What's life like as a pilot working for Netjets?

[blueskybird]

hi every1, just wondered what its like working for these guys as im quite keen on applying to them via oaa, but not sure if its any good. i like the look of the rosters 6on5off etc but would like to hear from any1 firsthand.

many thanx in advance:ok:

[blueskybird]

hey ukdy, use to live in b'ham but moved last year. :}

[heli_port]

redsnail over to you..:ok:

[hollingworthp]

Have a look at the NetJets US site (www.netjets.com) where you can find a slick recruitment video.

[Adios]

Have a look on PPrune in the biz jet and ag flying forum a bit lower down. Be warned though that there are several disgruntled ex-NetJets pilots in there. Take the usual pinch of salt with you.

[redsnail]

Hey heli, I've been out in a restaurant having a great time. :ok:

Yesterday was fun. Lovely cruisy day out. :ok:

If folks want more, happy to post, however on days off so my time's spent on my Ducatis or out on the sail board or more booze. :E Life's good.

[captbod]

Hi Redsnail,

Whadd'ya mean Ducatis, how many have you got now? You used to have an old 400ss import when we were at Streamline.

[redsnail]

The bloke bought me an ST3 for xmas 2 years ago. So got 2 now. :ok:

(I bought him a Triumph Sprint ST 1050)

[redsnail]

I'll try and give a feel for what a day in the life of a NJE pilot is like.

I am a captain on the Hawker 800 XPC, a mid sized cabin aircraft, with APU but no FA. Normal operational theatre is any where from Iceland, to Morocco, Egypt, strange places in Russia and all points in between.
Our normal schedule is 6 days on, 5 days off although this can and indeed, does change. We plan to be away from home all that time, my Gateway is Luton so I do get back "home" occassionally but I don't expect to.

The day before I'll get the brief on the Blackberry about what I am expecting to do. It could be "hot spare" or any thing from 1-5 sectors. These days, 4 sectors aren't common but 1-3 sectors are.

Once I have the brief, I do a quick check to see that the airport/FBO will be open, sort transport, see if crew food's been ordered. Let my colleague know the pick up time.

Show 1 hour before go if a ferry, or 1 1/2 hours if a revenue flight.
Get the OFPs, check the departure time coincides with what our brief says and what's been filed. Check the performance charts and see if fuel should be tankered. Peruse the wx and notams for this leg and do a quick check for the next leg. If the paper work hasn't turned up, make the first of what will be many phone calls to the Office.

Head out to the aircraft, if it's the first flight of the tour, need to do the full monty. Full external checks, lights etc. Check oxygen, batteries, brakes and TKS. If any are low/flat, sort it early. Get the fuel on and organise cleaning, toilet service and stocking if required. While my colleague sorts out the front I'll be scratching around in the cabin checking the DVD player, lights, seats, stock, sink water, documents, safety equipment. Have a good look through the tech log and appearance log as well. Check the validity of the FMS database, the jepps and the e-charts. If out of date, email the Office.

By now, the fuel should be on and now we can start the APU assuming no noise restrictions. Flight plan is entered into the FMS and performance done.
If it's a revenue, the catering will turn up and that has to be sorted and checked. We get far too much catering for the size of the aircraft. We do get quite creative in storing it. At t- 45 or so, release message appears on the blackberry and that'll have info like CTOT delays etc. This is replied to. At t-30 one of us (usually non flying pilot) will go to the meeting point to meet our owners.

Now we coordinate any delays with each other and the Office. Hopefully, it won't affect the CTOT but sometimes one is put on if we delay our plan... Very frustrating. Meet the owners and escort them through security if required. Sit them down and load their bags. This is a great game which we call "NetJets Tetris". Since we have no FA it's up to us to brief our owners about the wx conditions, length of flight, safety equipment etc. We also point out where their food is too.

Then it's like any other normal flight. Do checklists, brief the departure and any actions for abnormals. It's pretty standardised as we fly with many different nationalities and many different airports.

If the flight is a long one, we'll pop "down the back" to see if our owners need any thing or to arrange a car etc. Since we don't have a door, more often than not, they'll pop up the front for a chat or to ask if the temp can be adjusted and so on.

Write any reports and emails to be sent upon arrival.

Upon top of descent, do the usual brief about the arrival and approach. Nothing different from an "airline" type of thing. Call the FBO on the radio and make sure they're in place for our arrival and give a heads up if we need a trolley or transport for our owners and any other services for us. If it's quite urgent etc, we can use our sat phone.

Upon landing, I am supposed to do a quick walk around and check the oil levels etc within 10 min. Usually help unload the aircraft while the non flying pilot goes with the owners to make sure their luggage follows them and the transport is in place. Depending on what's next and where we are we'll then tidy the aircraft, fix up the cabin if required, refuel, toilet service etc.

Turn on the blackberry and swap jokes with colleagues across Europe.

Have something to eat (if time) and make sure every thing is ready for the next flight. Check the blackberry for any changes.
Start chasing up any minor tech issues if any.

Reply to the jokes that just got sent.

Repeat for how many sectors there is. With ferry flights there won't be any catering unless it's across a breakfast/lunch/dinner time and there was no crew food on the revenue. Get another cup of coffee. Wonder if there's going to be any changes.
If another sector is added to the day, double check that it's ok for duty limits.

Find out where your mates are going to be nightstopping via the blackberry.

If it's the end of the day, make sure that you are staying with the aircraft and pack it up. Covers on, pins in and get it cleaned (or we do it), toilet service if required. If we have an early departure, arrange for fuel before leaving. Note, if it's a ferry flight first thing, don't get too carried away with the fueling as it might change.

Off to the hotel. Quick calculation for when we need to get the pick up sorted and arrange that. Depending on when our show is and how long the day was, arrange to meet my colleague in the bar/restaurant or head off to bed. Depending on the location (eg Lon City, Luton, Paris, Moscow) there's a good chance other crew will be downstairs and there's an opportunity to head out for dinner.

Repeat for as many days as the tour's long. Keep an eye on the max duty. Airline home on last day if required.
:}

[inner]

What i don't understand is: on your 6th day (so the last day on), are you going home with an airliner or do you go home on your first day off??

On your last day off (5th day) are you already leaving or do you leave on your first day on??

Can you explain this how is works?

[redsnail]

On day 1 of the 6 days, you airline (if required) to your assigned aircraft. On day 6 of your tour, you are airlined home after any duty, if assigned.

Your 5 days off are yours.

[stansted_dan]

Redsnail, thanks for that fascinating insight. I am also considering the Netjets sponsorship. What other bases do the company have in the UK? Luton is only 45 mins away from me so is pretty ideal, but do new pilots have any kind of choice on where they're based or could the airline put you anywhere in Europe?Many thanks..

[redsnail]

It's all here (http://www.netjetseurope.com/data/eng/popup_careers.html)

You decide where you want to live. :ok:

[lc_aerobatics]

http://www.pilotcareercentre.com/APilotsLifeDetail.asp?APLID=211

[tom_a]

Redsnail, you write,

"On day 1 of the 6 days, you airline (if required) to your assigned aircraft. On day 6 of your tour, you are airlined home after any duty, if assigned.

Your 5 days off are yours. "


Is it more often than not 4 days off and not 5?

You say on the 6th day you get a ride home "if assigned". Is that to say, you are HOME for your days off, if its convenient for NJ? Is it usually the case you spend you days off NOT at HOME, and not out of choice?

Please answer honestly, thanks!

[buzzc152]

Hi, I'm at Netjets also.

Days off are OFF at home or where ever you choose to spend them. Pattern is fairly stable with 6/5. This month I've done 3 x 6/4 but now have 10 days off, so if ever the 6/5 is disrupted you get it back somewhere else. You'll not work more than 18 days per month or 178 (I think) a year.

On day 6 you go home. 80% of the time I'm at home sitting on my sofa by 1800 on day 6. I then have 5 full days off in which I can do whatever the hell I like in the knowledge that Lisbon will not call me.

If for some reason you can't get home on day 6 (it's never happened to me) or they ask if you can do an extra day (also not happened to me) you get paid extra--- eur450 for FO's and eur900 for Capt plus another per diem.

Easy peasy

Redsnail paints a very nice picture of life at NJE, and on the whole she's right. However, you can find yourself on standby, either at home or hotel, for days at a time. I've had 5 days in a row on standby before, and I know plenty who spend an entire tour at home on stby. Of course some people will think this is great. Personally, I'd rather be flying.

In summary, I think NJE is a great job and great lifestyle...... it's not perfect, but IMHO better than most jobs out there.

Buzz

[tom_a]

thanks for your insight into the lifestyle.