Pro Pilot magazine

[semperfido]

I just wanted to mirror the comments on flight department selections. I recently read an issue from the 80's where Arnold Palmer's pilot was bragging about taking their SII coast to coast and landing with 300 lbs or something. One thing you should consider is that our bosses often read your magazine. What if my boss saw that, and wanted me to do it. Of course I would'nt, but I'd have to go thru the whole rigamarole. Some of the articles could cost us quality of life or even $. Please be careful which departments you choose to glorify. Since it is always on the cover, it is like saying it is the focus of your magazine. That is fine, but they need to be upstanding depts. I would like to be able to, someday, use it as a resource for better QOL rather than hide it from the boss.

very good and valid points. throw that in with what a acft salesman tells them and you have some major unf@*$%^&* to do

 

[gear_guy]

very good and valid points. throw that in with what a acft salesman tells them and you have some major unf@*$%^&* to do

Aircraft salesman???? That would mean I was flying something new. Never done that. Can I live vicariously thru you?

 

[CapnVegetto]

I got one for ya......how about an "on the road" type section? You can profile things like restaurants near FBO's where pilots can go eat when they have to sit for a few hours, entertainment in a certain area when pilots have overnights for a couple of days (and can take golf clubs, whatever), and perhaps a 'hotel review' type section in this too. Most FBO's will book hotel reservations at certain rates and there's usually a choice between them......and a section profiling these hotels, the amenities they have, restaurants & bars in them, gym, pool, etc. You could have pilots send in 'reviews' or something like that, or send a 'pro pilot' writer to the area to check out the places and write articles on them. Example.....fly into MDW (where I am now), there's a FANTASTIC italian place right up the road from Million Air called "Giordano's". Great place to stay is the Hilton Garden Inn, Million Air will book you with a special rate. Super nice rooms, indoor pool, gym, bar, the works. Either make it a restaurant, hotel, or whatever review section, or you could just make it an 'airport' section. Fly into here, (MDW or wherever) and there are 'these' places to eat close by, 'these' places to stay, 'these' things to do, and here's a price range and review.

 

[CapnVegetto]

Oh, and by the way, I'm going to echo what everyone is saying about the departments that you profile. Be careful!! If you put a big article on the cover about a company that treats it's employees like crap and pays them nothing, then the first thing that's going to happen is my boss come running straight to me and be saying stuff like, 'well why can't YOU sleep on the plane', or 'why am I paying you more than this guy to do the same job?' That sucks!!! Profile the good ones, and I can run to my boss and say, 'this company pays this guy this much, why am I making less?' and then HE has to answer me.

Just think about it from our point of view.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Lets not do the restaurant thing...

many really dont care what good restaurants are around the Holiday Inn in Akron Ohio.

ask here! - If you have a trip somewhere (anywhere in the world) I bet you get 10 responses in one day!

 

[sleepy]

As a personal note, I think that the selection process you use to choose flight departments to profile is absurd. Why not select departments like Bank of America which has a unique and effective organizational structure, a professional staff which includes dispatch, pilots, maintenance technicians and flight attendants, observes the Flight Safety Foundations crew scheduling guidance and does innovative things like web-site scheduling and having a chief pilot for technology integration rather than picking a flight department that does trans-oceanic flights in a Learjet then sleeps in the plane when they get to their foreign destination?
GV

So GV, you work for B of A?

Yes, I must agree, there are a lot of really professional flight departments out here that could be profiled. However, most of the really good ones don't want the publicity. I know that mine does not.

 

[viking737]

So what exactly was Clay Lacy's status during the 1985 UAL strike?

 

[Capthuff]

Get AVBUG to write for you
Be sure to pay him well.

 

[GVFlyer]

So GV, you work for B of A?

No, but I know Fred and Sam pretty well. B of A was just an example. Others would be Proctor and Gamble, GM, and 3M. I think many would find a profile of a major management / part 135 company like Avjet, TAG, Jet Aviation or The Air Group to be interesting.

GV

 

[ultrarunner]

To echo the rest, please stop profiling these absurd companies who have 2 pilots on call 24/7 even Christmas. The one that really set everyone off was the ski resort jackoff who operated Lear 35s to London and made them "berthable" for the crew to rest in...A small, tightly run, mediocre pay department that is a success story keeping pilots employed and benefiting/promoting corp aviation - SURE! - sleeping in a Learjet on the ramp at Luton after a 20 hr crossing.....no.

and please, a little less Clay Lacy.

Thanks for asking!

It's articles like this that make me proud that I haven't read that rag in years....

good grief....

Pro Pilot actually profiles companies like quoted above, AND plugs a scab.

They got some nerve asking for comments!

 

[enigma]

My free subscription ran out a few years ago, and I really don't miss it. Back then, it seemed that 90% of the magazine was either an advertisement, or a page full of pictures of your publisher schmoozing with some bigwig.

I did enjoy the weather articles written by Karsten Shein ( I trust that I spelled that correctly) and the occasional article on operational safety or procedures. I, for one, don't care that much about aircraft reviews, if my boss had need for another aircraft he would pay for truly professional acquision advice, he wouldn't ask me what a magazine had to say about possible types.

If I ever get back into corporate flying, I'll be looking for info aimed at helping me do my job safely and efficently.

Good thread,
enigma

 

[some_dude]

I stopped getting ProPilot a couple of years ago, and haven't missed it. My favorite is AIN, although BCA is very good as well. It's hard to see the niche ProPilot fills between those publications and general interest books like Flying. I guess profiling lame flight departments is one area where ProPilot has the others beat!

I need to echo the comments of others on this board, the flight department profiles need to be improved and the aircraft reviews are not worth much. More stuff on managing and operating a flight department might be good, along with more on human factors and that sort of thing. Look at some of the stuff BCA runs as a model.

 

[Lou3]

I have been reading Pro Pilot for several years now (as well as AIN and BCA among a couple of others). I especially enjoy the Jepp quizes and the WX articles. I would enjoy seeing you spotlight some freight companies as well as some fractionals. I also used to enjoy reading the 'whats new with you' section back when you had it. It was cool to recognize a name or two. Overall though, I do appreciate your publication and the fact that you mail it to me every month free of charge. Thanks for listening!

 

[400ACapt]

I agree, dont ignore 135 completly. I have worked on a few 135 managed aircraft that were 100X better than some of the "corporate" departments featured lately...

WHAT?WHAT? I can't believe what I am hearing! G200 is actually reccomending a 135 job over some of the 91 gigs! Mark the calendar! HAHA!

 

[TCA]

PRO Pilot ?

I stopped looking at your publication years ago. I have found B.C.A. more palatable.

Too tired on the road here to post much, but I agree with most of the thoughts posted. Thanks to GV. Great stuff again

My thoughts might be boiled down to a more salient question.[font=&quot][/font]

In all these years and all those flight departments on the cover....what happened to them and how soon after appearing .

Oh and by the way......where is Vanna White now?

TCA
"Still Climbing"

 

[semperfido]

In all these years and all those flight departments on the cover....what happened to them and how soon after appearing .

"the pro pilot curse" happened to them

 

[On Your Six]

Status Check on Previously Profiled Flight Departments

I agree with the statement above. It would be interesting to do a retrospective of previous flight departments profiled. How have their departments changed? What new aircraft are they using? Have any been disbanded? That might be interesting for those of us who have been reading PP for years...

 

[pilotyip]

I get I cruise every issue, I respond to your surveys. You are already kinda the "People Magazine" of the flying world. Make that your niche. Do not try to complete with BCA, AWST, or AIN. Go for expanded Corp flt dept news. Who is getting airplanes, who got out of the fractional flying, who is converting to fractional flying. A list of whom got jobs where in the Corp world. We do not need regional news, it is covered too many other places. In detail review of Corp, accidents would be good. Get some safety experts to comment on what lead to the accidents. You ask, my thoughts

 

[421Driver]

Pro PIlot is a magazine of which my opinion has changed a number of times. I recall the first issue I picked up when I was a 500hr CFI and thought all of the flight department profiles were the coolest places to work. Now as I move along in the flying world, I see what many of the other posters have said. The departments profiled in the pages of Pro Pilot seem to be of the same type. The CEO's probably had an important role with their departments being on the cover. I'm sure they read the articles of months past and think they are running a "great" flight department with all of the great schedules and pay that everyone else has already griped about. I like K.A. Rick's idea on the survey of which companies to profile. I'm sure you could get at least a few of your reasderships' suggestions to answer each month. It could even be a question for every survey, "What Flight dept. would you like to see profiled next month?"

I agree with bigD on photo resolution. In your most recent months, there were pictures that look like they were taken with a camera phone and blown up to try and fill a white space.

I know that there are still CFI's picking up Pro Pilot and wishing for that "shiny jet" that flys from Reno to London. Make them wish for the King Air that flys on a reasonable schedule with reasonable pay. Give them an objective viewpoint on everything you report on.

 

[gern_blanston]

Pro PIlot is a magazine of which my opinion has changed a number of times. I recall the first issue I picked up when I was a 500hr CFI and thought all of the flight department profiles were the coolest places to work. Now as I move along in the flying world, I see what many of the other posters have said. The departments profiled in the pages of Pro Pilot seem to be of the same type. The CEO's probably had an important role with their departments being on the cover. I'm sure they read the articles of months past and think they are running a "great" flight department with all of the great schedules and pay that everyone else has already griped about. I like K.A. Rick's idea on the survey of which companies to profile. I'm sure you could get at least a few of your reasderships' suggestions to answer each month. It could even be a question for every survey, "What Flight dept. would you like to see profiled next month?"

I agree with bigD on photo resolution. In your most recent months, there were pictures that look like they were taken with a camera phone and blown up to try and fill a white space.

I know that there are still CFI's picking up Pro Pilot and wishing for that "shiny jet" that flys from Reno to London. Make them wish for the King Air that flys on a reasonable schedule with reasonable pay. Give them an objective viewpoint on everything you report on.

Exactly what he said.

 

[Peardc10]

Pro Pilot Magazine

I have been reading your magazine for many years and think your magazine has many merits and some short comings. I believe you have a feel for what pilots think of Pro Pilot Magazine based on these posts and I agree with what many individuals have written.

My 2 cents:

What I like....

I like your articals regarding WX-always interesting reading, International Operations.......keep them coming, things change all the time (Regulations, Procedures, International Requirments etc.) and its great to get feed back from operators that do a lot of international operations. Some of this information was very helpful to me when I ran a small flight department for a short period.

I would like to see more articals in regards to tech. changes in the industry. FMS, GPS approaches,...where is the industry going and changing. Your Jepp Review section is great review material....again we used this for recurrent training material. CRM is another area that I would personally like to see more articals written about this subject.

What could be improved:

Profiling of Flight Departments-GV flyer was right on target. When you write up a department lets be PRO aviation-and not write information that puts down the profession. I understand that some departments do not want to be advertized.

Your salary survey is all over the place........I tried to get more accurate information from NBAA. It needs some refinement!! -

I like CapnVegetto post on "on the road" idea..........great IDEA!

Keep up the good work.....

 

[semperfido]

hey- i see a pic of the guy that gave me my first real job flying (24+ yrs ago) in the edition that just came out. that's twice i've seen him there. the first time he was on the cover and this time p.68. it's a small world in aviation community. good job pro pilot for helping a lazy pilot keep track of old friends

 

[Canucit]

great rag it is the best for the professional pilot and next in line is AIN
keep up the good work

 

[Gulfstream 200]

hey- i see a pic of the guy that gave me my first real job flying (24+ yrs ago) in the edition that just came out. that's twice i've seen him there. the first time he was on the cover and this time p.68. it's a small world in aviation community. good job pro pilot for helping a lazy pilot keep track of old friends

Orville or Wilbur?

.

 

[2000flyer]

Speaking of "receiving" an issue. I've always been curious why my issues arrive 14-21 days after our mx director gets his? This has been status-quo for nine years now.

????

2000Flyer

 

[G100driver]

Speaking of "receiving" an issue. I've always been curious why my issues arrive 14-21 days after our mx director gets his? This has been status-quo for nine years now.

????

2000Flyer

They know you Half of the time I never even get mine!

 

[semperfido]

Orville or Wilbur?

.

touche and i'm not that old...15 more to go

 

[Gulfstream 200]

touche and i'm not that old...15 more to go

I know...just couldn't resist...

.

 

[irapilot]

• Please stop the too heavy emphasis on law enforcement/homeland security/military. I understand why this is an area that PP thinks it needs to pay attention to but I think this area is way out of proportion for our industry. Occasionally is ok. Let’s not play into the FEAR thing too much, huh?
• Of course, like others have said most of these featured flight departments are pretty crappy, if you can’t find good ones let’s skip it.
• Clay Lacy – I have respect for the man to some degree but give us a break from the good ole boy network – please.
• There are a lot of truly professional pilots out there doing very hard work day in and day out, bush, freight, logging, whatever – I am always interested in them and their stories.
• I do like the technical articles; I am interested in more in depth stuff, things that I can apply. The future stuff is interesting but most of us aren’t on the cutting edge of whiz bang so it gets old after a while.
• I like the chart quiz in the front.

 

[hawkerjet]

I enjoy reading pro pilot magazine every month and suspect it could become a better mag with a little more competition. I too enjoy the chart quizzes in the beginning of the mag as well as the wx section done by Karsten, but mr lacy's selfless promotion of his company is annoying. While he has led a very exciting life, it seems pro pilot has enabled him to get all the free advertisement his company wants. his arm is truly longer than an orangutan's, because i haven't seen someone pat himself on the back nearly as much as he.
moving on... the profile of a flight department section definetely needs improvement. when i first started reading this mag, i would read with envy about these flight departments and the dream of one day working for one. well after about a year i got tired of them and wondered why you wouldn't highlight the average flight department that is doing well. by average i don't mean mediocre, i mean the flight department that has 3-7 airplanes that are over 20 years old and has to shop around for fuel because our boss won't just let us fly wherever and put the bill on multi serv or avcard without shopping price first. the flight department that has a pitbull on speed dial with simuflite constantly haggling over prices because wyvern and argus require this training. a flight department that is responsible and dynamic unlike that idiot hawker flight department they had a couple of months ago. i'm just starting to get on a roll now, but i'll digress and you can pm me if you'd like more. i'd suggest a 135 section that encompasses the needs of a majority of small operators .