armyclimber

So I am not every other pilot on here. Let me throw that in up front.

I have a pretty unique circumstance.

So should I go to go jet?

About me, I am a 2400 hr guy, 1000 hrs of PC-12 PIC, 500 single pilot, 500 in a 135 as CPT. My end goal is to be Alaska based with Atlas. Whopping 30 hrs multi, no ATP obviously.

How to get from here to there?

Currently I work part 91, make decent money, have the best schedule I can imagine. But I fly single pilot in a pc-12, which while very fun, doesn’t get me any closer to where I want to be.

My thought is that Gojet, or TSA May be the answer. There maybe others that I am not seeing.

What I am looking for: an airline that has some bonus, NO CONTRACT, and will work me. Need to extend me because you don’t have FOs? Cool. Need me to come in on days off, cool!

I will be dealing with a 2 hr drive to PHX and then commuting from there, but I’ve made peace with that.

I spent 13 years in the Army prior to becoming a pilot, I can deal with a year of suck.

According to my friends at Atlas, they theoretically would take me with PC-12 PIC time if I had an ATP.

My thought process is that I need to get a ATP, a 121 check ride under my belt, and some jet time. Maybe 500 hrs in the right seat. Then I’ll be pretty well set up to make it though their training.

Again, I know GoJet isn’t a great company. But it seem to do what I need it to. Mesa, Compass and SkyWest all seem to have contracts.

I don’t care where I am based. I will deal with a crash pad, and then a commute once I have a line. A few days home a month is way better than the 38 months I spent in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Anyone feel free to PM me too. If I am crazy and way off base, tell me.

I’m not planning on making a jump for a few months. Right now I’ll just do my cushy 91 job and keep my eyes and ears open.

Thank you everyone!

jshoneycutt

Kind of looks like you decided on GoJet and then made a list to justify it :P

When I was there it seemed GoJet was happy to pick up short timers and greenies alike. In fact, military guys I knew there felt their experience turned off other regionals that were worried they would be gone too soon. Also remember there being plenty of flying and lately more flying than available pilots. In my short tenure I did not see anything shady or dubious. My major frustration there was when I was given an off-contract commuter hotel that required my CC for incidentals and ended up charging the full the market rate for the night to my card. It took six month before I got to talk to the right person to get it reimbursed. I only left for a specific career goal that precluded flying for GoJet.

Best of luck.

Taco280AI

Go to Compass, drive to PHX and no commute from there. No contract I know of unless you take the bonus up front to pay for FW like the RTP guys. Lots of rotor guys there

SEPfield

Do you still have an remaining GI Bill? I believe it can be used for an ATP now. I’ve heard of pilots using the GI bill to get a 737 type and ATP at the same time.

There is no regional with a training contact. Any contract will be based on receiving a bonus or an ATP conversion course. Most I believe offer the ATP course in lieu of a bonus.

If you are close to PHX I would highly recommend contacting the recruiters at Mesa,Skywest, and Compass and finding out the specifics of their bonus/training programs. I think you’ll find that most airlines will require at least a year commitment, which is the time you will need for training and 500hrs anyway.

armyclimber

Sorta, I suppose. I have been narrowing down airlines for 6 months that don’t meet my criteria. I’ve ended with GoJet and Trans States at the top, now asking the peanut gallery.
Thanks for the info. I hear as a FO it’s not too difficult to pick up extra work there.
A recruiter named Ben Anderson told me there was a 1 yr commitment if you took the bonus. Maybe he was wrong? At GoJet and TSA if you get a bonus it’s yours even if you leave the following day. If that’s the case at Compass they would be moving up the list.
No GI Bill left, got poor advice starting out, went to a university that used up all my GI Bill AND left me with $30,000 cash debt. You live and you learn. But you are correct, it can be used for ATP/CTP and type ratings.

I’m not talking about a training contract. As it turns out most regionals give out signing bonuses in conjunction with the CTP/ATP. I’m not aware of any that do it in lieu of. But most companies say that you have to pay back a pro rated share of the bonus if you leave within 12-24 months. Turns out, math is my friend. If Go Jet will give me 10K after IOE and 10k more after 6 months, and I keep all of that if I leave after 9 months, that works out better for me than a pro rata bonus and $4 extra an hour.

I did. Again, I’m not turning to this board as a primary means of figuring out what career moves to make. But I am aware of the vast amount of points of view that I can access, and the amount of things that this board’s members know which I do not.

Taco280AI

Compass has a one year commitment for the RTP guys if you take the bonus up front in order to pay for fixed wing training. If you're taking the normal bonus, it is paid in three installments. If you leave early, you just don't get the rest of it.

SEPfield

If GoJet is telling you they will pay for your ATP/CTP and also give you a $20k bonus then I would say go for it. However make sure you get that in writing and also plan to hire an attorney.

Last January GoJet put out a company memo saying “any PILOT hired after March of ‘16 would receive a$12k bonus” since then they have tried to deny the bonus to many of us because we were hired as street captains. Pretty sure we are still pilots. The chief pilot even told a friend of mine he wouldn’t receive the bonus. My friend is contacting an attorney to pursue the issue.

Basically saying the company and recruiters can promise you anything they want to get you in the door. If those promises are not kept then you are completely on your own. The union can not help with anything that is not in the pilot contract.

If GoJet works for you, it’s currently still working for me, then great. Just remember this is still a dirt bag operation that will try to cheat you, so come in with open eyes and low expectations.

armyclimber

It is 100% illegal to offer to pay something and not.

I don’t know about a company memo, but the company is offering “All new hire First Officers are eligible for a $26,000 New Hire bonus, paid over one year.” Which is broken down as $10,000 after IOE, $10,000 after 6 months and $6,000 after 1 year. That’s on their site. It would be insane for them to try to scam someone out of that. They would lose that case, and it would cost them way more in the long run.

SEPfield

Yes. Just like All New Hire Pilots were eligible for the last bonus. The key word in both cases is Eligible. Maybe if you accept the atp/ctp course you are then not eligible for the bonus.

You’re right. It is 100% illegal. That doesnt mean GoJet won’t try it and bet on the odds that you won’t pursue it.

I’m not trying to pee in your Cheerios here. I’m just saying they have pulled this sort of thing in the past. So get it in writing, but still prepare to fight for it.

armyclimber

No, it doesn’t say “who are eligible” it says “are eligible”

Did new hire FO’s after this was the rule not get the bonus?

There is nothing saying that ATP/CTP is in lieu of the bonus.