From what I heard, there will be a consolidation of operations this summer under the airnet banner. This includes pilot senoirity lists. Airnet will be sending down a lot of thier B58's in the mean time and getting some 210's to fly around in the northeast. I haven't seen any of it happen yet. I do know that they will be moving into a better hanger down there, and they are getting some of Airnet's work, and heard thier pilot's are even jump seating on some of Airnet's aircraft. I figure Bayside will eventually have the two consolidate under one company.
Airnet picked up some runs out of CRW, and is flying alot out of ADS for Beaver express. Airnet did just shrink the flight department, which is going to impact the pilot's with the least amount of seniority. I heard that Flight express can train pilot's for a lot less cost to Bayside than airnet can. At least that is what they tell the mechanics.
Are you kidding me?
First off, where did you hear this? I realize that FLX is taking over some AirNet runs (some of which are justified, i.e. carrying 20lbs. in a baron). But combining seniroity list and/or training? Well no S*#@! they can do training cheaper, which might explain why they can't stick to a schedule due to "personal minimums" a term I've never heard in my almost 3yrs at AirNet. (No offense to FLX. I understand their pilot's situation). I can't imagine that working in the northeast?
Side Note: I'm just a pawn and if you know more than me which you probably do, I apologise.. It's Beavex. not Beaver EX. and we Stole I repeat STOLE that work from GTA. I like my paycheck but they probably have some harsh words about us.
If you've got a reliable source, again I apologize but, if not keep the "hear say to yourself".
I wouldn't say there's bad blood between the two pilot groups. Airnet guys don't hold anything against FLX at all.
Personally I would never blame another pilot (even If he/she took my job). It's like when your girlfriend cheats on you (You can't blame the guy, you'd do the same thing
No but seriously, If a FLX pilot ever ask me for a favor I would gladly help if I could. And I'm pretty sure the few I know would do the same for me.. It's business, I hate it, but what do you do? play the game the best you can
BTW, the weather was 8SM and OVC at 4600' and the FLX pilot didn't want to fly because it was "below his personal minimums". It was well above VFR at the departure and destination airports.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JD1918F
BTW, the weather was 8SM and OVC at 4600' and the FLX pilot didn't want to fly because it was "below his personal minimums". It was well above VFR at the departure and destination airports.
So are you generalizing that most FLX drivers have this "high" personal minimum? If it's one or two folks, it doesn't mean everyone at that company is this way or that way. I used to know a guy that wouldn't fly anywhere around t-storms. He got so flaky that when late Oct. came he quit cold turkey because he was scared of icing in C310's.
I'm not, nor have ever worked for FLX
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I don't think that you can judge an entire company by just one pilot and that was not my intention to do so. I think that this particular incident was more of a fluke than anything. Airnet has had it's share of fair-weather fliers as well.
I was just hired at flight express about 3 weeks ago. I had a week of training, about a week of flight training because I was the last one trained out of the class, and am now in my first week of flying. I also wouldn't say that FLX's training is not up to high standards. 4 out of 11 made it through for various reasons. As for the pilots there. I am still in my first week flying the line. I just got back (2 hrs. ago) from a 13 hour duty day. I flew about 1/3 of my flight in actual IMC, with rain, and a heavy wind in a single piston engine airplane with no auto pilot and no GPS, just VOR's, single pilot. The good thing at FLX is they will never pressure you to fly if YOU, the PIC, feel that you will endanger yourself, the airplane, the cargo, or anyone or anything else. I don't know much about the Airnet and Flight Express merge but I do know that FLX is taking some of Airnets runs because it is more profitable to use the 210 instead of a 208 or baron. The run that I fly use to be flown by Airnet. They are also planning on taking some other Airnet runs in TX and NC. Also FLX was already planning on moving to their new hanger before the buyout from Bayside.
By the way if you don't have any Part 135 single pilot flying experience it is a lot more difficult than you might expect. Kudos to all you 135 guys.
I know some of the FLX guys have pretty low personal mins. My first job was in a Citation and we were in KMLB to pick up when a thunderstorm came up over the field. There were several of us corporate types and our paxs waiting out the weather. Massive lightning, wind and the rain brought the vis down to less than a 1/4 mile right in the middle of all of this here comes a FLX 210 threw out 4 bags picked up 2 and left. Big brass ones in my book
I know some of the FLX guys have pretty low personal mins. My first job was in a Citation and we were in KMLB to pick up when a thunderstorm came up over the field. There were several of us corporate types and our paxs waiting out the weather. Massive lightning, wind and the rain brought the vis down to less than a 1/4 mile right in the middle of all of this here comes a FLX 210 threw out 4 bags picked up 2 and left. Big brass ones in my book
Or just too dumb to know any better. Also shooting an approach in 1\4 mile vis is illegal right? Must have really needed to get that 80 pounds of checks there.
Also a note on the training debate. One of the reasons airnets training takes longer is the speed at which you are expected to do all of this single pilot blah blah. I don't know what Flight express does but Being able to do single pilot IFR is not really what airnet is looking for, in fact you probably won't get through if thats all you've got in you. They expect you to do it Fast. Jet speed fast. Checklists while taxing, crossing the marker like the planes on fire and being able do that on 1 engine all the way down to the runway. I know that was the biggest adjustment for me. Configuring all the way down the hill and keeping it all together. One thing was for sure though. When I got on the line I couldn't do anything else but what they trained me to and I didn't have personal mins besides what was legal and what wasn't with a few exceptions.
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Just be careful in that mindset Kodiak, because many of our brothers have met their demise with that mentality. I operated the same way, but it was more of a learn as you go type of deal. I started at my operator in Oct., so I learned Ice flying really quick in Nov-Dec. Then it was a whole new learning experience on how to handle flying around the t-storms etc.. I did have the mindset that I'd always try/attempt any approach that was at mins/high winds/etc..., but always had to have that MAP ready with a diversion in the back of my head. I only had to hold a few times in my time there, and I denied a few trips because of the obvious weather(1/4sm, 1VV, fzfg). Other than that, it is about managing the risks with your skill. Good luck and be safe!
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Safety is alway my number 1 priority. I was just saying that in generic low IFR conditions I was plenty comfortable operating with the training I recieved. There are certainly times when you just can't do it and I think everyone figures that out eventually, but thats why we do this job to find out what we're made of and sharpen our skills.
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