And the bar attempts to go a notch lower.

cmill

cmill

Cold Ass Honky
I've been spending the last couple of months doing contract work and its been going pretty well. The guys I've been doing most of my flying for kind of have a weird set up. We're the only crew for the airplane, and they spend more on our daily rates than they would on a salary.

They leased the plane out to someone else and the flying has slowed down considerably for me. I haven't had a paying trip in two weeks. I called the boss Friday and asked to talk to him; he called me back the next day and I told him things were getting tough with such little flying, and that It would be nice to work something out so that I wasnt forced to find another job. He told me to come into the office today and we would work something out.

These guys have hinted more than once about putting me on full time, they even sent me to king air school for a plane that they dont even have yet, so I figure there might be some good news.

I walked into the office and the right hand man introduces me to a guy that runs a cabinet shop and tells me that I can go out and start working the saw, then walks away. Doesn't say anything else, just walks off.

After I picked my jaw up off the floor I got in my truck and left.

The screwed up thing is that these guys are great to fly for. Super laid back, always had fun on trips.

I went in thinking we were going to discuss some type of steady pay, and he tells me to go start cutting wood.

It was a sweet job while it lasted, but I'm no damn carpenter.

To the new guys around here that think that this kind of BS is acceptable: Don't do it. I'm sure they could put out a job listing and get 100 applicants that would be willing to cut wood to get that sweet jet time, but don't do it. All you're doing is taking the bar down another notch and giving employers a reason to pull this crap.

/rant.
 
Well, they tried to get me to weld, and I told them all I could do was stick a rod. I guess I got demoted to saw operator from there.
 
You should have told them that they were barking up the wrong tree, and that you were definitely knot cut out to be a carpenter. That type of work wood just make you board, and that it ran against your grain. Maybe emphasize that you are really pining for more flying.
 
I'm sorry that your only recourse was to quit or endure that sort of treatment. Things shouldn't be that way.
 
Power of negotiation in progress:

Just got a call from the right hand man asking me where I was at and that we had a "mis-understanding," and that he meant I would be "managing" down there a couple of days a week, not working a saw. I told him that I'm looking to get paid to fly, and thats a big enough job by itself. He told me he was going to talk to the owner and we would get everything straight.

Either way, I have nothing to lose. Guess thats not a bad place to bargain from.
 
cmill said:
Power of negotiation in progress:

Just got a call from the right hand man asking me where I was at and that we had a "mis-understanding," and that he meant I would be "managing" down there a couple of days a week, not working a saw. I told him that I'm looking to get paid to fly, and thats a big enough job by itself. He told me he was going to talk to the owner and we would get everything straight.

Either way, I have nothing to lose. Guess thats not a bad place to bargain from.
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I hope this works out for you. It would be interesting to see what their definition of "managing" is. If it means actually managing, then MAYBE I could see it... maybe. That's an awfully big maybe. If it means spending more time behind a table saw than behind a yoke? * that. And this coming from a guy that loves wood working.

I've quit three web development jobs for essentially that reason, and am reconsidering the one I am in now, all based on the direction that the company I was working for at the time was trying to take my career. I'm a ASP.NET web developer with a focus on front- and back-end integration and excellent user experience. I have zero interest in becoming a database developer (the direction my current employer is pushing me). No interest in Java (last job). Etc.

Hope you are able to stick to your guns, and have the situation pan out for the best.
 
SteveCostello said:
I hope this works out for you. It would be interesting to see what their definition of "managing" is. If it means actually managing, then MAYBE I could see it... maybe. That's an awfully big maybe. If it means spending more time behind a table saw than behind a yoke? * that. And this coming from a guy that loves wood working.

I've quit three web development jobs for essentially that reason, and am reconsidering the one I am in now, all based on the direction that the company I was working for at the time was trying to take my career. I'm a ASP.NET web developer with a focus on front- and back-end integration and excellent user experience. I have zero interest in becoming a database developer (the direction my current employer is pushing me). No interest in Java (last job). Etc.

Hope you are able to stick to your guns, and have the situation pan out for the best.
Click to expand...

Part of the problem is that this is a thirty thousand pound airplane. It's a job in and of itself to make sure the thing is ready to fly when it needs to fly, aside from flying the damn thing. If I were bombing around in a 210 then I might see things differently, but dont ask me to be at the shop 5 days a week, then go on a 4 day and bitch about things not working.

When you get into that class of plane, and especially once you start talking about adding a second plane, its a full time job. Contract goes out the window.
 
cmill said:
Part of the problem is that this is a thirty thousand pound airplane.
Click to expand...

Ah-ha. I didn't know what you were flying. Yeah... that is a completely different story. I get that pilots in aircraft like that probably have to do some desk time... creating corporate flight standards documentation, managing maintenance, and whatever other pencil pushing might need to take place to keep the plane flying. Being a jeeeeeeeet pilot and being asked to cut wood? That's just nuts.

Actually, here's your perfect response for your next meeting (you'll need to bring visuals...):

"Guys, you hired me to fly this kind of jet:"

falcon_20_20-731_exterior.jpg


"Not this kind:"

Jet-Table-Saw.jpg
 
Damn, dude! I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you're able to come to an agreement.
 
cmill said:
Part of the problem is that this is a thirty thousand pound airplane. It's a job in and of itself to make sure the thing is ready to fly when it needs to fly, aside from flying the damn thing. If I were bombing around in a 210 then I might see things differently, but dont ask me to be at the shop 5 days a week, then go on a 4 day and bitch about things not working.

When you get into that class of plane, and especially once you start talking about adding a second plane, its a full time job. Contract goes out the window.
Click to expand...

I think that seeing this as a "lowering of the bar" is slightly short-sighted, in my opinion. They could have terminated your employment because the economy sucks, and they can't afford to keep the airplane. They leased it out because they can generate more money with it leased than operating it themselves. They offered you a position in the shop to maintain your income. If you choose to accept it, great, you can make the difference in your income. If you choose to not accept it, fine, but it's not because they "lowered the bar". They offered you an opportunity to close the gap on your income. You can choose to go to work in the shop, or go pound the pavement looking for work flying airplanes. YOU choose your destiny. The employer merely provided a way for you to generate revenue.

If you want a full-time gig, include this topic into your conversation, and help them understand why you're an asset to them as a full-time employee.

If your employer saw this thread, do you think they would think they're lowering the bar, or providing you an opportunity to close the gap on your income?
 
GX said:
I think that seeing this as a "lowering of the bar" is slightly short-sighted, in my opinion. They could have terminated your employment because the economy sucks, and they can't afford to keep the airplane. They leased it out because they can generate more money with it leased than operating it themselves. They offered you a position in the shop to maintain your income. If you choose to accept it, great, you can make the difference in your income. If you choose to not accept it, fine, but it's not because they "lowered the bar". They offered you an opportunity to close the gap on your income. You can choose to go to work in the shop, or go pound the pavement looking for work flying airplanes. YOU choose your destiny. The employer merely provided a way for you to generate revenue.

If you want a full-time gig, include this topic into your conversation, and help them understand why you're an asset to them as a full-time employee.

If your employer saw this thread, do you think they would think they're lowering the bar, or providing you an opportunity to close the gap on your income?
Click to expand...

GX, do you work corporate?

CMill, sorry to hear, but glad you walked. Sad part is they will spend some cash on someone else who will abide.
 
Because I have seen this happen a few times. You don't ask engineers to clean toilets on their slow times, why ask a pilot? (I have actually seen this happen). That is lowering the bar no matter what color lipstick you chose to apply.
 
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