Wheels Up Operators (Gama, DPJ, TMC)
 

Figured now that they have put out notice, at least to us at Gama, that they are wanting to begin to bring all three WUP operators (Gama, TMC, Delta Private Jets) together with the same QOL/compensation/work rules/etc that it was time for a combined thread. Discuss away.

What has DPJ and TMC pilots received about how we are dealing with COVID-19? I heard KD talk on the all WUP phone call and read his email yesterday. We at Gama haven't received anything else. No guidelines, no changes to cleaning procedures, nothing. So far seems like a lot of talk, and no real action.

I'm definitely not looking to debate the validity of whether COVID is a cause for concern medically or not. Clearly the industry and the public have made it cause for concern. I've received dozens of emails from all sorts of companies talking about their response. The FAA has put out guidance encouraging crews to eat in on the road and avoid going out if possible. Their guidance also states to not use public transit. I would consider Uber/Lyfts/shuttles as public transit. Textron has put out guidance on approved cleaning products that will kill the virus. I'm finding it progressively harder to believe they are taking this seriously for the crews without making any changes.

I’ve heard private flying demand has gone up for obvious reasons at many 135 operations however I have to laugh at those idiot passengers. Wealth can’t keep you safe. Crews can clean the aircraft and it could be the cleanest plane in the sky but those passengers forget a few very important pieces of the puzzle. FBO/line guys who may help load/unload bags could be infected. Their transportation drivers/limos could be infected and my favorite the pilots. It’s funny many passengers don’t realize most of pilots who crew the planes they travel on travel to work on the airlines often connecting in major cities/virus hot beds. Yet they push on not knowing any of this thinking they are elite and safe bahaha.

Maybe so, but if you can afford it you'd sooner take your chances with a couple of pilots who have paid sick leave if they feel ill over a tube full of 200 other people coughing and sneezing all over you. Plus you don't have to stand in line in close proximity to other passengers while going though security.
Nothing's guaranteed but most of the clientele we fly got to where they are by making smart decisions and managing risk. Flying private vs the airlines in these kind of situations is a good example.

Thank you for your insightful contribution to the thread on what WUP operators are doing. It doesn’t really concern me if those in the back get the whole picture. I care that they are there and keeping me from losing my job.

I do care about mitigating the risk for the crews. By continuing to go to work we are exposing ourselves to more risk of picking something up and getting sick or taking it back to our families. There is only so much we can do to mitigate our risk on the road. I know I'm taking additional steps out of an abundance of caution. At some point the company needs to step up and make some actual changes to things outside the control of the crew to assist in mitigating those risks (transportation, cleaning, etc.). They preach that we are on the front lines. The problem is if your front line staff gets sick, or has to quarantine because their family gets sick, you don't have a business anymore.

Maybe WU needs to start working on a COA to temporarily base aircraft at the primary airports where crews who live in the local area can staff the aircraft directly. Obviously, XYZ client is going to have to suck it up if they want their private flight.

Rest-assured quasi-SHTF is right around the corner. I hope that it lasts only a few weeks. Couple of months, tops.

you sound nice.

......s/he speaks the truth.

Spoiler alert, this is NOT a dating website.

I have friends at NetJets who have been receiving regular communications from management. Latest one states they are avoiding airline travel for on/off tour. Meanwhile, crickets over here aside from that one KD email...

Back to your regularly scheduled program.....
 

Hey All,

This is some good info on the Corona Virus. I hope that they keep you all informed and safe. I think that this Important enough to have its own separate thread..

So, back to what hdgbug was saying about the amalgamation of the pay, benefits, and QOL of Wheels Up operators, when is that supposed to happen and would you all have single carrier status? You all would be the 800 lb. gorilla in Part 135!

That’s exciting news..

maybe I’m old fashioned or pacifist or something... but I will be quite content to simply have a job. Pay can stay where it is while the world burns down around us for all I care. Many people are about to start losing their jobs.

This is some petty and petulant stuff right here. The “elite” as you call them are my customers and the lifeblood of our income. Spend less time meowing on guard and you’ll realize that.

Yeah if you think WUP gives A Sh,t about the pilots getting sick you need to re-evaluate. I am wiping down my A/C with the Clorox wipes. Yesterday flight aware showed 30+ WUP aircraft in the air. They are making some serious money. Yesterday we blocked 7 hours with 4 legs and after being on the west coast for two days(east coast based) blocked over 8 hours today, starting in LAX with four legs and ending in Baltimore at midnight, oh and all the restaurants are closed (state mandated) Minimum rest tonight with 3 legs tomorrow, Duty on 10 am ending in TPA, planned arrival time in TPA 2330L. Do you think they care that I have crossed 4 time zones back and forth in 72 hours? Not as long as they can say they are legal.

bro, easy there. They can identify you with this information. Maybe delete this post?

Sooooo I’m reading the latest email. If I get stuck on lock down/quarantine due to a government directive, i.e. NOT my choice, I may be required to make up time away from work due to that.....? :confused:

The way I read it is that if you're home and your state goes on complete quarantine, you're still paid but may have to make up the time later. If you're on the road and you get quarantined, it doesn't count against you at all. What they didn't really address is what happens if your home goes on quarantine while you're on the road, or what happens to your schedule if you're quarantined on the road. Hopefully no one has to find out.

I'm glad they are giving us something extra for food on the road, and making sure we have cleaning supplies. I'd still like them to address public transit. I'm glad they finally put out something with some reasonable policies...just wish it'd been at least week sooner.

Still radio silence on what would happen if there is a total air travel ban.

I guess we’ll just have to cross that bridge if / when we come to it. Rental cars and / or driving personal vehicles to the aircraft and claiming mileage is one option. Pairing same base crew members and repo the aircraft to their base on day 8 is another. Private aviation, air ambulance and cargo might be the only ones who are able to keep their heads above water during this mess.

I don’t see the emails on the WU side unless it’s directly related to the merger. DPJ’s DO has been doing a great job updating on company response, changes to operations and procedures, and how to keep the crews fed. We’ve been getting at least an email per day with answers to specific questions from the crews.

I'm glad DPJ has been on top of this. So far the email yesterday is the first communication from Gama. Hopefully, these things will be improved and more standardized between groups.

Did DPJ get the email from PD at TMC that says they are putting together a panel to help advise on the improvements they are working towards?

3/20/2020 conference call
 

Wow. I have never felt more grateful to be a part of a company than I do right now. I missed the first and probably best part of the conference call, but what I did hear was so comforting and, frankly, inspiring. While the world burns, wheels up is surging ahead. We are bringing in new members, renewing old ones, and doing more business than before. Our balance sheet could sustain us for several months if that changes. We have an outstanding leadership team around Kenny. You may think I am drinking the koolaid or something. I have worked for shady operators before- wheels up ain’t one of them. Wheels up is a whole different breed of animal over here.

Ive always theorized that WUP is recession proof. Now here is the proof. If anyone has dirt to throw on our brand, they’ll have to go through me from now on. If you’re a pilot for WUP like me, let’s bunker down, dig in, pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, dust off our old best western membership cards, and tough it out where necessary to keep our company thriving. We’ve got this. I’ve got your back. Let’s kick some covid-19 a**.

Certainly some much needed good news amongst so much bad news. I am also impressed with their desire to drive forward while others are cancelling classes and hiring. Of course, this is a different kind of flying than the airlines who are suffering. The training department is looking at all available options to keep classes rolling, even remotely, if able.

I've always known that WUP would do well during a recession. They have a great corner of the market carved out. I strongly believe that as long as the NAS is not shut down, and hotels and eateries remain open enough to support us on the road, WUP will come through this well. I'm glad to see continued and improved communication from Gama. I would still like to see them address airlining and public transit use. My biggest concern for picking something up on the road is either in an Uber or on the airline. Our competitors are making moves, some drastic, to keep their crews healthy by using more rentals and changing how people are getting to their airplanes.

I'm all in on keeping this operation going and doing my part. I'd just like them to be all in on taking the every step possible to keep the crews safe so we can continue to do our part.

To be fair alot of this comes down to personal responsibility. I just filled up my truck with gas. Entered my zip on the keyboard and pulled out the same pump handle that literally hundreds of other people have touched that day. Many coughing into their hand immediately prior.
I decided to go inside and wash my hands before getting back in my ride. While I was in there some dude walked out of the stall, skipped the sink and walked out to his vehicle, probably to go and pump his own gas. Unreal. We all need to be smart and change our own personal behavior. If some guy is coughing up a lung in his uber I'll ask from him to pull over and I'll order another ride. We all need to play our part.

It may have nice to have more that a 6 minute warning that the call was happening.

move to jersey

I am thinking the company should provide me with hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin so I can self medicate if I start feeling icky.

Ha ha.

So that's why their covid rates are lower than New York!

I urge you and everyone else to please address your concerns in a well written email to your pilot supervisor. If they don’t hear our concerns, they will be oblivious. I am extremely frustrated with their lack of communication with cleaning the planes and continuing airline travel as I’m sure many others are as well. It’s kind of like writing your congressman but more likely to have some action.

I second this. For one, it is getting increasingly more difficult to get food while on the road. Also, I’m on the east coast and have run into a few west coast based pilots who are very concerned about the ability to get home if they end up out here on day 8. I understand this is a business and the priority is moving pax, but how about some real, specific and reassuring info on this topic to the pilots instead of the generic canned answer of, “it’s being looked at.” Being “looked at” wont guarantee me getting home to my family in a time where my stressed out wife who is at home with kids at home because their school is closed could use some help.

I'll third this one for good measure. My supervisor is well aware of my concerns.

I'm not on the road right now, can anyone confirm that it is in fact Puracyn that they are stocking for a cleaner? When I look it up it seems to be a wound care product, and I don't see it on the lists of products shown to kill the virus.

Glad to see you guys are doing so well.

Got to provide a vector for all of your rich virus carriers while the country is increasingly going into lockdown to stop the spread.

My grandma says thanks.

It’s okay, they are all heading to the islands. I’m sure they’ll all be safe there. Until they get Island fever :D

Based off your post history I don’t really feel bad. Tell grandma to stay home and feel free to do it yourself. The bills still have to be paid. I’m sure all the furloughed people and all the minimum wage employees who were laid off don’t give a rat’s ass about stopping the spread. Welcome to reality. Despite your opinion, Wheels Up will have more applicants than it can process.

I’m sorry you feel this way. Because everyone I flew this week were heading to be with their families. Kids coming home from college. And people heading to the mountains for isolation. And all the while in compliance with CDC guidelines not to congregate in groups of 10 or more. We are sanitizing the planes and hiding out in our hotel rooms at night. Among other protocols. Nobody is heading to the slopes. Nobody is heading to the beach. Everybody has got somewhere to be and someone to take care of. Stop demonizing my passengers. Go back to meowing on guard.

FlexJet just announced they are no longer using airlines to move their pilots on/off tour, and instead will be using their own fleet to guarantee pilots will be able to get home in these very weird times we live in. Would like to see a similar announcement from WUP.

Lord please don’t hold your breath on this one.

well.........I am not sure I could say the same. But I did have a few panicked passengers trying to get to an imploding business. So I agree that we needed to get them there. We pilots are still traveling through very busy airports to get to and from work(essential). I could do something like drive to a tier 1 base instead of my tier 2 base if they could hub aircraft there. The difference is a 2 hour drive vs a 4 minute drive and signature will let me park for free.

yes. I’m all for this. We need to follow FJ’s lead and go to a hub system where we drive to the nearest base. Extend tours if necessary.

While you may be able to extend, not all of us have that ability. Home lives don’t pause during a pandemic either. So, as long as these are voluntary extensions that’s fine. But, let’s not speak for everybody. We all have different situations at home.

Thank you! I agree 101%