What's it like to fly a J31/32?

[avpro91]

Been flying the "wetdream" for over a year now. Agree with everything that's been said. Wasn't too excited about it when i first got the job, but glad i took it...love flying it. Fun airplane, keeps you on your toes...trim...trim...trim.

Hire_me Corporate airlines is hiring, the guys next door are too CFM...www.flycfm.com

 

[gopherflight]

My favorite is the spar running through the middle of the cabin floor, with a flashing "caution" light above it. Passengers would look up to see the flashing light and trip over the spar!

How about the "reinforced" curtain cockpit "door". No terrorist can get through that thing to get access to the cockpit! Riiight!!!!

 

[belchfire]

boilerup...esteemed? hehehe. I miss
u guys! did they ever renew the lease?


hire_me

Corporate Airlines is doing some hiring...
don't know how much more, or how many.
I would recommend that you search for the
thread on corpex and read it, particularly
throttlejockys brilliant essay on the
wonders of working there, b-4 considering
any commitment to that establishment.
That said, there are a few worse places,
so be careful! I used to think Mesa was,
but at least they are getting their raises!

I would send them a resume...if nothing else
just for the practice. Going through any
interview in this time is a good thing! If you
do get a job, consider your time there as
an indentured servitude toward getting a
job somewhere (almost anywhere) else,
keep your resume current and out there
in front of God and everyone, because most
2nd/3rd year FO's make more than our CA's.
We have CA's leaving to go to other
regionals for that reason, and lots of FO's
bailing also.

Time was, when bigger airlines would hire
people with 1000 hrs PIC in the -32, it wasn't
a bad deal. We now have people that have
been FO's for 2 years, a CA for one year and
are still on reserve...used to be able to get
that 1000 hrs in 18-26 months. Management
still looks at the pilot pool as a stepping stone
not a career...and deals with us on that level.

Also, look up posts on Pan Am & Boston-maine
airways. From what I've read, they are even
worse, but I don't want to pissoff any of those
guys/gals, so check with them.

If you want to move to Tennesee, Corporate
Flight Management operates the -32 but they
are on call alot. I don't know who to tell you
to talk to about them. They started corpex,
but there has been a falling out among the
theives I believe...I know that they used to
pay a lot more...I don't know what they do
now.

If you have the time to get on with an outfit
that uses rj's, do it. The upgrade may or may
not take longer, but your wallet will be far less
emaciated in the long run.

Good Luck!

 

[belchfire]

My favorite is the spar running through the middle of the cabin floor, with a flashing "caution" light above it. Passengers would look up to see the flashing light and trip over the spar!

How about the "reinforced" curtain cockpit "door". No terrorist can get through that thing to get access to the cockpit! Riiight!!!!

Ha...I want to hang a ham or some pork
rinds on the bulkhead to keep those guys
away!!!

 

[BoilerUP]

boilerup...esteemed? hehehe. I miss
u guys! did they ever renew the lease?

The lease is "month by month" now. It seems we learn more about our future in LAF from reading the Journal and Courier than we hear from Larry or Thomas. That's where we heard STL was cutting back the hub, thats where we heard we were losing the midday flight back in August. We have been hearing constantly louder rumors of 3C flying out of IND to SBN and EVV, so *maybe* the company has some sort of growth planned after they do axe us.

If our lazy-azz airport manager would quit wasting time, she *might* be able to recruit somebody to fly the 328 jet or an EMB-135 in here, such as CHQ or Skyway or ACA. If LAF had a small jet that flew to a major hub (ORD, CVG, ATL, MEM, DTW, PHL, etc), I think we could be able to provide good loads. Windy City would be a great addition too, but all their planes fly right over us coming from IND to MDW.

Maybe 3C will start flying those 135s everybody was talking about a 3 months ago

 

[C77MD80]

Murray Aviation is another J31/32 operator. I am currently flying a J31 and in a few weeks we will have a J32 on line, all part 135. The company is also creating a cargo version of the J31/32 and that should "test" fly in another month. We have a contract for a NASCAR team as well as Chrysler Corp. Things are not too bad. On call but not flying too much until perhaps the freighter is on-line! Murray is traditionally a freight company and that shows in some areas but overall they haven't been too bad. It is still a stepping stone company. I will leave fairly soon and that will leave an opening. It helps to have PIC in the A/C.

There is another company out of Charlotte (I think) NC. They have the Sirrius contract and operate 135.

Also there is Corp out of Tenn. They run a pretty descent operation after speaking with one of their pilots.