What do you like best about your fractional aircraft?

[On Your Six]

Ok Six Man...

What is more important?

Seniority or baggage compartment size/avionics suite?


400XP: Cramped... flying it is like camping with wings, no APU. Can't take off with engine anti ice on. Owners don't like it so much. Looks pretty. Rumbles when it turns becasue it has no ailerons. Fleet couldn't be busy even if it wanted to. Breaks too much. CP is awesome. Fly the Little Hawk and never actually fly!!:nuts:

Ultra: Like camping with wings, no APU. Great performer for what it does. Old high time frames break often. You can cook eggs on the glareshield during flight so you will never go hungry. Work out your lower back for walking up and down the aisle. Lav is "fun". CP is "High Maintenance". See the world at .755M, take the Ultra.

Encore: Everything like the Ultra only newer. Better avionics. Smells like a new car... and that is sooooo importantn when bidding a plane.

Excel: Awesome plane, get ready to work your ass off. You have two memory item numbers with this plane. 14, 10. 14, 10. That is how much you will work followed by rest. Oh yeah, APU bird on up from here on out. The largest NJA fleet soon with over 100 planes. But being part of the largest fleet is oh so important when bidding. Oh yeah, differences pay with 2 variants; XL and XLS.

800XP: Comfy bird. Little baggage space. Gentlemen's plane. You must be comfortable with cocks. It's a British thing, you wouldn't understand. 2 Variables with this plane but split into 2 fleets. The Honeywell and the Collins. Steam vs. Atari. CP likes to shake babies and kiss hands. He like to wear Ray Bans like in Top Gun.

The Venerable Soverign: Awesome airframe. Short field, CAVERNOUS baggage, lots of room. Cramped cockpit but don't worry, it will only go coast to coast at .80. Look at the Cessna ads for this one. "Take it with you. Take it ALL with you." Accept the 680 and bring a weight belt. Nice plane but when shceduling fgures out that it can replace any broken plane out there, WATCH OUT!!!

The Mighty X: Become X-Rated, fly the X at .92M and wonder... "exactly what timezone am I in" every morning when waking up. It is a ping pong that goes E-W in the summer between the money trail along NY and LA. In the winter the flight pattern of this fast flier changes to N-S between the cold weather money trail. NY-FL (and Carrib). The X gets it share of intl flying but only if you are on the ATeam (read: Not you). The X works hard, has a small cockpit and a cool motorcycle riding CP. He has a temper but hey, he's italian. That all comes with the territory.

The G-200: Growth fleet. Lots of room. Squirrelly on landing. Looks like a doorstop. Flies a long distance and kicks butt. LOTS OF ROOM. Stand up cabin. LOTS OF ROOM. Did I mention it is roomy?

The Sexy Falcon (Classic 2000 or EZ): Nice ride. You'll fly with some of the most senior and "unique" individuals on the seniority list. FA's can be good things or bad things and you can't MEL them. Sometimes less is more. Int'l missions as well as domestic. A team factor is huge here. The Falcon loves an ass kisser in good standing. You'll fly the Governator.

The G-4/5: Coming attractions.

And after all that I have to say.... SENIORITY, SENIORITY, SENIORITY.

It's a number's game, not summer camp.

Now that's a great answer...

 

[FLYLOW22]

Now that's a great answer...

All I needed was a little motvation. I'm not cranky, I just need a hug. :blush:

Seriously, the best thing you can hope for as a pilot at the frax is being paired up with a guy/gal that "get's it" and is a good flying partner.

"Planes are planes. The pilots are NetJets". --Warren Buffett, 2006

 

[dash_trash]

Unfortunately, they run us ragged in the 400 here. Also, there is not growth planned for OUR future, only a reduction in the fleet size.

 

[Flex newby]

I'm new at Flex---got the cl30. It's s great ride. Stand up headroom, comfortable cockpit, a little noisy, incredible performance, 14,000 lbs of gas, great group of pilots, great management, marginal pay and benefits. It's up there with the G's and Falcons. You would most probably like it.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Unfortunately, they run us ragged in the 400 here. Also, there is not growth planned for OUR future, only a reduction in the fleet size.

I heard a reduction of the 400XP in the US and shipping them to NJE with love. You hearing the same?

I bet the old Phenom 300 shows up here to replace both the Ultra and 400XP... they have to last until 09 though.

 

[p3hawk]

I would have to the DA2000, then the Hawkersaurus, the 737 is a fun type too. all have apu's 2 of the 3 FA's. man I love this job.

 

[On Your Six]

I heard a reduction of the 400XP in the US and shipping them to NJE with love. You hearing the same?

I bet the old Phenom 300 shows up here to replace both the Ultra and 400XP... they have to last until 09 though.

I think Dash Trash is referring to FLOPS - right? Those Beechjet guys are worked pretty hard I have heard.

 

[RNObased]

I think Dash Trash is referring to FLOPS - right? Those Beechjet guys are worked pretty hard I have heard.

I think he is referring to flops also, he mentioned 3+ years in the thing. NJA has only had them since Sept 2004, first class went to ICT in May of the same year. It was a nice summer off....

I would expect the Phenon 300 announcement at NBAA.

One thing he forgot to mention about the 400 is that you never know when the thing will flame out a engine or two just to jump start your heart.

 

[FLYLOW22]

I think Dash Trash is referring to FLOPS - right? Those Beechjet guys are worked pretty hard I have heard.

Ah! Got it.

 

[dash_trash]

Who else in this fractional business has their management talking lay-off's and is actually going through a fleet reduction ... Um, Flight Options.

3+ years in the BeechJet, with many rotations were we fly 35-40 hours in the week. Multiple 14 hour days followed by minimum rest, forced vacations, denied vacations, hotel quality, and the list goes on and on. Not a very happy group right now.

Right now all we can hope for is "Good Faith" bargaining by the company and the possibility things will get better when we hammer out a contract.

Sorry to have strayed from the orginal thread, got to vent every now and then.

 

[RNObased]

Right now all we can hope for is "Good Faith" bargaining by the company
.

Good luck with that.... Companies won't bargain in good faith until they have to.... or are forced to.

 

[dash_trash]

Very much aware of what their idea of "Good Faith" entales. Lets just say, they'll see the light ... one way or another.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Very much aware of what their idea of "Good Faith" entales. Lets just say, they'll see the light ... one way or another.

I think you guys will have more than "good faith" to bank on very soon.

 

[Tref]

I didn't find it funny. He wasn't answering the specific questions (mentioning actual aircraft flown). Why is that funny? He sounds like a d!ck to me.

Sounds like Dash Trash got it right.

Lighten up Francis. Maybe time for a haircut too?

 

[On Your Six]

Lighten up Francis. Maybe time for a haircut too?

Thanks for answering the original post and adding value.