Don't you DARE f*&C(*!g sell out!

[pilot602]

Ok so I had a chance at a Piper Malibu/Mirage JetProp (DLX) conversion job out of AVQ (Tucson area). I didn't take the job. Here's the saga.

A couple weeks back my boss asked me if I wanted a corporate job in Tucson. I said sure and he gave me the number for an aviation consultant/broker. I called him up and said that my boss told me I should call him. I told him my times (750-ish total, 503 multi, 200-ish dual given) and when he asked about my turbine time I told him I had a whopping .4 of King Air time. He told me to send him a resume and so I did. A week or so went by and I had heard nothing so I wrote it off.

Well, on Tuesday of last week (March 15) when I was at the SDL Jet Preview show (pics here) I get a call from my chief CFI telling me that my boss wanted me to call the consultant because the consultant (the guy who sold the JetProp to the owner and guy I would fly for in Tucson) because they wanted to interview me for the job. After a few phone calls with the consultant I get a call from the owner. He asks me a few questions and one of them is about flying the aircraft overloaded.

I ask him about the pay and he tells me a range of "3 to 4 (thousand) per month) to destinations in Telluride, SOCAL and Mexico." Cool. So he gives me his cell number and says he'll call me back the next day but I can contact him on the cell if I need to.

So I go back to work after finishing up at the Preview in SDL and go up for a flight with a student. When I get back from the flight the consultant is in my boss's office wanting to talk with me (the two are old friends). So I speak with him and my boss has given me a great recomendation and the consultant says he'll set up an interview with the owner in a few days.

A week goes by. This past Tuesday my boss asks me if I had heard anything from the guys. I said no and he said he'd call the consultant. At that point I told my boss that I had the cell number of the owner and he told me to "call the somabitch 'cuz you never get anywhere in life if you're not aggressive."

So, I call the owner and we talk and he says that the consultant was impressed with me and that I come highly recommended. He asks me what pay range I was looking for and told him that the range he stated the week earlier would be just fine. The owner then tells me he'll call the consultant and get something rolling.

An hour later I get a call from the consultant asking me what I'm doing on Wednesday. Luckily I wasn't doing much so he had me come back up to SDL to fly his King Air 300! I asked him if I should prepare anything and he said "nooo, I wanna throw your ass in the seat and see how you do."

I showed up on time in SDL and he tells me he doesn't expect me to know about the airplane but he just wanted to see how I flew. He then asks me how I deal with colorful characters and I replied "well I am a flight instructor." He laughed and said that I had to be firm with the owner. He then relays a story about how the owner had a flight set up and had a pilot ready to fly it and the pilot showed up and the aircraft was 1,300lbs over GROSS. They didn't fly but the owner, a self proclaimed 800hr/Instrument private pilot, after having talked to "a lot of Meridian and JetProp" owners who flew their aircraft overloaded. So the consultant said I needed to be firm with him and (implied) not do that kind of stuff. Duh.

So we fire up the King Air and I must have done well because he a) said so and b) called my boss and told him I was as "cool as a cucumber" in the aircraft. The idea was to see how I would handle a high speed aircraft and a high stress situation. The consultant told my boss I'd be started at $36K/year and if I could stick it out they were going to upgrade to a PC-12 in 6 months and then I'd get a bump to $5K/month.

So after the flight the consultant told me to call the owner in Tucson at 6p.m. local and at 6p.m. that's exactly what I did.

We set up a meeting, again in SDL, for the next day (Thursday) at 11 a.m. So, time comes and I pick him up and we go to Subway for luch. The first thing this guy starts talking about in the car is overloading the aircraft. First flag. This issue would have been dealt with when he upgrades to the PC-12. SO we get to Subway and I ask him about the schedule and he doesnt give me a clear answer.

We get our food and we start talking and he syas "We'd like to start you at $24,000/yr." Say what? Oh and he wanted me to pay for my own health insurance out of that AND move to Tucson AND manage the aircraft (Maintainence, logs, cleaning in and out, stocking the aircraft, etc.) AND ignore the fact that he low-balled my by at LEAST $12,000/year. I played along at this point and told him I could take the $24,000 but I would have to live in PHX (a two hour commute by car/45 min by aircraft - and I own one of each).

I then ask him who is PIC. Meaning (and I said this) when it comes down to it who has the final call on the go/no-go decision. He answered (after laughing and giving me a wierd look) "I'll listen to you most of the time but if there are too many no-gos I'll get less and less comfortable with you." WRONG moth#$*$#&%ng answer.

He then gave me a line about "struggling with the idea of living in PHX" so I told him I could move to Tucson but that to do so I needed the money HE said HE was going to pay me.

He didn't like that. I dropped him off at SDL and he said he'd call me that afternoon after "running some figures."

Well, folks I'm still "waiting" for that call.

I decided after dropping him off even if he did call me (which I knew he wasn't going to) and offer me the $36,000/yr that I wasn't going to take the job because first he really pissed me off by low-balling me, second he's a scuzz ball who wants to fly overloaded and after meeting him I knew it was going to be an ongoing battle on that front and three he wouldn't conceede to me making the final call on flights (go/no-go decision).

My friends, co-workers, boss all think I did the right thing. It was hard to walk away from a job flying a turbine aircraft around 300+hrs a year but a I wasn't going to sell my self short by $12,000/year and I wasn't going to fly for a guy who has no problem getting in an unsafe aircraft.

So the moral of the story is DON'T sell your self short by taking a crappy job and for the love of whatevergodyoubelievein don't do PFT/PFJ. If you do I'll hunt you down and beat you senseless with a spoon.

So how was everyone else's week?

[Sprint100]

Kudos!!!!!!!!!!!
I was in the exact same situation, but in the I.T. industry, so as a matter of principality I walked out.
I specifically quoted the minimum I'd work for, after being asked, and I was told that was within their range. When it was time to sign with HR, they had something I never agreed to on paper. I asked about it and he stated he never remembered agreeing to that salary..........
I'm glad you held you're own and stayed professional, even while getting it with no vaseline.

[Timbuff10]

Awesome, this industry needs more people like you... I know a few guys that would fly my johnson if it had two engines and they could log it.

Sounds like a shady operation and you did the right thing. Shortcuts like PFT/PFJ and so on are rarely a good idea, if they were, then it would just be called "the way".

[DE727UPS]

Why does he need you? Why doesn't he just fly his own airplane around?

The 36K to 24K a year switcharoo is EXACTLY why unions are so prevelent in the airline biz. They aren't prevelent in the corporate biz, but can you imagine an airline being run that way? The nice think about corporate, is you can speak with your feet, walk out the door, and go find another job. Not losing years of seniority in the process. I guess it's those years of seniority that the union really protects.

If he needs a pilot, he'll keep lowering his standards until he finds someone to do it. Some 300 hour Gulfstreamer will jump at the chance.

[Timbuff10]

If he plans on flying an overweight aircraft around to places like Telluride the Gulfstream guy may not get a chance to hop in that bird. Might be interesting to go watch him try and take off out there though. Yikes!!!

[triplec76]

I really have to commend you for making what I would consider to be a good decision. Unfortunately there are way too many people out there that will take that job, which in my opinion is why that kind of aviation attitude still exists.

I don't know how things are presently going, but an airport I frequented in the past ran things exactly how you described. Promising you the world before you have the job and then opening the trap door. Flying aircraft that are not maintained properly, running way past duty time (this is a 135 op), etc etc.

Who knows, maybe you just saved your own life.....

[rausda27]

Sad thing is that there is some guy out there that will be more than happy to undermine pilots like yourself, take the low paying job and listen to every word the owner says...no intergrity or concern for safety whatsoever..

[MikeD]

602,

Let me take a week off and have you recommend me for the job. I'd love to experience this guy..............

[Grabo172]

[ QUOTE ]
602,

Let me take a week off and have you recommend me for the job. I'd love to experience this guy..............

[/ QUOTE ]

Promise to video tape it!

That'd be FUUUUUUN to watch!

[pilot602]

[ QUOTE ]
Why does he need you? Why doesn't he just fly his own airplane around?


[/ QUOTE ]

Because he wants a fall guy. Someone who will babysit him and move the airplane to places after he'ss been dropped off and then if something goes wrong the pilot will be the one to take the heat. Assuming the pilot (and him) survive long enough, that is.

[ QUOTE ]
If he needs a pilot, he'll keep lowering his standards until he finds someone to do it. Some 300 hour Gulfstreamer will jump at the chance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup. I figure the next guy will be told 24k/year and then he'll switch it to 18 or 20k and the same person who will accept that is the same person who will fly the aircraft 1,300lbs overweight.

And MikeD ... it'd be funny as hell to see you "interview" with this guy.

Oh, I forgot to mention (I think) in the original thread he was going to send me (or whoever he hires) to Flight Safety but he wanted to work a deal in where if I left before a year I'd pay back a pro-rated amount of the Flight Safety cost. Wanna know how much it was? A whopping $4,500. Here's a guy who bought a $1 million aircraft, was bragging about a place in Telluride and a couple 50' boats in San Diego and how he chases fish around (competitive deep sea fishing) and the guy is worried about a piddly $4,500? What a joke.

[Screaming_Emu]

I probably would have been outta there right after he said he wanted me to fly his plane over gross weight. Not the kind of person I'd want to be working for if they're pressuring me to do things like that. Next it'll be "but its only a small thunderstorm, what are you a wuss?" Sounds like you made a smart decision.

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, I forgot to mention (I think) in the original thread he was going to send me (or whoever he hires) to Flight Safety but he wanted to work a deal in where if I left before a year I'd pay back a pro-rated amount of the Flight Safety cost. Wanna know how much it was? A whopping $4,500. Here's a guy who bought a $1 million aircraft, was bragging about a place in Telluride and a couple 50' boats in San Diego and how he chases fish around (competitive deep sea fishing) and the guy is worried about a piddly $4,500? What a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is worse than the Air West Charter C-310 at Falcon Field gig I saw the ad for........

[juskl]

Not to put a criminal spin on this but, He wanted you to fly an overweighted plane to Telluride and Mexico and Socal???....... Might want to drop a line to DEA????? Just the law enforcement side of me .

[Grabo172]

[ QUOTE ]
Not to put a criminal spin on this but, He wanted you to fly an overweighted plane to Telluride and Mexico and Socal???....... Might want to drop a line to DEA????? Just the law enforcement side of me .

[/ QUOTE ]

Or at least recommend a friendly FAA ramp check

[USMCmech]

Good things will come of this, you'll see.

You flew that broker's King Air and impressed him.

You impressed several people with your character and judement.

These will lead you to a job that will be better than the one you turned down.

[pilot602]

I'm not worried about ... just kinda sucks when you know you do the right thing and it still doesn't work out. I'll bitch about this for a few more days then get over it. Ah well ... I just feel bad for the poor schmuck who says yes.

[NJA_Capt]

[ QUOTE ]
So we fire up the King Air......to see how I would handle a high speed aircraft

[/ QUOTE ]
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
King Air..hahahahah....high speed....hahahahahahaha

Sorry, I couldn't help it

You did the right thing....I have seen guys like this before. They usually go through more pilots than socks.

[bike21]

Excllent decision! Way to keep it real and not particpate in such tomfoolery!

I agree with USMech that your professionalism and intergrity will pay off. Chin up and keep on truckin!

[pilot602]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So we fire up the King Air......to see how I would handle a high speed aircraft

[/ QUOTE ]
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
King Air..hahahahah....high speed....hahahahahahaha

Sorry, I couldn't help it

You did the right thing....I have seen guys like this before. They usually go through more pilots than socks.

[/ QUOTE ]

correction: faster than a 172, Warrior or Apache. Hell faster than all three combined.

[NJA_Capt]

[ QUOTE ]
correction: faster than a 172, Warrior or Apache. Hell faster than all three combined.

[/ QUOTE ]
You know I was just messin' with ya.

As a former KA driver, the B300 is a rocket compared to the rest of the KA line. It's just not very often you hear the words "King Air" and "fast" used in the same sentence

I remember my first KA ride too. Then again, I remember the day I got checked out in my first BIG airplane (C172). Boy was that the big time....4 seats and IFR to boot!

[Jack]

[ QUOTE ]
Not to put a criminal spin on this but, He wanted you to fly an overweighted plane to Telluride and Mexico and Socal???....... Might want to drop a line to DEA????? Just the law enforcement side of me .

[/ QUOTE ]


My thoughts exactly. Good job.

[mtsu_av8er]

[ QUOTE ]
. . . I remember the day I got checked out in my first BIG airplane (C172). Boy was that the big time....4 seats and IFR to boot!

[/ QUOTE ]

LMAO!!!

[Timbuff10]

Gunny and Joker!!

Get some!

[mtsu_av8er]

[ QUOTE ]
Gunny and Joker!!

Get some!

[/ QUOTE ]

"Why you little maggot, you make make me wanna vomit!!"

[Timbuff10]

You got a war face? AHHHHHHHH! That's a war face. Now let me see your war face.

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