Why would a 3000 hr pilot pick flexjet over literally anywhere else? The pay, benefits and QOL are much better other places. Seems like they have to fix their major QOL issues and up their pay scale significantly more than what they just announced yesterday to stay competitive in this market. They're going to have major difficulties hiring pilots more so than they already are.

They need to change everything else (Especially QOL) to keep people instead of people using it as a fast track to the airlines. Upping the hr requirement to 3000 hours when every major and NetJets will are technically hiring at ATP minimums is asking for issues hiring quality pilots and people will still use flex as a "fast track to the airlines"

 

Crap. I have an interview next week, but I only have 1530 hours. Am I out? It's military time, not sure if there is an exception for us.

 

Your guess is as good as ours is right now. Management was extremely vague in their announcement, and it's left a lot of people frustrated with the lack of transparency and communication. They said they wanted higher time pilots and were going to increase compensation to that end but made zero effort to explain what that would look like, when it would be implemented or when we'd get any additional information. Plenty of disgruntled pilots in the last 30 hours.

 

He also said the pay for,the first three years is going up to close to airline pay. $175k for first year pay. Now, I hope a lot of the pay isn't buried in bonuses and deferred comp.

ETA: They said they were looking to improve QOL with Flexbid 2.0. They'd be better off extending DRL to the Phenom fleet and Midsize FO.

 

Do any of the guys seniority 500 and higher not listen to anything that the guys below them have to say about this company and Kenn Ricci.
This is what he does, this what they do, this as always been their way.
Kenn puts or says something in a meeting
Kenn is always vague, he never provides details, he is providing his vision of what he wants it to be
Kenn wants to implement this or that, Kenn wants to raise the pay
Joe Salara or Jason Weiss or Dennis Florian always say right after him, details to follow
It's always days or a week or so later that those details come out

Why does every person hired during this boom time think they are going to change the way things are done here
It's Kenn's way, and only Kenn's way. Kenn says it, then you just have to wait for the details, and just wait on it. Asking them, posting for them to answer is not gonna cause them to ever do it faster than their timeline

​​​​​​And no way it's gonna be $175,000 base, can guarantee that's all inclusive of every bonus and even potentially the deferred 401K

 

Meeting a few new FOs in FBOs they have all said this year their actual pay was right at $130 for first year. That doesn't include free meals and is also the result of bonuses and incentives.

 

The devil will be in the details but on the surface, it makes sense. With Regionals slowing down hiring there have been a ton of pilots apply at Flex (and I am sure NJ) and use it as a step to the Majors. I think 3,000 may be aggresive, maybe 2500 would help limit the amount of time builders and increase the hiring pool. The increase in pay (depending on how it shakes out) will have some 2-3 years pilots looking at how much of a hit they will take to jump to the bottom of the seniority list at a Major and maybe they stay (especially if they will be life long commuters).

I will say, they better give more than lip service to QOL increase throwing just money at the problem is not a real solution. This industry has enough places where pilots say "They pay me well but I work my a$$ off". Favoring Marriott over Hilton (i.e. Hampton Inn) is good (lets see it in action), paying OT for an earlier than 7am start (lets see it), Flexbid......blow it up and start from scratch! Senior guys have paid their dues, if they want to be home for their kids birthday, they should KNOW they will be home for their kids birthday. I think another huge improvement would be to have quarterly bidding. Knowing your days home 2-3 months in advance is WAY better when trying to plan home activities/ vacations.

Company has been good and I will give them the benefit of the doubt, however the Flexbid seems like it was a sales tool ("Its going to be amazing") and it was a complete flop for QOL. They have run out of time of saying "just give it a chance, we will continue to tweak it". I havent run into anyone who says they like it. I asked for a 4 day weekend, I got 2 of the days off......doesnt do me much good (and I am senior). FLEXBID 2.0 needs to become a priority!

 

I'm pretty much just about as senior as you can get as a FO. Flexbid and the old system never took my seniority into account. NEVER. The new system as I see it is a way to make sure we don't see what we could actually get or if we're getting what lines we bid. Now it's just a random crapshoot. The most recent bid is absoulutely NOTHING I asked for. It really needs to be fixed ASAP or they will continue to bleed pilots quickly. At least give us a bit of hope that we have any control over our schedule.

 

It seems like the logic is now throw money at years 1-3 and ignore anyone who isn't in that demographic. They may be able to attract candidates with more than 3000 hours but they aren't going to be able to do anything to retain those of us who are here, and are being shown in real time that there is no longevity here. A year 1 SIC is going to get a 50k raise while anyone in a Gulfstream is going to get 4k raise. Why stay when the company isn't going to invest in you past year 3? I'm sure there are plenty who will take the next few years to build a good nest egg then head to the major of our choice.

 

Here is what I will say (whether I agree or not), its like Moneyball. STATISTICALLY once an pilot is here for 3 years they are less likely to leave. They need to improve the years 1-3 stats to meet their goal. I know someone 300 places in front of me on the seniority list, last upgrade, I moved up 10, he moved up 4. That means 4 people, above say mid 600s left. 6 between me (mid 900s) and him left. Cant calculate how many above mid 900s left (but probably pretty great). So yes, you at the top of the seniority list should expect little to nothing since STATISTICALLY you are already staying. They want to get people to year 3 thinkng that is the number that gives the Company the advantage. The good news is for those of you in the upper numbers, QOL increases will need to be significant to keep those new guys which you will see the benefit of. If they cant figure out FLexbid is a mess, QOL is a mess, they will QUICKLY learn, increasing years 1-3 money does not equal retention but increase of QOL WILL keep those that have been here the longest (as well as the new hires) way more than $ will.