Air Sprint Questions

[AlphaBravo28]

Hey guys,

Been looking at air sprint for a while now. Curious if anyone knows if they carry a training bond? How fast would citation captains move over to the legacy given the current flight and planes on order and would those citation captains have to sit right seat first?

Thanks!

[Blueontop]

PM the airsprintHR this and check out the career website. Everything is there.

[bushwings]

Hey guys,

Been looking at air sprint for a while now. Curious if anyone knows if they carry a training bond? How fast would citation captains move over to the legacy given the current flight and planes on order and would those citation captains have to sit right seat first?

Thanks!

+1 for more info, I can add though that there is a big bond, $36k, but also a career company so good place to hang your hat and stay, bond only matters if you're trying to bugger off to the regionals.

[Zaibatsu]

I don't know about a career company. Pretty low wages for being tied to YYC. I noticed that they remade their nice brochure but kept the old pay scale (which doesn't include the $5000/yr hit you take until you have time on type). Schedule isn't really that great either, with lots of reserve days.

I'd say it's more of a stepping stone to airlines or corporate flying.. otherwise they wouldn't have a bond to force people to stay.

[AirSprintInc]

Hello Everyone,

With regards to some of the questions I have seen pop up on this thread, I offer the following answers, (sorry for the long-winded Email):

Question:
Curious if anyone knows if they carry a training bond?

Answer:
Yes, we do have Performance Agreements (bond) in place for our pilots when AirSprint covers the costs of an initial Type Rating. The CJ series aircraft is a 2 year Pro-Rated $36,000 Performance Agreement and the Legacy 450 is 2 year Pro-Rated $45,000 Performance Agreement. There is no out of pocket expense, loan, or anything of that sorts required. We have the pilot sign a Performance Agreement contract that states if they leave within the two year period stated in the agreement, they are required to pay out the remaining amount. Compared to the actual training costs associated with the courses the Performance Agreement is below the actual cost to AirSprint.

We only require Performance Agreements for initial type ratings, nothing on recurrent courses. The CJ2+ and CJ3+ are a grouped type rating with only a differences course required, therefore there is only one performance agreement for the initial CJ type rating.



Question:
How fast would citation captains move over to the legacy given the current flight and planes on order and would those citation captains have to sit right seat first?

Answer:
We generally hire for CJ Positions and transfer from within to the Legacy. That said, we do expect times when direct entry spot will be available on the Legacy. The Legacy being the new aircraft is currently still being crewed primarily by those pilots formally on the Citation Excel/XLS, although we do have a number of CJ pilots who have also made the transition to the Legacy.

Our internal policy is that an employee with less than 5 years seniority at AirSprint is eligible for transfer from one aircraft type to the another after 4 years on their current aircraft type unless AirSprint has a need to transfer you. Those with 5 years or more of seniority are expected to have been on their current aircraft type for a minimum of 2 years before eligible for transfer unless AirSprint has a requirement. . Transfers to a different aircraft type are based on seniority, an open position, and pilot performance.

We follow these guidelines with the best intentions of being financially responsible while also providing opportunities for our hardworking pilots. Transfers outside of the stated time frames can, have, and will be made from time to time as the company requires, at the discretion of management.

Generally, those who hold a Captain position on the CJ series would transfer across to a Captain position on the Legacy, unless they desired to move for a First Officer position.



Comment:
Pretty low wages for being tied to YYC.

Reply:
Our current pay scale is as stated in the Pilot Career Guide and we regularly monitor the industry trends and make adjustments.


Comment:
I noticed that they remade their nice brochure but kept the old pay scale (which doesn't include the $5000/yr hit you take until you have time on type)

Reply:
For direct entry jet Captains with no or little jet experience, we do require a 10% pay reduction on the pilot’s salary until 500 hours total jet time, or 250 hours jet PIC are acquired. Once the required time is met the 10% reduction is immediately removed.

For direct entry jet First Officers, we look to see if the pilot meets our internal requirements for what would have been a PC12 (turboprop) Captain. This would be about 2000 hours total time with some turbine and PIC time associated. If the candidate meets this requirement there is NO 10% pay reduction. Based on our minimum requirements and hiring practices it is rare that a First Officer is affected by the 10% pay reduction.

Since AirSprint’s desire is to upgrade internally for our jet Captain positions this 10% pay reduction does not usually come in to play. However, when hiring external Captains that come from a strictly turboprop background, the 10% pay reduction would be in place.

On average over the last year our pilots have flown about 500 hours, so any new Captains usually reach the 250 PIC hours within the first 8-10 months.



Comment:
Schedule isn't really that great either, with lots of reserve days.

Reply:
AirSprint uses a Preferential Bidding System (PBS) to build our schedule. The PBS is non-seniority based system where every pilot has equal opportunity to bid and get the schedule they request. The global satisfaction for the system seems to maintain a consistent 90% average score. So about 90% of the time pilots are getting what they ask for.

The bid takes place in a 28 day block in which you are on reserve for 18 days, and off for 10 days. The pilot bids for what days off they would like off by awarding a score (or weight) to that day or stretch of days. This way the system can tell what days are the most important, and what days are less important when awarding your schedule.

Some of the basic rules to the PBS are as follows:
1. A minimum of 5 consecutive days on reserve at a time.
2. A maximum of 8 consecutive days on reserve at a time.
a. You can press a button that will allow a max of 13 days on reserve to be assigned if
desired. Some pilots do this to front or back load the schedule with as many days off in
a row as they can.
3. A minimum of 3 consecutive days off at a time

Looking back over the last 365 days, the average days worked per month is 14 days. A work day is considered to be a Flying Day, Layover Day, Positioning Day, or a Training Day.



Comment:
I'd say it's more of a stepping stone to airlines or corporate flying.. otherwise they wouldn't have a bond to force people to stay.

Reply:
Over my 10 years with the company I have seen AirSprint grow in leaps and bounds and always in a forward positive direction. Improvements are being made all the time and the pilots have my dedication and promise to always grow and get better.

Are we a career company for everyone? Not necessarily for everyone, but we do have a good number of pilots that have now surpassed 10 years with the company and some at 15 years. We would certainly love for everyone to stay for a career, but we understand some want to move on to the airlines or pursue other opportunities in aviation. AirSprint is happy to help our pilots achieve their goals in the aviation industry. I am no stranger to writing reference letters, making phone calls, and helping our pilots get to where they want to be.

We simply ask that our pilots work hard in a safe, positive operation, with our Company Values* at heart. I think we have a pretty good operation at AirSprint with a fleet of excellent aircraft and excellent crews. From an operational view, I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to help us achieve our goals and I am proud to be a part of this organization. I am truly just a pilot at heard that loves to fly.

*Safety, Service, People, Integrity, Humility, Community.


If anyone has any questions please feel free to get in touch through this thread or via Email (airsprintinfo@airsprint.com). We will continue to pride ourselves in maintaining transparency and openness.

Cheers! And fly safe everyone,


Adam Fallwell
Director, Flight Operations
AirSprint Inc.

['97 Tercel]

Average days worked per month is 14?? That's a lot in the corporate jet world.

[fsantana]

Being an Immigrant fairly new to Canada, with both FAA and TC ATPL and both FAA and TC CPL Helicopter, with more than 3,600 hours TT now and more than 2,700 hours PIC now (mostly Turboprop), and all flight time under corporate environment; I applied a every single time they were looking for FOs and NEVER got a reply not even nothing.

It sure looks like a great company to work for but apparently if you don't know anyone that can FWD your resume to the CP, you won't get a chance to get in, but being part of the visible minority didn't help me either.

I would have loved to join this company but the world kept on turning and I was able to join a regional carrier and now I fly a CRJ, and I am happy about it.

If you have your internal reference USE IT and join them, the CJs and the Legacy are very awesome airplanes.

[AirSprintInc]

Being an Immigrant fairly new to Canada, with both FAA and TC ATPL and both FAA and TC CPL Helicopter, with more than 3,600 hours TT now and more than 2,700 hours PIC now (mostly Turboprop), and all flight time under corporate environment; I applied a every single time they were looking for FOs and NEVER got a reply not even nothing.

It sure looks like a great company to work for but apparently if you don't know anyone that can FWD your resume to the CP, you won't get a chance to get in, but being part of the visible minority didn't help me either.

I would have loved to join this company but the world kept on turning and I was able to join a regional carrier and now I fly a CRJ, and I am happy about it.

If you have your internal reference USE IT and join them, the CJs and the Legacy are very awesome airplanes.

Hello Fsantana,

We often get a ton of resumes and it's sometimes hard to get through all of them. I am sure there are many excellent candidates out there and I have no doubt that we have missed out on some of them.

Send your resume to me at atf@airsprint.com . I'm not sure when the next round of hiring will be, but I enjoy making the connections and getting to know those who are interested even before a formal interview.

This offer goes out to anyone who might want to reach out and make a connection. If for any reason I don't get back to you within a couple days please follow up.

Cheers,

Adam Fallwell
Director, Flight Operations

['97 Tercel]

but being part of the visible minority didn't help me either.

Say what now?

[JohnnyHotRocks]

Must have sent a photo with his resume

[Aya]

Hello Guys,

Any news regarding the upcoming hiring?

Cheers

[AirSprintInc]

Hello Guys,

Any news regarding the upcoming hiring?

Cheers

Good Morning Aya,

We are currently hiring for Captain and FO Citation CJ2+ positions based in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. You can see our job advertisement here: http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopi ... 7&t=127780

Please let me know if you have any questions about AirSprint!

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot C25A/B
mnr@airsprint.com

[Aya]

Hello Everyone,

With regards to some of the questions I have seen pop up on this thread, I offer the following answers, (sorry for the long-winded Email):

Question:
Curious if anyone knows if they carry a training bond?

Answer:
Yes, we do have Performance Agreements (bond) in place for our pilots when AirSprint covers the costs of an initial Type Rating. The CJ series aircraft is a 2 year Pro-Rated $36,000 Performance Agreement and the Legacy 450 is 2 year Pro-Rated $45,000 Performance Agreement. There is no out of pocket expense, loan, or anything of that sorts required. We have the pilot sign a Performance Agreement contract that states if they leave within the two year period stated in the agreement, they are required to pay out the remaining amount. Compared to the actual training costs associated with the courses the Performance Agreement is below the actual cost to AirSprint.

We only require Performance Agreements for initial type ratings, nothing on recurrent courses. The CJ2+ and CJ3+ are a grouped type rating with only a differences course required, therefore there is only one performance agreement for the initial CJ type rating.



Question:
How fast would citation captains move over to the legacy given the current flight and planes on order and would those citation captains have to sit right seat first?

Answer:
We generally hire for CJ Positions and transfer from within to the Legacy. That said, we do expect times when direct entry spot will be available on the Legacy. The Legacy being the new aircraft is currently still being crewed primarily by those pilots formally on the Citation Excel/XLS, although we do have a number of CJ pilots who have also made the transition to the Legacy.

Our internal policy is that an employee with less than 5 years seniority at AirSprint is eligible for transfer from one aircraft type to the another after 4 years on their current aircraft type unless AirSprint has a need to transfer you. Those with 5 years or more of seniority are expected to have been on their current aircraft type for a minimum of 2 years before eligible for transfer unless AirSprint has a requirement. . Transfers to a different aircraft type are based on seniority, an open position, and pilot performance.

We follow these guidelines with the best intentions of being financially responsible while also providing opportunities for our hardworking pilots. Transfers outside of the stated time frames can, have, and will be made from time to time as the company requires, at the discretion of management.

Generally, those who hold a Captain position on the CJ series would transfer across to a Captain position on the Legacy, unless they desired to move for a First Officer position.



Comment:
Pretty low wages for being tied to YYC.

Reply:
Our current pay scale is as stated in the Pilot Career Guide and we regularly monitor the industry trends and make adjustments.


Comment:
I noticed that they remade their nice brochure but kept the old pay scale (which doesn't include the $5000/yr hit you take until you have time on type)

Reply:
For direct entry jet Captains with no or little jet experience, we do require a 10% pay reduction on the pilot’s salary until 500 hours total jet time, or 250 hours jet PIC are acquired. Once the required time is met the 10% reduction is immediately removed.

For direct entry jet First Officers, we look to see if the pilot meets our internal requirements for what would have been a PC12 (turboprop) Captain. This would be about 2000 hours total time with some turbine and PIC time associated. If the candidate meets this requirement there is NO 10% pay reduction. Based on our minimum requirements and hiring practices it is rare that a First Officer is affected by the 10% pay reduction.

Since AirSprint’s desire is to upgrade internally for our jet Captain positions this 10% pay reduction does not usually come in to play. However, when hiring external Captains that come from a strictly turboprop background, the 10% pay reduction would be in place.

On average over the last year our pilots have flown about 500 hours, so any new Captains usually reach the 250 PIC hours within the first 8-10 months.



Comment:
Schedule isn't really that great either, with lots of reserve days.

Reply:
AirSprint uses a Preferential Bidding System (PBS) to build our schedule. The PBS is non-seniority based system where every pilot has equal opportunity to bid and get the schedule they request. The global satisfaction for the system seems to maintain a consistent 90% average score. So about 90% of the time pilots are getting what they ask for.

The bid takes place in a 28 day block in which you are on reserve for 18 days, and off for 10 days. The pilot bids for what days off they would like off by awarding a score (or weight) to that day or stretch of days. This way the system can tell what days are the most important, and what days are less important when awarding your schedule.

Some of the basic rules to the PBS are as follows:
1. A minimum of 5 consecutive days on reserve at a time.
2. A maximum of 8 consecutive days on reserve at a time.
a. You can press a button that will allow a max of 13 days on reserve to be assigned if
desired. Some pilots do this to front or back load the schedule with as many days off in
a row as they can.
3. A minimum of 3 consecutive days off at a time

Looking back over the last 365 days, the average days worked per month is 14 days. A work day is considered to be a Flying Day, Layover Day, Positioning Day, or a Training Day.



Comment:
I'd say it's more of a stepping stone to airlines or corporate flying.. otherwise they wouldn't have a bond to force people to stay.

Reply:
Over my 10 years with the company I have seen AirSprint grow in leaps and bounds and always in a forward positive direction. Improvements are being made all the time and the pilots have my dedication and promise to always grow and get better.

Are we a career company for everyone? Not necessarily for everyone, but we do have a good number of pilots that have now surpassed 10 years with the company and some at 15 years. We would certainly love for everyone to stay for a career, but we understand some want to move on to the airlines or pursue other opportunities in aviation. AirSprint is happy to help our pilots achieve their goals in the aviation industry. I am no stranger to writing reference letters, making phone calls, and helping our pilots get to where they want to be.

We simply ask that our pilots work hard in a safe, positive operation, with our Company Values* at heart. I think we have a pretty good operation at AirSprint with a fleet of excellent aircraft and excellent crews. From an operational view, I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to help us achieve our goals and I am proud to be a part of this organization. I am truly just a pilot at heard that loves to fly.

*Safety, Service, People, Integrity, Humility, Community.


If anyone has any questions please feel free to get in touch through this thread or via Email (airsprintinfo@airsprint.com). We will continue to pride ourselves in maintaining transparency and openness.

Cheers! And fly safe everyone,


Adam Fallwell
Director, Flight Operations
AirSprint Inc.

Good day sir,

Regarding the minimum reserve day, is it 5 minimum days no matter if you are on a 18/10 or 16/12?

Cheers

[AirSprintInc]

Good Day Aya,

With our new schedule choices our reserve rules have changed slightly, for the 14/14 and 16/12 schedule the minimum consecutive reserve days is 7, with the normal maximum 8. There are options to increase your consecutive reserve days beyond that, up to as many as 13 days, but that is only if the pilot specifically requests it. For the 18/10 schedule, while the minimum consecutive reserve days is still 7, we needed to increase the maximum to 9 as we found the bidding system was not able to solve schedules on a consistent basis with the maximum at 8.

Feel free to contact me via email at mnr@airsprint.com if you would like additional information on how our schedule works, I would be happy to explain it in greater detail or answer any other questions you may have!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot C25A/B

[pelmet]

Good Day Aya,

With our new schedule choices our reserve rules have changed slightly, for the 14/14 and 16/12 schedule the minimum consecutive reserve days is 7, with the normal maximum 8. There are options to increase your consecutive reserve days beyond that, up to as many as 13 days, but that is only if the pilot specifically requests it. For the 18/10 schedule, while the minimum consecutive reserve days is still 7, we needed to increase the maximum to 9 as we found the bidding system was not able to solve schedules on a consistent basis with the maximum at 8.

Feel free to contact me via email at mnr@airsprint.com if you would like additional information on how our schedule works, I would be happy to explain it in greater detail or answer any other questions you may have!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot C25A/B

Hi,

Perhaps I missed it somewhere else, but could you please define what 14/14 amd 16/12 schedules mean?

Thanks.

[AirSprintInc]

Good Morning Pelmet,

Our schedule ratios, 14/14, 16/12, and 18/10, indicate the number of reserve days and days off per bid period, which is 28 days. So, the 14/14 schedule means you would get 14 days of reserve and 14 days off, the 16/12 is 16 reserve days and 12 days off, and the 18/10 is 18 days of reserve and 10 days off. It is important to note that these are not consecutive days, in that you cannot be on reserve for 14, 16, or 18 days in a row. Using our bidding system, each month you bid for the days off or on reserve that you want, with the maximum consecutive reserve days being 13, which is only assigned if the pilot specifically chooses that.

Please feel free to contact me directly at mnr@airsprint.com if you would like additional information!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot C25A/B
AirSprint Inc.

[pelmet]

Good Morning Pelmet,

Our schedule ratios, 14/14, 16/12, and 18/10, indicate the number of reserve days and days off per bid period, which is 28 days. So, the 14/14 schedule means you would get 14 days of reserve and 14 days off, the 16/12 is 16 reserve days and 12 days off, and the 18/10 is 18 days of reserve and 10 days off. It is important to note that these are not consecutive days, in that you cannot be on reserve for 14, 16, or 18 days in a row. Using our bidding system, each month you bid for the days off or on reserve that you want, with the maximum consecutive reserve days being 13, which is only assigned if the pilot specifically chooses that.

Thanks,

Sounds interesting. Looks like the company might be trying to be flexible to accomodate different desires among pilots. 13/13 might be very interesting and and attract pilots from rotating jobs that might be sick of the north. They could be long term employees. I notice that some airlines like WJ and Jazz have a system where one can pick up work days/offer to give away workdays to other pilots, all using a computer program. Other airlines might have a less formal system for shift changes allowing one to pick up extra flights or get rid of that one day in the middle of several off on either side.

[pelmet]

Good Morning Pelmet,

Our schedule ratios, 14/14, 16/12, and 18/10, indicate the number of reserve days and days off per bid period, which is 28 days. So, the 14/14 schedule means you would get 14 days of reserve and 14 days off, the 16/12 is 16 reserve days and 12 days off, and the 18/10 is 18 days of reserve and 10 days off. It is important to note that these are not consecutive days, in that you cannot be on reserve for 14, 16, or 18 days in a row. Using our bidding system, each month you bid for the days off or on reserve that you want, with the maximum consecutive reserve days being 13, which is only assigned if the pilot specifically chooses that.

Thanks,

Sounds interesting. Looks like the company might be trying to be flexible to accomodate different desires among pilots. 13/13 might be very interesting and and attract pilots from rotating jobs that might be sick of the north. They could be long term employees. I notice that some airlines like WJ and Jazz have a system where one can pick up work days/offer to give away workdays to other pilots, all using a computer program. Other airlines might have a less formal system for shift changes allowing one to pick up extra flights or get rid of that one day in the middle of several off on either side.

Any chance of the 13/13 idea so guys can have a full 13 off without that 1 day in the middle of it. You might find yourself with a bunch of new applicants who are not interested in using the company as a steppingstone.

A lot of companies just won’t do it no matter how much it could help them. Control of the pilots off days is more important to those companies.

[AirSprintInc]

Good Morning Pelmet,

Our schedule ratios, 14/14, 16/12, and 18/10, indicate the number of reserve days and days off per bid period, which is 28 days. So, the 14/14 schedule means you would get 14 days of reserve and 14 days off, the 16/12 is 16 reserve days and 12 days off, and the 18/10 is 18 days of reserve and 10 days off. It is important to note that these are not consecutive days, in that you cannot be on reserve for 14, 16, or 18 days in a row. Using our bidding system, each month you bid for the days off or on reserve that you want, with the maximum consecutive reserve days being 13, which is only assigned if the pilot specifically chooses that.

Thanks,

Sounds interesting. Looks like the company might be trying to be flexible to accomodate different desires among pilots. 13/13 might be very interesting and and attract pilots from rotating jobs that might be sick of the north. They could be long term employees. I notice that some airlines like WJ and Jazz have a system where one can pick up work days/offer to give away workdays to other pilots, all using a computer program. Other airlines might have a less formal system for shift changes allowing one to pick up extra flights or get rid of that one day in the middle of several off on either side.

Any chance of the 13/13 idea so guys can have a full 13 off without that 1 day in the middle of it. You might find yourself with a bunch of new applicants who are not interested in using the company as a steppingstone.

A lot of companies just won’t do it no matter how much it could help them. Control of the pilots off days is more important to those companies.

Hi Pelmet,

Unfortunately the 13/13 schedule doesn't quite fit into our current 28 day bid block, and as our new schedule offerings are relatively new (just started in September), we are not actively looking at making any changes at this point. With that said, we are always open to suggestions for improvements, and so I appreciate your feedback and will take it under consideration for future adjustments.

Of note, it is possible to bid for a rolling 13 days on 14 days off if on the 14/14 schedule approximately 13 months out of 14. It's a bit too complex to explain here how that would work but feel free to contact me at mnr@airsprint.com and I would be happy to go into greater detail.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the holidays!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot C25A/B

[pelmet]

Thanks for the replies,

Merry Christmas.

[Alcoholism]

If you like your work day to change all the time, change FP in mid air, set up customs in mid air, and additional unpredictability beyond a normal corporate FD, then this is the place for you. Hectic and busy will be the words to describe this place.

[AirSprintInc]

If you like your work day to change all the time, change FP in mid air, set up customs in mid air, and additional unpredictability beyond a normal corporate FD, then this is the place for you. Hectic and busy will be the words to describe this place.

Hi Alcoholism,

As a Fractional operator, we are not technically a corporate flight department, and so our operations differ in a number of ways. With over 4 pilots per aircraft our pilots have the benefit of bidding for their schedules through our Preferential Bidding System, as well as taking vacation or choosing specific days off throughout the year that most corporate/managed flight departments can't or don't offer. And while it is true that we are a busy flight department, with our pilots flying between 450 - 600 hours a year, we can offer far more job security then a corporate/managed flight department can offer. Personally, I enjoy our mix of flying and layovers that our schedule offers, and while there may be occasional same day changes, the challenge of executing those changes in a safe and efficient manner is very satisfying. We also offer several support tools such as a Duty Pilot available 24/7 that can assist with flight plans and customs for those last minute changes, and are working towards a new Flight Support position that will offer support in this area as well.

I hope this helps clarify what working conditions are like here, but if you would like to discuss further please feel free to reach out to me directly!

All the best to you in 2019!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot - C25A/B
AirSprint Inc.
mnr@airsprint.com

[Yycjetdriver]

If you like your work day to change all the time, change FP in mid air, set up customs in mid air, and additional unpredictability beyond a normal corporate FD, then this is the place for you. Hectic and busy will be the words to describe this place.

Hi Alcoholism,

As a Fractional operator, we are not technically a corporate flight department, and so our operations differ in a number of ways. With over 4 pilots per aircraft our pilots have the benefit of bidding for their schedules through our Preferential Bidding System, as well as taking vacation or choosing specific days off throughout the year that most corporate/managed flight departments can't or don't offer. And while it is true that we are a busy flight department, with our pilots flying between 450 - 600 hours a year, we can offer far more job security then a corporate/managed flight department can offer. Personally, I enjoy our mix of flying and layovers that our schedule offers, and while there may be occasional same day changes, the challenge of executing those changes in a safe and efficient manner is very satisfying. We also offer several support tools such as a Duty Pilot available 24/7 that can assist with flight plans and customs for those last minute changes, and are working towards a new Flight Support position that will offer support in this area as well.

I hope this helps clarify what working conditions are like here, but if you would like to discuss further please feel free to reach out to me directly!

All the best to you in 2019!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot - C25A/B
AirSprint Inc.
mnr@airsprint.com

Mr. Rolleman,

Just want to say your transparency and effort in responding are appreciated.
When alcoholism wrote this post the active topics also showed he wrote at least another 23 posts bashing anyone and everyone. I wouldn’t take it personal, I personally think there better ways to spend my NYE than being an internet troll. Maybe he/she couldn’t be bothered to find at least one friend and drag themself out of the basement, or perhaps it was one last hurrah of being a complete loser before a New Years resolution comes in effect. Either way, it’s embarrassing.

[Radiohead]

If you like your work day to change all the time, change FP in mid air, set up customs in mid air, and additional unpredictability beyond a normal corporate FD, then this is the place for you. Hectic and busy will be the words to describe this place.

Hi Alcoholism,

As a Fractional operator, we are not technically a corporate flight department, and so our operations differ in a number of ways. With over 4 pilots per aircraft our pilots have the benefit of bidding for their schedules through our Preferential Bidding System, as well as taking vacation or choosing specific days off throughout the year that most corporate/managed flight departments can't or don't offer. And while it is true that we are a busy flight department, with our pilots flying between 450 - 600 hours a year, we can offer far more job security then a corporate/managed flight department can offer. Personally, I enjoy our mix of flying and layovers that our schedule offers, and while there may be occasional same day changes, the challenge of executing those changes in a safe and efficient manner is very satisfying. We also offer several support tools such as a Duty Pilot available 24/7 that can assist with flight plans and customs for those last minute changes, and are working towards a new Flight Support position that will offer support in this area as well.

I hope this helps clarify what working conditions are like here, but if you would like to discuss further please feel free to reach out to me directly!

All the best to you in 2019!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot - C25A/B
AirSprint Inc.
mnr@airsprint.com

Mr. Rolleman,

Just want to say your transparency and effort in responding are appreciated.
When alcoholism wrote this post the active topics also showed he wrote at least another 23 posts bashing anyone and everyone. I wouldn’t take it personal, I personally think there better ways to spend my NYE than being an internet troll. Maybe he/she couldn’t be bothered to find at least one friend and drag themself out of the basement, or perhaps it was one last hurrah of being a complete loser before a New Years resolution comes in effect. Either way, it’s embarrassing.

While I have to agree that Alcoholism's approach is a little ham-fisted and seem trollish, his points are valid, burnout is a real issue at AirSprint in recent years, and turnover is quite high, even when considering the state of the industry, with several people departing before their bonds were up in the past year, willing to pay out the pro-rated part of their $36,000 bond just to get out. Management has an incentive to paint a rather rosey picture of life at AirSprint in order to keep a steady stream of new applicants coming in the door, invariably less-experienced than the last, otherwise they would have to actually address the working conditions. Among the management that flies, all of them except Mr. Rolleman are typed only on the Legacy 450, and so in general they lack the knowledge of the daily experiences of the CJ crews, and not to denigrate Matt Rolleman, as he is one of the hardest working Chief Pilots I've seen, but the flying he personally enjoys can be a bit choice, as management gets preferential treatment and a choice of the flying that they want to do whenever possible.

For those choosing to make this fractional job their career, it is a long road to the cushier Legacy 450 positions, as those only go to senior pilots and only when there are openings, and AirSprint will reapply the 36,000 bond to the new type, no matter your tenure. The process to get there is onerous enough that in the past year a pilot that originally wanted to make AirSprint his career and desired the 450, when finally offered the Legacy 450 turned it down on a couple of occasions before deciding to leave.

While life at AirSprint isn't all bad, maintenance is decent, the bidding system works sometimes (although days off aren't guranteed) and generally management will pull some strings if you have an urgent matter that needs attending. But overall "hectic" is certainly a word I could use to describe it, and some people might enjoy that, but it certainly isn't for everyone.

[AirSprintInc]

Hi Alcoholism,

As a Fractional operator, we are not technically a corporate flight department, and so our operations differ in a number of ways. With over 4 pilots per aircraft our pilots have the benefit of bidding for their schedules through our Preferential Bidding System, as well as taking vacation or choosing specific days off throughout the year that most corporate/managed flight departments can't or don't offer. And while it is true that we are a busy flight department, with our pilots flying between 450 - 600 hours a year, we can offer far more job security then a corporate/managed flight department can offer. Personally, I enjoy our mix of flying and layovers that our schedule offers, and while there may be occasional same day changes, the challenge of executing those changes in a safe and efficient manner is very satisfying. We also offer several support tools such as a Duty Pilot available 24/7 that can assist with flight plans and customs for those last minute changes, and are working towards a new Flight Support position that will offer support in this area as well.

I hope this helps clarify what working conditions are like here, but if you would like to discuss further please feel free to reach out to me directly!

All the best to you in 2019!

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot - C25A/B
AirSprint Inc.
mnr@airsprint.com

Mr. Rolleman,

Just want to say your transparency and effort in responding are appreciated.
When alcoholism wrote this post the active topics also showed he wrote at least another 23 posts bashing anyone and everyone. I wouldn’t take it personal, I personally think there better ways to spend my NYE than being an internet troll. Maybe he/she couldn’t be bothered to find at least one friend and drag themself out of the basement, or perhaps it was one last hurrah of being a complete loser before a New Years resolution comes in effect. Either way, it’s embarrassing.

While I have to agree that Alcoholism's approach is a little ham-fisted and seem trollish, his points are valid, burnout is a real issue at AirSprint in recent years, and turnover is quite high, even when considering the state of the industry, with several people departing before their bonds were up in the past year, willing to pay out the pro-rated part of their $36,000 bond just to get out. Management has an incentive to paint a rather rosey picture of life at AirSprint in order to keep a steady stream of new applicants coming in the door, invariably less-experienced than the last, otherwise they would have to actually address the working conditions. Among the management that flies, all of them except Mr. Rolleman are typed only on the Legacy 450, and so in general they lack the knowledge of the daily experiences of the CJ crews, and not to denigrate Matt Rolleman, as he is one of the hardest working Chief Pilots I've seen, but the flying he personally enjoys can be a bit choice, as management gets preferential treatment and a choice of the flying that they want to do whenever possible.

For those choosing to make this fractional job their career, it is a long road to the cushier Legacy 450 positions, as those only go to senior pilots and only when there are openings, and AirSprint will reapply the 36,000 bond to the new type, no matter your tenure. The process to get there is onerous enough that in the past year a pilot that originally wanted to make AirSprint his career and desired the 450, when finally offered the Legacy 450 turned it down on a couple of occasions before deciding to leave.

While life at AirSprint isn't all bad, maintenance is decent, the bidding system works sometimes (although days off aren't guranteed) and generally management will pull some strings if you have an urgent matter that needs attending. But overall "hectic" is certainly a word I could use to describe it, and some people might enjoy that, but it certainly isn't for everyone.

Hi Radiohead,

I assume you are a current pilot with us and I certainly appreciate your feedback/comments and encourage you to reach out to me directly if you are feeling burnt out or if there is anything else I can do to improve your quality of life here at AirSprint, my door is always open and my phone is always on. I would like to take this opportunity to address some of your comments though as there may be some confusion here.

You are correct in saying that AirSprint isn't for everyone, I have yet to find a job that is, but we are constantly working towards improvements for not only pilots but all members of the AirSprint team. Some of the improvements we have made in the past 6 months that have directly impacted the lifestyle/working conditions of the pilots here include the introduction of different scheduling options and the purchase of 3 new aircraft, including 2 CJ3+'s and associated additional crew members to fly those machines. There are also additional changes planned for 2019 and beyond that will continue to improve the working conditions for all AirSprint team members, pilots included. You are also correct that we paint a rosy picture of AirSprint, but not for the reasons you state, it's because we all truly believe that this is a great place to work and are excited to be a part of a company that consistently strives to improve in everything it does! We also do our best to provide an accurate picture of the lifestyle at AirSprint not only on here, but during the hiring process as well, to ensure a good fit for both the company and the pilot, as like I said above, no job is perfect for everyone.

Regarding management not understanding the lifestyle of the CJ fleet, the President/COO, the DFO, and the Training Manager have all flown the CJ and are familiar with the type of flying it does, so I don't believe that to be a fair comment. As for my flying, my goal is to fly as much as possible when I fly the line as I am usually training or mentoring other pilots (I also love to fly!), and even with that I enjoy a nice mix of flying and layovers. I don't know of any management pilots getting preferential treatment when it comes to their flying schedule, although changes are made occasionally to accomplish training or for other operational reasons.

Upgrade times from the CJ to the Legacy vary, as it is still a new machine for us (we've had them just over 2 years), but with the continued growth of the company there will be additional opportunities for advancement coming. And while it is true, we do bond again when transitioning between types, it is important to note that the $36,000.00 does not come close to covering the cost of the course from FlightSafety and is a discounted rate from what external hires sign on to.

Unfortunately I can't go into specific detail on your example of a pilot receiving multiple offers for the Legacy only to leave, I believe you may have some bad information there.

Finally, as mentioned above, I would be happy to address your specific concerns directly and encourage you to reach out to me. Without knowing who you are or what your specific concerns are, unfortunately there is little I can do to help.

Kind Regards,

Matt Rolleman
Chief Pilot C25A/B
AirSprint Inc.