Flexjet Pilot Recalls
 

Anyone hear any news on pilot recalls at Flexjet for the busy season?

wait..... just for the busy season??? some of those guys found other jobs, what they're suppose quit, go fly for flexjet and get benched again three months later??

the other thing is what happens to your unemployment benefits if you're going back to work on a temp basis?

To make it more clear, with the up coming busy season does has anyone heard any news of pilot recalls at flexjet. UCLA, I am well aware of unemployment and finding other jobs. I am just looking for any credable intel on any pilot recall timeline.

Last I heard, and who really knows anyway, was that crew levels are set now until May 2010. Actually, "they" claim that staffing is 15 more than FG wants, but they are holding on to them.
If you listen to the daily brief line, some days are very, very busy, a few are slow. Demos are up, but so are charters and deadhead.
Some say that the schedulers are claiming they need more bodies, but I don't know if that is true.
What the effect of the swine flue will be, nobody knows. Could make a royal mess of things.
But, the company is operationaly profitable, so there may be a glint of hope, but I doubt you will see recalls until mid next year.
The truth lies somewhere out there, but it seems to change by the minute.

Mid next year? Wow, I hope that comes true. Some good news in this sector is way overdue.

If today is any indication,,,,,,

Hours, way up. Charters, more than normal, lots more than normal, while we still have a lot of planes uncrewed.

A good number of demos, but seems an issue to fill the need, a recoverery becomes a major issue. And still we have plans parked.

Oh, and deadhead is bad news. Getting worse by the day.

True brilliance at the top.

Learguy

Yeah it's good to finally get a hint of good news.

here is speculation from the line, i repeat specuation. my two cents worth which is actually .5 of a cent in this economy, so guys dont get your hopes up. things are picking up slowly and the staffing is correct for the airplanes that they have. there are very busy days, but before they bring people back they will go back to a 16 day line. however as flying increases here in the busy season, and by the time they might need more guys, and can get them back up to speed, it will be the slow season again.:( what seems logical is next summer maybe july or august. they are selling shares and doing plenty of demos so its just a matter of time. i know this stinks for everyone but things will turn soon. if ya look at the cycle in the industry about every 10 years things go bad for awhile and then its good good.

Bump!

What's go'n on with ya'll?

There is some news that they will be bringing around 6 planes back online either this fall or spring '11. Not sure why there is a big spread like that. I don't know if that means recalls or just make everyone there work 1-2 more days a month. Lets hope that recalls are in the near future.

6 airplanes would be about 25 guys recalled hopefully.

They will only recall if the Pilots that are still there are not willing to fly extra for OT pay. I am not sure if I can see that happening.

I agree. There are senior guys doing as many as 20 days a month. I think the average line is 15 so that's 5 overtime days.

Is there a lot of pilots working OT with others on the street?

I would hate to see others cashing in OT with brothers and sisters waiting for a recall.

Was exactly my thought when I read the post.....

Recent letter from Fred Reid to fuloughed guys offered no hope for recalls in the short term, although he did reference an increase in net number of shares sold.

I really dont think that Fred Reid has the best intentions for the furlough guys and gals. I would not be surprised if he is somehow trying to squeeze a few more days out of the current pilots.

You received a letter from Fred? Total darkness from the Waterview here.

Learguy

Ps. Ohh, I did get a nice bonus check for last year. :)

Man hope things work out for the fellows. FlexJet pilots are some of the best and friendliest I've met. And they tip more than the obligatory $2. They're cool cats.

Is your address up to date? I got one, and know of at least one other who got one.

I never got any letter from Reid, nor did any of the other furloughs that I keep in touch with. We all got our bonuses. I'm at the same address where I've always been, and the bonus check arrived with no problem to said location.

Same here.

Ditto.

The check found me.

I guess Fred just doesn't like me because I'm cuter than he is.

Learguy

A furloughed guy from Flex was at the training center and met one of the Flex instructors. He had mentioned of words flying around for about 30 recalls by the end of summer. It sounds like a lot in just a few months so I am not sure how much of that I believe, but is there any kind of good news coming from the line????

That would be too good to be true!

Does anyone know of a rough number of how many of the 85 furloughed guys, if any, have other flying jobs? I think that I have heard of a few, but then again, I don't know that many of the furloughed ones.

I meet two of them that are flying a 300 in the northeast . they both are laidoff flex pilots they got lucky and both got a job on the same 300 they like the job and may or may not go back if recalled . but they got some time to think about it . They both think it make take a year or so before they get a call back.

If they are not expecting a recall for another year, then I believe their recall rights would expire. I wonder what Flexjet would do then if they needed somr bodies to fill some seats?

I ran into a crew in the last week that confirmed that they too had heard the rumor of "a couple of dozen" recalls by fall.

One guestimated based on past experience that about half the pilots on the recall list would come back. Based on my conversations, I think it will be higher than that. While many have found other jobs, they don't match Flexjet in quality.

Just because the recall rights expire does not mean that Flex can't or won't rehire the 85 who already have the type ratings and know the system. It would be hard for anyone on the outside to compete with them. But it would provide the company flexibility when it comes to fleet management.

It will certainly be a while before the "help wanted" sign is out forthose who haven't worked there before.

the truth be told. the word is, no recalls or hiring till next year, which is a bunch of #@%$, they will continue to work us and keep uping the "yield". this is what happend when they layed off before. also there really isnt any "recall rights" because the people were technically fired. so they are going to have to re-interview when the time comes. pretty lame. with that said, remember that things can change overnight.

This is harsh. I'm very sorry for the FlexJet pilots if this turns out to be the case.

USMCFLYR

they will be called first and unless you did something stupid or cant pass the wiz quiz, you should fine. lord knows we could use at least 20 pilots back, this is the "slow" season, ya right, ha ha. when "busy" season comes they will have to do something because "F" bombs will be dropped:D

And with that - the doing something stupid or not passing a whiz quiz I'm good with - but they shouldn't have to *interview* again - like actually compete for their jobs back in my opinion. If they were good employees when they left then there seems to be no reason not to give them their jobs back when times "pick up again".
Of course I'm not a fan of people who have already been hired into a pool having to interview again for the same jobs that they were already offered either.

USMCFLYR

Metrodriver is misinformed. The 85 were not fired; they are considered inactive employees by Flexjet. (Contributions to the 401k and employee stock plan continue to vest.) There is a contractual obligation to bring back these pilots in seniority order, which is good for two years from the date of furlough. No interview, just training.

Whether or not Flexjet calls back is obviously up to management - but if they want to add pilots prior to March 2011, they already know who they are.

And I suspect,,, that they will call people back in order, no matter what the date. But,,, as I wonder what the heck the thinking is over there,,, management has always been true to their word.

Learguy

I haven’t been on the board for awhile but I hopped on tonight to see what type of info is floating around.

Unfortunately, I’m one of the 85 and have heard all kinds of things. I’ve sent emails to a couple ACP’s and really don’t get much in terms of definite answers regarding callbacks. The only thing that I’ve been told is if they do not get us called back by the 2 year agreement then they might extend it, or we would be given “preferential” treatment in being rehired, which I think is ridiculous, but they didn’t ask me. Also, I haven’t even sat in an airplane since my last rotation, so going through their sim interview would be a waste of time for all of us. I have even heard something about the FAA legislating age limitations for 135 operators. Has anyone heard any truth to that?

I don’t see how FX could call back those that were furloughed by the timeframe outlined in our contract (that I’m not talking about). It would be outstanding if they were to extend our contract, but I don’t see how it could be beneficial for FX. I truly miss my FX brethren and would be back in the seat tomorrow if I had the chance. What a great group of people at FX and I hope you’re all doing well! Has anyone heard anything to the contrary, or have anything to ad?

...which is a contract between the parties that signed the agreement.

I'm not an attorney, but I watch alot of "Law and Order" and did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.....

The recall roster was referenced in the contract, therefore it is included in the contract by that reference. If they decided to just drop a few names (which I am confident they will not do) the dropped person whould probably have a cuase of action against the company.

Bottom line: my experience is that Flex is a stand-up company and will treat its furloughees right when recalls happen.

Which will hopefully be soon.

I don't agree with that "contractual obligation" statement either, I've never heard of that. Sounds more like a preferential hiring agreement to me. Here's a thought, if and and when anyone gets recalled, would you start at 1st year pay, the pay you left at, or the pay you'd be making had you stayed???

In other news, I hear that they are shuffling some pilots around, taking some FOs out of the Lear and into the 300, as they are expecting some (meaning one I think) 300 deliveries. Also, folks are complaining lately about not being able to bid down, so there is some discussion about lowing the yield. Of course any change like that would take forever to get done

After talking with one of the pilots there, they say that the word is that they are going to be parking some of the 60's and put those pilots in the 300's. I am not sure how many 60's they are parking and I am sure that that number is not out there yet.