Wal-Mart Aviation

Thanks! I found an artical in an old Professional pilot magazine (95) where they had 10-12 aero commanders, two Lears, and a Citation, that was 95 though.
 
I'm a flight instructor in Bentonville, AR just 5 miles from Walmart's aviation department. I think their minimums are between 2500-3000 with at least 1000 turbine. I'm not positive, but they are somewhere around there. I also haven't heard any real negatives about them. I think they are a good company to fly for.
 
Hey Ryno,

This was a couple of years ago, but a friend told me that you sign a 2 year contract and get paid about 45K/yr. Start out in right seat. Like others here have said, very few overnights. Kind of like and 8 to 5 gig from what I was told. Very active fleet of Lears.
 
Here are a few details.

  1. 18 Learjets: 2 Learjet 45s, 2 Learjet 35s, 14 Learjet 31 & 31A
  2. There is a Challenger and a Global Express but it is not likely that a pilot hired today would ever fly those.
  3. All pilots are hired as Learjet 31 First Officer
  4. They will type you immediately at FSI
  5. No set "minimums" but competitive minimums seem to be over 3000 hours with some prior turbine experience
  6. Home almost every night (most trips are 6:30 to 17:30)
  7. Starting pay around $50,000 + 10% bonus + stock.
  8. New! Guaranteed 3 year upgrade!!!
  9. Captain pay starts around $74,000 + 10% bonus + stock.
  10. Relocation to Bentonville area required, but company paid
  11. Interview is all-expenses paid (airfare, hotel, transportation, etc)
  12. FlightSafety recurrent twice a year
  13. Guaranteed days off schedule (no pager) from the day you're hired, until the day you retire. About 11 guaranteed days off a month -- more if you count weekends.
  14. Very few weekend/holiday trips.
  15. 4 day weekend off guaranteed each month.
  16. Operations Coordinators (similar to flight followers). Safety is a big deal.
  17. No catering. Aircraft stocked with bottled water only
  18. Department seems friendly to furloughed and former airline.
  19. Former TWA, Delta, USAir, Eagle, Corporate Express, Comair pilots all flying there.
  20. No sharing of hotel rooms
  21. Company credit card for meals on the road
More info and a video can be found at: Informational and a video here:
http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMSto...te.do?catg=285

Hope this helps put an end to the rumors. :) It's a great place to work. Like family! Pilots furloughed from major airlines have not gone back to their majors when they were called if that tells you anything.
 
According to one of our pilots who was furloughed from several airlines before ending up at Wal-Mart, "This is the best kept secret in aviation."
 
This is slightly off topic but when I saw the title "Wal-Mart Aviation" I immediately thought "ATP Flight School".
 
Sounds pretty much like what I was told by a WalMart crew that flew into our FBO when I was instructing a couple years ago. Since you work there, perhaps you can attest to something else they said. Just like every other WalMart employee, you get zero health benefits. $50000/year starts to sound like a lot less with that factored in!

ZapBrannigan said:
Here are a few details.
  1. 18 Learjets: 2 Learjet 45s, 2 Learjet 35s, 14 Learjet 31 & 31A
  2. There is a Challenger and a Global Express but it is not likely that a pilot hired today would ever fly those.
  3. All pilots are hired as Learjet 31 First Officer
  4. They will type you immediately at FSI
  5. No set "minimums" but competitive minimums seem to be over 3000 hours with some prior turbine experience
  6. Home almost every night (most trips are 6:30 to 17:30)
  7. Starting pay around $50,000 + 10% bonus + stock.
  8. New! Guaranteed 3 year upgrade!!!
  9. Captain pay starts around $74,000 + 10% bonus + stock.
  10. Relocation to Bentonville area required, but company paid
  11. Interview is all-expenses paid (airfare, hotel, transportation, etc)
  12. FlightSafety recurrent twice a year
  13. Guaranteed days off schedule (no pager) from the day you're hired, until the day you retire. About 11 guaranteed days off a month -- more if you count weekends.
  14. Very few weekend/holiday trips.
  15. 4 day weekend off guaranteed each month.
  16. Operations Coordinators (similar to flight followers). Safety is a big deal.
  17. No catering. Aircraft stocked with bottled water only
  18. Department seems friendly to furloughed and former airline.
  19. Former TWA, Delta, USAir, Eagle, Corporate Express, Comair pilots all flying there.
  20. No sharing of hotel rooms
  21. Company credit card for meals on the road
More info and a video can be found at: Informational and a video here:
http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMSto...te.do?catg=285

Hope this helps put an end to the rumors. :) It's a great place to work. Like family! Pilots furloughed from major airlines have not gone back to their majors when they were called if that tells you anything.
Click to expand...
 
That is categorically INcorrect. Just like 1.4 million other Wal-Mart associates, health benefits are offered. They are designed to protect you from financial ruin if you have a major health problem. For day-to-day care they encourage you to become a careful consumer of health care. What does that mean? If you're the kind of person who uses an Emergency room as if it is your primary care physician, then the health plan here would cost you $$$$. But if you use your network doctors, etc. It's not unreasonable and is actually very close to what I was paying at my last job.

Here's what Wal-Mart Facts - Get the facts and latest news about Wal-Mart from Wal-Mart. says:

Wal-Mart’s offerings are tailored to the needs of our diverse workforce, and associates are provided a great deal of choice.
  • In some markets, associates can choose from as many as 18 medical coverage options. This gives them the opportunity to tailor their benefits to their individual needs and the needs of their families.
  • Wal-Mart offers Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to our associates, which provide yet another option for families to gain access to health insurance and save for future health care needs. Wal-Mart matches associates’ contributions to their HSAs dollar-for-dollar up to certain amounts, and associates own the accounts. (The match ranges from $250 to $1,000, depending on coverage level selected.)
  • In 2006 Wal-Mart introduced a new Value Plan – specifically designed to provide more affordable access to health care coverage with some first dollar coverage for doctor visits and prescriptions – all before associates have to meet their deductibles.
Our plans have some very attractive features.
  • Unlike the employees of many of our retail competitors, both full- and part-time Wal-Mart associates can become eligible for health coverage.
  • After one year, there’s no lifetime maximum on health care expenses—protecting employees and their families from catastrophic loss. Wal-Mart is one of few retailers to offer this benefit.
  • After an annual deductible is met, Wal-Mart’s medical plan typically covers 80% of charges for all services included in the plan. After an associate reaches an annual out-of-pocket maximum, the plan pays 100% of all eligible charges.
In January 2006 over 615,000 associates, (or over 1 million Americans, including spouses and dependants) were on Wal-Mart health plans. (consider that many associates are in school and are covered on their parent's plans, and elderly associates may be on medicare).

Don't believe everything the unions tell you. ;)
 
After reading my post, I should have said that I'm not trying to be disuasive here, just playing devil's advocate. Now that you say that, I remember them saying that they got catastrophic health insurance, but that anything else wasn't very good. Other than this benefit, they were very happy to be there. Said that the pilots were typically on first name basis with the pax, I seem to recall.
 
atpwannabe said:
Did any of you guys that are responding to this thread on Wal-Mart's Flight Department use to work @ the Wal-Mart in Ft. Pierce, FL in the automotive department? I remember meeting a guy who had his commercial w/multi-engine rating and said he wanted to fly for Wal-mart.


atp
Click to expand...

LOL......I met the same guy! At least I think it's probably the same guy.......when I talked to him he was working inside (not a mechanic) at the register.
 
I'm not Wal-Mart friend. Just a fellow pilot sharing a few facts with you. Do with them as you please - but at least some of the misinformation will end.
 
Wal-Mart pilots are taken care of similar to their truck drivers...they are well compensated for the work they do.

Rogers airport looks like O'Hare at 6:00am and 5:00pm every weekday.
All of the lears are active.

The lear the drops you off will most likely not be the lear that picks you up...even the same day.

They run an efficient not for hire airline.
 
I worked at Wal-Mart's headquarters in NW Arkansas as a buyer from 2004-2006 and flew on company planes every couple of weeks.

Of course the planes are used for executives, but for the most part...they are used to fly Divisional and Regional Vice Presidents (and their support teams) to their markets. The Div and Reg VP's would meet at the Rogers Airport early Tuesday morning and everyone would board the planes. Those teams would spend the next 3 days touring Wal-Mart stores and walking their competitors stores. On Thursday afternoons, a Wal-Mart plane would meet the group at the local airport and fly them back to NW Arkansas. Planes are also frequently used for day trips by buyers or other employees from the Home Office. On some days, the pilots would wait at the airport the 6 or so hours for you to get back and on some days they would drop you off and fly to another pick up/etc. From what I've heard, they have a pretty nifty (and efficient) scheduling system.

On one occasion, we flew from NW Arkansas to Las Vegas on a Lear 31..having to stop at a remote airport in northern New Mexico to refuel. We arrived at the LV airport and headed to a big apparel show while the pilots waited for us to return. When we got back to the airport 4 hours later, the pilots had big grins on their faces. When we asked why they were smiling...they informed us that Jessica Simpson and crew had flown in 30 minutes before and walked right past them.:laff:
 
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