am beginning to think that airline isn't so bad after all. But I feel that I need to try and fix things here. I am glad to hear all of yalls opinions

 

[G100driver]

When you say that you paid for your training, what exactly do you mean?

 

[HawkerF/O]

Headwind, good advice.

I have since tried to talk to them, and they are very nice about it, and they told me they dont want just a pilot, they want someone who will do more.

They have had several pilots before me and it was that way with them too.
Guess I am the only one it bothers.

I feel that I payed for my flight training and paid dues so I wouldn't have to have an office job. Corporate is just so hit or miss with the QOL. I am beginning to think that airline isn't so bad after all. But I feel that I need to try and fix things here. I am glad to hear all of yalls opinions

Cavok, you seem to be open minded about all of this and I think that is what is going to allow this situation to have a sucessful outcome for you. If they want you to work in the office, you should let them know that under no circumstance will you go flying until a minimum of 12 hours after you leave the airport for every day you are there. You need an hour to get home, 10 hours to get some sleep, shower, shave, leave the house for the airport, etc, and an hour to get the aircraft ready. If they say the other pilot were not like that you should tell them they are lucky they never got into any 10 hour sleep weather/emergency situation when the old pilots had less rest than that. I'd also let them know you were so eager to accept this position with this 1st class operation because you got the impression safety was paramount to them and by requiring the pilot to hit the office then possibly have to go fly does not sit with the original arrangement or a safe operation. Let them know you are coming intot he office to do the things you mentioned and when you are home you are not just sitting around. From your home office you are constantly checking fuel prices to the locations you go to frequently and negotiation fuel discounts and things of that sort. What kind of aircraft are you flying?

 

[Fokkerflyer]

they just like me to be there since they are generously paying me during my days off I usually don't do anything at all. And when i took the job, they told me this was not required....

Im just trying to get some fellow pilot's opinoins

Did it ever occur to them that they pay you to get them to their destinations and home safely? That is what you get paid to do: your expertise, professionalism, experience determine how valuable you are to them, they obviously don't realize this.

Besides, most any office duties that are airplane related can be done from home anyway.

I have no problem taking care of stuff related to the airplane: stock, wash, coordinate mx but anything beyond that is NOT in your job description! If they still want you to come in and play with yourself in the office, find another job and tell them to go f**k themselves.

FF

 

[thatpilotguy]

The position I am in now, I spend a lot more time in the office than I have in past positions. But that is due to the fact that the pilots that where here before me never came to the office. They actually didn't do much of anthing. We are spending tons of time going through to log books, invoices and PO's and seeing what mistakes where made and finding ways to correct them. It's very dedious. To be blunt, I hate it. BUT in all fairness the information that we have compiled has had real value to the upper management.

I think the office issue comes down to education. Most people within a corporation don't understand all the in's and out's of the flight department. A chief pilot I once flew for use to tell his management a quote. "When your pilot, doctor and lawyer stop giving you advice, it's time to replace them." Thats very true. It is our jobs to education and inform the management group so that they understand what you are doing for the company.

Another idea regarding office time is suggest to the company that you would like to take some "management" classes or aviation safety classes or something "off site." You want to provide them with the safest flight department you can, and for that you need to grow professionally. Continuing education is a great way to both show professionalism and get some free training and get you out of the office.

Just a thought.