Thinking of Netjets and ..........

[RP170]

I recommended someone back in Feb who wanted LAX and he got an interview in about 6-7 weeks. From what I've heard, DAL and PBI are the longest waits

My app was accepted on April 25. Just interviewed last week for PBI. Was hired and am waiting my class date and aircraft assigment as we speak. So about 3.5 months for me for PBI.

 

[learflyer]

You mean like I did when pulling reserve at an airline?

No thanks. I much prefer to know my start time before I go to bed the night before. That's how it works at NJ.

If it means I get to be home for more than 6 days at a time, then yes, absolutely. I'd rather work a longer stretch, then have lots of time off. 7 days off is nice.

Plus, as a newhire, my vacation gets me two 21-day stretches of time off in a year. As a 10-year pilot, I get four of them a year. In both cases, I get hotel and airline points that buy me a positive-space seat and a kickass hotel room, anywhere I want.

I'd say I generally spend less than 20 minutes a day on those tasks. Throw a few items in the trash bag, drop it on the ramp for the line service to take away, wipe a tray table or two, and run the vacuum for 30 seconds. For any significant cleaning, I down the plane and call a pro.


Truly, I don't care. The last-minute change to the plan the other day meant they could only find a First Class seat for me to get home from the new city. Oh, well.

I greatly prefer the variety of flying I see at NJA to the monotony of going back to Cleveland every other leg. That's me. Some folks like the consistency and the predictability, and that's fine too. But don't denigrate those of us who find it boring hell to go back and forth to a hub. Different people like different kinds of flying.

Besides, if the "new plan" schedules me to do more work than my body can handle, I simply call up and tell them I'm too tired. I get 14 hours off, and they find somebody else. I did it just last week, in fact, and enjoyed a nice mid-week break by the pool at a Hilton to recuperate.

Beats eating from Burger King and that godawful bagel shop in Cleveland for the rest of my life, hands-down. The roast pork loin and fresh-made red-skinned mashed potatoes I had last week out of Eagle were absolutely phenomenal. Next week I might enjoy a pulled pork sandwich, a chorizo breakfast burrito, or maybe a nice sirloin.


No, this job isn't for everyone. It's more work, but more rewarding work, than I experienced at the airlines. But I think you have some serious misconceptions about what we do in a typical day. That's OK -- my last boss had the same misconceptions about the NJA job when I gave my notice to leave that one. There's a lot of misinformation out there.

Yeah, like a regional pilot doesn't sweat in the cockpit of his RJ, with a deferred APU and a useless ground A/C unit... (And yes, that exact scenario played out when I airlined on CoEx the other day.)

No sweating here, either, because I run the APU to my heart's content, no questions asked, put a CD in the cabin stereo, and spend a few minutes getting the plane prepped for the next flight before I sit down inside and enjoy my lunch on my 90-minute turn. I had a couple hours of down time in Denver the other day, and we played a nice game of pool in the pilot's lounge at Signature while waiting for our passengers.


You're not cut out for this job -- I get it. I happen to like it, and the rewards, both financial and in quality of life, are substantial.

Kick a$$ hotel room? nay nay. No such thing. HOME every night is "Kick a$$"!

 

[Guitar Guy]

My app was accepted on April 25. Just interviewed last week for PBI. Was hired and am waiting my class date and aircraft assigment as we speak. So about 3.5 months for me for PBI.

Sounds like a fairly short wait for PBI. I've heard stories of people waiting well half a year for PBI or DAL. Glad to hear that wasn't the case for you.

Welcome aboard! :beer:

 

[doylehargraves]

CA1900,

You think I have misconceptions about the job huh? How long have you been flying fractional? Less than a year?? I've got more time in the lav in this industry than you have in the right seat. Don't preach about how good you have it until you've drank the kool-aid a little longer son.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

Kick a$$ hotel room? nay nay. No such thing. HOME every night is "Kick a$$"!

He meant it's positive space travel and a nice hotel room anywhere in the world on your days off with your family using your airline and Hilton Honors points.

 

[Hawker dude]

Kick a$$ hotel room? nay nay. No such thing. HOME every night is "Kick a$$"!

You like your wife that much?

 

[willNOTfly4free]

CA1900,

You think I have misconceptions about the job huh? How long have you been flying fractional? Less than a year?? I've got more time in the lav in this industry than you have in the right seat. Don't preach about how good you have it until you've drank the kool-aid a little longer son.

Do you want to be called at 3am in the morning for trips?

With a statement like this, I question how much *YOU* know about NetJets.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Comparing my job now to NetJets:

What it boils down to is this. Answer these questions for yourself:

Do you want to be called at 3am in the morning for trips?
Do you want to be gone for more than 6 days at a time?
Do you want to load luggage and clean airplanes all day?
Do you want your plans for the day to be changed 4 times before you leave the hotel or possibly in route?
Do you want to eat crew food the rest of your life?

I already am called out at 3am, and all other times of the day, after being on call 24/7 for several days (10 in a row is my record).

I have been gone away from home for 31 days in a row, with numerous 18-20 day periods.

I have had to load TONS of freight, including luggage. We used to get no pay-no we get extra to do it.

I have had my destination changed 5 times while enroute with Houston Center, and have had numerous trip changes at various points over the years.

We enjoy getting crew meals. Often, because we fly late, there is no food available at all-I always bring my own just in case.

NetJets isn't perfect, but it sounds pretty good to me. With home basing, or at least a base that is close to my house (like 15 miles away), it would be much better.

cliff
YIP

PS-I'd also enjoy a lav, APU, thrust reversers, an autopilot and flight director that work great, basically all the time, and a modern cockpit so I can fly automated when I want to.

 

[Diesel]

You think I have misconceptions about the job huh? How long have you been flying fractional? Less than a year?? I've got more time in the lav in this industry than you have in the right seat. Don't preach about how good you have it until you've drank the kool-aid a little longer son.

Any of this with NJ? No then its no comparison. A year is enough with NJ to know if its for you or not. 1900 gets it.... sorry you don't.

 

[CA1900]

CA1900,

You think I have misconceptions about the job huh? How long have you been flying fractional?

The question wasn't about fractional in general, it was about Netjets in particular. And judging by your message, you know very little about how that particular fractional operates.

Don't preach about how good you have it until you've drank the kool-aid a little longer son.

Ask anybody who knows me if I strike him as a "kool-aid drinker." (Right, Diesel? ) I'm quite aware of the downsides and tough spots in this job. But I'd take it over a career at CoEx any day of the week.

 

[FLYLOW22]

I believe the door for current, non-fractional pilots has closed for a while at NJA.

If the Oct vote passes, this place will be flooded with applications from pilots from the other fractionals. Many of which are currently typed in the a/c NJA operates.

Not to hire them over other types of pilots doesn't make sense from NJA's point of view. These people are "plug and play", they know what the business entails and don't have to be programed to think like a fractional pilot-----I mean this with respect to owner services.

Training would be easier, they are already familiar with the fractional way of life and hiring away from our competition would have some obvious market share advantages.

This is occuring as NJA has a record number of a/c being delivered and there is a definate need to get as many pilots trained and out on the road as safely and quickly as possible

I don't think that D has ever said that the company looks for other fractional pilots 1st and foremost.

Types, TT, walking on the moon... doesn't really matter so much.

Positive attitude is more important that previous fractional experience.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

Do you want your plans for the day to be changed 4 times before you leave the hotel or possibly in route?

Any corporate/charter/fractional pilot is used to last-minute scheduling changes. What makes it so different at NJA? It's part of the job, son.

Do you want to eat crew food the rest of your life?

I'd rather eat crew meals at NJA and pocket my per diem, than eat airline terminal food. BTW, how can you even compare NJA crew meals to airline terminal food?

If I had that kind of seniority, I wouldn't leave. If you can't survive on $80k a year, your problems aren't where you work.

The earnings potential is much higher at NJA than XJT, son.

 

[skiandsurf]

on a serious note...

With only about 10 upgrades per month (120 per year), do any of you real experts foresee faster upgrades?

Do you guys think that NJs will still be able to hire (and retain) the quality of pilots, without offering moremoney for the FOs?

For you guys thinking about coming over to NJs, Yes this is a great job. Its a great company. But be prepared for a long time to upgrade. We have about 2700 pilots (junior captains are 1850). The company "wants" 5000 pilots (3000 PICs 2000SICs).We have been in the 2700s for about 6 months (read= little growth). With FO pay topping out at $55,000 (ish), be prepared to hear the captains what a "great job this is" and "how much money they make", while you fill out paperwork so your kids can get government assistance for school lunch.

Again, this is a great job, but when they tell you "you will upgrade in 2-3 yrs", look at my numbers above, and do your own math.

 

[DO-82 driver]

I don't think the quality of the F/O we are getting now is a function of pay....I believe its more of a function of those willing to work at one of the 5 Domiciles.

I think the F/O's we hired prior to the CBA being ratified were more pax-oriented, but back then they were paid 10K/yr less and they had 26 Gateways to choose from.

I see a noticable difference between "pre" and "post" CBA ratified F/O's.

 

[ATRCA]

The question wasn't about fractional in general, it was about Netjets in particular. And judging by your message, you know very little about how that particular fractional operates.

Ask anybody who knows me if I strike him as a "kool-aid drinker." (Right, Diesel? ) I'm quite aware of the downsides and tough spots in this job. But I'd take it over a career at CoEx any day of the week.

Wait a minute! Who said anything about a career at XJT. Just thinking about a few different options. I will not be spending a career here.

 

[CA1900]

Wait a minute! Who said anything about a career at XJT.

Doylehargraves did -- he said, "If I were you, I would stay at XJT. ... If I had that kind of seniority, I wouldn't leave. If you can't survive on $80k a year, your problems aren't where you work."

That's what I was responding to, not your original message.

 

[Hawker dude]

With only about 10 upgrades per month (120 per year), do any of you real experts foresee faster upgrades?

Do you guys think that NJs will still be able to hire (and retain) the quality of pilots, without offering moremoney for the FOs?

For you guys thinking about coming over to NJs, Yes this is a great job. Its a great company. But be prepared for a long time to upgrade. We have about 2700 pilots (junior captains are 1850). The company "wants" 5000 pilots (3000 PICs 2000SICs).We have been in the 2700s for about 6 months (read= little growth). With FO pay topping out at $55,000 (ish), be prepared to hear the captains what a "great job this is" and "how much money they make", while you fill out paperwork so your kids can get government assistance for school lunch.

Again, this is a great job, but when they tell you "you will upgrade in 2-3 yrs", look at my numbers above, and do your own math.

dude, what bugs me is half the stuff you say is crap. an FO doesn't top out, there is COLA after that. look at your contract. you also don't read the IBT board or listen to your union leadership or have watched the hangar video, The company wants between 5000 to 10000 pilots now. pay attention, its free.

 

[LAZYB]

With a statement like this, I question how much *YOU* know about NetJets.

these are Flex pilots in denial...

 

[Buddro]

My app was accepted on April 25. Just interviewed last week for PBI. Was hired and am waiting my class date and aircraft assigment as we speak. So about 3.5 months for me for PBI.

RP170,

What did you decide to do? Allegiant or Netjets?

 

[Fozzy]

CA1900,

You think I have misconceptions about the job huh? How long have you been flying fractional? Less than a year?? I've got more time in the lav in this industry than you have in the right seat. Don't preach about how good you have it until you've drank the kool-aid a little longer son.

So what you are saying is that you would not leave a regional for FlexJet.