ToiletDuck

I was wondering what horror stories you guys have. I'm wondering where I rank with this one. I'm actually about to leave in a half hour to do this.

The boss has a cabin in New Mexico while lives in Del Rio. We fly him up there in his Merlin. If he's staying for more than a day or two we have to get a rental car and drive all the way back to del rio. Then, of course, we have to drive all the way back to New Mexico to fly him back.

So today I flew with three students. Flew from 11am-1pm, 1pm-3pm, and a 3pm-5pm flight. Came home, cooked a t-bone steak for dinner, then went to bed around 7pm and just woke up. Now I'm about to go to hit the road and drive 9hrs to get there around 9am, meet the boss, load everything into the plane, then spend 1.5hrs flying it back. So 18hrs on the road for a 3hr trip...

Who can beat that?

Pilotpip

He better be paying you for the time you're wasting in the car.

Maybe you should try talking him into letting you fly the plane back and forth in the intrest of time/safety.

kaos

your boss is a ****1ng ********* without doubt, you have all my simpathy.
i understand you are doing this with another pilot, i hope at least you are paid for your travelling time and reinburse for the gas and rental car; if not this is an abuse.
thinking that hes using a merlin to go to the cabin... well im speechless

aero550

He's probably spending as much, if not more, on gas for the rental car than what a hotel room would cost. Doesn't make any sense, unless he's paying you two by the day - then he's just being cheap. He could at least airline you home.

On long overnights like that, we have the option of staying or airlining home. The cost is pretty close to the same either way, usually. We're on salary, so that isn't a factor.

I've been pretty lucky my whole flying career that I don't have many horror stories. Back when I flew 135 corporate charter, I had a few goofy passengers, and I flew with a goofy pilot or two (or three), but in general it's all been good.

ToiletDuck

Don't hate on the guy. He's a great boss. The situation was that they flew the family up to his cabin on the 31st which I was gone. He bought his wife a new vehicle so they wanted to swap out the old one to use as a courtesy car. So the other pilot drove it back down. Now with the plane up there and both pilots down here we had to drive all the way back to get the plane and the family. I'm the only real pilot of it now. As of jan. 1st the bossman has to get a new physical so I had to go.

Anyway I just got back. I only wish I had a digital camera because the runway 24 lines up perfectly with the most perfect snow capped mountain towering out of the ground in the distance. It takes up your whole vision. Almost makes you think you won't be able to turn in time to dodge it. But the runway is nice and black with fresh paint leading right into this green flats that lay infront of that huge mountain. It was awesome.

But to conclude my story. The trip back only took 1hr because of some nasty winds that I'm actually still shocked I landed as good as I did in them. It was tough. Just wondering if any other corporate jobs have left you waiting around or doing other things you figure a pilot shouldn't do. I flight train the airforce guys for IFS and that is my main gig. They just asked me if I could do it so I said OK. It wasn't till 4hrs into the drive that i wanted to shoot myself lol. I wasn't staying there because I left for new years ect. Because he flew it there then his medical expired he had no way of getting it back unless I went to get it. The other pilot I speak of has been flying for 50yrs but has no medical himself now. So I fly it and he rides shotgun mostly.

I billed him what I bill for a usual day. Normally I'd say the hell with it for 8hrs driving plus freezing my buns off in the snow trying to preflight and get the plane de-iced(by hand). But I really do enjoy working for the guy. Last time we flew up there we played golf and had a blast. This was an unusual and unfortunate day. He's real BIG into the church so we do flying for them quite a bit. Get to fly to Honduras and see the Arch Bishop of Honduras. Not to long ago I got to fly the Cardinal of Rome. There are some neat stories out there! But yes.... some are hell on earth. So lets hear some of yalls!

aero550

Ah, I see. You left out a lot of extenuating circumstances in your first post.

I've done a few things beyond the call of duty to help the cause. It's stuff I wouldn't have to do if I didn't want to, but if you like the place you work, it never hurts to put a little extra effort in now and then.

PDXflyer

I used to do a little corporate flying in a C-421. The guy tried to get me to do all kinds of bs. I will never fly corporate again and be a slave/butler/travel agent/plane washer/boat cleaner/handyman/doormat etc. for some rich arrogant @$$hole. People ***** about the airlines and how corporate has many more perks. Maybe a few do, but I think 90% suck.

HSLD

How about 9 hour deadhead from SEA to NRT > 30 hour layover > fly one 1.5 hour leg from NRT to ICN, 40 hour layover in ICN > deadhead ICN to SFO > 12 hour layover > deadhead SFO > SEA. 6 day trip, 1.5 hours of flying.

My company requires crew desk concurrence to deviate from a scheduled deadhead - as you might guess they did not concur. Just another way to get a reserve pilot to sit reserve in Asia - Sweet!

This trip happened a few years ago, but the bad taste lingers.

vagabond

hee hee. Paul, didn't you spend the time in the red light district? Or shop for counterfeit goods? Or stuff yourself with sashimi and kimchee? Or fly to BKK for a massage?

HSLD

I can neither confirm nor deny anything that might happen on a layover

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