Quality of Life at FlexJet

[#1 FLAMED OUT]

Anyone tell me how the quality of life is at Flex Jet after a year of employment.

Thank You

 

[Heavy Set]

I don't work there, but I have 3 friends who do. All 3 like Flexjet and all 3 fly the Lear 60 - a real hotrod. Complaints include:

1. Unfriendly schedule bidding system (seniority based) vs. 7/7
2. Too few gateways vs. Netjets, Flight Options and Citationshares
3. Poor financial results and furloughs in the last few years (the only fractional to furlough pilots)
4. Declining reputation since its inception - losing owners and pilots to the other fractionals (what I have been told)

Positives:

1. Great airplanes including new Challenger 300
2. Improving management relations

Good luck if you have an interview.

 

[flexpilot]

FlexJet, Just say no!

I worked there for two years and still communicate with pilot friends employed there.

Pilots are fun, friendly and professional.

Schedule. You must work 17 days out of a 28 day bid period to get base pay. 13 bid periods per year. 13X17= 221 days worked per year.

Captain upgrades. Only a handful in the last five years. Plan on making FO pay for at least five years, probably more.

Hotels. Low quaility hotels, Holiday Inn, Quality Inn etc. Very rarely Hilton, never ever stayed in a Hyatt.

Food. Typical order for crew food. "Two box lunches less than $25. Chefs choice." If you are on any type of special diet, or trying to lose weight, forget it.

Can only live in a few places, Dallas, PBI, TEB and LA area.

Oh yeah, the Lear 60 is a real hotrod. Ask an FO about doing the LAV service.
In the desert I burned fecal matter. The lav service in a LR-60 is worse.

Best day in my life was my last day at Flexjet.

 

[slickmagneto]

The LR60 lav service is Plug and Play. I don't know of any FBO or Pilot that doesn't know how easy this project is.

 

[flexpilot]

Plug and Play

Plug and Play. That is so funny.

When the solid matter doesn't grind up, it PLUGS the drain and you get to PLAY with it!

Ask anyone on the LR 60, no wait, ask the FO! Can't remember anyone that has been on the LR 60 more than a month that doesn't have a stuck turd story.

A little illumination on the subject for the uninitiated.

The Lear 60 was designed with an ingenius Lav. The fitting that attaches to the FBO Lav cart is much smaller than standard. (The drain hole is smaller than the diameter of a quarter.) Each LR 60 has a tool box with an adapter that must be attached between the aircraft receptacle and the FBO lav cart. When the lineman drains the lav, all the liquid flows out and a grinder purifies the solid matter. Well that is the way it supposed to work. Normally all the liquid drains out and the solid matter is stuck in the bottom with the grinder grinding away at air. Solution, add more water, then more water, then more water. Finally reach in the closet and get a coat hanger and chop that mother up.
Chopping up turds of the rich and famous. What a life!

Plug and play, right!

 

[SenorSpielbergo]

"Close Encounters of the Turd Kind". Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Xdriver]

The "plug and play" lol thats good OH SO TRUE

There was a turd in there so big one time. I dint think it was possible to come out someones ass!! Needless to say some line guy had to scoop it out. Forget going down that little drain. Worst design ever !!

 

[broken spoke]

How Brilliant!!

So let me guess, it is Flexjets fault that the lav was designed poorly (I agree) on the LR60. Man, your right!! That does mean that Flex is a crappy company. Speaking of big turds, mine don't stink either since I think that I should spend every night on the road in a Hilton or Hyatt. Well, I have stayed in both here. The starting pay is better than the 5th year FO. The bennys are super. And the guys that I have flown with know how to have a good time. Relax. Remember why you got into this industry to begin with . . . to make allot of money!!!!!!!!
Then realize, you have to earn it.

Cheers

 

[flexpilot]

The place is still bad

 

[Heavy Set]

The place is still bad

Care to elaborate? How are things better or worse?

 

[miles otoole]

The place is still bad

Sounds like someone got $hitcanned.

 

[FraxJockey]

Hmmm

Let me guess, you went to Netjets?

Everyone excited about NetJets be forewarned, this is the FO salary:

year 1- $2259 per month
year 2- $2364
year 3- $2469
year 4- $2574
year 5- $2680

You may be getting advice from someone, "yeah we only make $xxxx, but we get per diem and hotel points." That may be true, but often times you spend your per diem and hotel points don't feed the family.

You may have heard about bypass pay. No one hired in the last 13 months is recieving bypass pay. We have FO's on second year FO pay. Not sure how they are feeding their families.

You may have heard that the contract is almost done. No one is sure when it will be done. Not the pilots, not the union, not the company. Negotiations could continue for a couple of more years.

You may be considering a job here. Consider all the factors and then make an informed decision.

Good Luck.

Don't sound too happy there either.

Not trying to dis you, but there are also a lot of happy people here too (and at Netjets).

How much would you be making now if you didn't leave Flexjet?

 

[Heavy Set]

Let me guess, you went to Netjets?



Don't sound too happy there either.

Not trying to dis you, but there are also a lot of happy people here too (and at Netjets).

How much would you be making now if you didn't leave Flexjet?

He'd probably be on the CL300 too...

 

[flexpilot]

Let me guess, you went to Netjets?



Don't sound too happy there either.

Not trying to dis you, but there are also a lot of happy people here too (and at Netjets).

How much would you be making now if you didn't leave Flexjet?

Pretty funny that you would go back and get a quote from another thread. Kind of like Dan Rather Journalism, taken out of context. In all cases I am attempting to provide information that will help pilots decide if the job they are applying for is right for them. That is the fundamental purpose of this website.

FlexJet- As I have posted before, quality of life leaves a lot to be desired. The only way I would be on the CL-300 is as an FO. Still making FO pay. People with my date of hire are still not making captains pay. I still know a few people there, most others have left. The job is really a grind. 221 days a year, short breaks between tours. Not really sure about the hotels and crew food now. But they both sucked when I was there.

NetJets- Good quality of life on the road. I can order the meal I want and we stay in nice places most of the time. After three months at Netjets I recieved captains pay. I never said I wasn't happy. In fact I love the job. My position is good. I make more than at Flex, and I work about 36 days a year less.

My warning was to potential new hires. The captain upgrades at NJA have slowed considerably. The pay for FO's is terrible.

Good luck to all,

 

[FraxJockey]

Quality of life...

The question was about quality of life. I am taking a big risk in assuming the person asking is not a pilot at any other fractional and thus would fall under the newhire category:

-As far as upgrades, they will come slowly at ALL fractionals (3-5 years). So I would say the the QOL at FLexjet is pretty good.
-Descent (not excellent) pay for FO's. I am a 4th year FO and make what a 2rd year Capt at another fractional makes (No extra days,ot,etc...). No bridge pay required. You can check online and see the payscales.
-Descent schedule (now that the 7 day rotations are gone). The 221 days includes all training and vacation. More like 202 days (yr 1&2) and 197 days (y3)
-Good hotels (now that the hotel process has become somewhat refined).
-Excellent benefits (medical,dental,vision,tuition,401K,stock,etc...)

Take this from someone whe ACTUALLY works there....not from "friends" who work there. I've been here for 4 years....yes as an FO...and things have got much better. No "reserve rot" here.

Compare this to the previous post about warnings to newhires at other fractionals. Again no disrespect to anyone that I have offended just some honest answers.