Question for you fractional guys

[Simon Says]

Hey there,

I am thinking about a career move over to the fractionals. If I lived in Portland Oregon am I able to commute to work? It may sound like a dumb question, but I just don't know if you guys commute or not.

And if you do, how do you do it without jumpseat privlages.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dime line]

Simon Says , don't plan to up-grade before 5 yrs, so enjoy low 30's for the next 5 yrs. That is Flight Options and Netjets.(I think NJ is a little lower than FO, but not much)


Good Luck with whatever you do.

 

[On Your Six]

Check out Citationshares

Hey there,

I am thinking about a career move over to the fractionals. If I lived in Portland Oregon am I able to commute to work? It may sound like a dumb question, but I just don't know if you guys commute or not.

And if you do, how do you do it without jumpseat privlages.

Thanks in advance.

Please note that a lot of the most vocal fractional discontents peruse these boards. Some people love the fractional lifestyle and others don't. Certainly the pay is not where it should be at the moment - hopefully it will increase soon.

Although I like the NJA fleet better, there seems to be a lot of negativity there at the moment (Flight Options is also experiencing problems - see other posts) and I would check out Citationshares if you are interested in the fractionals - it flies Citation CJ1s, Bravos, Excels and brand new Soveriegns (nice) and I think it has a pilot gateway in Portland - if not Portland then Seattle. You also need to confirm whether the fractionals have a commuting policy (need to live within a certain distance of the gateway). Check out Citationshares.com (and conduct a search on this forum for more information). Good luck.

 

[fracflyer]

Closest CS base is SFO. Gotta live within 2 hours of base.

 

[G100driver]

Hey there,

I am thinking about a career move over to the fractionals. If I lived in Portland Oregon am I able to commute to work? It may sound like a dumb question, but I just don't know if you guys commute or not.

And if you do, how do you do it without jumpseat privlages.

Thanks in advance.

I have a good friend at Netjets who commutes from Portland to Seattle. He says it is no big deal to make the commute.

I question leaving your current position (unless you are pending furlough) for fractionals. My buddies over there are more miserable than my friends at Horizon. Have you considered them? You could live in Portland and make almost the money of NetJets in your 1st year. The overall pay is better as well. I understand that they are going to be interviewing. Good luck.

 

[Simon Says]

I should tell you all that my brother and I are opening a store in Portland, so money, or lack there of is not too important at this time. I just want to live in Portland, fly, and keep some kind of health insurance.


Thanks to all who answered. So I take it Net Jets has Seattle as a gateway city?

 

[Guitar Guy]

Thanks to all who answered. So I take it Net Jets has Seattle as a gateway city?

Yes, SEA is an NJA gateway city. And there is no bidding for gateways - you simply tell the company what city you will be using as your gateway. You also have the option to change gateways with advance (30 day) notice.

 

[rk772]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a gateway city? Does the company airline you from your gateway city to wherever you need to start your trip?

 

[Guitar Guy]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a gateway city? Does the company airline you from your gateway city to wherever you need to start your trip?

Since you come from an airline background, think of a gateway as a domicile. But unlike domiciles at the airlines, we don't bid for gateways - we simply state we gateway we are using and we can switch gateways at our discretion with appropriate notice.

And you are correct - NetJets will airline you/to from your gateway as part of your tour, as it's called. It is possible that you could be actually starting or ending your trip at your gateway, in which you obviously wouldn't airline.

One perk is that we keep our frequent-flier miles.

 

[gunfyter]

I should tell you all that my brother and I are opening a store in Portland, so money, or lack there of is not too important at this time. I just want to live in Portland, fly, and keep some kind of health insurance.


Thanks to all who answered. So I take it Net Jets has Seattle as a gateway city?

Not too many people will like to hear that. Will not get a recommendation from me.

 

[Frac Daddy]

I should tell you all that my brother and I are opening a store in Portland, so money, or lack there of is not too important at this time. I just want to live in Portland, fly, and keep some kind of health insurance.


Thanks to all who answered. So I take it Net Jets has Seattle as a gateway city?

If money is no problem, then why not go bug Flightcraft for some part-time work? That's what I would do.

 

[Simon Says]

Not too many people will like to hear that. Will not get a recommendation from me.

I don't get it. I wasn't looking for a reccommendation, I was looking for an answer to where you guys live and how you get to work.

And while we are at it, why wouldn't you like to hear that pay is not top of the list factor of working for a fractional?

 

[some_dude]

Shhh! Don't let G100Driver hear you say that!

I should tell you all that my brother and I are opening a store in Portland, so money, or lack there of is not too important at this time. I just want to live in Portland, fly, and keep some kind of health insurance.

 

[G100driver]

Shhh! Don't let G100Driver hear you say that!

LOL ... maybe some of us are trying to raise the bar in the Pac NW. For years we heard,

"well, we do not pay as much as industy standard, but you get to live in the Pac NW!"

The last thing we need is some dork saying, "I am not in it for the money, but really I am a professional."

Please do not show up at the local FBO's or flight deparatments and say something silly like that.

 

[smellthejeta]

LOL ... maybe some of us are trying to raise the bar in the Pac NW. For years we heard,

"well, we do not pay as much as industy standard, but you get to live in the Pac NW!"

The last thing we need is some dork saying, "I am not in it for the money, but really I am a professional."

Please do not show up at the local FBO's or flight deparatments and say something silly like that.

Hey, I don't even want to play pilot anymore, and when guys come knocking on the FBO door looking for a hookup and tell me they'll do anything for a little bit of TJ SIC time and give me the "I just wanna fly" speech, I talk some sense in to them. I tell them that if they go ahead and fly for free or undercut the market and get away with it, what happens when they want to move on, and every operator is figuring out that you can pay guys peanuts to build a little SIC TJ time? I tell 'em that they become their own worst enemy. I tell them to do themselves a favor, do a little flight instructing, network a little, and get competitive for the job they want.

Then, and only then, do I show the prospect the door and explain that every operator and corporate flight department I know of on the field is a class act that hires only the most qualified pilots and pays them accordingly

 

[Simon Says]

You guys are as bad as us regionals. I never said I would fly for free or even at a reduced rate. I have a job and enough turbine time PIC time. I am just looking to move to the Pac NW without commuting. I am willing to give up 7 years of senority so I wouldnt have to commute, and you guys think I am willing to lay all of this down just for some Jet PIC time.

I know about raising the bar, in fact being invovled in ALPA for the past three years and putting together a strike center has given me many insights into company tactics of union busting. You all at Net Jets are in that same boat, and you, Frac Daddy, could probally learn something from me.

Now give me a break, because I am not some new hire trying to lower the bar. I am just some guy not wanting a commute for the next twenty years.

 

[inverted1]

yep

Simon,

Unfortunately this is the attitude you are going to find from a lot of the NJ guys who are on this site. I understand what you meant and to get that kind of B.$. from them is hideous.

The Fracs aren't that bad and if you are still interested in going to one, you might consider Flight options who at the moment will let you fly out of most major cities. I believe a few more than Net Jets does.

Best of Luck...

 

[Frac Daddy]

I know about raising the bar, in fact being invovled in ALPA for the past three years and putting together a strike center has given me many insights into company tactics of union busting. You all at Net Jets are in that same boat, and you, Frac Daddy, could probally learn something from me.
QUOTE]

WTF is your problem? I offer a suggestion and you patronize me? Nice attitude, pal.

 

[Simon Says]

Not too many people will like to hear that. Will not get a recommendation from me.

Sorry Frac Daddy,

I missed the name by one post. You posted right below this guy and I got your name screwed up with Gunfyter.

You posted some nice things and some good ideas about FlightCraft. And I will check them out. They seem to have a nice FBO in PDX. Any body reading this FRAC DADDY rules!

I can post appalogize on other forums so all can know that I slandered your good name.

 

[AA717driver]

Ok, so the guy is a productive member of society, adding to the economy and a 152 won't cut it for him. You don't have to be a bomb-throwing union guy to do your tour and go home, do you?

If I were him, I'd choose Horizion so he could drive to work. JMO.

G100--They're telling me "Yeah, I know you're below the NBAA range but, Hey! you get to live in Indiana..." TC