I would get rid of Bob, Chris and Hector.

They play favorites. They got their positions by kissing upper management ***.

The upgrade to the jet should have been seniority based. Those that paid the dues the longest should have gone first. They lost a bunch of highly qualified pilots by hiring off the street and then only allowing Hector's and Chris' hand picked favorites to get the jet.

Gama does have its good points. Pay and Benefits for one.

BUT......then you have to put up with Bob, Chris and Hector. Want to upgrade to the XLS? Better learn to kiss *** really well, because seniority and experience don't count.

Time for some house cleaning?!
 

I wonder that more pilots have not made upper management aware of the antics of these 3. I know of 5 PIC qualified pilots that walked away after communications with Hector and Bob. Their inappropriate actions are bad for moral. If I was upper management they would be looking for work. Funny, nobody at Avantair has anything good to say about them as well!

From what you're saying, Wheels Up sounds like a good place provided a person can "play the game."

That doesn't sound different from many companies, really.

What is the "game?" Is it as simple as just telling the right jokes, or going to the right parties, or buying the right drinks? Or is there more to it?

It is literally kissing the right azzez. Bob, Hector and Chris. Doesn't matter if you are a good pilot or a bad pilot. Kiss those 3 azzez and you can advance rapidly at Gama.

I was there from the beginning. Before Bob was a fleet manager. Before he was let go from the corporate side. I was there when Hector was just a pilot with a medical problem. I was there long before Chris was hired. And I watched the 3 morons come in and screw things up royally. THEY made it a place where kissing *** was more important than being a good pilot. They each have their little cliques that run around informing on other pilots.

Gama could be a great place to work if they got rid of those 3. I know well over 30 highly experienced pilots that left because they got sick of the B.S. being spread by the 3 tyrants.

WOW! Every day I meet pilots in TEB that have bad stories to tell about those three. How is it that companies keep clowns like this on that cause such dissent in the ranks of employees. They are too many good, qualified individuals that could bring integrity and character to the workplace but instead they get those losers.

like all companies, gama has their 5%ers, looks like a couple of them post here . . .

I personally am very happy and content here at Gama. I upgraded quickly as promised in the interview, was awarded my home town as my domicile when it became available, and have been treated fairly by management so far.

The health insurance is excellent, the hotels we stay at are for the most part very nice, the aircraft maintenance is very good, and the compensation package is generous.

The 4 biggest complaints I hear from the guys I fly with are:

1) Lack of seniority list.
2) People getting skipped over for pilots with less seniority regarding upgrades and transitions to the XL.
3) Lack of progressive pay scale and vacation.
4) Hiring street captains when there are qualified F.O.s waiting to upgrade.

The question that the people running the operation need to ask themselves is this.
Is Gama a place for guys to come and stick around for 1 or two years with constant revolving door, or do they want it to be a career destination, like NetJets for example?

If they are hoping guys will come here and hang their hats, they need to address the issues I mentioned. Especially in the current hiring environment.

I guess "generous" compensation is relative.... What is generous about what they offer for your flying?

I'd say $81,000 a year with 100% health coverage and a 401k match is pretty generous for a King Air position.

I'm just trying to offer an unbiased opinion on the good and bad points about working at this company.

Of course, I like everyone else am keeping my finger on the pulse of the industry, but as of right now I'm quite happy where I am.