Let me start off by saying that this may hit some nerves with some people and usually I stay away from PFT debates but I came across the this "job" advertisement this morning and almost fell out of my chair! This may be the worst example of PFT I've EVER seen!!
August 22, 2003
TURBO JET SIC PROGRAM (Turbojet Co-Pilots)
2634 Airport Drive, North Las Vegas
Tel: no calls
Fax: (702) 631-6380
Email: Click Here to Apply
Web Site: none
Turbo Jet First Officer Program - for those looking to gain real world, challenging experience. We are a growing charter and jet management company. SIC's will be paid $1000.00 per month plus expenses while on the road and will be considered for a permanent position upon completion. SIC's will be required to move to Las Vegas at their own expense. Applicants must have a Commercial, Instrument and Multi-Engine ratings and successfully complete a Jet Type Rating program at SimuFlite at their own expense. Applicants should expect to be on the road for extended periods of time.
You must pay anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 for a type rating depending on what they fly, I'm just guessing that living expenses for 3 weeks while at Simuflite would be your resposnibility as well easily adding several thousand dollars, move to Las Vegas on your dime, you'll clear about $750 a month from your whopping $12,000 a year salary, AND it's not even a guaranteed job after the "program period" ends!! Where do I sign up????
And the worst part is this guy has probably already gotten dozens of resumes from this ad!! There are only 2 reasons a company would do this - either they can't afford to pay a pilot a decent wage plus training costs or the regs say they have to fill the seat so they figure they can find a naive young guy so desperate for experience that he'll work for almost nothing and pay for the privelage of being there. It doesn't matter wether this is a Citation II or a Gulfstream V - if they can't afford to pay the flight crew what they deserve then they probably can't afford the airplane in the first place! And for the second reason - you can see from the ad what kind of respect they must have for their employees - can you imagine what you'd be treated like? Can you imagine working in that enviornment?
To the younger guys - with the way the industry is these days I know that it's rough - you've just spent thousands of dollars on flight training and probably can't even find an instructing job and even if you can it's probably not paying more than about $15K - as you complete your 100th pattern of the day with a student I know it seems like you'll never get a "good job"(disclaimer - not saying instructing is a bad job) and jobs such as the one above may seem like a very attractive and enticing way to advance your career but think twice!! Part of being a professional pilot - actually a professional of any kind - is having integrity - regardless of how difficult it may be. The problem is that jobs like this do nothing except promote low pay and horrid working conditions. As long as people continue to take jobs like these PFT, low pay, and exploitation will flourish among operators. Why pay someone $35K to be a Citation FO when one can hire someone for $12K PLUS they pay their own training??
Of course I can't tell you what to do and ultimatley you have to do what is right for you regardless of what other people may think but I would urge you to act like the professionals that we all are and not only not apply to this job and jobs like this but also to urge your colleagues to stay away from operators such as this.. Until these people stop getting resumes things like this will not only continue but they will grow. Unfortunatley there will always be people willing to "sell their soul" for an easy way to the jet cockpit but maybe if we all do our part someday we won't see this kind of crap anymore!
Ok - done with my ranting - I have a little cross country this afternoon that I need to prepare for - headin' across the pond.
Jason
August 22, 2003
TURBO JET SIC PROGRAM (Turbojet Co-Pilots)
2634 Airport Drive, North Las Vegas
Tel: no calls
Fax: (702) 631-6380
Email: Click Here to Apply
Web Site: none
Turbo Jet First Officer Program - for those looking to gain real world, challenging experience. We are a growing charter and jet management company. SIC's will be paid $1000.00 per month plus expenses while on the road and will be considered for a permanent position upon completion. SIC's will be required to move to Las Vegas at their own expense. Applicants must have a Commercial, Instrument and Multi-Engine ratings and successfully complete a Jet Type Rating program at SimuFlite at their own expense. Applicants should expect to be on the road for extended periods of time.
You must pay anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 for a type rating depending on what they fly, I'm just guessing that living expenses for 3 weeks while at Simuflite would be your resposnibility as well easily adding several thousand dollars, move to Las Vegas on your dime, you'll clear about $750 a month from your whopping $12,000 a year salary, AND it's not even a guaranteed job after the "program period" ends!! Where do I sign up????
And the worst part is this guy has probably already gotten dozens of resumes from this ad!! There are only 2 reasons a company would do this - either they can't afford to pay a pilot a decent wage plus training costs or the regs say they have to fill the seat so they figure they can find a naive young guy so desperate for experience that he'll work for almost nothing and pay for the privelage of being there. It doesn't matter wether this is a Citation II or a Gulfstream V - if they can't afford to pay the flight crew what they deserve then they probably can't afford the airplane in the first place! And for the second reason - you can see from the ad what kind of respect they must have for their employees - can you imagine what you'd be treated like? Can you imagine working in that enviornment?
To the younger guys - with the way the industry is these days I know that it's rough - you've just spent thousands of dollars on flight training and probably can't even find an instructing job and even if you can it's probably not paying more than about $15K - as you complete your 100th pattern of the day with a student I know it seems like you'll never get a "good job"(disclaimer - not saying instructing is a bad job) and jobs such as the one above may seem like a very attractive and enticing way to advance your career but think twice!! Part of being a professional pilot - actually a professional of any kind - is having integrity - regardless of how difficult it may be. The problem is that jobs like this do nothing except promote low pay and horrid working conditions. As long as people continue to take jobs like these PFT, low pay, and exploitation will flourish among operators. Why pay someone $35K to be a Citation FO when one can hire someone for $12K PLUS they pay their own training??
Of course I can't tell you what to do and ultimatley you have to do what is right for you regardless of what other people may think but I would urge you to act like the professionals that we all are and not only not apply to this job and jobs like this but also to urge your colleagues to stay away from operators such as this.. Until these people stop getting resumes things like this will not only continue but they will grow. Unfortunatley there will always be people willing to "sell their soul" for an easy way to the jet cockpit but maybe if we all do our part someday we won't see this kind of crap anymore!
Ok - done with my ranting - I have a little cross country this afternoon that I need to prepare for - headin' across the pond.
Jason
