pt135 scheduling

[johnpeace]

How do you guys do it?

We are a small charter company, running a C421 around the SE. The plane's owner uses it maybe 15-25 hours a month, but is always in the way.

They won't block the plane off our scheduler for maintenance, or when the owner is scheduled in it, or for anything. My policy (I'm in charge of selling trips in the plane) is to call the pilot to check with him whether or not he can do a trip before giving a customer a quote and accepting their deposit/comittment. This seems stupid to me. I'm supposed to market trips in the plane, then when I get a request for a quote instead of closing the sale...I have to tell them I'll call them back after checking with the pilot!?

We need another airplane to manage...bad.

How do you guys balance owner utilization of the airplanes with charter scheduling? On the one hand, I can see the owner needing to go on short notice...but at the same time, it seems like if he wants us to sell trips in his plane he needs to conform to our schedule, no?

 

[Stealthh21]

How do you guys do it?

We are a small charter company, running a C421 around the SE. The plane's owner uses it maybe 15-25 hours a month, but is always in the way.

They won't block the plane off our scheduler for maintenance, or when the owner is scheduled in it, or for anything. My policy (I'm in charge of selling trips in the plane) is to call the pilot to check with him whether or not he can do a trip before giving a customer a quote and accepting their deposit/comittment. This seems stupid to me. I'm supposed to market trips in the plane, then when I get a request for a quote instead of closing the sale...I have to tell them I'll call them back after checking with the pilot!?

We need another airplane to manage...bad.

How do you guys balance owner utilization of the airplanes with charter scheduling? On the one hand, I can see the owner needing to go on short notice...but at the same time, it seems like if he wants us to sell trips in his plane he needs to conform to our schedule, no?

Hey there chess player!! So you schedule things, how nice. Well pretty easy question. You are the scheduler, so schedule things. But, it seems the way your company is set up, it looks like your pilot is the chess player. At our company, the owner has priority for use of his/her airplane. However, our owners are very interested in their airplanes flying and making some money. So if they are flexible, they will change their plans for a charter. Seems like your company wants to remain flexible, that’s why they don't block out the airplane for MX or owner trips.

BTW I am very entertained by the fact that you have to check with th "pilot" before you book a trip. My life would be a lot different if my company were set up that way.

stealthh

 

[johnpeace]

BTW I am very entertained by the fact that you have to check with th "pilot" before you book a trip. My life would be a lot different if my company were set up that way.

Yeah, you and me both.

The pilot has the closest thing resembling an owner utilization schedule as there is. So, procedure is to clear trips with him before scheduling.

I desperately need another airplane, preferably one that we own at least half of.

<sigh> ok, back to digging myself out of scheduling holes.

 

[justwatching]

Let's remember who we all work for.

#1 our employer.
#2 the owner of the aircraft.
#3 the paying customer.

Ask a pilot to fly on a scheduled day "on?" I'm sorry I thought they applied for a flying job.

 

[dhc8fo]

Have the owner contact you (rather than his pilot) when he needs to use the plane. That way you know when the plane is and isn't being used and you can sell trips accordingly. If the pilot can't do the trip that day, there are plenty of people who can fly a 421....

 

[hawkerjet]

Sounds like the monkey's are running the zoo! First of all, always , repeat always quote the trip. the aircraft is not held for a trip until you receive a down payment.you can always say the aircraft is unavailable. if the owner has you checking in with the pilot for aircraft availability, then that's his right, however i'd supply the owner with every qoute that was turned down by the pilot monthly so you can justify your job and keep the pilot honest.
it sounds like you don't have a very good contract agreement.