I quit. That is, I'm quitting my current job and moving on. Briefly, I've worked for the company almost 3 years, from flight instructor to charter pilot. I've always tried to be a team player, covering my fellow pilot's shifts when I could, working weekends (gamedays), and helping share the burden of holiday days even if the holiday fell on a day that wasn't "mine"...
The last 8-9 months have been like this: Was ready to leave for a new job when I was offered a part 135 position with my home company. Another (internal) pilot was offered a similar position on the same day. We both accepted and went to school at the same time. At that time, I was working at another aspect of the company, doing some heavy part 91 flying. When I accepted, I said that I wanted to be out of that position asap, and was told that although I would likely start slow, say 5 trips in a 2 week pay period, I would get worked up to full time as soon as possible. The other pilot who accepted the charter position said the same thing. I was hired to the company some months before him. As the summer played out, that pilot was removed completely from the runs I was doing, and I was flying anywhere from 100-140+ hours a month, with little to no relief in terms of being able to get a day covered due to illness or personal reasons. I tried to get other folks trained for my position, but I didn't understand why management wouldn't approve a replacement for me. Meanwhile, my classmate was getting charter trips left and right. I tried to be patient, and still held no plans of moving on, just of waiting for my (any day now) time to come.
Over the last eight months, I've accrued just under 40 hours of flying for the 135 side of the company, at least a quarter of that during a week that the other pilot was on vacation. On average, I would get called once per 2-3 weeks.
Finally, I just accepted that I was just going to be a backup to the backup, fly my regular part 91 flights, and well, at least I'll be making some pretty good money doing that. Recently though, a close relative of the boss came in to town, and he's a pilot too. I was told that he'd be joining the ranks of us part 91 flyers. I was thrilled to be able to maybe take an extra day off, or get a shift covered if needed. I planned on keeping most of my flying, but was willing to give up a day or two, so the newcomer would have work. I understood why I wasn't allowed to train my replacement, since the plan for the new guy to come fly had been in the works for a few months, although I didn't know about it untill shortly before he arrived. Suddenly though, the schedule that the part 91 pilots had always worked up amongst ourselves developed "problems". My boss then took over the scheduling of the part 91 flights. I was removed from all but 2 flights per pay period (1 per week). The new guy got my flying. I protested a bit, saying that I need a certain amount of flying to meet the bills, and was told that :
1. It would be unfair to the other 91 pilots if I got called to a part 135 trip and they had to fly suddenly (which is how things have always been handled- there were previous pilots who moved to the part 135 side of things, and I would end up on call for part 91, if they were on call for part 135)
and
2. Surely I would get the flying I needed for rent from the part 135 side of things.
Well, my boss telling me these things is not the guy who schedules the 135 pilots. Speaking to the 135 scheduler, I was told "I just won't need you that much for a while." A fine can of worms. So I've been just about unemployed for 3 weeks. I used some of that time to interview elsewhere. I was offered a position, and I accepted, just two days ago. Today, I had my cell phone off for two hours while enjoying some quality time at home- during that time, I missed two calls from the 135 scheduler. Now, although Wednesday is typically a day off for me, shortly after missing those calls, I got a call from the boss, saying to call him back. Called back, and was told to meet with him as soon as possible to discuss my not answering the phone and "how we are going to work these things in the future". He was definitely upset. We're meeting Friday. I feel that given it was a standard day off for me, I was only out of touch for two hours, and the fact that I rarely get called makes me being out of touch briefly forgivable.
Honestly, over the last 8 or so months or so I feel as though I've been pretty well used. I've tried my darnedest to be a team player, but it hasn't worked out, and so I'm on my way out. I feel as though I was offered the 135 job just to keep someone on the 91 flights untill the new guy came, and I could be a backup to the backup on the 135 stuff. My class date for the new job is less than two weeks away. I'd like to tender my resignation on the day that I meet with my boss to discuss my not answering the phone. Am I horrible for doing that? I've never *not* given proper notice at any job, and I've always been told that I'd be missed.
Dear Abby, what do you think?
-A-