As much as I hate to admit it I'm "stuck" at Netjets.

50 yrs old, 17 years seniority, home based, love 7/7, 401k, benefits, really enjoy the type of flying we do, nice equipment, etc...

Wife and I have discussed this endlessly but we keep coming back to the fact I'd be giving up too much without enough time to fully make it back up. Much different scenario for FO's. I'd be gone asap.

Anyone else wearing the Golden Handcuffs and how do you stay motivated to go to work every tour?

hkdguy

 

The guy that got fired for not completing his expense reports had 17 years seniority at NetJets. He probably thought the same.

 

The only advice I can give to kids is to live within your means so if you leave your job today, it does not bankrupt you.

 

What a depressing post. As a guy who left at 52 and 17 years all I can say is that I get up every morning and thank the aviation Gods that I left NJA, eat breakfast then give thanks again. Not only do I love my job now but my career earnings will be much higher. YMMV.

 

Finny McCool,

That is good to hear and very inspiring. Nice job!

 

I'm in much the same boat. A little older. A little more senior.

Golden handcuffs are nearly platinum at this point. The better half loves the 7-7 even more than I do. 21 or 35 straight days off for a vacation can't be matched at an airline as a junior pilot without some seriously creative bidding.

I stay motivated two ways.

One, I don't give a crap about the success of the company anymore. I went from "owner" to "renter" to "caveman." I do exactly what the briefing says, avoid calling the brain trust at all costs, fly my tour and go home. I take care of my crew, myself, my airplane, my passengers, and then my job. In that order.

Two, I try to fly contract trips once in a while. Make a little extra cash, remember what it's like to NOT have a schedule, and maintain contacts in the corporate world just in case.

 

WTF?? Is this a recent event? That's f'ing ridiciulous.

 

First vacation I turned into 27 days off. I'm on vaca now with 18 off. Could have had more but this works for me. For value purposes only, we receive a full extra week of sick time over NJA. Unfortunately I won't be here long enough to see five weeks of vacation.

 

There have been a lot of changes since you left. Pilot-management relations aren't crumbling: They're completely nonexistant at this point.

 

7 months ago I was super excited when I was offered the position at NetJets. Now I'm beginning to think I may have dodged a bullet.