Questions for NetJet Pilots

[Flex]

Ok, Airbear.... Looks like you've talked yourself into the job. The official NJ Interview Prep is over. I'd go ahead and give Derinda a call because it sounds like you have all the answers. Good luck.

 

[jppt2000]

______________

 

[AirBear8]

Ok, Airbear.... Looks like you've talked yourself into the job. The official NJ Interview Prep is over. I'd go ahead and give Derinda a call because it sounds like you have all the answers. Good luck.

I'm not happy about the pay cut, I may even have to take my 15 year mortgage back to 30 years. But until Air, Inc. puts on another of their job fairs, or unless I get lucky and SWA, UPS, Fedex, or a few of the wide body cargo operators I applied with come through NJA is my best bet for parole from Mesa purgatory. There's very few airlines out there where I know someone who can write a LOR. Atlas/Polar, World, SWA, and AirTran are about it, and without exeception my friends are all brand new at those companies so their LOR's may not carry much weight. I don't know of anywhere you can get hired without an internal recommendation except maybe someone like AirTran who tends to hire from the job fairs.

I've already scheduled a NJA interview. I've done about as much research as possible, I've even read the current contract and the rejected TA. Everyone is telling me once they invite you for the interview the job is yours to lose, but I'm not taking anything for granted. I'll listen to what they have to say and try to make the best impression I can and then see what happens.

This message board and the contacts I've made from it have been a great source of info, my thanks to the persons or groups that sponser it.

AirBear

 

[AirBear8]

I came to NetJets just before Comair strike.
I came from ASA.
Everything you print is pretty accurate.
In my opinion, SIC in the Falcon is one of the best jobs at NetJets.
Don't mean to corrode your pixie dust, but
You get NO perdiem until you leave your gateway.
Also just did IOE with a USAir guy last month who said he was on the USAir contract negotiating committee.

Come to think of it when we're doing ready reserve in the PHL crew room we don't get per diem either, but we do get guaranteed 4 to 6 hours pay or what we fly, whichever is greater. Seems stupid to put you at the airport at 0400 when flights don't even depart for at least another 2 hours. You run out of crew day that much sooner.

AirBear

 

[Starman]

Yes, it does seem stupid doesn't it. But their motto is - never let stupidity get in the way of a good pilot flogging by the schedulers. This is company sponsored punishment for us not calling in on our last day off. As long as you wring your hands and look concerned about the situation, as a manager at NetJets, you can let the flogging go on indefinitety. Right Bill? Right "Just Gary?"

I can't believe with what you've been told that you're still considering signing up for this for 2 years. Your momma must have let you play with plastic bags as a child.

Look at it this way though, there'll be a whole bunch of guys that'll help you kick yourself in the ass in about 6 months.

 

[HiSpeedFlyer]

Hey Bear,
I just left a 121 gig to start up this coming week at NetJets. After two displacements back to the right seat, a cross country commute weekly, and a capped FO salary, I needed a change. Most of these guys havent been in our shoes, and seen what has happened to our careers. Its a friggin' circus in the 121 world, and it is a verrrrry unstable situation, whether you are regional or legacy, the job isn't what it was advertised and will only get worse before it gets better.
I know that either in the factional world or 121 world, we pilot types are a miserable, complaining constantly, totally whiny group of individuals. Its shows in these posts, and in the other boards I have frequented. Regardless, you have to make your own mind up. I have heard both the positives and the negatives from my buddies, and I chose to give a go at it.
Personally, if taking a hit in my wallet for the next 3-5 years will preserve my piece of mind, and allows me to see my newborn on a normal schedule..and provides stablility in my career, then I'm in...its definitely not Nirvana... but it is a better pathway, me thinks. Let the flames begin.


Carry on, kids.

 

[Grizz]

Wow -

A brand new member of this board in March makes his very first post extolling the virtues of coming to NetJets from the 121 world. I guess recruiting is going even worse than I'd heard. Run along troll...we've seen it all before.

 

[HiSpeedFlyer]

Wow -

A brand new member of this board in March makes his very first post extolling the virtues of coming to NetJets from the 121 world. I guess recruiting is going even worse than I'd heard. Run along troll...we've seen it all before.

Y'know, Griz, you're a knucklehead.....

Didn't I just say I heard em both, the good and bad?
I guess I just heard the ugly.... you.

Its my call, and I chose to come here.

Dont be obtuse, and dont insult me by calling me a troll.....you might find I could be an alright guy, but you are definitely starting off on the wrong foot.
See you on line, sweety.

 

[650 driver]

Hey Grizz, whats the the latest number of pilots to exit Netjets in Feb?

Thanks
650

 

[Grizz]

Y'know, Griz, you're a knucklehead.....

Actually,

If you are what you pretend to be, you'll be on F/O wages for 5 years and that makes you the true knucklehead. But if it'll make you feel better, fire me your name off the seniority list in a PM. After I give you a call, I'll retract my troll comment. Unfortunately, the knucklehead one is going to have to stay.

 

[Grizz]

Hey Grizz, whats the the latest number of pilots to exit Netjets in Feb?

Thanks
650

The latest attrition list I have was completed before the end of the month and it was already at 10. We lost 15 in January. Most folks are waiting till June to see which way this thing goes. After that, standby for the mass exodus. We've got a bunch of older guys that are just hanging on waiting for some kind of retro check / signing bonus. It's not gonna surprise me to see us lose 200 pilots or more in the first six months after the contract is done.

 

[VinMingie]

Bank of America is hiring in CLT, you may want to take a look at them

 

[H. J. Simpson]

The grass always looks greener....

One could say the same thing about your opinion about Mesa. I guarantee you the regional life (especially commuting) is a miserable existence.

 

[AirBear8]

One could say the same thing about your opinion about Mesa. I guarantee you the regional life (especially commuting) is a miserable existence.

I'm sitting reserve at Mesa right now. Over the next 4 weeks I have a total of 8 days off to look forward to. Since I go on call at 0600 I have to fly up the evening before. I'm on my 3rd hotel room since the 7th. (about $140 total). I'll probably need at least one more room before going home Sunday, assuming I can even get a seat home on a Sunday night. I was barely able to get the days off I need for the NetJets interview. Since starting this thread I've talked to a number of ex-usair pilots now at NJA plus a few others. Other than the pay they like the job. All of them think the pay will come up substantially. I'm still not 100% certain I'll accept the offer if I get one but I'm leaning towards it. My wife hasn't rendered an opinion yet, she says just wait and see if I get the offer and then we'll "talk" about it. I hate it when she says that ;-/

AirBear

 

[Hung Start]

Hey AirBear:


Were you interviewed on Tues/Wed. of this week? If so, I sat with you. So, as I said, best of luck.
For everyone else, Derrinda was saying upgrade time is looking around 2 1/2 years, depending on plane. She was pretty open that some aircaft (Falcon etc.) it would be a very long time. I think they tried not to sugar coat anything. Kind of like, here it is, good and bad, make your best decision.

Flame suit installed,,,,,,

 

[AirBear8]

I interview later this morth. As for upgrades, all I care about is the pay, I have plenty of PIC time. So as long as bypass pay stays in a new contract, or if I'm free to change planes in order to upgrade that's fine with me.

I've read the gouges over at aviationinterviews.com, if you have any new info about questions you were asked and have time to reply I'd be very interested in hearing about them.

AirBear

Hey AirBear:


Were you interviewed on Tues/Wed. of this week? If so, I sat with you. So, as I said, best of luck.
For everyone else, Derrinda was saying upgrade time is looking around 2 1/2 years, depending on plane. She was pretty open that some aircaft (Falcon etc.) it would be a very long time. I think they tried not to sugar coat anything. Kind of like, here it is, good and bad, make your best decision.

Flame suit installed,,,,,,

 

[Diesel]

Whooooah Just so you know airbear that if you recieve bypass pay in the plane your in and you bid an FO bid in another plane you lose all bypass pay.

Better hope you don't get hired into the ultra.

 

[x402]

Better hope you don't get hired into the ultra.

How quickly they turn.........

 

[Grizz]

Hey AirBear:


Were you interviewed on Tues/Wed. of this week? If so, I sat with you. So, as I said, best of luck.
For everyone else, Derrinda was saying upgrade time is looking around 2 1/2 years, depending on plane. She was pretty open that some aircaft (Falcon etc.) it would be a very long time. I think they tried not to sugar coat anything. Kind of like, here it is, good and bad, make your best decision.

Flame suit installed,,,,,,

I've been here 2 1/2 years and am not anywhere near upgrading. The last 400XP bid went 400 numbers senior to me. Come here now and you'll be 400 numbers junior to me. Do the math and I think you'll figure out that 2 1/2 years is never gonna happen. You had better count on 5 years. That would be a reasonable expectation.

 

[Grizz]

So as long as bypass pay stays in a new contract, or if I'm free to change planes in order to upgrade that's fine with me.
...
AirBear

New pilots would not not get bypass pay according to the TA that we voted down last fall. Existing pilots on bypass pay would continue to receive it as long as they had a standing Captain bid in for the aircraft they were currently assigned. The company hates bypass pay. You can count on it not being part of the new contract. Get used to the idea that 5 years of your life will be spent at F/O wages if you come here. Don't say you weren't warned.

 

[JetFumes]

O.K., I haven't read all of these posts, but I have a question for Bear.... Why not try Citation shares or some other higher quality corporate job?

 

[sweptwingz]

Be VERY Careful

Union negotiations are about "give and take". The general feeling is that bypass pay will no longer exist when we vote on our new NJA contract. It's an "expendable" that will probably be sacrificed for the greater good, i.e. a SOLID pay raise (sorry, but that means Captains, just like at most real companies) and basing rules.

I was in SJC two weeks ago and ran into a 4th Year Ultra F/O who had bid EVERY PIC bid out since his hire date and still can't hold left seat.

I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but any new hire or junior F/O had best be ready to operate the power levers with their left arm for what may be a VERY long time.

Let the "buyer" beware.

 

[Fracster]

Be careful how far in advance you are thinking of being here. Waiting many years to upgrade may not be a good career choice at NJA. We have commuter style management and they are intent on keeping this place as a commuter equivalent in pay and treatment.

Remember folks, gateways are only good for the term of the contract. Anything is negotiable.

 

[AirBear8]

O.K., I haven't read all of these posts, but I have a question for Bear.... Why not try Citation shares or some other higher quality corporate job?

Because NJA is the only place I have an internal LOR for. And even with that I still had to attend a job fair and meet Derinda in person to get the interview. No other Fractional Operators were at the fair. I talked to SWA and AWA but nothing has come of that. I realize NJA is a risk considering a new contract is pending, but if US Airways survives I have the option of taking a job at the Mid-Atlantic division or possibly even back to mainline since I'm only around 300 numbers from recall. So I have a possible escape route if need be. NJA must realize that if they close a gateway, many of the pilots there will have to quit since there's no non-reving or jumpseating to help you commute. For the first time in 21 years of marriage my wife makes more than I do so we're sure not leaving CLT. I'm sure many pilots have family issues that would prevent them from moving.

AirBear

 

[AirBear8]

Got the Job

Thanks to everyone who sent me PM's and took the time to talk to me on the phone. I've been hired and start soon. Unfortunately the Ultra was the only plane available for my interview class so I'll sweat it out in that plane for 2 years then go to something nicer. As recently as last month some new hires were getting the G200 and Falcon, but that was not to be for my group.

At least I'm going into this with eyes wide open thanks to all the info I've gotten from this board.

AirBear

 

[x402]

Welcome, and Good Luck!

 

[Diesel]

holy crap the ultra? man i'm so sorry. Stupid U boat.

 

[learflyer]

Airbear, u giving up on SWA already? I see you have your type.

 

[AirBear8]

Airbear, u giving up on SWA already? I see you have your type.

I've had an app on file with them for 2.5 years with no results. I even talked to the SWA PHX Chief Pilot at a job fair. He said my resume was very competitive and didn't know why I hadn't heard anything. I think SWA has slammed the door on hiring right now, at least that's the rumor I heard. That company is going to have some problems when their fuel hedging runs out next year.

AirBear

 

[Schrode]

The rumor I heard is SWA is picking up 400 pilots or so from ATA and a bunch of their 737's - just a rumor, so take this with a grain of salt. A friend at NJA just got hired ahead of the 400 (started this week). I personnally know 2 others from NJA just got hired at SWA.