Quest Diagnostics

[murphfly]

Anyone on here work for these guys or know anything about them? I know some but I'm curious about location of bases. Thanks!

[NotCoolEnufToFly]

I hear they are great to fly for but....
[rant] I hate dealing with them on a professional level. They won't just put the referring physician on their claims like every other lab/diagnostic clinic does so EVERY time I get a claim from them I have to call and talk to someone in customer service to get that info. Which I realize doesn't sound like a lot but when you think about how many claims I process in a week... [/end rant]

[ctab5060X]

Don't know much about flying for Quest, but I do know that they contract out some of their work. I get at least a couple of boxes a night from a lab that has recently become a part of Quest.

[Snuggle]

A long time ago I talked to their director of flight ops (met the guy at an millionaire fbo in ALB). He's a real nice guy. It's been a couple of years so things could have changed, but it seemed like a really good gig. Their base at the time was in Penn. Other job functions included driving the company van around. Apparently they paid well. Flying was on the back side of the clock like most freight. I wish I had some more info for you, let me dig around maybe I can find something. I remember I had written down his info on my AFD at the time. I'm sure I still have that old thing laying around.

Edit: Found it! PM sent.

[wheelsup]

Reading PA and Gwinnett County in GA. The guy who tried to get me in there recently left for a 121 LCC, and he was into DGX in a big way. I never asked why he left though. On a side note one of their pilots complained on FI about how the company was pressuring them to fly below mins...take that with a grain of salt. Good pay and great equipment though, that is for sure. They've hired Airnet guys in the past.

[moxiepilot]

my buddy flies the RDG run. When I see him he looks like crap. They burn the candle

[mikecweb]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

Reading PA and Gwinnett County in GA. The guy who tried to get me in there recently left for a 121 LCC, and he was into DGX in a big way. I never asked why he left though. On a side note one of their pilots complained on FI about how the company was pressuring them to fly below mins...take that with a grain of salt. Good pay and great equipment though, that is for sure. They've hired Airnet guys in the past.

They fly 91. Guy was probably in the wrong line of work.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

They fly 91. Guy was probably in the wrong line of work.

There are still minimums for part 91 as well. Apparently he was in the wrong line of work - he refused to fly below mins just to "get the job done".

[ackeight]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

There are still minimums for part 91 as well. Apparently he was in the wrong line of work - he refused to fly below mins just to "get the job done".

I don't think he meant it that way. Probably meant starting the approach. It isn't illegal to fly it and land if the wx is reporting below mins as long as the pilot feels appropriate vis exists. 91 of course.

[wheelsup]

The point the gentlemen was making on the thread was that the company wasn't respecting their judgment as PIC. If you can't land you can't land, period, end of story.

[mikecweb]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

The point the gentlemen was making on the thread was that the company wasn't respecting their judgment as PIC. If you can't land you can't land, period, end of story.

I stand by what I said. And I'll raise you there are two sides to every story.
I've seen guys leave my current company and bash us online saying they were forced to break regs and fly broken planes. BS plain and simple.

[ackeight]

No one is in the cockpit with a gun to your head.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

I stand by what I said. And I'll raise you there are two sides to every story.
I've seen guys leave my current company and bash us online saying they were forced to break regs and fly broken planes. BS plain and simple.

I never said FORCED (as you did) to fly. I said pressured. Big difference. Of course no one is "forcing" you to fly below mins, only you can do that. Here's the $64,000 question - would you choose to be employed with a company whose corporate culture is structured into pressuring professional pilots to fly and questioning their judgment?

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

I stand by what I said. And I'll raise you there are two sides to every story.
I've seen guys leave my current company and bash us online saying they were forced to break regs and fly broken planes. BS plain and simple.

I really don't understand that coming from pilots who used to work for our company. Pressured or forced.

The other day I went looking for some info on our company message board (big mistake) and found complaints like that. Maybe things used to be different, I don't know.

I've only worked here for 5 months, but I've witnessed nothing of the sort. I've broke, been weathered, diverted - you name it - and never has anyone even remotely suggested I should break any rules.

I think this "pressure" some feel is very much self-induced. (Dealing with my company only - I have no knowledge about Quest.)

[Stone Cold]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

I never said FORCED (as you did) to fly. I said pressured. Big difference. Of course no one is "forcing" you to fly below mins, only you can do that. Here's the $64,000 question - would you choose to be employed with a company whose corporate culture is structured into pressuring professional pilots to fly and questioning their judgment?

I think the point everybody is trying to make is you got this info off FI. There's no telling if their company culture is really like that or not, unless you or somebody you trust has flown for them.

I ran into a few of their guys (when at Airnet) and all seemed happy. As stated above, they might have been feeling internal pressure, but we don't know for sure the company was putting pressure on them.

If it is bad, they'd have a mass exodus of professional pilots, and I havent heard of this.

Take it for what it's worth...somebody online (FI of all places to boot) said they felt pressure. I know in my almost 2 years at Airnet I was never pressured, forced, coerced, or any other word you want to use, to fly unsafe, broken airplanes, etc., but I have read places online about the company I worked for, and how they do this stuff. It's just not true for Airnet (when I was there).

Go figure.

[Boris Badenov]

The question quite often becomes one of convenience, in my experience (I don't work for any of the companies mentioned or referenced to thusfar). I have worked for companies at which it is hugely advantageous to get the rubber dog poop there on time. Diverted? No problem. Just hang out there until you duty out so you can get back home. Dutied out? Okay. You're off duty, grab a cab back home, or go find a hotel, we'll pay. You at home now? Ok, we're going to need you to grab a cab out to get your car and drive to where the plane is for your run tonight. Etc etc.

Under those circumstances, is there pressure to get the job done? Of course, both self-induced and otherwise. Is this the responesability of management? Not in my estimation. I know no one here gets paid enough money or respect, but you don't get paid to press buttons and sound cool on the radio, you get paid to make decisions. Every pilot is, in the end, an executive vice president of his own little plane-sized division of the company. The buck cannot be passed. The company would be retarded to say "Hey, get there when you can, it's not big deal" when the whole point of flying things is to get them there fast. If no one is asking you to break regs or fly broken airplanes, and if there are no "consequences" to following the regs or grounding a plane, you're at the point of "as good as it gets". Consider yourself lucky and enjoy the responsability.

[ljg]

Any on-demand operation can foster an over-inflated sense of urgency to get the job done. This is not the same as pressuring somebody to break regs, and a lot of guys probably don't see the difference (which is why they're doing something else now).

[USMCmech]

Originally Posted by ljg

Any on-demand operation can foster an over-inflated sense of urgency to get the job done. This is not the same as pressuring somebody to break regs, and a lot of guys probably don't see the difference (which is why they're doing something else now).

I feel the same pressure to get the job done at my employer. I'm a comercial pilot, and people are depending one me to get thier stuff to it's destination, as long as it can be done legaly and safely.

I don't always get to fly in the middle of my comfort zone, but it's my job.



That is very different from being forced to do things that are unsafe and/or illeagle.

There are lenty of pilots who don't understand the difference.

[killbilly]

Originally Posted by Boris Badenov

Every pilot is, in the end, an executive vice president of his own little plane-sized division of the company. The buck cannot be passed.

I love this. I want to make this part of my sigfile.

[ctab5060X]

Originally Posted by Boris Badenov

Every pilot is, in the end, an executive vice president of his own little plane-sized division of the company.

So true. Even more so if you are domiciled away from the home office and your route goes no where near there.

[wheelsup]

It's OK, you guys can take your feet out of your mouths now. I especially liked the part where they mentioned not going missed and Cat III lighting.

Thanks for posting that ctab. It appears as though their corporate culture really is not one of safety and more of "get the job done", although I had suspected something of the sort when my contact left, but didn't push the issue out of respect. Reading thru that I feel fortunate I didn't end up there, even though I was upset at the time on the "missed opportunity".

[ctab5060X]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

It appears as though their corporate culture really is not one of safety and more of "get the job done", although I had suspected something of the sort when my contact left, but didn't push the issue out of respect. Reading thru that I feel fortunate I didn't end up there, even though I was upset at the time on the "missed opportunity".

Are you talking about Quest or CASW?



On the topic of being pressured to fly:

I agree with Boris when he said that we are all executive VPs of our own little plane sized portion of the company. By that I mean that ALL the decision making regarding my route lies with ME. Not the CP, not the DO, and not dispatch. If the weather is crap, there is no one, I repeat no one, that will pressure me to fly. If they do, they will get 91.3(a) shoved so far down their throats it will come out a certain hole on the other end. I have never been pressured to fly in unsafe conditions by anyone at any time during my 135 career. When the safety of the flight might be compromised, I don't go. Period. End of story. And no one, repeat, no one says anything otherwise. The day I am pressured by anyone from my employer to fly in unsafe conditions or in a broke airplane (flying with something that can't be MEL'd) is the day I leave.

[mikecweb]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

It's OK, you guys can take your feet out of your mouths now. I especially liked the part where they mentioned not going missed and Cat III lighting.

Thanks for posting that ctab. It appears as though their corporate culture really is not one of safety and more of "get the job done", although I had suspected something of the sort when my contact left, but didn't push the issue out of respect. Reading thru that I feel fortunate I didn't end up there, even though I was upset at the time on the "missed opportunity".

Once again there are two sides to every story. I've read stories like this from everywhere. Fact is guys like to put down places after they leave. Some of that stuff might be true. I'd be willing to bet alot isn't. Some of it is laughable, especially about the exits. But hey wheels is knocking freight outfits that he has no direct experience with. Nothing new.

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

It's OK, you guys can take your feet out of your mouths now. I especially liked the part where they mentioned not going missed and Cat III lighting.

Thanks for posting that ctab. It appears as though their corporate culture really is not one of safety and more of "get the job done", although I had suspected something of the sort when my contact left, but didn't push the issue out of respect. Reading thru that I feel fortunate I didn't end up there, even though I was upset at the time on the "missed opportunity".

Guys?

Please be up front about whom you are addressing.

[Stone Cold]

Originally Posted by Ian J

Guys?

Please be up front about whom you are addressing.

This is Wheelsup...as Mike referred to...he was talking to all the freight guys (and gals if there are any here). He has always had a habit of saying the freight thing is unsafe...then he'll say but, but, but I was almost hired by a freight company and turned them down, so I know what I'm talking about and I'm really a friend of freight dawgs...

Nothing new.

That sums it up pretty well...