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-   -   Making a schedule: QOL (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/corporate/114665-making-schedule-qol.html)

kevair464 09-04-2018 10:50 AM

Going through a very similar situation with our Lear 40. 2 pilot crew, owners are great as far as 91 trips go, letting us know in advance and they are always short trips and always weekdays.

However, they use a large management company that is 135 which expects us to be on call 24/7 and balks at any and all requests for paid time off, with 0 guaranteed days off.

We have been trying to convince the owners to either change management companies or drop it all together, but the owners don't seem to care too much.

Sad thing is we both enjoy working for the owners, but the management company has us both looking for other jobs.

galaxy flyer 09-04-2018 12:43 PM

As soon as the owner goes 135 and the mgt company starts running charters, it’s all over. Friends of mine fly for a big NY PE owner, very happy as to work and schedule. Then, they went to a mgt company, dark clouds gathered, but only a few charters were flown, all close friends. Still, after a year or two, they went back to private ownership, it proved cheaper. Four pilots, two techs, work 2 on, 2 off. All good, they know their schedule a year out.


GF

Fookz92 09-05-2018 08:24 PM


Originally Posted by kevair464 (Post 2668078)
Going through a very similar situation with our Lear 40. 2 pilot crew, owners are great as far as 91 trips go, letting us know in advance and they are always short trips and always weekdays.

However, they use a large management company that is 135 which expects us to be on call 24/7 and balks at any and all requests for paid time off, with 0 guaranteed days off.

We have been trying to convince the owners to either change management companies or drop it all together, but the owners don't seem to care too much.

Sad thing is we both enjoy working for the owners, but the management company has us both looking for other jobs.

We are in the exact same boat here. Management company tells us the only guaranteed days off are the 14 PTO days a year. We were running with 6 pt91 dry leases for the past year. 350hours just that alone for the owner and his family.
We were just 135 official 2 weeks ago. They say minimal charter but we will see. So, when do I have my 13 guaranteed days off now? Did you get your defined 13 off? When no trips are on the calendar and just sitting at home?
Its not the flight hours that hurt this job. I dont mind 350-400 a year. The days on the road is what hurts. On a 9 day trip now and a 15 day trip at the end of this month. Management company doesn't see an issue with it

billsaw 09-06-2018 01:54 AM


Originally Posted by galaxy flyer (Post 2667677)
billsaw,

I asked about QOL, didn’t get a definite answer as the conversation was second hand. 260-280 is pretty strong money IF it’s a 3 or 4 pilot operation with little or no chartering. At least, in my experience as a NE Chief Pilot, but times are rapidly changing. The pilots I know at private equity groups have mostly 2 weeks on and either 1 week off or 2 weeks off. One friend has had the summer off as they do an 8C check. Another has a 30 minute commute, flies, at most ten days a month for 275.

As has been said, there 10% great ones, probably 30% near-great and everything else. Gulfstream/Globals are the only deal likely to be decent, in my experience—stable owners, pre-planned schedules, no last minute calls. I did 12 years at one and had 3 last minute calls due to pilot family emergencies. They bailed me out a couple of times, so it balances out.

GF

260-280 is strong money if it's a 4 pilot operation and in your off time your NOT on call period. Not even for the odd ball well once a year crap.

260-280 is not good money (to me at least) on a 2 pilot aircraft or if you spend your off time on call. Many will choose the airlines and a life "they" control not their boss. Some will not. It's safe to say not enough will not.

Bottom line is if management companies and owners don't want to be faced with a real crewing issue they better get off their tails and compete hard with the airlines before they drain the pool. Once it's empty it will be real hard to refill.

That means paying top dollar, having a schedule, and not messing with pilots when they are off which is huge. It doesn't matter whether they understand this or not. They will be forced to the hard way if they don't.

billsaw 09-06-2018 02:01 AM


Originally Posted by galaxy flyer (Post 2667933)
You might not have gotten his bid vacation depending on seniority, either. I actually found bidding vacation only to have it cancelled one of the worst aspects of airline flying. I agree he should have received his full vacation request. Maybe because my department was led by ex-mil guys where excepting wars leave was always granted, vacation was approved as requested 98% of the time. In rare cases, we’d negotiate a mutually acceptable deal or contract.

GF

Your department was staffed properly to enable this. As we know with 2 pilots per plane there is no one to take up the slack.

The sad part is Fookz92 is that even if you would have requested leave in March for time off in November they would have approved it only to cancel it in September because the trip popped up and they have no coverage. Same ole story.... Seen it plenty of times. The management company is gonna tell you that you can't have your vacation long before they tell the owner he can't have his.....

If your staffed properly you can figure it out. If not welcome to slavery.

kevair464 09-06-2018 11:22 AM


Originally Posted by Fookz92 (Post 2669136)
We are in the exact same boat here. Management company tells us the only guaranteed days off are the 14 PTO days a year. We were running with 6 pt91 dry leases for the past year. 350hours just that alone for the owner and his family.
We were just 135 official 2 weeks ago. They say minimal charter but we will see. So, when do I have my 13 guaranteed days off now? Did you get your defined 13 off? When no trips are on the calendar and just sitting at home?
Its not the flight hours that hurt this job. I dont mind 350-400 a year. The days on the road is what hurts. On a 9 day trip now and a 15 day trip at the end of this month. Management company doesn't see an issue with it

We are never sure when our days off are. The 135 DO expects us on call for 14 hours EVERY day, though we are never sure when that 14 starts or ends. As far as the required days off go, the DO will go back and count any day we didn't fly as "time off" even though we were on call, which isn't technically legal per part 135

Fookz92 09-06-2018 02:42 PM


Originally Posted by kevair464 (Post 2669497)
We are never sure when our days off are. The 135 DO expects us on call for 14 hours EVERY day, though we are never sure when that 14 starts or ends. As far as the required days off go, the DO will go back and count any day we didn't fly as "time off" even though we were on call, which isn't technically legal per part 135

No that isn't legal. I had that sorta company that did that a few yers ago. Since then, the FAA has made it VERY clear in the regs.
Also with the 14 hours that you dont when it starts or stops? Thats also illegal with the rolling rest. We haven't come across that yet but I have a feeling its coming.

Yes, I feel like a slave.

billsaw 09-06-2018 02:58 PM


Originally Posted by Fookz92 (Post 2669643)

Yes, I feel like a slave.

Have no fear good times are coming!

Bahamasflyer 09-06-2018 04:56 PM


Originally Posted by kevair464 (Post 2669497)
We are never sure when our days off are. The 135 DO expects us on call for 14 hours EVERY day, though we are never sure when that 14 starts or ends. As far as the required days off go, the DO will go back and count any day we didn't fly as "time off" even though we were on call, which isn't technically legal per part 135


Originally Posted by Fookz92 (Post 2669643)
No that isn't legal. I had that sorta company that did that a few yers ago. Since then, the FAA has made it VERY clear in the regs.
Also with the 14 hours that you dont when it starts or stops? Thats also illegal with the rolling rest. We haven't come across that yet but I have a feeling its coming.

Yes, I feel like a slave.

I'm not knocking you guys personally, but WHY would anyone put up with such nonsense when the airlines are hiring like gangbusters??

This is the best pilots market we've had in DECADES! WHY tolerate this?

Sure, maybe it'd be hard to get on with one of the "big 3" immediatly, but worse case, certainly one of the LCC's like Spirit or even JB would scoop you up in a heartbeat I'd imagine

Fookz92 09-06-2018 09:26 PM


Originally Posted by Bahamasflyer (Post 2669740)
I'm not knocking you guys personally, but WHY would anyone put up with such nonsense when the airlines are hiring like gangbusters??

This is the best pilots market we've had in DECADES! WHY tolerate this?

Sure, maybe it'd be hard to get on with one of the "big 3" immediatly, but worse case, certainly one of the LCC's like Spirit or even JB would scoop you up in a heartbeat I'd imagine

True! I never considered myself the airline type of guy. I like being more personable with the pax and always going to new destinations. Not operating like a machine flying another machine. Im at 2500TT. Just sent my app in the AA tonight just as a long shot. Would be nice to skip the regionals since I would take a major pay cut. But its beginning to come onto my radar because you are correct.... I DONT need to put up with this.


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