Wheels Up to go public in a $2 billion SPAC deal

[killbilly]

It was long enough ago that I don't remember the exact details, but it was along those lines. Published requirements were something like ATP mins + ATP written. I had my ATP, several thousand hours, and an unrelated type rating. Their internal requirements were different.

I wasn't broken up about it or anything. I didn't think I'd be competitive and was actually surprised when they called me for an interview. It was just bizarre to get out of the pool and into the interview stage and not even be a hirable candidate. Silly waste of everyone's time. Presumably an HR/hiring firm screw-up.

So the recruiter was annoyed that you were OVERQUALIFIED? Or you were UNDERQUALIFIED against a set of standards you hadn't seen....I'm still confused....

 

[ILS37R]

So the recruiter was annoyed that you were OVERQUALIFIED? Or you were UNDERQUALIFIED against a set of standards you hadn't seen....I'm still confused....

The latter. I was in excess of the published mins, but underqualified for the unpublished/internal minimums. Pretty straightforward.

My guess is his annoyance stemmed from me being the nth candidate who had been sent to him for an interview and was in that gap between their published and internal minimums. The guy was a management pilot and this was the second interview in the process.

 

[killbilly]

The latter. I was in excess of the published mins, but underqualified for the unpublished/internal minimums. Pretty straightforward.

My guess is his annoyance stemmed from me being the nth candidate who had been sent to him for an interview and was in that gap between their published and internal minimums. The guy was a management pilot and this was the second interview in the process.

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I see that disconnect happen a LOT in recruiting software packages....it's not just the aviation industry.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

The latter. I was in excess of the published mins, but underqualified for the unpublished/internal minimums. Pretty straightforward.

My guess is his annoyance stemmed from me being the nth candidate who had been sent to him for an interview and was in that gap between their published and internal minimums. The guy was a management pilot and this was the second interview in the process.

"Keep doing what you're doing."

or

"If the minimum is 27 goddamn pieces of flair, then make the minimum 27 goddamn pieces of flair!"

 

[Boris Badenov]

Out of curiosity, did you have a cargo net for the lav to go across the lav entry? I basically only put one bag back there that I can secure with the belt. A cargo net would make filling the lav at least look legal.

Uh of course we did. As far as "looking legal", I was always of the opinion that good luck holding me responsible for the state of the cabin after I'm strapped in and the airplane is moving.

 

[knot4u]

.

 

[Skåning]

"If the minimum is 27 goddamn pieces of flair, then make the minimum 27 goddamn pieces of flair!"

Yeah if you get in the interview door it should be yours to lose. If a place does a group interview it should have enough vacancies for all the candidates.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Yeah if you get in the interview door it should be yours to lose. If a place does a group interview it should have enough vacancies for all the candidates.

There you go thinking like a pilot and not a HDQ type.

 

[Space Monkey]

Private jet company Wheels Up is merging with a special purpose acquisition company to go public at a valuation of more than $2 billion — more than twice its 2019 value.

Private jet company Wheels Up to go public in a $2 billion SPAC deal that could help it unlock new markets

The deal vaults the seven-year-old start-up past many of the industry's longtime leaders in the race to become the Uber or AirBnb of private aviation.

www.cnbc.com

Hey! I saw that on r/Wall Street Bets!

So, like, do the pilots get any tendies from this deal?

 

[Space Monkey]

But at least you get to stack the lav!

I may have, ok I almost certainly did tell the story about having the pax show up in Eagle next to my poor little Beechjet with THREE Tahoes all FULL of crap. A large part of the load (which of course we obviously couldn't take) was, and I'm not making this up, like bed linens and pillows, all of which smelled like a campfire. Evidently their vacation property had burned down, and we were meant to be evacuating all of their worldly possessions back to their primary residence. I had to hold myself back from suggesting that maybe they should have rented a mule-team or a bunch of water buffalo. What is this, the Fall of Saigon?

C'mon man, you haven't lived until -for W/B purposes- the family golden retriever sits right seat in a CJ.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

That’s precisely what I tell WU pax who bring their house on the ramp and I have to ship bags.

I had a guy show up with a dishwasher and tape measure for a Dallas to Durango charter in a King Air 200. They have Lowes and Home Depot in Durango, pal.

 

[deadpixel]

They haven't made a profit, and the rates for a King Air 350 are still absolutely insanely high. Great marketing though. Interviewed with them couple of years ago for corporate sales, they wanted me to move to NYC with no relocation and no cost of living adjustment. Anyway most members don't fly a heck of a lot which is part of their problem, the other is members buy a membership just to have "access" as a back up plan and get to the super bowl party. Interesting company but still unsure on their model until they start making money. I know Covid has increased demand for a membership but I'm interested in learning about their fleet utilization and if that picked up.

 

[KLB]

They haven't made a profit, and the rates for a King Air 350 are still absolutely insanely high. Great marketing though. Interviewed with them couple of years ago for corporate sales, they wanted me to move to NYC with no relocation and no cost of living adjustment. Anyway most members don't fly a heck of a lot which is part of their problem, the other is members buy a membership just to have "access" as a back up plan and get to the super bowl party. Interesting company but still unsure on their model until they start making money. I know Covid has increased demand for a membership but I'm interested in learning about their fleet utilization and if that picked up.

I think that they will be fine with the acquisition of Gama, Delta Private Jets, TMC Jets, and...am I missing anybody? There aren't just depending on the WheelsUp model anymore.

 

[bimmerphile]

I think that they will be fine with the acquisition of Gama, Delta Private Jets, TMC Jets, and...am I missing anybody? There aren't just depending on the WheelsUp model anymore.

Mountain Aviation in Denver, just scooped up last month

 

[killbilly]

They haven't made a profit, and the rates for a King Air 350 are still absolutely insanely high. Great marketing though. Interviewed with them couple of years ago for corporate sales, they wanted me to move to NYC with no relocation and no cost of living adjustment. Anyway most members don't fly a heck of a lot which is part of their problem, the other is members buy a membership just to have "access" as a back up plan and get to the super bowl party. Interesting company but still unsure on their model until they start making money. I know Covid has increased demand for a membership but I'm interested in learning about their fleet utilization and if that picked up.

Sounds like we had similar conversations with them

It's the gym model....most of the members renew, but most don't put any wear and tear on the equipment. You want as many renewing members as possible who aren't using the airplanes.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Perhaps an interesting incident for them - pax seriously injured somehow. Kathryn's Report

Hopefully didn't walk into a prop.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Probably drunk and fell down the stairs. Can't believe I never had it happen.

 

[KLB]

Hmmm. Departure Naples with ab arrival of Norfolk (though the report says OPF which is Opa Loca) and ended up in Myrtle Beach?