IBFlyin

For a while now my ultimate career goal has been Netjets. With things becoming much more competitive after the new contract, what is the most efficient route to make it there? Im a 1200TT/75ME MEI. My original plan was to head to the regionals until I met mins and send Netjets a resume. To be more competitive should I try for a 135 charter gig to get the customer service experience? I know they were taking alot of Airnet guys for a while, would that be better than the regionals? I think I remember hearing they would hire Cape Air guys too, but I would think that may come to a stop because of Cape Air being all piston time, even though its big on the customer service. Other fractionals as a stepping stone? Ill stop rambling now. What do you guys think?

TimSmith

Go to the regionals, preferably one that is expanding so your upgrade time is shorter and you make a decent wage. I say this because you can fly your @ss off at a regional and you need flight time, preferably jet. After getting to the regional and flying your @ss off, apply for the training department ASAP. This looks good on your resume and will generally move your name forward on anyone's interview list. Understand that the average NJA guy has 7500 hours, so even though they do hire some 2500 hour guys, the more time is more common. As far as customer service angle, it might not hurt to volunteer for some service committees at the regional. Don't mean to sentence you to the crappy work conditions that some regionals are, but you need flight time and opportunity and the regionals have plenty of both they want done on the cheap. Makes it available for the taking. Good luck and I hope you make it on at NJA. Great company!

UCLAbruins

Not sure about the "best" route to NJ, but the quickest would be a regional, 1000 hrs of turbine-time/yr. A 135 job will pay you more, but it might take you 3 years to get the time just to meet the mins, that's A LOT of seniority numbers. The regional job sucks, but unfortunately most of us have to do it. Its painful, but its quick

I don't think Cape Air/Airnet is the way to go, NJ won't call you if you're lacking turbine experience. Those people up there in Columbus have many guys where to choose from, they'll get more particular as the resumes continue to pour in.

manfred33

Now I have prior customer service experience with a major foreign airline, one of the largest in the world; almost four years worth. Took a lot of crap from passengers for far too long.... Anyways, how do they view that type of experience? Is that what they are looking for or do they just want any old customer service exp.? I would think, working with airline customers would be just what they want to see, although, I know they wouldn't want me to treat their clients like some airline pax get treated. This ompany bent over backwards for their first class pax and especially their VIPs and senior mileage members. Those people sometimes paid $10,000 to travel with us in first class and expected you to do what it took to make them happy, including kneeling down to kiss their asses. Anyways, just wondering about that angle....

UCLAbruins

Manfred33 it is not like that at all at Netjets. The company wants you to have the airplane ready and clean for when the pax show up. Just be profesional and polite when you deal with them, that's that. Most of our owners are nice people, all they care about is you're ready to go when they show up. No "kissing ass", not even close.

jtf560

I would also suggest the regionals since the time comes fastest there, but you will also need some friends on the inside to write good LORs for you when you do have the time. NJA pilots can typically be found hanging out in FBOs all over the place. You might want to start hanging out at a local Signature (NJA has a fuel contract with them so they are the most common FBO chain for us). The internal LOR is now probably one of the most important things to have to get hired now since the stack of applications is so big. Good luck.

manfred33

Well, maybe that was the wrong way to put it. I guess when you have your own private jet, you don't have to have much more expectation, other than what you are describing, ie. be polite, have the plane clean, etc... I guess I am somewhat tainted having worked in airline passenger service!!!

ackeight

Last time I checked the lears at Airnet were jets.... You will be able to upgrade to the lear w/ 2K TT which is 500 short of the NJ mins. That will give you some time to get some turbine time.

illinipilot

I flew at Airnet and really liked it. It may not be for everyone but I believe that it's a good entry level job, and excellent alternative to the regionals. I always flew between 900-1100 hours per year so it was a good time builder as well.

UCLAbruins

sorry my mistake, I was under the impression the lear jets were very senior, like 4 years or something like that. Then I'd like to retract my last, Airnet is a good option.