Corporate Rosters/schedules

[globallocal]

Just want to get a feel of what other corporate operators are getting as a roster/schedule.
Currently working for a company on a GLEX part 91/135 that seems to have its head in the sand about roistering. Just negotiated 30 days on/ 15 off and when it came time to exercise my 15 off, they moved the goal posts and said 30 flying days not 30 days at the base. And do any pilots have secondary duties around the office or do you just come in on flying days and then go home when you are finished. After a wide response from everyone on the big ones, as I know there are a lot of different rosters out there, but I’m using this as an argument to take to management of what is out there in the industry.

[g5tom]

I'am presently on a private ops in Russia. 3 weeks on, 3 weeks off!:ok:

g5tom

[DA50driver]

14 days on duty, 2 travel days, rest of month off. Company pays for airline ticket to and from every cycle. (Halfway around the world). No extra duties at all, although I go hang out in the office just for fun.

It sounds to me like you are letting them taking advantage of you. There are lots of better jobs out there if you have the experience. Look into Russian operations, they always crave experienced guys and are willing to pay for it.

Good luck. It is never to late to put in the application at McDonalds. I have considered it a few times.(They do have GLEX's at DuPage i think)

[farmer jo]

Are you flying from a fixed base operation near your home or are you based away from home and family ? A lot of Companies offer Free Basing especiallly when working in difficult places - Russia and CIS. So it really depends on the type of operation, how much flying and where it is in world and what you manage to agree before you start. Changing conditions etc afterwards is never easy but possible

[globallocal]

Thanks for the replies. To answer a few of the questions. No away from home and family in a different country that is a little remote. The original idea was to get me a work visa and that has not come through yet, so I have some negotiating power. I’ve seen 8 pilots through the doors in 8 months, so the company realizes it has a problem but still seems to shaft the pilots. I will be number 9 as I’m looking for another job as we speak. If any one has some contacts I’ll work anywhere not for anything with a descent roster.
Does anyone have some contacts for Russia? I’m global typed 400hrs, 5000 TT. Helicopter rated as well.

[Itswindyout]

You should have no problem getting a new job, away from GAMA.

More are coming to Moscow.

Stick in there, and hit the E Mails, and skype them all.

pm me a mini CV.

windy

[chiaroscuro]

Reading through your post seems you guys in Europe have a big issues with rosters and duty regulations in general. i know its not really the european way - but maybe you should consider joining a union or found one to start with. Looking at what Netjets Pilots in the US have done and achieved by having a union it seems more then logical that you guys should have one as well.

but also: why don't you consider going expatriate the whole yard. if you stay abroad for 3 or 4 weeks then why not move there (nobody can tell me that they fly every day out of this duty period. There are a lot of my friends from the US or Australia including NZ who did that. They just moved to where ever day have a plane. A lot of them seem to be absolutely fine with this.

I am speaking out of personal experience, as I have lived with my family in different countries and mostly found my emlpoyers more then generous when they where confronted with that idea. some even increased my salary as they did not had to cover for tickets and on top of it - its all taxfree and legal (at least in this part of the world)

well, keep on going - sure you will get there

CH

[DA50driver]

A lot of jobs these days are in less than desireable locations and not a place to bring a wife and family to. Most of the Moscow based operations that I am familiar with also fly an awful lot, why have the family sit in Moscow? Most of the guys we fly around have their families in Europe or the US for safety reasons. Why not us?
On the subject of unions Europe are doing quite well in that respect, but most of us work for small operators. It comes down to the individual saying no thanks to a sub-par job, not a union.
That said, this is a fun and job. I love the fact that I may have breakfast in Istanbul, lunch in Milan and dinner in Krasnodar. It is a challenging job with great rewards if you don't sell yourself short.
By the way, if you move to a European country you have to pay your taxes there. I would rather pay my taxes to uncle Sam

[chiaroscuro]

DA50driver,

that sounds quite reasonable what you say there. looks like the good old middle east times are over. I know families should not be brought into areas where you cant guarantee their safety. we had to leave once overnight out of an african country......

well seems as much as we complain about our tax system it is still in favour to what you guys have to pay.

Met a couple of young pilot ins MDW. they work for Swiss based company called G5Exec. They work on a 14/14 roster. so there is hope.

CH

[globallocal]

chiaroscuro,
I’m an Australian who actually works for a US company, albeit on a small island in the pacific. Why would I uproot my family away from their friends, support base and family to an Island that I’m only on for a week out of the month and the money isn’t that good as well? If they paid me enough I’d go anywhere. When we have 5 pilots I don’t think its unreasonable to have a roster and when we need 2 crews or 3 pilots you have to come in to support that trip. At the moment they want us in the office everyday, doing what I don’t know. We just sit around and bitch about everything. We did have jump seat privileges on a US carrier so we could travel for free back home, but that has just being revoked by our company. If I did get a job in Europe I’d take the family over with me and base them in southern Europe somewhere,just trying to find tat job is the hardest thing when all my contacts are around Asia.

Anyway thanks for your imput

[Doodlebug]

Globallocal,

2 weeks on/ 2 off, flights paid from home and back. Seems to be becoming the norm to offer the same time off as on in EU, Middle East and Eastern-bloc countries. It actually becomes easier for the operator to rotate 4 crew as opposed to constantly juggling 3 pilots around recurrents and similar, paying extra for dragging in freelancers, etc.

Bottom line: happy pilots = happy owners = profit :ok:

[DA50driver]

Doodlebug,

Sometimes I am embarrased when I don't think of the simple statement.

Excellent point.

[747SP]

2 on 2 off is the normal now, ticket home to most places, EU, further a field as well can be negotiated, especially for the russian operators, A few jobs still in Russia, try globaljetconcept.com they seem to have the the Russian Market at there feet.. Long may it last..good luck

[747SP]

[QUOTE=747SP;2885004]2 on 2 off is the normal now, ticket home to most places, EU, further a field as well can be negotiated, especially for the russian operators, A few jobs still in Russia, try globaljetconcept.com they seem to have the the Russian Market under control. Long may it last..good luck and safe flying to you all

[ssg]

First off, 91/135 is not corporate. If your working for a charter company, management company or fractional, that's not really corporate aviation. Your working for a company that is basicaly charter, and thus your schedule will be dictated not by one company, but by how many customers they have, your chief pilot's concept of crew schedules, ect.

In a pure Part 91 corporate jet, flown by a salaried, dedicated crew, employed by the same company that owns the plane, unless it's leased, which is usualy a half assed deal.

Most corporate jets statisticaly fly 200-250 hours a year. Average leg times are one hour. Most crews don't fly more then 6 days per month, but how long they are gone away from home varies from company to company.

Some guys fly 10 hours a month, but the boss has then staying away for weeks at a time, others fly the boss out, then fly home commercial.

What I have found is that well managed corporate flight depts don't have a week on week off thing, unless they are really busy, or we go back to the idea of 15 companies are flying one jet, ect. I have also found that the more time you have off, is directly related to what you get paid. If you bitch about time off needed, they hire another pilot, expect to get paid less.

I fly 550+ hours a year, as a single pilot jet captain, flying around 10-12 days per month, very few overnights. So I spend more time flying then sitting, which I prefer, and I spend more time with family.

Others prefer a set schedule, set far in advance like the airlines, others like myself get bored with going to the same place, over and over and having your life mapped out months in advance.

Anyway, in real corporate flight ops schedules vary, and the boss usualy wants reasonably happy pilots, and has enough money to keep them reasonably happy.

If you like living have your life in hotels, away from family, hobbies and stuff you like to do, then go airlines, charter or fractional.

- SSG

[globallocal]

[quote=ssg;2888944]First off, 91/135 is not corporate.


Sorry to disappoint you but its still corporate!! Whether 91/135!
Its not airlines and they pay more than your salary for the flight, well in the aircraft I fly. So its corporate, charter 91, fract, who cares, its corporate! Sorry, you’re flying single pilot U.S domestic. Sarcasm will get me nowhere.

:ugh: :=