Exit review
 

I spent three years (give or take) at Flexjet, flew 3 different aircraft types during that time period, and held multiple positions within those varying fleets. I figured I'd give a quick review of my time at the company for anyone who is considering it, either as a stepping stone or as a career destination. It's impossible to remove personal biases from my review, so please take that into account from the beginning.

As a TLDR: Flexjet is a good company to work for and as good a job as I've ever had in the 91k/135 segment of the industry. The pay is good, and the people you work with on a daily basis are invested in doing the best they can. It is also a company that continues to deal with massive growing pains as it continues to rapidly expand its market share and workforce. Those manifest mainly in breakdowns in communication, some outdated and cumbersome processes, and a management structure that is at odds with rapid growth and implementation of change.

Strengths:

The pilot group is competent, committed to safe operation of aircraft, and genuinely tries their best to make the owners' experiences top notch.

Maintenance does not push back on squawks, and will not push you to fly an unsafe or unairworthy aircraft. MELs happen, but I never felt pressure to fly anything I was uncomfortable with.

Pay is good. It can (and should) be better if they're serious about fixing their retention problems, but I made more at Flexjet than any previous position I'd held.

The folks at CGF who work in operations genuinely try their best on a daily basis. Mistakes happen, but are usually corrected with minimal effort.

The training department, especially the line IPs and CA, are generally fair, invested in the growth of the individual, and knowledgeable. My experiences with SIMCOM left a lot to be desired, but I see the company is actively trying to improve that, as well.

Dedicated crewing as an idea is a benefit. To have the intimate knowledge I had for my last airplane was a definite benefit when dealing with its specific idiosyncrasies and kept missions moving forward on time and safely. I also worked with a team of professionals who I legitimately enjoyed flying with, and will miss going forward. That's not always the case, but for me it's true.

There was quick growth, and plenty of opportunities for advancement within the company. Within three years I upgraded twice to two different programs.

Life on the road is good, if not very good. The ability to expense all your meals, without budgetary constraints, is a legitimate perk.

Drawbacks:

The company has almost 1300 pilots, but still operates in many ways like it still has 400. Management is opaque with their intentions, their communication, and their policies.

Lack of communication between different levels of management, as well as not empowering managers at each level with real power to enact change hamstrings the ability of the company to effectively grow and meet dynamic challenges in a timely fashion. The latest round of pay scale changes is a great example of this. Even though the pilot group has told lower to middle management how to stem attrition, and what would make Flexjet an industry leader going forward, those managers have no ability to do anything with that information. The top-down structure of the company is sacrosanct, and is a competitive disadvantage.

Lack of communication of policy and expectations beyond what is laid out in the Employee Handbook and Pilot Supplements. Too often, it is management and legislation by email, or phone call, or no by prior notification at all. Every cabin server I ever flew with had been told something different regarding the future of that program and their jobs, and no one knew who was actually in charge or what was going to happen. That example is fairly representative of a lot of how management operates with regards to line pilots and cabin servers.

The quick growth that provides opportunities, also allows for people who may not be fully qualified or a good fit for a specific position to enter a role they're not suited for. Inexperienced pilots who hadn't flown a winter in a jet were getting Captain slots. Employees in CGF who had been at the GCC for short periods of time are becoming leads and managers while still learning best practices and policies.


Overall, I enjoyed my time at Flexjet, but I do not regret moving on either. It became clear to me and my family that it was not a sustainable option as a career destination and I made the decision to move on. I recognize that Flexjet afforded me opportunities that I may not have gotten elsewhere within the same timeframe, but in my opinion they did not prove to me that it was smarter to stay than to go. I am not in a position to cast judgment on anyone who has different priorities or experiences and I will not tell anyone "Yes, you should work there," or "No, it's a waste of time." I hope that anyone who reads this can take what I've said into account when researching the company while recognizing that my experience is mine alone, and isn't definitive. Best of luck to everyone, and thanks for letting me be a part of the Flexjet part of these boards while I was there.

Where are you going to hang your hat now?

An unexpected opportunity that was too good to pass up in a different segment of private aviation. Didn't leave for the airlines.

Good info thanks for sharing. What airplanes and seats did you fly at Flexjet?

It won't change. This is the Kenn Ricci way. 20 plus years no change
It's funny how the bottom 60% of the seniority list think things like this will ever change. Ask the top 40% or just listen to them

I was at 43% at just three years, was a volunteer throughout Project Vision, and like most of the others who volunteered their time and effort to that program only to see it be ignored wholesale, have decided that my career progression is better served elsewhere. I listened and saw for myself and made the decisions I needed to for myself and family based on that and the information provided by those who came before me. I agree with your assessment 100%.

I didn't fly any Bombardier products but did fly everything else. SIC for DRL, CA for PBS and ILC.

Thank you for the well thought-out, balanced overview. Very rare on this forum!!!!!

That was about as fair and reasonble as it gets. We've crossed paths on this forum many times. Perhaps even met in person unknowingly. I left for a legacy 121. I only forced myself to move on for a few QOL items and financials. Was getting burned out and wanted shorter trips. Culturally I fit in very well; I was forgiven for my mistakes even as a junior captain; Loved the individuals I met along the way and around CGF, VP's down to day 1 customer reps.

I've sometimes wondered if Kenn is comparing the modern Flexjet to what he went through/saw as a corporate pilot decades ago. By that metric Flexjet is heaven. But compared to modern standards, QOL expectations/needs, retirement, etc, still far behind. Either way, through countless conference calls there seemed to be some major disconnects with reality even as improvements were announced.

I cannot overstate how refreshing it is to be able to bid reserve, or bid a line; pick up trips or drop trips; sit at home, drive to my airplane, etc. I would imagine it will be similarly good for your unicorn 91 gig. Even if I get furloughed, politely moving on from Flexjet was the right move. I'm guessing our exit interviews read similarly. Part of me misses it, part of me can't imagine going back to the workload.

Gulfstream