Nicholas Air
 

Anyone interviewed with them? Any present, past, or future pilots know anything about them?

Nicholas Air
 

See where they are advertising for Captains on the Phenom 300, 100 and PC 12...Anyone know anything about them?

My buddy is one of the head hanchos over there, so if you want to interview I could help. It's a 91/135 gig based at KGTR. It's pretty out in the boonies, but affordable to live. If I'm not mistaken its a 6 on 3 off type operation. My description is pretty bad, but if you need any more than that, I could find out.

Nicholas Air
 

The following is the current captain schedule: Phenom 300 - 8 on/6 off, Phenom 100/PC-12 - 6 on/3 off. The copilot schedule is 24/7/365. They are working to hire enough pilots so that everyone is on the 8 on/6 off schedule. I believe the Paid Time Off is 14 days per year if not on the 8 on/6 off schedule. If on the 8 on/6 off, there is no PTO. From what I understand, health insurance for a family cost over $13K per year. No retirement or 401(k) package is offered. All pilots are issued a Company credit card for trip expenses with a $60 per day maximum (don't use the $60, lose it).

Do they have the privilege of washing and waxing the planes too?

I was told they would pay for half of your insurance ie: if you had your own you were coming out of pocket for.

Nicholas Air
 

My information was for family coverage. If you are single or only get coverage for yourself, they do pay half of it.

What are the mins? Im about 2hrs from there. Looking for some possible part time work, most of my time is helo though..(2250TT, 350FW)

I believe they want 1200 TT but am not sure if they count helo time.

Any other info? Decent outfit? Schedule, pay, etc??

I interviewed a while ago. I applied for a Phenom position I heard now they are home basing pilot since most people have no desire to live in MS., that was a deal breaker for me place is in the middle of now where and the promissory note.

I don't know if they have gone to 8/6 home base schedule they are trying to get pilots so the schedule will work.

They also had or may still have a long promissory note two years/30,000 form the phenom and two years/10,000 for the PC-12.
As far as salary the have a base plus a yearly bonus pay ... its really not a bonus its money you earned.. bonus is paid for number hours you flew for the year x your hourly rate.

Things might have changed a lot since I interviewed,

Nicholas Air
 

PM sent:confused:

Are these guys a 135 outfit or part 91(k)? Just trying to figure out how the FO's log the time. If its 91(k) then they are required to have two pilots I believe. Couldn't find anything on their website saying what FAR they operate under.

Nicholas Air
 

The majority of trips are Part 91 with a few Part 135 trips. Currently, an FO is not required under either Part unless autopilot is inop.

Thanks, wasn't sure if it was 91(k), 91, or 135. I am also semi ignorant on all the different ways these types companies can be operated. I thought it was always one or the other(91 or 135).

does anyone have any hard info on pay?

My suggestion is go to Nicholas air as a last choice option. I have a creditable source with in this organization. Last month they finned the entire pilot group for not filling out company trip info timely, accurately, and not signing the appropriate documents. Also they consider the employee Manuel as a binding agreement with a "can terminate with out notice" and " all pilots must provide a 90 notice" if leaving the company, otherwise you will be in breach of contract. The company can do what is good for them and will and do what is in their best interest, including fining the pilot group, and working them on off days without getting pilots approval and in some cases no additional pay. Due to "employee Manuel agreement" from what I understand they lost many of their seasoned
pilots due to poor company rule changes and fines for rediculas issues.

Plenty of regionals hiring too....

No one was "fined" per say however flight pay "bonus" was forfeited for trips that had "incomplete, or erroneous logs"(splitting hairs i know). Some of it was kind of ridiculous, but its all in the manual that you sign, and its been an ongoing issue and they finally called people on it. The signing of the flightlogs thing was a pretty stupid reason, but incorrect times and no fuel burns and wrong airports... No one works off days without pay except on the FO side which has no schedule. Worked days off are not mandatory. I have been given days off not owed to me, out of graciousness, then asked to fly a trip during that time and still received day off pay. The majority of people leaving left before the 8/6 schedule was implemented. Its a good company with good people. Lots of hiring going on ramping up to keep the schedule more stable and for the new airplanes. Biggest thing irking people right now is the street hiring into bigger airplanes due to the short staffing.

and yeah there are plenty of regionals hiring for 23$/hr if you like that sort of thing.

.02c

Hummmmm, you paint a complexly different picture then what I have been told. In Dec and Jan, 7 captain and 3 FO either left or gave notice(a required 90 day) and several more in Feb. and FO do not get paid for working extra days. From what I understand several of the FO's have a continue to work 24 to 40 days in a row and when they ask for time off. . . . They get push back from the company. All of this after the 8/6 schedule. I was thinking of applying but have changed my mind and I am aware of several others that have done the same. Commuting from ATL or being home based my aviation career simpler then others. Aviation is a small world....the real picture has a way of getting out.

Not sure how the picture i painted is that all that different....just a little clarification, and some other points. 7 captains did not leave in two months. I did say the FO's do not have a schedule, and thus do stay out on the road for long times, and obviously don't have WDO pay. I would not agree to that, but if you come in as an FO, they make no bones about it, and tell you straight up that there is no schedule. Since i have done my type, and 299 ride, my schedule has been rock solid. The most I have done before I got online was 11 days. I also have had a whole rotation off giving me 3 weeks off last year. I have flown with an FO who has had over two weeks off, this is not the norm but it happens. I do know one FO who was complaining about working for 56 days in a row but he asked them to stay out as long as possible lol. They are trying to hire enough people to have a standby crew for each airframe, so that one rotation, you sit stanby at home, and enough where we can get some PTO hopefully. I think eventually we will go to CA on CA....but that is just my hypothesis, and it does happen not infrequently now.

ATL should open up alot of doors for you. Have you tried planesense? they have 8/6 for FO's, the pay is not quite as good, and the raise structure is not nearly as generous but you wouldnt have to take the risk of no schedule?

I do know why one FO left....pm for details

From what I was told 3 PC 12 captains, 2 Phenom 100 captains and 2 Phenom 300 captains all left since December all for nearly the same reason. And with the last pay fine that just occurred I understand there will be others that are looking and will leave as soon as an opportunity arises. I have spoken to several of these Captains that have left which had cause me to rethink Nicholas air. There are many other opportunities that pay better, and have a better culture with out being lied to or bullied. No I would not consider Planesense, don't have Pilatus time and don't want to go to a single engine. Been offered a king air position with GAMA , Wheels Up have over 1000 hrs in a 200. better pay and benefits then Nicholas Air.

Congrats on the job offer! I've met some gamma people on the road and they seem like good people as well.

No 100 captains have left since at least may or July. Not 100% on the 300 side but but I don't believe we've had any in a while, but I don't see their schedule. We have lost one pc12 ca, and one pc12 fo.

I have never been bullied. We used to have Cigna at the wife's job when Obama care hit as they took our blue cross. (If you like your insurance you can keep it) and it was definitely not for us, so we started paying 100% out of pocket for blue cross again. We got obamacared for a 3rd time this December and were kicked off another plan that we were told that if we liked we could keep so now we are on the company plan which is not the best but better than Cigna. They do not contribute a whole lot to it though.

As far as pay I believe WU is frozen at 80k right?

Frozen, I don't think so . . . . PM me and I will tell you the 7 captains who have left in the last 4 months, I have spoken to them to get the low down on NA and their tactics. There are many dissatisfied employees there at NA because of poor management and the fall out will be continious, being a woman in aviation is difficult enough, I just don't have time to be involved with a company that is not focused on creating a positive environment.

I'm sorry you feel that way, and am glad that you don't have to be involved here! Good luck with Gama or boutique or wherever you say your at depending on the thread. It is definitely the high side of the swell in the hiring right now so I am glad you have plenty of options!

Don't believe I said anything about Boutique Air, I did receive a offer from them and accepted it, then the next day I got a offer with Gama after a long interview process in California and then to Chicago for a sim ride. I did speak to someone at NIcholas Air as a part of the interview process, can't remember who that is when I realized it's not the company for me. The information from an acquaintance at Nicholas air led me to the people I spoke with one lead to the other. Did the same thing with Wheels Up, Ameriflight, Boutique Air and Flight Management. I did my due dillagence and found the best fit for me.

Just noticed you guys added a Citation Latitude. Looks nice in the paint red and black paint scheme.

How many more Latitudes will you guys add? No doubt it will be popular with passengers and looks fun to fly too...

Anymore recent info on this place? Are they still hiring any ?

Don't think we're hiring.

One of your new hires are here this week, started Intial training at FlightSafety, DFW.

Does anyone who CURRENTLY works here have any real info on this place? I live in Hattiesburg and was thinking of applying.

What sort of information are you looking for? Most of the information provided earlier in this thread is accurate. The schedule is 8/6 and most pilots are home based. When short on pilots, the schedule goes to 6/3. Plan on starting your rotation early on the 1st day and not getting back home until late on the last day on. If you don't get back before 0200 the day after your last day on, they are supposed to pay an extra $400 as that constitutes working on a day off. They always ask if you want to start your rotation early, but sometimes they have no choice but to hold you over at the end.

It's typical 135 stuff though....high turnover in the pilot ranks and the flight ops group is a mostly inexperienced group with little or no aviation background (lots of turnover there too).

The biggest drawbacks IMHO are:

1. The employee handbook they make you sign in order to work there is a one-way document. It even says that the company is free to change or interpret the handbook unilaterally as they see fit. Don't follow what's written and you are in violation. If the company deviates, it doesn't matter.

2. You will have to sign a non-prorated promissory note which requires you to pay back 100% of your training costs (type rating, recurrent etc) if you leave before your "contract" expires.

3. You must give 90 days notice if you wish to leave, otherwise you are in breach of contract (see #2 and #4).

4. Pilots are paid a base salary, plus a "flight bonus" or flight pay depending on where it's referenced in the manual. The catch is that half of this money is held by the company until the end of the year. If you leave before then, you lose that money. Management constantly threatens the pilot group with the possibility of "fining" pilots for clerical and record keeping errors by taking a portion of that money away.

Send a PM or reply if you want to know more.

Wow good info. Much appreciated. Any idea why the high turnover? Sounds like the schedule is very arbitrary maybe that has something to do with it? I'd be up for 8/6 but 6/3 would be a deal breaker for me. I'm not really sure why they would be short on pilots at varying times as it seems to be a legit company. Also is it even legal for them to dangle the carrot with money that you worked for? Sounds like a vendictive upper management issue that wouldn't be an issue if people had a reason to stay? I'm not looking for a stepping stone company but it seems that NA may be that way unless the pay is really good? I can't find any info on pay or bennies.. are you able to shed any light on the payscale? It would have to be pretty good for me to sign a contract like that, but if they only pay $400 for off days worked 😬.

Why would any qualified pilot (who doesn't have 5 DUIs) work for such a crap outfit? I think I would rather push shopping carts around the Wal-Mart parking lot than work for an outfit like that.

The high turnover is most likely because of a number of factors. As mentioned, the schedulers are mostly younger with little or no aviation experience. Consequently, there are scheduling issues (think duty, rest times, etc) that frustrate many of the pilots. They don't do it on purpose, it's just that they don't know better. Crew rental cars can be tough to get, if at all sometimes. Hotel shuttles and Uber rides are often the 1st choice, even when they make little or no sense. Constantly being reminded that flight pay bonuses are in jeopardy for mistakes doesn't help retention much either.

The company offers medical/dental insurance and 401K programs with a 4% match. The insurance is substandard if it's just for the employee and ridiculously expensive and incomplete if you are trying to insure a family. Pay is a set salary based on what plane and position you are hired for. It is graduated into levels that roughly equates to years of service. The lowest salary is $30K and the highest tops out at over $110K. Its up to you to negotiate what you're worth when they hire you. In addition to the base salary, you are paid a flight bonus every month, with the company keeping half the amount until the end of the year. I'm guessing it's all in how it's negotiated, but some of the pilots don't get the yearly increase in their base salaries the same year they get upgrades. Some do though, so who knows what determines that.

Bottom line though: It is an at will employment relationship that goes both ways. You can quit anytime for any reason and they can fire you the same way. The gotcha if you quit or they can you is that you lose a large chunk of flight pay and also have to repay for your training *not prorated*.

It works for some folks. And the pay is quite a bit better than Wally World:)

Thanks for the info piloto. I was able to get some info from a friend of a friend that starting pay for captains (he said most are hired as a captain??) is in the low 40's...... these days you can go to a regional and make 60 first year with decent benefits. Looks like I'll be looking elsewhere for sure. Thanks again for the info.

What regional can you make $60K the first year as an FO? You might be able to make that as a street captain at one of the few places hiring those...

A few, with their signing bonuses.

Can you provide an example or two?