Last month, the Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (ASAP)–the union representing NetJets pilots– began its “informational picketing,” a campaign that includes this billboard near Teterboro Airport, N.J. The billboard notes that the pilots and NetJets management have been in negotiations for about three-and-a-half years, and suggests that a strike is possible after June 24.
Berkshire Hathaway
October 31, 2006 - 6:52am
David Calvert-Jones was promoted to chief executive of Los Angeles-based Helinet Aviation Services. He was previously senior v-p of corporate strategy and most recently served as interim CEO.
Alexandria, Va.-based Flight Explorer named James Kelly president and CEO. Kelly, who was founder, president and CEO of SynXis, replaces Walt Kross.
October 30, 2006 - 7:53am
Increasing demand from wealthy individuals for the Bombardier Skyjet International fixed-rate block charter program has prompted the company to experiment with a new option called Jet Membership Light. This option–which gives customers 25 hours in light jets for $135,000 (€112,500)–is currently available only in Europe.
October 25, 2006 - 6:20am
The unionized NetJets pilots, represented by IBT Local 1108, on November 21 overwhelmingly ratified the tentative labor agreement signed on October 8, nearly four years after the pilots’ contract became amendable. Of the valid 1,924 ballots received (about 91 percent of the NetJets pilot workforce), 1,616 (84 percent) voted for the work contract and 308 (16 percent) opposed it.
October 23, 2006 - 7:41am
The late Randy Kennedy, who wrote a chapter or two in the book for corporate pilots in the U.S., once said, “Don’t tell anyone, but you can teach monkeys to fly these airplanes safely. The hard part of this job is acquiring the correct service mentality.”
October 19, 2006 - 12:05pm
Contract talks between NetJets management and pilots broke down once again on September 12, three days shy of a scheduled 30-day marathon bargaining session. The pilots’ union negotiation committee said it walked out of the talks “because the company has continuously failed to respond to the union’s position regarding the pilot group’s bargaining thresholds,” namely salary expectations.
October 19, 2006 - 10:10am
In the first eight months of this year, the top five fractional operators hired more pilots than they did in all of last year, according to aviation job placement firm AIR of Atlanta. NetJets, Flight Options, Flexjet, CitationShares and Avantair hired 498 pilots through August this year versus 482 for all of last year.
October 19, 2006 - 7:07am
Fractional ownership provider NetJets Europe has launched a dedicated operation for the Scottish market. Through NetJets Scotland the company will offer flights to and from 17 Scottish airports, including the Royal Air Force bases at Lossiemouth, Leuchars (close to the exclusive St. Andrews golf course) and Kinloss.
October 17, 2006 - 7:43am
Three of the five Flight Options pilots who have been trying to organize the fractional pilot group under IBT Local 1108 (the same union that represents NetJets pilots), told AIN that they soon expect to have enough organizing cards to call a vote. They claim to have 400 organizing cards from Flight Options pilots, though they need 550–or 65 percent of the 848-strong pilot workforce–to call a vote.
October 17, 2006 - 6:10am
Four years after their contract became “amendable,” the unionized NetJets pilots may finally have a new work agreement. On October 8, the bargaining committee for pilots at Berkshire Hathaway-owned fractional provider NetJets reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the company.
