Boutique doing Boutique things

[Rosstafari]

I would roll in to the interview armed.
(...)

Thanks. The advice came too late for this one, but I will take it for any future interviews.

I figured it's best to not bring it up as I'm still not sure what to make out of it, but I didn't hide anything either. Was just honest about my time there, provided the Op Specs page where the FAA authorized SIC hours, and thought "geez you guys ask a lot of questions about turbine engines and jet aerodynamics for a crowd who've mostly been in the pattern in a Skyhawk for the past 1200 hours."

In any case, I think I stumbled through well enough, as we were talking class dates by the end. For my next trick, watch me make a few hundred hours appear out of thin air!

Yes, but some interprets are that the autopilot must remain off during that leg for the time to count. So if they have the exemption, but they’re not deferring autopilots, an FAA inspector could get a crazy notion…

Ha, joke's on you, the AP was broken half the time anyway.

That concept would come up from time to time, that because the SIC was in lieu of the AP, it needed to be shut off. The prevailing company response seemed to be "yeah, don't think about it too hard". I agree with the thread: it's time the FAA clarifies exactly what they're looking for here.

to be faiiiirrrr

To be fairrrrrr

Thanks everyone for chiming in btw. It's actually reassuring to hear from other people "hey, this is nuts".

 

[A Life Aloft]

Thanks. The advice came too late for this one, but I will take it for any future interviews.

I figured it's best to not bring it up as I'm still not sure what to make out of it, but I didn't hide anything either. Was just honest about my time there, provided the Op Specs page where the FAA authorized SIC hours, and thought "geez you guys ask a lot of questions about turbine engines and jet aerodynamics for a crowd who've mostly been in the pattern in a Skyhawk for the past 1200 hours."

In any case, I think I stumbled through well enough, as we were talking class dates by the end. For my next trick, watch me make a few hundred hours appear out of thin air!



Ha, joke's on you, the AP was broken half the time anyway.

That concept would come up from time to time, that because the SIC was in lieu of the AP, it needed to be shut off. The prevailing company response seemed to be "yeah, don't think about it too hard". I agree with the thread: it's time the FAA clarifies exactly what they're looking for here.



To be fairrrrrr

Thanks everyone for chiming in btw. It's actually reassuring to hear from other people "hey, this is nuts".

Keep a good attitude and don't give up. You really were handed a crap sandwich. I am so sorry and frustrated for you. I wouldn't give up on your interview just yet either since you mentioned they were discussing the class dates with you. They know you have and flew the hours regardless of what the FAA decides. Something positive may come from this yet.

And I'd be fighting that nonsense/b.s. with the FAA all the way. They sure as hell should not be punishing the pilots in this instance. Maybe the pilot group can investigate, find and hire a decent aviation attorney to handle a case for all of you. Get enough of the pilots to chip in and the costs will be mitigated. I hope and am wishing the very best for you. -----Gerry

 

[moxiepilot]

I stopped reading the CEOs letter at Dear United States FAA.

The salutation strikes me as if he didn’t do his research as to who is going to be reading it. If you can’t even do that to appeal your case, then you probably don’t have the skills to argue your case. Heck how hard is it to google?

 

[msmspilot]

Ha, joke's on you, the AP was broken half the time anyway.

Ha. I guess I flew for a “good” 135.

 

[dustoff17]

Couldn’t a CEO of a company, even a company like Boutique, find someone, ANYONE, to proof-read his letter?

That was painful………

That could set a wild precedent. Would they strip people of their ATP that earned it with those hours?
How are they going to take them away or invalidate them retroactively?

Hey FAA, this kind of thing is why you’re not liked.

No, they won’t do this because the ATP check followed the accumulation of hours. So they “magically” count and won’t be discounted. (According to the 5th grader‘s letter above).

 

[skypilot6]

Have you personally received a Letter of Investigation from the FAA yet? Those hours count until being told directly from the FAA that they no longer do. And at the speed of government it could be a very long time before anything happens.

If you get the nod from Skywest, be upfront and let them know whats going on. If you are an AOPA member I would suggest looking into their Pilot Protection Services plan for any legal issues with the FAA that might arise.

 

[Burrito]

I haven't seen something as stupid as this in some time. That's coming from the rampside of life.

Wow.

 

[nibake]

Shouldn’t the thread be titled FAA doing FAA things?

The whole thing is absurd.

Oh FAA XVI

 

[Roger Roger]

I stopped reading the CEOs letter at Dear United States FAA.

The salutation strikes me as if he didn’t do his research as to who is going to be reading it. If you can’t even do that to appeal your case, then you probably don’t have the skills to argue your case. Heck how hard is it to google?

You didn’t enjoy the part where he ranted about young men?

 

[Boots2Wings]

Not sure how closely most of JC follows the 135 world, but Boutique has had some... unfortunate developments lately.

It kicked off about ten days ago, when the Fargo FSDO -- which Boutique switched to last year -- informed management that Boutique's Pilot Development Program was not up to spec and that it should discontinue using First Officers. All were immediately furloughed, and those at outstations found themselves riding home in the back.

It ramped up today. This morning, the CEO released a letter he sent to the FAA protesting the decision. That's nice, but what the letter revealed -- and what pilots were not informed of previously -- is that the FSDO has also determined that all First Officers' flight time should be invalidated. The letter's attached, if you're the kind that enjoys watching spiders swirl around before being flushed down the drain.

As for Boutique's FOs... I don't know. I'm one of them (formerly), and I received the news about fifteen minutes before an interview with Skywest today. If it's accurate, 250 hours just evaporated from my logbook and I'm going to have to go back to trying to find an hour building job. That's turning out to be exceedingly difficult when you at the 1000+ hour range, because most low hour gigs don't want to hire people with such "high" time, given most head off to the airlines soon after.

Incidentally, if anyone knows of an opportunity, especially in Seattle or Denver, please let me know... because I'm kind of f'd. I've already lost two flight jobs due to COVID, but this latest turn... it's a rough one.

dm sent

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Bootycare!

...the District really ought to sue 'em, you know.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Have you personally received a Letter of Investigation from the FAA yet? Those hours count until being told directly from the FAA that they no longer do. And at the speed of government it could be a very long time before anything happens.

If you get the nod from Skywest, be upfront and let them know whats going on. If you are an AOPA member I would suggest looking into their Pilot Protection Services plan for any legal issues with the FAA that might arise.

+1 for PPS; aviation related litigation is ruinously expensive, but at least you get a head start on it through them. I never got rid of that coverage when I worked at UhOh, since I knew SAPA were wet noodles and the Company would only cover you as long as it worked for them.

 

[moxiepilot]

You didn’t enjoy the part where he ranted about young men?

I thought it was narrow minded and somewhat sexist, like saying I'm not racist but...

 

[Roger Roger]

I thought it was narrow minded and somewhat sexist, like saying I'm not racist but...

I’m not so woke that I’m gonna call it sexist necessarily but it was definitely weird and awkward

 

[Roger Roger]

I’m not so woke that I’m gonna call it sexist necessarily but it was definitely weird and awkward

And I was homeschooled so I know weird and awkward

 

[Skåning]

For my next trick, watch me make a few hundred hours appear out of thin air!

That's easy, boop

 

[Roger Roger]

That's easy, boop

“Fly what you can, log what you need”

 

[fholbert]

That's easy, boop

I'd guess the airlines would prefer to see G2 time over P51time.

 

[ClearedForOption]

First, the best pen in aviation is the Zebra F701.

Second, I would 2nd all the points on here so far that a copy of a business correspondence doesn't necessarily invalidate your flight time. I've seen a lot of letters written to the FAA in regards to regulatory interpretations and the one you attached seems very... not well thought out or vetted through a legal department.

I would also 2nd that unless you get something from the regulatory agency about your flight time, a letter from the CEO to "The United States FAA" doesn't pass the smell test.

Sounds like you handled the interview well... disclosed the information you had in the interest of transparency (showing your integrity) and showed that the time should be valid per the OpsSpecs of your employer. All in all, it's going to be an interesting story for the rest of your career. (Even though I'm sure that you are screaming inside.)

 

[fholbert]

First, the best pen in aviation is the Zebra F701.

I'd like to see some B1 time in my logbook too.