After a 38 year career as pilot and manager, I have been providing contract services as a Pilot on the G-550, G-V and G-450 for the past two years. During that period I have been contacted by the Canadian Group in Montreal, ACASS on 3 or 4 occasions to see if I was interested in contract work. The scenario goes like this: recruiter on phone- " Hello, are you available for a 3 week contract on a G-V ? " This is for a client in North America who just purchased a new aircraft and needs a temporary crew until they hire full time people.", yes I am currently available for that contract, recruiter-"OK great Ill send you the Non-Disclosure agreement and other legal paperwork. Sign that and get it back to me and Ill give you the Client name and details"..........OK but one question before I sign anything is the daily rate ? recruiter "oh yes lets see here the daily rate is $12,000 per month or $400 per day." What! $400 per day is not anywhere near market rate for a G-V contract pilot, do you know what I have to pay in training cost during the year ? recruiter-" well you said you didn't have any flights scheduled so isn't $400 a day better than nothing?...and besides THATS ALL THAT THE CLIENT IS WILLING TO PAY.
A few pilot inputs suggest that they really low-ball the daily or monthly rate in the initial e-mail offer to their list of pilots for that type. Then they wait and see if they get a response from a pilot who accepts the job because he is financially desperate for work even at 70% below industry standards.
1. Do you think this is a smart business practice or one that exploits an out of work pilot who is financially strapped just to increase their bottom line?
2. Would you consider this fair play to boost profits or an un-ethical business practice on the part of ACASS?
3. And finally, would you accept a day rate that is 70% lower than industry standard for your type?
It seems to me that If all of the other crew staffing agency's are able to pay a pilot market day rates and make a fair profit why is ACASS unable to make the same margin? I can't believe that their clients are any different than the clients who contract with the JPI's and AirCare Crews in this industry.
