Quality of Life at FlexJet

[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.

 

[mother fokker]

-"Take this from someone when 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."-

I "actually" work here and "actually" it's not that great!

-"Again no disrespect to anyone that I have OFFENDED just some honest answers."-

I, believe, that you may have offended honesty, by painting the garden to be just a little rosier than it really is. Are you trying to pad your bank account with the thousand dollar, a head finder fees? If a Flexjet pilot recommends a candidate and they are hired, hello 1 grand....show me the money!

-"As far as upgrades, they will come slowly at ALL fractional (3-5 years). So I would say the the QOL at FLexjet is pretty good."-

True about the upgrades, QOL??? Pass the kool aid brother. If QOL is so great why are we losing so many guys? I mean the jobs that are out there in today's market aren't, for the most part, what I would call exactly great.

-"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."


I work 18 days out of 28. 6 on 3 off. On the first rotation I was on duty 72 hours the second was 65 hours, and the third was 68 for a total of 205 hours. I figured I was making about 12 an hour. If you take into account the time I'm incarcerated on the road, my life is worth about 10 an hour to the company. Typically, Flexjet trips are brutal. Max duty, min rest and early wake up calls from scheduling.

-"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)"

Decent schedule??? WTF!!! 6 on 3 off is not decent. 221 days is 60 percent of your life gone on the road. Training means being gone. I don't live in Dallas. 202 days is 55% of your existence at the Holiday Inn express. 3 days off after 6 means: Day one figuring out where the hell you are. Day 2, signs of life are starting to appear again. Day 3 breathing and heart rate returns to normal, to be followed by deep mental anguish which will set in due to the fact that you will be gone again for 6 days.


-"Good hotels (now that the hotel process has become somewhat refined)."

I have no idea what this means??? Refined to what. A corporate account with Sleep Inn and Motel 6???? Every now and then you will see a Marriott because the Stab Inn is filled up with a Dungeons and Dragons convention. Don't expect your over nights to take you any further away from the FBO than the outer marker.


-"Excellent benefits (medical,dental,vision,tuition,401K,stock,etc...)"

Good thing, you'll need the benefits, Therapy, and a ass replacement, from sitting in your seat all day, need a great comprehensive medical plan.

Flexjet is a great place to build time, eat free cookies at the FBO, all the while your chest and gut will grow until you get that coveted BRO.

As far as spending a career here, no way!!! Do your time and get out. It's too bad, because there are some great people here. Unfortunately, until the pilot group stands up to management and demands a truly decent quality of life, it will continue to be a revolving door. A door, that management, only tries to stop with a training contract.

 

[Cpt Splash]

mother fokker:

One question. Where were you flying prior to Flex? If it was for a regional, I can tell you right now that you are fokking nuts(note the pun) to say that flex is worse. If it was 135 charter then you know as well as I do that a schedule, whatever it is is better than no schedule at all. And if you had a sweet corporate job, what were you thinking?

The original question for this thread was how is QOL after a year of employment. QOL is decent and thats being honest. I'm not a koolaid drinker when I say that there is a lot of potential here at Flex. Potential for growth, potential for improved pay, and potential for improved QOL.

The Hotels are decent. I have been in some pretty bad places prior to working for FLEX, and I have been staying at Hiltons, Marriots, and of course the famous Holiday Inn of Hasbrook(which is probably the worst one).

Fraxjockey was not painting a rosy garden when he gave his opinion. Your response was 1 of 2 reasons. You were trying to give a more accurate description about QOL at FLEX or you were trying to be funny. Either case, you failed.

Keep the brown side down

 

[FraxJockey]

....and some don't like it here...

Mother Fokker,

I respect those answers but dude...lighten up. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Yeah maybe I am drinking a little kool aid, but then again I am a glass half full type of guy.

Last time I checked you can only get 18 if you bid it. If you were forced into 18 then my bad, if you bid it then WTF.

Were you here when we had the crappy lodging card (CLC)? If you weren't then you know nothing about crappy hotels, if you were then you are full of it if you think they haven't gotten somewhat better. I'm not saying they are 4 star hotels, but they are better.

Yeah we are losing people, I can't deny that, but then again everyone is has the right to look for a job elsewhere. I don't know of any fractional that isn't losing people. The fact that our numbers are smaller than the other fractionals just means we are more impacted by a loss.

Head finder fee? Give me a fricken break. A guy asked for someone's take on things and I gave him my opinion...for free. You gave your opinion so it is up to others to decide.

As much as I like this job, I have to agree that things are tough right now. As far as QOL for a Newhire (w/in 1 year which was the original question) it is better here ...IMHO.

Frax

 

[Stinkbug]

-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.

CitationShares upgrade is still 1-2 years...not to take anything away from everything else you said.

 

[naoroge]

I just got a call from Flexjet for an interview. However, I am in class at Skywest who is hiring a bunch of pilots this year. In addition, Captain upgrade at Skywest is right around a year. Just thought I would let people know.