Dilemma

1

135Pilot

Well-Known Member
Hello All, new to the board.

I have a bit of a career question for you. I'm currently employed as a F/O on a Hawker for a 135 operation. I've been here for about 7 months. It is your typical 135 operation, low pay, not great maintenance, and loose adherence to those pesky FAR's. I took the job because it is close to where I live, I was promised a quick upgrade (and the pay that comes with that) and lots of quality flying time. One of those places where you get in, get experience, and move on.

In the time I have been here, I have flown 87 hours. Sounds great, but not at a place where you're trying to improve the logbook. Because of that, I am no where close to moving to the left seat, so I've been at a much lower pay rate than I expected. Also, we are not issued company credit cards, so I have been putting all expenses on my personal card. Yeah I know it's a bad idea. What makes it worse is the company is very slow to reimburse expenses, and only do it after I bug the crap out of them.

Here is my dilemma. I may have an opportunity to change companies. It is kind of a lateral move, but to a place with a much better reputation in all aspects. But I know I am going to burn a major bridge if I do. There is also could be an issue with a training contract where I work now. I was told there was one, but I was never asked to sign it. While I know I have the upper hand, that might not stop them from making my life difficult.

So my question is, do I suck it up where I am now till my contract runs out, or do I get out with my license and credit rating intact? Would burning a bridge like this have a significant impact on my career?
 
No signed contract = no contract. I would just re-read the fine print in any paperwork you filled out 7 months ago, to be sure. Some bridges aren't meant to be crossed again. Sounds like they don't value their employees. I'd get out of there quickly.
 
mikecweb said:
If place "a" is unsafe and breaks regs who cares if place "2" is a lateral move. There's not a lot of upward progression in 135/corporate anyways.
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Yup!
Also, is the bridge you'd be burning a personal as well professional one? I only ask that question because if a company relies on training contracts, the exception is usually made when someone already working there more or less puts their neck on the line for the new hire.
 
mikecweb said:
If place "a" is unsafe and breaks regs who cares if place "2" is a lateral move. There's not a lot of upward progression in 135/corporate anyways.
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That is what I thought you meant, just wanted to clarify.

Thanks for the advice all.
 
135Pilot said:
What makes it worse is the company is very slow to reimburse expenses, and only do it after I bug the crap out of them.
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Even the big 135s don't like to pay expenses off. AMF took 3 months to expense $1300 for me. Pissed me off. It is amazing how many rental cars are not returned with fuel and such when the company takes their time to reimburse expenses. No one wants to take on debt if its not repaid in a timely fashion.

XOJET has its own issues with that stuff as well. Hard to find a good place in the 135 world. They do exist though.
 
SteveC said:
Did that get the issue fixed?
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It was like that since I got there. Didn't matter how much we complained. The issue was known but no one above cared. Not worth spending my money if I can't expect to be reimbursed within a couple weeks. 2 weeks is what the expense form said and it took an average of 1.5 months to get anything back.
 
I was asking about bringing rental cars back without filling the tank. Are you saying you did it because you were minimizing your cash outlay?
 
Maurus said:
Even the big 135s don't like to pay expenses off. AMF took 3 months to expense $1300 for me. Pissed me off. It is amazing how many rental cars are not returned with fuel and such when the company takes their time to reimburse expenses. No one wants to take on debt if its not repaid in a timely fashion.

XOJET has its own issues with that stuff as well. Hard to find a good place in the 135 world. They do exist though.
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I never had too much of problem with it....and I used to be expensed by them a lot back in the day. Sometimes I'd just call accounts and payables to ask them has it been processed. If not processed, I'd work my way back through the various departments until I found who was holding the process up and kindly ask them to take care of it. You just have to know how to work the system. I've become a wiz at working the system. :)
 
SteveC said:
I was asking about bringing rental cars back without filling the tank. Are you saying you did it because you were minimizing your cash outlay?
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Exactly. I would try to be nice and fill the tanks up so they wouldn't be charged $8 a gallon. Unfortunately I would get interest charged to me on my CC before they would pay me back. Just not worth it.
 
KLB said:
I never had too much of problem with it....and I used to be expensed by them a lot back in the day. Sometimes I'd just call accounts and payables to ask them has it been processed. If not processed, I'd work my way back through the various departments until I found who was holding the process up and kindly ask them to take care of it. You just have to know how to work the system. I've become a wiz at working the system. :)
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I always got the work around when I called.

"Yeah its with X. Let me transfer you"

"Sorry we don't have it yet, let me transfer you back."



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
 
Maurus said:
I always got the work around when I called.

"Yeah its with X. Let me transfer you"

"Sorry we don't have it yet, let me transfer you back."



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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" I want my two dollars! "
 
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