Quote:
Originally Posted by EXTW
Cool your jets amaineiac, there was no dissing happening here. I was trying to relay that there really is no schedule.
EXTW
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.