washing the plane

[2000flyer]

JetPilot,

I'm just curious, how much turnover does your company have?

Top three pilots have a combined 57 years with the company. We've lost two guys in the last 3-years.

If you were offered the same position with a different company, paying $10k more and you didn't have to wash planes, you did get rental cars and stayed in descent hotels, would you move on?

Maybe. I'd need much more information to make that call.

Did you known this was part of the job when you took it? If you did and are ok with it, then you and your boss found a good match. I wouldn't even consider a job that made me wash the plane.

No, I had no idea. Had I know it may have been a consideration, but since my [then] employer was closing the department, I probably would have taken it anyway considering the lack of interviews I was getting back then.

Please don't tell me you wash executives cars too! I have heard of that as well.

NO.

For $7.50 an hour you could hire a full time guy to wash an airplane and he'd probably be thrilled to have that job right now. That equates to about $15,000 per year in salary and maybe a little more with benefits. What does it cost to train a new pilot, because the last guy left for a better job?

You're preaching to the choir here!

How many Accountants or office workers do you know, that go to the office on Saturday (their day off), to clean the office?

You know, empty the waste baskets, dust the cabinets, vacuum and clean the windows. Hey this stuff has to get done you know. Why should the company pay for office cleaners? Besides, they should feel lucky to have a job right now in this economy.

No offense, but now you're just being a smart a$$. An accountant can go to one of a hundred local company's and get a job. How many Falcon 2000's are based at your airport? More over, how many are hiring right now? Compare apples to apples next time.

Regards,
2000Flyer

 

[TAG2]

No Sir, we don't wash our plane. We also use a professional detailing service.

 

[JetPilot500]

No offense, but now you're just being a smart a$$. An accountant can go to one of a hundred local company's and get a job. How many Falcon 2000's are based at your airport? More over, how many are hiring right now? Compare apples to apples next time.

Regards,
2000Flyer

2000Flyer,

Please don't misinterpret my comments, I was not trying to jab you.

You are correct in that there is more supply than demand for pilots right now. There may be more accounting jobs out there, but there are also a lot more accountants in the world than pilots.

Also, why are you limiting your search to Falcon 2000's? You are a "Corporate" pilot. Your qualifications should make you a candidate to fly just about any corporate airplane.

Good Luck,
JetPilot500

 

[banned username 2]

Also, why are you limiting your search to Falcon 2000's? You are a "Corporate" pilot. Your qualifications should make you a candidate to fly just about any corporate airplane.

Ain't dat da facts... just a little over a year ago JetPilot500 didn't even know what a Falcon 900EX was, now he done flyin' 'em all over the planet!

 

[2000flyer]

2000Flyer,

Please don't misinterpret my comments, I was not trying to jab you.

You are correct in that there is more supply than demand for pilots right now. There may be more accounting jobs out there, but there are also a lot more accountants in the world than pilots.

Also, why are you limiting your search to Falcon 2000's? You are a "Corporate" pilot. Your qualifications should make you a candidate to fly just about any corporate airplane.

Good Luck,
JetPilot500

Jet,

My apologies for the "smart a$$" comment. Just one of those days you know.

First of all, I'm not actively seeking employment. Second, have you looked at the want ads lately? When is the last time you saw an ad for, say, a G4 position that said "any corporate aircraft time will do"? Most jobs now being advertised, thanks to a glut of pilot's on the market, want specific time in type, usually a fair amount at that, plus most want a type in their type of aircraft just to get an interview.

True, my experience is competitive to probably get a job on a Challenger or Gulfstream. However, if you have 25 candidates and 15 have types and time in type, who are you going to interview?

2000Flyer

 

[Gulfstream 200]

You COULD be more marketable than you think.
Sounds like you have a good work ethic, etc...

Having time in type is not the golden egg one would think..

I personally think the jobs the REQUIRE time in types are usually the crappier jobs!

Just an observation....

 

[2000flyer]

You COULD be more marketable than you think.
Sounds like you have a good work ethic, etc...

Having time in type is not the golden egg one would think..

I personally think the jobs the REQUIRE time in types are usually the crappier jobs!

Just an observation....

Gulfstream,

You may be correct sir. I have just noticed ads wanting type or time in type or both. Since I never sent a resume, I can't say that they would or wouldn't invite me to an interview.

If, indeed, I start looking, I hope your observations are ON THE MONEY!

Regards,
2000Flyer

 

[Gulfstream 200]

AHHH...another facade..(sp)..

The jobs you SEE advertised for tend to be those crappier jobs I was refering to!

The best jobs dont get advertised until they are really filled. and that advertisement is usually someplace odd just to appease the HR folks. - at least in the corp sector of our biz!

But anyways, at least you have a job you seem to like now. That means a lot.

 

[JetPilot500]

Jet,

My apologies for the "smart a$$" comment. Just one of those days you know.

First of all, I'm not actively seeking employment. Second, have you looked at the want ads lately? When is the last time you saw an ad for, say, a G4 position that said "any corporate aircraft time will do"? Most jobs now being advertised, thanks to a glut of pilot's on the market, want specific time in type, usually a fair amount at that, plus most want a type in their type of aircraft just to get an interview.

True, my experience is competitive to probably get a job on a Challenger or Gulfstream. However, if you have 25 candidates and 15 have types and time in type, who are you going to interview?

2000Flyer

I know everyone has unique situations, but I've been hired by 2 major corporate flight departments in my lifetime. The first one was with one of the largest companies in the world flying a G-IV, and yes economic times were better then. I never flew a Gulfstream before in my life, however. At my current job, with Fortune 100 company, I was hired to be a captain on a Falcon 50EX/900EX. Again, I never flew either of these aircraft. At the time I was hired, I was a furloughed airline pilot about 1 year after 9/11.

I'm not trying to gloat, or make my situation sound better than yours or anything. I'm just trying to point out that opportunites do exist. Don't mentally limit yourself, or you will be limited for sure.

Good Luck,
JetPilot500

 

[Diesel]

When I first started flying I started washing planes to pay for the flying. Worked for the same guy for 7 years ended up in the king air. We were a very small operation in the northland and when there was nothing going on the pilots would all get together cranked up the music and washed the planes down. It was a fun time. We all did mx too. We were young and it was part of the job. Also it was a good time because afterwards we'd all head out on the lake and go waterskiing. The boss was also there washing and cleaning. He lead by example which was nice. It was what it was a great learning experience.

I then worked for a guy who owned a king air the option was mine. I could either have a detail company come in and do it or i could take the money. When we were short of money the wife and i would go down and detail the plane a nice 500 bucks for a good dinner. Don't worry i got paid very well on sallary. It was just nice to have a couple of hundred extra dollars if we were going on vacation.

Now at the frac. I do cleaning that only a dustbuster would do. Beyond that i call the detail shop. I've had some people trash the plane so bad i wouldn't even go back in i just called and had the detail company come right away.

The point of this is. It all depends on the job. We are professionals. These are expensive planes and a lot of first time owners don't understand that they need to be cleaned at it cost money to do it.