C650CPT
Well-Known Member
My name is Jim and I'm a Reverse Lurker ...
I used to post actively here but fell by the wayside being so busy with life. I often (read almost daily) check up on everyone here and this is the first place I go when ever I hear that there has been some sort of Aviation incident or some Political issue. This is the place to go to for first hand timely and balanced accurate information!
Doug and All, I appologize for staying out so late ... I'll do better in the future.
Where to start ... some would say I could write a book with all that I've learned and lived over the last year ... but personally I'm waiting for someone else to write it and I want to read it as I'm still trying to absorb all that has happened in my life.
Without equivocation let me FIRMLY repeat what bears repeating ... GET A DEGREE, preferably one NOT in aviation, NETWORK, WORK HARD, GO ABOVE and BEYOND, HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON, NETWORK, Seprerate Emotions, wants and desires, from Reality and Needs. Learn self discipline and delayed gratification. These are character traits that will see you through a healthy life and help one from avoiding impulsive decision making that has a price many are not able to pay when due, and it all comes due ...
OK enough preaching ... but if any have specific questions I am available in the lobby after the seminar.
My full time job is, was as a chief pilot flying a C-650 business jet for a manufacturing company. The company is privately held and the CEO owns a Piper Meridian, C-206, T-34, Piper Cub and till late a C-310, his sons own a C-172 and C-182 ... all of which I had opportunity to fly on occasion. The business side of the house has the jet. So one could reason that I am, was in a secure corporate aviation job ... Lesson #1 ... if you last name ain't the same as the CEO ... NO corporate job is secure. I will say this ... the family has treated me extremely well and still does, so NO bitter bones here ... all decisions were and are business based decision. The tough part was actually agreeing with the decisions as I always manged the department in a way that refelcted good stewardship of THIER money.
The company was impacted by the economic downturn directly related to the housing market collaspe. We saw the impending problem and I took some initiatives to enhance the value of the flight department but some were too little too late for the reality of the economic sensativities. I was able to get our plane on a very well know and established charter company, whose business model relied on retail customers more than overflow from fractionals, for this reason they have been able to hold thier own in the down charter market. Our involvement made us some money but there wasn't enough depth to it to "save" the department. We searched out for an equity partner but never found the right fit for the timing we were looking for. We were upside down in the jet so basically the decision was made to downsize and mothball for lack of better explanation. So here I is ...
One of the dynamics in a local corporate aviation community is when a company has to let a pilot or two go, usually another local operation can absorb them into thiers provided they have the right stuff ... that's all for another thread ...
BUT with the scope of the national and global economy that opportunity for networking is all but non existant right now. My opportunity came from a little more of an unconvential opportunity ... The Army National Guard. Being a 22 year member in good standing didn't hurt none ... and the Colenel put me on full time orders (pay and benifits) the day after I signed up for unemployment benefits. My copilot at the company had retired out of the Guard 18 mos earlier and he actually came out of retirement and is now flying with me in our C-12 Unit. Coinsidence ??? I think Not!!! I'm "lucky" that my fall back plan actually is still in aviation but my plan B would have been to go back into plumbing ... not that there are alot of opportunities there right now, but a good name is worth more than gold.
There are three types of people. 1. Those that make things happen. 2. Those that watch things happen to others. 3. Those that say ... "what happened" ... or as I say ... there is a reason there is a minimum wage ... don't be the reason.
I am convinced that live happens, good and bad. But No one or Nothing can effect your attitude except You!!! Sometimes we just have to pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps ... enough cliches you get the idea ...
Doug ...btw ... a couple JCers have reached out to me and told me to get my butt back on here ... just so you know ...
Jim
I used to post actively here but fell by the wayside being so busy with life. I often (read almost daily) check up on everyone here and this is the first place I go when ever I hear that there has been some sort of Aviation incident or some Political issue. This is the place to go to for first hand timely and balanced accurate information!
Doug and All, I appologize for staying out so late ... I'll do better in the future.
Where to start ... some would say I could write a book with all that I've learned and lived over the last year ... but personally I'm waiting for someone else to write it and I want to read it as I'm still trying to absorb all that has happened in my life.
Without equivocation let me FIRMLY repeat what bears repeating ... GET A DEGREE, preferably one NOT in aviation, NETWORK, WORK HARD, GO ABOVE and BEYOND, HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON, NETWORK, Seprerate Emotions, wants and desires, from Reality and Needs. Learn self discipline and delayed gratification. These are character traits that will see you through a healthy life and help one from avoiding impulsive decision making that has a price many are not able to pay when due, and it all comes due ...
OK enough preaching ... but if any have specific questions I am available in the lobby after the seminar.
My full time job is, was as a chief pilot flying a C-650 business jet for a manufacturing company. The company is privately held and the CEO owns a Piper Meridian, C-206, T-34, Piper Cub and till late a C-310, his sons own a C-172 and C-182 ... all of which I had opportunity to fly on occasion. The business side of the house has the jet. So one could reason that I am, was in a secure corporate aviation job ... Lesson #1 ... if you last name ain't the same as the CEO ... NO corporate job is secure. I will say this ... the family has treated me extremely well and still does, so NO bitter bones here ... all decisions were and are business based decision. The tough part was actually agreeing with the decisions as I always manged the department in a way that refelcted good stewardship of THIER money.
The company was impacted by the economic downturn directly related to the housing market collaspe. We saw the impending problem and I took some initiatives to enhance the value of the flight department but some were too little too late for the reality of the economic sensativities. I was able to get our plane on a very well know and established charter company, whose business model relied on retail customers more than overflow from fractionals, for this reason they have been able to hold thier own in the down charter market. Our involvement made us some money but there wasn't enough depth to it to "save" the department. We searched out for an equity partner but never found the right fit for the timing we were looking for. We were upside down in the jet so basically the decision was made to downsize and mothball for lack of better explanation. So here I is ...
One of the dynamics in a local corporate aviation community is when a company has to let a pilot or two go, usually another local operation can absorb them into thiers provided they have the right stuff ... that's all for another thread ...
BUT with the scope of the national and global economy that opportunity for networking is all but non existant right now. My opportunity came from a little more of an unconvential opportunity ... The Army National Guard. Being a 22 year member in good standing didn't hurt none ... and the Colenel put me on full time orders (pay and benifits) the day after I signed up for unemployment benefits. My copilot at the company had retired out of the Guard 18 mos earlier and he actually came out of retirement and is now flying with me in our C-12 Unit. Coinsidence ??? I think Not!!! I'm "lucky" that my fall back plan actually is still in aviation but my plan B would have been to go back into plumbing ... not that there are alot of opportunities there right now, but a good name is worth more than gold.
There are three types of people. 1. Those that make things happen. 2. Those that watch things happen to others. 3. Those that say ... "what happened" ... or as I say ... there is a reason there is a minimum wage ... don't be the reason.
I am convinced that live happens, good and bad. But No one or Nothing can effect your attitude except You!!! Sometimes we just have to pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps ... enough cliches you get the idea ...
Doug ...btw ... a couple JCers have reached out to me and told me to get my butt back on here ... just so you know ...
Jim
