Ok...from what I hear you can choose to be apart of the XJT corporate team and where you live is basically your domicle...is this true? I also hear that you get paid a little more than the regular line guys (and gals) on the corporate side? Lastly, do you think that this new department of XJT is going to last and is it a good idea to jump on this? Any info...

 

First year FO pay will be ~$44k. Second year it's ~$55k if I remember correctly. 14 days off, home basing.

Suffice to say, it would be pretty tough to "jump on this" as it'll probably go uber senior. Just a hunch though. If you're not there now it might be kinda tough to get it I would think.

 

The corporate flying is more set-up as a domicile than a seperate entity. In essence, you could bid to based in IAH, EWR, CLE, or Charter. It's not set-up like NetJets Av. and NetJets Int where they are two seperate companies.

The pay is an $18/hour override and 90 hour guarantee. If you're not at XJT or are a new-hire, chances are 0 that will hold it. To put it into perspective, I could not hold a CA position as a 7 year CA and my seniority is around 550 system-wide.

 

I am in new hire FO training for the non charter side right now, in systems uggh, and from what the instructors are saying, the charter side is a whole different system.

They say that the interviews are totally seperate from the non-charter side and the bidding system will be seperate also. I'm not sure how true this is, but the instructors spend more time rubbing shoulders with the chief pilots and probably get accurate info. firsthand.

As far as getting hired for charter your chances are very slim if you are coming from outside the company. Even from within you've gotta be very senior.

Also, the branded flying is true, company just distributed the marketing flyer today showing the new paint scheme. The first plane in the new livery will roll out of the Saltillo paint shop in mid Jan. 07. Looks totally different, definitely does not look like Continental anymore. Mixed feelings about it around the training center. I like it.

Things are getting very busy at the training center. Hiring is nuts, Weekly interviews, Double and triple classes for new hires. My class is doubled with 32and a triple class of 48 started indoc today. I'm only in systems and it looks like i'll have over 100 numbers under me before IOE. Hell I don't even know my base yet for that matter.

CAL is hiring 38-40 xjt pilots a month, some with 0 turbine pic, straight from the right seat of an erj to 737's and 757's, thats nuts.

If everything management has planned goes well this is a great time to get on here. I feel things are going to be just fine.

 

The corporate is different from the line flying. Different bidding and different list of pilots. You have to apply for the position once on line and than interviews are in senoirity order. No chance at a new hire getting hired into the corporate department. It went really senior. If you really want to do it learn the line flying well, learn the plane well, and get to know the chief pilots.

Good luck in training.

 

I must say, this sounded like a last resort for them to be headed in this direction. Hopefully it works out - although history doesn't look to favorably upon Companies using RJ's as their main money maker.

 

If you are talking about FlyI..... that is a totally different set of circumstances....

Hopefully Xjets circumstances will work.....the last thing anyone needs is more furloughed pilots...

 

Ever hear of Midway?

RJ's just don't work when used as an airlines main fleet type. They are designed to "feed" passengers into the mainline aircraft, where the money is actually made. They are also used to establish new routes before mainline moves in (ie Airtran's jetconnect service).

What if XJT is successful in making this flying profitable? Do you think CAL will not take notice? They would essentially be funding their competition.

 

XJTs flying is going to be done is small under-served markets..... There wont be any competition with CAL or any other "major" carrier. This is what makes the branded flying that they are going to do unique.

Are you familiar with the flying the "RJ" does for CAL? I am....and they dont feed anything...these aircraft are used in ways that they werent made for and are actually doing quite well. Most of the passengers we carry dont ever step foot on a CAL aircraft.

I have heard of Midway....Im not familiar with the flying they did.....why dont you enlighten me??
Then we can compare the similarities between XJT and Midway and decide if they can even be compared.




edited for after thoughts

 

I understand the philosophy with what they are trying to do. Basically an EAS (without the EAS contracts) that connects medium sized cities, correct? Point to Point service. However I doubt you won't have any competition. Most medium/large sized cities do have airline service. Also I doubt what your company is doing hasn't ever been thought of before. Maybe there are reasons WHY it hasn't been done before .

Very true. Long range flying from a hub. However neither you nor I can prove if they (CAL) are making money off of those flights, or making money off of their larger operation as a whole. Airlines routinely operate flights that are not money makers, so why would XJT/CAL be an exception?

The reason you haven't heard of Midway is because they were a smaller operation down in NC who went bankrupt pre-911. I concede what they used their RJ's for was also akin to FlyI, however the business model didn't work with them either (using RJ's for point to point service). It will be interesting to look at XJT's profits 4Q 2006 and compare them to 4Q 2007. We'll have to wait a year to find out if they are able to "make" money off of this branded flying. In the mean time it's fun to speculate .