Generally one researches an employer BEFORE one applies. Certainly before one interviews. Absolutely before one is hired.

Within 2 hours on your days off? That’s not “days off”.

TC

Talked to an employee, sounds like the old CEO is still there which made me skeptical of applying but there is a new chief pilot who everyone loves… sounds like management is being forced to conform to XOjet standards and the pilot i talked to said its much better than it used to be… planes are all uniform and much nicer, they have xls now and not only ultras… They are much more picky and dont just hire anyone anymore. I worked there many years ago and got hired over the phone after one conversation to HR all within an hour… red flag. Still have my doubts but might be worth checking out if xo really has changed them.

Its going to be a hard pass for me. I did some research, talked to some guys flying and also completed the interview process. Ultimately, I accepted another job the day after my group/personal interview at Red Wing. After the interview I decided that even if I didn't get the other two jobs I was pending for I was going to withdraw from Red Wing. I'm not desperate for a job but that should tell you something that I would rather not get a job than to get one from them. After the group presentation I was 50/50 on whether I should even do the personal interview. The presentation was very professional but here were so many red flags as to extremely high turnover. Their average tenure is just over 1 year and it sounded like that was only because they hold the 1 year training contract over your head. The new Chief Pilot seemed pretty defensive when one of the applicants asked what their turnover was like and what they were doing since Vista Global took over to change that. The Chief Pilot came across as possibly arrogant and defensive during the presentation. During the personal interview I confirmed he was just the type of guy I would not like to work for. He was arrogant, cocky and really seemed like a "I'm up here and you are down there and you are lucky I'm taking the time to talk to you" type guy. In the weeks prior to this interview I had went through 5 or 6 interviews, a couple of 2nd and 3rd round interviews, so I had lots of recent interview experience. The solid 135 companies with employees who stay for decades were so friendly during the interview, they acted like they really cared about you, they wanted to know about not only your professional experience but also your family life and really wanted to see your personality come out to see if you would be a good match for their team. It was like like I was already on their team and just convincing them I was a good match. Red Wing and a couple other high turn over 135 operators, I knew 5 minutes into the interview that they were not a team, just a group of employees waiting to find a better job but took this one to buy time. Red Wing really cements the high turnover culture from the start with their management style then really make the employees quick to leave with their treatment and abusive scheduling. The pilots I talked to basically said that you can guarantee you will for sure have a 14 hour duty day every day and if you get done early you sit at the FBO while they are scrambling to throw you into another flight. I just dont see how they think they will ever retain someone working them 14 hours a day for 15 days straight or even on the 8/6 schedule working 8 14 hour days every cycle. They explained that due to their pilot shortages they have to work the existing pilots even longer days up to the duty limits in order to cover their demand. Sounds like a never ending cycle. The funniest thing about the whole experience of the interview which summarizes my feelings about the CP, one of his "technical questions" was to describe the differences in type 1 and type 4 deice fluid. I couldn't remember so I said that I had not dealt with deice fluid in years and could not remember the differences off hand. I didn't know but also know that I would soon likely be refreshing on this subject if hired for a 135 job, but operating piston FIKI airplanes for the last 20 years it just did not come up much because we didn't operate in those conditions 99.99% of the time. But since I didnt know the answer, I politely asked what the differences were because I thought it would show that although I dont have all the answers I do want to learn. He made some underhanded comment that for a 135 interview you would think one would study and know this answer, the the CP rattled off a bunch of info about the types of deice fluid. I was taking notes and I wrote down all the info he gave me about deice fluid that I should have known, he was really cocky about it too. After the interview I googled it and he was actually wrong about 1/2 of the info he relayed to me. I knew at that point that he was just the type of guy that drove a high turn over operation and the kind of CP that I'm not interested in working for. The good news is that they are hiring a lot, they gave all the numbers during the group interview, if you do the math they are hiring for more than 100% turnover. Just not type of place would want to work.

Thanks for the write out, the only purpose of this company is to build time seems no one one wants to stay there for long. Chief pilot sounds terrible, looks like ill be looking elsewhere

Everyone applying to Red Wing should read iflybygps’ review of the CP. It’s 100% spot-on. Absolutely nailed it…

Hey maybe Red Wing is a good match for guys/gals that are job hoppers, that like the adventure of perpetual new jobs. That is just not for me. I wont take a job if i don't see a 5-10 year enjoyable stint. There is actually a question the ATP written that emphasizes the dangers of operations that have pilots routinely work 14 hour duty cycles in what the FAA calls wait, then fly, then wait then fly all day long operations. There was actually a guy in my group that was probably in his early 70's, he looked to be in good shape and all that but I wondered how at that age the body handles 14 hour days back to back for 8-15 days in a row?? Just sounds dangerous and unhealthy. Don't get me wrong, I can totally see working to the duty limit occasionally especially with weather etc, just not making a business model based upon every day. As for the CP, maybe he is a likeable guy, but my instant assessment is that he is not a guy I would trust or someone I would go to in a time of need or as to looking for leadership. I wondered why a guy would come out of international jet operations living abroad to come be the CP of a smallish 135 operation in rural Wisconsin? He sounded like a kiwi so I'm sure its not to be close to family. Maybe he just enjoys the rural lifestyle if sub zero temps for 6 months of the year. Either way, LOTS OF RED FLAGS!!

Steer Clear
 

Interviewed there a month or so ago. Chief pilot was a red flag for me. Seemed like he was always trying to trap you with questions so he could chime in and be smarter than you. They did not communicate well to set up interview and also did not communicate well after the interview. I felt the company was very unprofessional in the way they handled the whole interview process. Glad I received an offer elsewhere.

Just FYI
 

From what I’ve been hearing it sounds just like another XOjet op based in FRG except it’s the D.O. that’s the problem.

Besides the chief pilot and interview chaos anytime else you didnt like about the company? Ive heard the horror stories and cant imagine it could possibly still be as bad as it used to be