fjetter

I'm suprised you guys don't have EFB's. When I worked dispatch for CS we would occasionally have to fax plates to either the FBO or hotel where the crew was if they were having problems with an update or one was broken.

amaineiac

Not sure where you got that I said you were dissing anyone. I'm don't know what reassignments were like at TWA, but at Eagle, they usually sucked, especially if you lost your overnight.

Anyway, ERJF15, here is my take on 121 vs NetJets.

I came from a regional airline, so I can't directly compare it to life at a major. My currently QOL is much better than what it was at a regional. IMHO, our QOL is better than what many currently have at the majors. I have that opinion because I have friends at different majors (yes, they are junior) and have talked to enough other guys during my many years of sitting in jumpseats.

As for a typical day, as you probably heard over and over, "there is no such thing as a typical day" and "it's not for everyone." Those two statement were frustrating to hear when I was looking into NetJets, but I have to say, they are both very true.

For a few months, day 1 and 7 were pure airlines, then I'd start flying pax on day 2. Since January, Every time I went to work, I was flying a plane on day 1. Sometimes I'm airlined to an airport to pick up a plane. Sometimes I airline, take a rental car or car service to another airport and then pick up a plane. A few times I was able to pick up a plane at my base. A lot depends on where you're based. TEB, HPN, VNY, and places like that will increase your chance of picking up a plane in base. If you're based in places like STL, DEN, etc, you're probably going to airline or take a rental car to another airport to join up with your plane.

The beauty of it is there is no stress commuting. You show up at the airport when you are told to, and then that's it. If the flight is late, cancels, you get bumped, whatever, you call the company and they take care of it. Same thing on the flight home. They have to get you home within 14 hrs and before midnight local time. If your connection flight is late, and it will put you over 14 hrs. you can request to be shut off, they get you a hotel, rebook you on a flight the next day, after 10 hrs of rest, and then you get compensated very well. If they get you in after noon the next day, you're going to get the first day of your next tour off, with pay. If they get in you in after midnight of your last day, you get compensated very well too.

As for the schedule always changing, that is true to some extent. But unlike the airlines, you're usually given plenty of time to recover a flight. If I need time to clean/stock the plane, or take a breather for myself to eat something, it hasn't been a problem. My CP has told me twice, to my face, that if he sees an 18 minute turn time, he is going to be ****ed. Slow down, do it right and don't make a mistake because you rushed. That's not to say screw around and chit chat with the FBO hottie, but they do not want us running around like nuts and making mistakes. The sick/fatigue policy is great. You can have 24 hours off in a hotel, and call in fatigued for the next trip and nobody says boo. They do not want you flying sick or tired, period, end of story.

Back to the schedule changing. Unlike the airlines, where I was always trying to game a way not to have to buy a hotel room when they changed my schedule and took away my overnight, here that is not an issue. If I'm originally scheduled to fly from TEB to FLL and then to HOU for the overnight, if I get to FLL and they change that to a TPA ferry and then LAX, I still have a hotel in LAX....no stress.

So that's the scheduling stuff, here is the other major difference.

In the 121 world, flying is probably 95% of your job. Here, I'd say it's closer to 20%-30%. That could be good or bad, depending on you. Personally, I like having some control over my, and my passengers destiny. 121, you roll up the ramp and wait for the rampers to park you, then wait for them to take the bags off, wait for caterers, wait for cleaning, etc etc. Here, you do that stuff yourself. At the airlines, the rampers are not looking forward to seeing you because you're interrupting their break time. When you roll up to an FBO, you are the client. Just like we are working harder to keep every client in these tough economic times, so are they. Most are great and will hustle to keep you happy and keep the tips flowing. 180 degree opposite of the airlines. Same goes for the FBO interior. Most are great. Snacks, drinks, wi-fi, TV's, nice chairs etc. They want us to come back. Haven't seen a ratty looking couch or dead mouse yet....can't say that for the airline crew rooms I've been in.

I think the flying is more interesting. More challenging in some ways, easier in others. It's not uncommon to go into a small airport that neither one of you has gone into before. That almost never happened at the airlines. I love the flexibility we have here. If we're scheduled to fly into ORD and it has a 3 hour ground stop, we can fly into one of the reliever airports and set up a car service for the client. You obviously can't do that at the airlines.

Most owners are very nice. Some are very chatty and want to know about you, the plane, etc. Others just want to be left alone and have you fly the plane.

If you like variety and don't mind doing all the "other stuff" to get the job done, this is a great job. If all you want to do is fly, this isn't for you.

Nobody loves tossing bags or cleaning, but to me, all the other positive aspects of this job FAR outweigh these things.

Sailaway

Boy, you nailed it! Like you said, it's not for everyone. I know some who would be miserable, but it works for me. Like you,I think the job is interesting, challenging, and worth getting up in the morning to do. BTW, I spent 32 years in the majors before this.
Helm

DWS1

ERJ,

I also flew for Eagle (among others) and now fly for NJA. Regarding tempo, I have found the tempo of daily life here to be very relaxed and even paced as your schedule is only as set as the moment you are presently in. That reality versus a 121 schedule where delays result in racing to catch up the rest of the day puts the tempo here far more relaxed and professional than that of a regional schedule in my eyes.

For what it's worth, I hope to be here at NJA for the long haul for more reasons than I have time to type in this forum.

ERJF15

This is AWSOME fellas!!! Of course I'm looking at other carriers such as Cathay and or someday SWA, but NJA is either #1 or #2 on my list!! We'll see at the end of the year. I hope to see you guys somewhere!

ERJF15

Do you have to have your ATP done, or can you get on with just the written?

CA1900

You have to have the actual ATP certificate. It's part of the contracts with our owners that all our pilots are basically "captains," certificate wise. They'll provide the type rating, but the ATP is a prerequisite.


I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said here. One thing I've noticed, compared to my time at a regional, is a dramatic difference in the quality of the hotels. With very rare exceptions, something like a Hampton will be the lowest quality hotel we stay in. Full-service Hiltons, Hyatts, Marriotts, and the like are where we normally stay, as well as some Embassy Suites and Hilton Gardens. There's also not much time waiting on the curb for a hotel van. More often than not, the FBO staff will take you right from your airplane to the hotel. It's nice. Our hotel committee and the company also work to include a full breakfast and internet with the rates at most of our hotels.

Every once in a great while, you'll stay at a crappy place, but that's very rare, and usually only happens if it's the only hotel in a small town. (My first NJA overnight was in a Super 8, no kidding!) Those oddballs are balanced by the occasional resort that's just incredible, and rejuvinates you for a week! I stayed here this past tour; karma was very kind to me. I'm still blown away by how nice it was.


The quality of life on the road has a very direct relationship to my happiness. I hear friends tell me that they can't imagine being gone for seven days at a time. The truth is, I'm more relaxed after a seven-day trip here than even a three-day at my old commuter.

amaineiac

They've been looking into them for a few years. Last I heard they settled on a vendor, but not the exact model. I think it's been put on the back burner until things turn around. My guess is that when the money in there (few years maybe) so much will have changed with EFBs, they will need to look at it from the ground up again.

Blueridger

ERJF15,

As has been explicitly detailed in this thread, NJA is wildly different from the 121 world. I plan on sticking it out at NJA because of one attribute that really stands out : quality of life.
I have worked at a regional airline, 135 cargo outfit, and turned down an offer with Cathay to stay at Netjets because this place simply offers the best quality of life out there in my opinion. The junior pilots here don't have to put in their time flying crumby schedules. Everyone is equal here from day one, and seniority only gets you your pick of vacation and schedule preference (as well as a/c preference but they all pay the same, so it's not worth thinking too much about it).
The other standout feature here is the company actually takes care of you. They will put you up at a hotel at your base on the last day if you tell them you're too tired to drive home. They will ferry you back home for a family emergency or they will order you extra food if you forgot to pick up your original order. These are just a few examples of how they go above and beyond what our pilot contract calls for. This place simply treats you with respect and empathy, and not just like a number as the 121 carriers do.
I am not a heavy kool-aid drinker either. This place does have its shortfalls too, however all in all, it can't be beat when it comes to their work ethic and attitude and with a proactive union and management in place, it just keeps getting better.
Unfortunately, at this time, we are overstaffed and most likely facing some furloughs in the near future, but hopefully we can avoid them altogether.

amaineiac

To expand on Blueridger's post, they do take care of us. Even during the bad times, if something happened to your family while you were on the road, they got you home ASAP. To hear some of the stories of how far they have gone is truly amazing.

Just last week a captain lost a family member in a car accident. They sent a plane to fly him to the accident city and a company car took him to the hospital where another family was recovering. The FA that accompanied him was emotionally drained and she was sent home early.

I will never forget my employee number from my last job. That's all I was, a number. I used it for everything. On the rare occasions that I'm ever asked for it here, I have to look at my ID. That should tell you a lot.