Presidential Aviation - Some Questions

[johnsonrod]

Anyone know much about Presidential Aviation out of Ft. Lauderdale? Is this a good place to be? I have seen its website so I am somewhat familiar. I know it operates a few Gulfstreams, Citations and a few Lears I believe.

Can anyone comment on QOL, newhire FO salary and schedules? Anyone familiar with this operation - positives and negatives. Do you need a type for specific aircraft if there are openings? Are the pilots only based in Ft. Lauderdale or do they also have crew bases in LA and TEB?

I am currently flying the ERJ PIC and trying to leave the Regional Airline business just like a lot of people (looking for alternatives - and I am aware of how tough life in the 135 business can be on a pager...). You can PM me if you like too.

Thanks

 

[CapnVegetto]

95% of the time.....

Charter + Florida = AAAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! RUN AWAY!!!! RUN AWAY!!!!

 

[doubtful]

Which leaves 5% as OK places to be...
I work there and if anybody has any other questions feel free to ask...
Fleet Mix - Gulfstreams, Challengers, and Lears, no Citations.
Salary - for the F/O, I will be honest, I dont know for certain so give me some time to get an answer on that.
Schedules - Pretty good as far as charter goes. We get 8 days off a month, you pick when the month before. The company does their best to honor them, however, if you are in saez and your trip comes home a day or two into your days off chances are you will be finishing the trip. Depending on the plane you fly if all your planes are out on the road your time is pretty much yours, there are office things to be done (F/O's) such as jepps and helping out with projects. There is no need to sit around though if there is nothing to be done
Type Rating - Helpful but not required, everyone gets typed when they go to school, I do believe there is a training contract that goes with that 12 mos or something, if you get typed.
Bases - most of the pilots (planes) are out of fxe, there is a base in the LA area, moving I believe from lgb to vny, teb - no one based there yet...
any other questions feel free to PM me.

 

[Shamus]

There is a training contract I thought, my buddy just left there a few months ago for a job out of KTEB, typical 135 S. FL company, but it is a little above the rest. Man you guys have some really bad paint jobs though, that red on white, ewwwww.

 

[Lear6T]

Definetely the best 135 charter outfit at KFXE. QOL = much better, way better than the other operators on that field. Promotion within is the norm.
Team oriented work force but please don't come or apply if you are "tired of paying your dues", "tired of cleaning airplanes", "Previous company won't upgrade you"
From my personal experience if you give they will acknowlege it and you'll be rewarded. I have never spent 5+ hours at the airport working on Jepps, cleaning airplanes.

Any questions... don't PM me but you can PM DOUBTFL

c-ya

 

[On Your Six]

95% of the time.....

Charter + Florida = AAAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! RUN AWAY!!!! RUN AWAY!!!!

I've heard Hopajet was a pretty good outfit.

 

[Lear6T]

If I remember correctly Hop-A-Jet pays by flight hour or flight day. I was tired of working contract and didn't know if I would get paid enough to pay my bills each month. I needed a salary position. Stay away from A-Ok Jets...

Good luck

 

[On Your Six]

If I remember correctly Hop-A-Jet pays by flight hour or flight day. I was tired of working contract and didn't know if I would get paid enough to pay my bills each month. I needed a salary position. Stay away from A-Ok Jets...

Good luck

Are you serious? I can't believe Challenger 604 pilots would accept pay-by-the-hour flying with Hop-A-Jet? I know they have Lears as well but that is ridiculous... Was that your pay as a contract pilot or how they paid all of their pilots?

Can anyone at HAJ confirm that? How can anyone live in super-expensive South Florida on those terms????

 

[Shamus]

Are you serious? I can't believe Challenger 604 pilots would accept pay-by-the-hour flying with Hop-A-Jet? I know they have Lears as well but that is ridiculous... Was that your pay as a contract pilot or how they paid all of their pilots?

Can anyone at HAJ confirm that? How can anyone live in super-expensive South Florida on those terms????

I know a guy that went to work for Hoppa-Jet on the Lears, he paid for his own type, and they are reimbersing him on his pay check over 2 years. That is some serious BS!

 

[RSixer]

Presidential

I've got a close friend that has been working there for about two years based in LAX, he honestly appears to be happy there. Sounds like a top notch company to work for, they pay really well, good airplanes, and good clientel base. Only thing is that they are going to be phasing out their Lears over the next few years, that sucks for the Lear drivers, but its only what I've heard.

 

[On Your Six]

I've got a close friend that has been working there for about two years based in LAX, he honestly appears to be happy there. Sounds like a top notch company to work for, they pay really well, good airplanes, and good clientel base. Only thing is that they are going to be phasing out their Lears over the next few years, that sucks for the Lears drivers, but its only what I've heard.

I presume they would replace them with something else... I think I saw their GIISP a few days ago in TEB. Looked like a nice aircraft - very loud though.

 

[johnsonrod]

I presume they would replace them with something else... I think I saw their GIISP a few days ago in TEB. Looked like a nice aircraft - very loud though.

Yeah, the GIISP and the GIII are pretty loud in general. I would guess (maybe incorrectly) that they hushkitted - right? Regardless, there's something about that GIISP that I really like despite its age and its worn airframe.

 

[Stealthh21]

I have a friend who has been there for several years. He likes the pay. He likes the QOL. Has said very little bad things, alot of good things. HopaJet does pay by the day. But it is a big outfit. so whatever.

 

[Shamus]

I have a friend who has been there for several years. He likes the pay. He likes the QOL. Has said very little bad things, alot of good things. HopaJet does pay by the day. But it is a big outfit. so whatever.

What's your definition of a big outfit? 6 planes, half of which still fly after the Chinese group bought them out? Most of there birds aren't evem RVSMed.

 

[Lear6T]

HOP A JET right?
not Presidential

 

[Heavy Set]

I parked next to the Presidential GIISP a few weeks ago. Like most GIIs it looked a bit weathered. That being said, the crew was nice and appeared happy.

As far as South Florida charter ops, both Presidential and Hopajet have pretty good reputations - although I hadn't heard about the pay-per-day deal at Hopajet. That's pretty disturbing if it's true. Are the daily rates at least competitive? That must be or they would have a serious retention issue...

 

[Stealthh21]

What's your definition of a big outfit? 6 planes, half of which still fly after the Chinese group bought them out? Most of there birds aren't evem RVSMed.

Hi Shamus.

What is your definition of RVSMed? Haven't found it in the dictionary yet. For a typical charter company, 6 planes is a pretty good size. Anyway, he was asking about another company. If you would like to discuss the size of Hop-a-jet, lets start another thread. ok?

 

[Shamus]

Okay?



Dork!