How hard... flight options?

[invertmast]

I noticed flight options has their mins at 1500TT, 300 multi, 100 multi-turbine. I've got just about all of that minus 300 hours of TT, but figured i'd put in a resume for the helluva it.

So anyways, how hard is it to get in w/ a place like flight options? Seems like they are trying to catchup to netjets and the likes..

thanks,
thomas

[NJA_Capt]

Originally Posted by invertmast

So anyways, how hard is it to get in w/ a place like flight options? Seems like they are trying to catchup to NetJets and the likes..

FLOPS has drastically reduced their number of aircraft and pilots. They are not in a growth mode at this time. Hiring will probably continue because of the high attrition rate.

[invertmast]

ah ok.. that kinda explains it. I was looking at this as kind of a stepping stone to bigger and better places (NJ) so i figured some fractional experience w/ another would look good on the ol' resume.

[pilot4500]

I don't have the 100 multi turbine, but I think I'll send them a resume just to see what happens.

[nkoenig]

Just curious... Did you hear anything from options yet? I wonder how firm they are with the 100 turbine minimum.

[NJA_Capt]

Don't bother.

Today, Flight Options terminated 198 people including 70 pilots (Out of seniority).

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=26649

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=112969

[nkoenig]

Geez!!

That's horrible. I read some of the "other" forum, sickening.

[dc3flyer]

WOW! I had not heard about that.

Very interesting in a bad way.

[bike21]

Bummer! Reminds me (although different circumstances) of the '49ers' at Cathay back in 2001.

Hopefully the IBT does something for these poor folks.

[invertmast]

well.. thats not very promising... and still no word from them either.. so maybe thats a good thing. lol

[surreal1221]

Flight Options Downsizes, Terminates Pilots
Ohio-based Flight Options on Friday closed its maintenance facility at Cleveland Cuyahoga Airport and dismissed about 200 employees, 68 of whom were pilots, according to IBT Local 1108, which represents the fractional provider’s pilots. A pilot union spokesman told AIN that the flight crew eliminations were done regardless of seniority and were based on “performance.” A Flight Options spokeswoman confirmed, “We did have a reduction–they were terminations, not layoffs–[and] the Cleveland maintenance facility has been closed.” In a statement, the company said poor economic conditions and a “reduction in demand” have caused it “to scale the business to match current and future needs and to maintain the overall health of the company.” Fractional industry analysts Mike Riegel of Fractional Insider and Kevin O’Leary of Jet Advisors both said Flight Options’ net sales were down about three aircraft year-to-date, with Riegel telling AIN that Flight Options has been the “worst performer by far” of the major fractionals this year. The pilot union spokesman said there are roughly 500 pilots remaining and about 125 aircraft still in the fleet. In December, Flight Options said it had 140 aircraft in its fleet. The Flight Options spokeswoman would not confirm the number of remaining employees or the number of aircraft in its fleet, nor would she comment on any possible further personnel or aircraft fleet reductions

[AJDMakes3]

Hey NJA Capt,
I was one of the 70 that got axed at Floptions. Do you know if management is even considering us for employment at Nets?

[NightCargo]

AJD-

I communicated with one of our union guys that is on the new hire committee about your situation and was told that each pilot that applied would be looked at on a case-by-case basis. If the "firing" at Options was your only black mark, then it shouldn't count against you.

As far as offering preferential interviews, my understanding is that each application is scored and top scores get called first, regardless of when it is submitted. In my opinion (not worth much), even though it is not officially "preferential", your experience should hopefully move you towards the top of the stack for a phone call.

Good Luck!

[AJDMakes3]

Thanks for the info Nightcargo. My best option for a new job would be Nets. It's something that I'm very familiar with and was very good at, However the best part about it is that I really like being a Fract. pilot. I like the liquid schedule and the different placed we go.

I've been looking for Bill Hall, do you know him?

[NightCargo]

AJD-

Sorry don't know him, but you can try and email him if he works at Netjets. Our email servers use: first initial, last name @ netjets.com

Example:
Bob Smith would be: bsmith@netjets.com

OR

If his real name is Robert Smith (and just goes by Bob): rsmith@netjets.com

Good Luck!