USA Jet isn't usual so quiet

[iaflyer]

Well - I understand what Tailroter head is saying - but it wasn't just once and it wasn't just contract fuel "misunderstandings" or points. I have heard of unauthorized rental cars, food, use of other hotels other than where the reservations were made. The dollar amounts I have heard are staggering.

As I understand, cuts in all departments were needed. The head honchos in flight ops realized that by cutting the unauthorized charges that a few pilots were making (by that were not following company policies with regard to the use of company credit cards) , many other pilots who had not violated company policy would be retained.

Like Everett Howe said, you can earn a lot of points filling up a DC-9 by charging the retail price of gas as opposed to contract fuel. It is possible that a Captain on a -9 could cost the company $6,000 additional by not taking contract fuel, at ONE fuel stop. Multiple this by number of fuel stops a trip and number of trips a month by a number of months - it can get to be a big number. In fact, that number can be the cost of a Falcon or DC-9 First officer.

 

[Everett Howe]

Well - I understand what Tailroter head is saying - but it wasn't just once and it wasn't just contract fuel "misunderstandings" or points. I have heard of unauthorized rental cars, food, use of other hotels other than where the reservations were made. The dollar amounts I have heard are staggering.

That might be true, I don't have the full picture. But if it's true that Yip Jr. was spared and everybody else was fired without a warning thats a huge injustice and quite harsh.

But I guess if you mess with B.H.'s money you're f.u.cked.

Oh, and by the way, the person paying/auditing the amex bills should be fired too.

Howie

 

[VABB]

So can someone still get a job with no college and a $100,000.00/yr salary in his twenties in this profession? YIP??

 

[TheGuat]

What's the QOL after the firings?

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

This goes back a few year ago, but I was picking up freight at GSP and there was also a JUS Falcon waiting for freight. I was talking to the crew and one of the things that I remember them saying is that whoever is in charge of hiring liked to hire guys with some sort of skeleton in their closet. That does not mean that that is the only kind of pilot that was hired, just they liked them because they knew they would be sticking around. Anyway, they were apparently called "lifers" as that would more than likely be their only ever 121 job. For the most part these were guys that maybe got a DUI or something along those lines. So what I have to wonder is if any of these 8 guys who were fired are any of the so called "lifers" that now have a huge up hill battle to find another job. I also wonder if there will be any wrongful termination lawsuits over this. It sure will be interesting to hear how this all plays out.

 

[pilotyip]

Yes USA Jet will hire pilots that may not be marketable in the larger job market, and retention is something to consider when hiring a pilot. We have no training contract. This could include a pilot with a DUI 5 years ago, to a pilot who was released by Delta Airlines because he failed IOE, to some one who does not have college degree, to a pilot who is in his late 40's, to a variety of reasons. We like military helo drivers, because they will have to stay awhile to get enough fixed wing time. The life events that might disqualify a pilot from getting hired at FedEx, UPS, etc should disqualify a pilot from working in a lower level of the industry. But we do not look for basket cases to fill seats. And surprisingly guys still get jobs at the next level, Net jets, Spirit, Jet Blue, Airtran etc.

 

[TheGuat]

Yes USA Jet will hire pilots that may not be marketable in the larger job market, and retention is something to consider when hiring a pilot. We have no training contract. This could include a pilot with a DUI 5 years ago, to a pilot who was released by Delta Airlines because he failed IOE, to some one who does not have college degree, to a pilot who is in his late 40's, to a variety of reasons. We like military helo drivers, because they will have to stay awhile to get enough fixed wing time. The life events that might disqualify a pilot from getting hired at FedEx, UPS, etc should disqualify a pilot from working in a lower level of the industry. But we do not look for basket cases to fill seats. And surprisingly guys still get jobs at the next level, Net jets, Spirit, Jet Blue, Airtran etc.

So Randy, is that the reason you have been "retained" by usajet all these years?

 

[Tail Rotorhead]

Another reason USA Jet might like helo guys is because some people who make hiring decisions have children who have only helo time and they can then get them hired and promoted out of seniority. They will be making a better living than the guy who earned every hour of his fixed wing as a CFI and doing other grunt flying jobs. I wonder if helo time would be so desirable in a new hire if said persons progeny didn't have helo time.

Again, there may have been a few who had some other "questionable" charges besides fuel, but the #1 name on everyone's lips, the main "culprit" is sitting pretty. But, he has helo time and no college degree and we all know that counts for something. The majority weren't doing anything malicious. I wouldn't be surprised to see a class-action wrongful termination suit coming down the pike, which is definitely going to cost the company more than paychecks. In reality they aren't saving anyone's jobs, they are going to be costing money defending themselves and paying guys to work days off because they will now be short staffed. If it really was some evil guys embezzeling funds that would be one thing, but it's not and this isn't going to stave off other layoffs or paycuts.

 

[gringo]

So can someone still get a job with no college and a $100,000.00/yr salary in his twenties in this profession? YIP??

No no no, you got it wrong. He said by your thirties, not twenties.

Well, I guess the bright side is that everyone who got fired are now in perfect position to ride that "June 2007 hiring boom" wave! Yeee-hawww!

 

[pilotyip]

are you telling tailrotor you are not proud of your rotor wing time? or perhaps you have no rotor wing time and your profile could be incorrect? We do not know who are, you just hide and post, hide and post, hide and post. Makes you feel very secure I am sure.

 

[TheGuat]

are you telling tailrotor you are not proud of your rotor wing time? or perhaps you have no rotor wing time and your profile could be incorrect? We do not know who are, you just hide and post, hide and post, hide and post. Makes you feel very secure I am sure.

Randy, you gonna fire him too when you find out who he is?

 

[pilotyip]

Guat, Again I am only a score keeper. So I cannot fire him, but I will buy him a beer at the "Wedge". Then we can settle this like adults, instead of one adult and one who has helo time envy. BTW helo guys make up about 25% of our new hire pilot force, some classes have been 100%, they are great employees and easily trained, but I knew that before I hired my son because I had been pursuing military helo pilots since 1998 when we could not find any high time fixed wing pilots for DA-20's. If I could have found a dozen more like them, I would have hired them We needed guys who could make Capt in about 6 months. Our insurance company thinks helo time counts for everything, so we started hiring them. It works.

 

[PCL_128]

Maybe it's time that you guys took another union vote. Sure would be nice for these guys to have some legal respresentation to get their jobs back. With morally-bankrupt management cronies acting like hatchet men, maybe it's time to do something about it.

 

[Tail Rotorhead]

To quote you Randy, "you give me too much credit". I have helo time envy like you have airline job envy. I have helo time, I don't think it earns me any special passes though, I am the kind of guy that believes in the seniority list and fair treatment, maybe a rarity in this industry. But, I have a college degree too, so maybe that should take a few points off my score in your opinion. I don't work at USA Jet anymore, I don't even live in MI (sorry I won't see you at the "Wedge"), but it bothers me to see friends and professionals getting treated so shabbily. Plus, I know how it must irk you that you can't figure it out, obviously since you keep calling me a coward. I'm one wascally wabbit. That's all doc.

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

Maybe it's time that you guys took another union vote. Sure would be nice for these guys to have some legal respresentation to get their jobs back. With morally-bankrupt management cronies acting like hatchet men, maybe it's time to do something about it.

I am not a big fan of unions, but they do seem to have there place in the aviation industry. Otherwise you stand a good chance of taking it right up the can like these 8 guys. I mean, if Domino's pizza delivery drivers can do it (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14955278/), so can the USA Jet pilot group.