Wow KCFR8PILOT,

Are you serious? It's disappointing that you mock and demean the efforts of the Flight Options pilots and their contract, considering that they are your fellow aviators. The thing that you have obviously missed is that things are better there after they unionized and this was their first contract. Their one mistake was that they waited too long to organize.... They should have locked in things in a contract back when times were good; A mistake that countless pilot groups have made.

Back in the day, it was Flight Options that was the fractional to work for. Things were great, and then they went South as they unfortunately often do. At the same time, Executive Jet (Now Netjets) was a pretty bad place to work. Pay-for-training, followed by low pay, etc. Then they got their first contract, which like Flight Options was an improvement over what they had. Now, after their 2005 contract, their pay and working conditions rival most major airlines and NO fractional comes close.

What you get from AMERICAN union representation is the much beloved: end of indentured servitude, end of forced child labor, paid vacation, paid sick time, workplace safety, 40 hour work week, the American Middle Class, and too many other things to mention. Our Forefathers fought the Robber Barrons, who owned 99% of the Nations wealth to help create the American Middle class. They, in turn with the GI Bill, helped educate millions and paid for their children's educations with good-paying union jobs. How about FMLA? Guess who fought for that? You're welcome....

What pilot union representation has gotten you is the safest aviation industry in the world. Pilot unions fought for our safety and paid for it with their blood. Most of the regulations we have were again, paid for with blood. Like the NASA form? Like TCASII? FFDO, CRM, fixed distance markers, standard airport markings, lightings, etc., ARTCC, TAWS, GPWS, standard instrument panels, Terminal Doppler radar, cockpit wx radar, etc. are some of the many things that pilot unions fought for years to get. You are safer, not because of the good wills of the Robber Barrons or various airline management teams over the years, but because of the many pilot unions that fought to make things safer DESPITE THE COST. Again, you're welcome.

Specifically, what you have got from other fractionals union representation is a high water mark of pay and working conditions. Chances are that you are paid better because of the Netjets contract than you would be without it.... I know my friends over at Flex are definitely paid better because of it. Yes, you're welcome again.

I don't know where you fly your Phenom at, but I am guessing that it is not Netjets from your post. Ask any active Netjets pilot if they would like to give up their contract and ask any furloughed Netjets pilot if they would willingly give up their UNLIMITED recall rights contractual language. Contrast that with any other fractional out there, especially Flexjet. I think that it is great that you are paid as well as you are. That's great for you and all of us pilots, fractional or not. What I don't think is great is your demeaning the efforts of the Flight Options pilots in their first contract. Remember how bad Netjets first contract was?

Wherever you are, I truly hope that things stay good for you (which is good for all pilots). But remember, things can change overnight and what's good can go South. What you have today can be gone tomorrow with the stroke of a new CFO, CEO, etc. pen, who, by the way HAS a contract. Just ask any Flight Options, Flexjet, Citation Air, XOJET, etc. pilot. The Flight Options pilots might just end up laughing at everybody in the end, but they certainly deserve better respect now.

Respectfully,

B727DRVR