I have a friend at Express jet who was supposed to upgrade this summer but with the age 65 rule it has been pushed back 2 to 4 years. He has 3100 total and 1600 jet and is thinking about getting his ATP in a seminole so he can apply to the fractionals. Are people getting hired at netjets with just an ATP and no turbine PIC or even a type? Also for myself interested to hear if citationshares or flexjet would be interested in that. Thanks for the help.

 

I had 2600TT+ and about the same turbine time as your friend with no PIC turbine. I also had experience on 3 jets and 1 turtleprop, and two internal recommendations. I didn't get the job.

I did pretty well on the interview and the sim ride, but I could tell that the interviewers didn't like me much. They gave me a longer and harder interview than any of the others in my group. Perhaps because I was the least experienced one, I don't know.

I was flying 135 cargo jets and they told me they hire mostly airline guys. Also they said they don't like 135 guys because they don't think they can pass their groundschool. If your buddy is 121 airline, maybe he'll have a chance.

Ultimately it worked out for the best and I found a job I'll probably be happier at anyway. Good luck to your friend.

 

If you meet the mins, send in your stuff ASAP. Don't worry about being competitive, types or turbine PIC, let the HR department worry about that.

I flew for Express Jet as well, I was about 10 numbers from the upgrade when NJ called. I said screw the jet PIC, and I got the hell out of there. I couldn't wait to get out. They hired me with no jet PIC, and no types of any kind, but that was three years ago. Everything has changed, right now they have resumes up the yin yang, not sure what they want and I'm sure they're picky. All you can do is apply.

Good thing you're thinking about CS and FX as well, great companies.

 

If I'm not getting too personal, which frac did you interview at???

(I wrote my buddy a nice letter, he interviewed here at NJ two weeks ago, they said NO. He's a good guy, good employee, just wondering what happened)

 

Is it true that NetJets doesn't like to hire 135 guys?

 

No. There are plenty of ex-135 guys here, both pax and freight.

 

My interview was at NetJets about 7 months ago. I had two Falcon 2000 captains interview me. Derinda was in a meeting that day and couldn't do interviews. I had 2 internal recs, one of which was from an assistant chief pilot in CMH. They wouldn't even take my external recommendation letters.

I know I did well on the interview and sim; even my sim partner said I flew it better than he did (and he got hired). He was a 9000TT Falcon 20 CA, I was a 2600TT Falcon 20/Lear FO.

I only got 3 questions wrong in the 50 minute interview. Other guys had only 30 minute interviews. One guy had a 10 minute interview...and when the interviewer realized they were both police officers, he said "that's good enough for me" and stopped the interview.

I think I was just unlucky and got paired up with a couple interviewers who didn't like lower time or 135 cargo guys.

The interviewer told me personally that they don't like to hire 135 guys because (in his own words) they "don't think they can pass their groundschool". I thought that was ridiculous because two of my friends who were 135 cargo CA's had just been hired two months prior.

They also told me they don't consider my previous 121 time at Scenic Airlines beneficial because I "didn't deal with customers" (even though I've had 4 prior customer service jobs).
I thought that was strange since the interviewers were former regional CA's and you deal with customers a lot more at Scenic Airlines than you do at the regionals. I think they were just giving me excuses because they didn't like me.

Oh well, that was the only aviation interview I've had where I wasn't offered a job and I'm now at a place where I'm very happy, so I guess it worked out for the best.

 

Sounds like you're happy at your current job, that's what matters.

My buddy interviwed at NJ and NW, he was going to take the NJ job if both were offered. Too bad, he's a good employee, and he really wanted to come to NetJets. I think he starts DC9 ground school at NW next month. I hope he doesn't get a 'furlough letter' from them, he's got a wife and a couple of kids.

 

I think a 3000 hour pilot with a bunch of jet time but no PIC jet would have a much better chance of getting on with Flexjet than Netjets. Big disadvantage of course is the fact the FX has only 4 pilot bases and you have to move to one of them. They do pay you for the move, and have been giving extensions if you have a house to sell.

Give it a shot.

 

I received a call from FJ. What has changed with them since December? Pay, bases, etc. Thanks.