[flyerwannabe]

What's up? I heard XOJet is hiring for the Citation X, and now I heard that they just took a paycut and need to work more. Does anybody know? What is life like at XOJet, and are they hiring?

[liventhedream]

they suck. lots of people have quit, and they have no respect for pilots or their lives. just look at flightinfo for more stuff. just another 135 outfit. nobody with a life has stayed. they push bad trips and they lie to the clients, and then they want you to cover for their lie.

What's up? I heard XOJet is hiring for the Citation X, and now I heard that they just took a paycut and need to work more. Does anybody know? What is life like at XOJet, and are they hiring?

[liventhedream]

Just a quick update. XOJET just had four more pilots quit in the last 30 days. They obviously don't want to make it a quality place to stay. I hear that they have only two mechanics who went to school for their jets and that maintanence is a real issue. As is the schedule and mission. I would guess that they will go away as soon as they have an accident. Dinging a plane doesn't seem to be enough, since they have already done that a few times in the last year. A friend who just moved to SAC said that he heard they might lose their NetJets flying.

What's up? I heard XOJet is hiring for the Citation X, and now I heard that they just took a paycut and need to work more. Does anybody know? What is life like at XOJet, and are they hiring?

[FractOwner]

XOJET just had four more pilots quit in the last 30 days.
they have only two mechanics who went to school for their jets.
Dinging a plane - have already done that a few times in the last year.
might lose their NetJets flying.

I am interested in hearing more of your and others thoughts on XOJet. A client of our is looking into a fractional ownership, and XOJet is offering some HEAVY discounts compared to Netjets and Flexjet.

Is safety a concern? Their fleet? Pilots?

Thank you very much, I look forward to hearing what an insider has to say on the issue.

[liventhedream]

This is a better question for someone working there. I would say look carefully and ask questions. They have had a couple of accidents in the last 12 months. I heard that they just went off the runway with one of their planes on landing. A Falcon 900 in Rifle CO.

I am interested in hearing more of your and others thoughts on XOJet. A client of our is looking into a fractional ownership, and XOJet is offering some HEAVY discounts compared to Netjets and Flexjet.

Is safety a concern? Their fleet? Pilots?

Thank you very much, I look forward to hearing what an insider has to say on the issue.

[JETFLYER]

This guy's full of it. I work for XOJET and we just made the Bay Area's top 100 places to work list. This list is determined by employee survey. Does that tell you anything?

We are taking 10 more brand new X's this year to add to our current 8 and we're currently hiring pilots.

This guy obviously has had some issues.

[giacomovola]

Hi, do you know the easy way to apply for xojet...Thanks a lot.

[liventhedream]

This guy's full of it.

So are you saying that XOJet didn't just have an accident with a Falcon 900? or that XOJET didn't have a couple of other incidents in the last 12 months (like a fire)? Or that XOJET didn't lose all of their netjets flying? The record speaks for itself. If your employees are so happy, why have so many quit? more than a pilot a month I've heard, and lots of mechanics.


This is the prelim data for the XOJet accident from the ntsb "Examination of the airplane by Dassault personnel revealed that the aft main landing gear trunnion sheared from it's attach points, rotated up and punctured wing skin. The main landing gear strut impacted the aft spar and sheared rib 3, which compromised the wing fuel tank, the forward main landing gear trunnion exited the forward trunnion bore, and the aft spar was fractured."

This post has been edited by liventhedream: 02 May 2007 - 06:10 PM

[CRJCAPT325]

It is not always a bad circumstance to have employees leave, depending on the caliber of the person who resigns. Unfortunately out here in the airline world, whether its Part 135 or 121, many pilots love to bash their current or former teams. From what I understand XOJET promotes on merit not on seniority. I think this practice encourages good pilots to stay and avoids the “us vs. them” mentality.

The companies like XOJET, SOUTHWEST and VIRGIN AMERICA are going to reshape the way we think about working for a Team that really works together for a common goal.

I don’t think there is any benefit to bashing a company after an incident like the one in Rifle, CO., or Southwest’s Midway Chicago. It’s the captain, not the company we work for, that makes the final decision when it comes to safety. Even the best captains make errors. Some of the most safety conscious teams have had an incident in the past. The important point is:
HOW THE TEAM HANDLES THE INCIDENT AND LEARNS FROM IT.

God Speed to all the great Aviators and Aviation Teams out there!

[liventhedream]

It is not always a bad circumstance to have employees leave, depending on the caliber of the person who resigns.

...I don’t think there is any benefit to bashing a company after an incident like the one in Rifle, CO., or Southwest’s Midway Chicago. It’s the captain, not the company we work for, that makes the final decision when it comes to safety. Even the best captains make errors. Some of the most safety conscious teams have had an incident in the past. The important point is:
HOW THE TEAM HANDLES THE INCIDENT AND LEARNS FROM IT.

God Speed to all the great Aviators and Aviation Teams out there!

If they have had over 12 pilots leave, and this is a "good" thing, maybe they need to look at their HR dept.

and I'm sure your philosophy on "Teams" is of no consolation to the little boy who died in the Southwest accident. Accidents happen for many reasons, and you're right that it's important to learn from mistakes, but if employees are leaving, it doesn't sound like the company is listening.

[JETFLYER]

Few more notes on XOJET

- Currently awarded ARG/US Platinum and noted "best operator ever reviewed for the Platinum rating"
- Bay Area's best places to work (voted by ALL employees INCLUDING pilots)
- Rob Report's Best of the Best for 2007
- One of the fastest growing companies in the US
- Taking delivery of 10 new Citation X's in 2007 and even more in 2008 (all company owned)

With over 100 pilots currently employed, pilot turnover is still below average for a company of XOJET's size.

[dc9driver]

If they are such a great company than why are there so many pilots leaving? could it be that they continue to fly there pilots in to days off? I have a friend who could no longer take the abuse and decided to have a life and resigned. I could not believe his stories!

[Mach1]

If they are such a great company than why are there so many pilots leaving? could it be that they continue to fly there pilots in to days off? I have a friend who could no longer take the abuse and decided to have a life and resigned. I could not believe his stories!

I am employed by xojet so I believe I can shed some light on this question. First of all, this is a free country and all employees have the right to quit a job. Some quit for good reason and others quit for no reason. Each of us look for different things in a job. Others are ask to leave. I will say that xojet has given me everything I could ever ask for in an aviation job and more. I am working for a company that is truly the best in the business in my opinion. I have the schedule that works for me and the company, I do have "a life" and the pay is excellent. We are given opportunities based on merrit which works great for me. A company that cares about its employees. A company that is growing. A company that will set the bar for all other companies out there. From one pilot to another, XOJET is an awsome company.

[Veloce]

If they are such a great company than why are there so many pilots leaving? could it be that they continue to fly there pilots in to days off? I have a friend who could no longer take the abuse and decided to have a life and resigned. I could not believe his stories!

Shaking head sadly…

Ok, I have to chime in with an admittedly unsolicited yet at the same time heartfelt and sincere opinion. Look out, it's Soapbox Time!

I too fly the XCitation for XOJet and I'm having a Xcellent time doing so. I am privileged enough to be able to fly new, brand spankin' new airplanes for interesting people that I'd never in my lifetime have the opportunity to interact with otherwise, and I often spend time in amazing places I wouldn't ordinarily get to go. Like Teterboro for example! (wait, that's not a benefit, scratch that one).

Unlike many other flying jobs out there, I have actual time off. We get 7 days off at a time, and if I don't choose to work on a day off no one forces me to. If I want to fly on a day off it just means extra cash for me and it helps the company out to boot so what does it hurt?

I work with and for great people. This is the nicest group of folks that I’ve ever associated with and you just can’t beat that. Everyone here is just a nice person! I have bosses that listen to my input, even ask for it often enough, and best of all, unlike my previous flying job, here pilots are treated like an asset rather than as a liability.

Now lest you go off thinking that life here is all rosy it's not. There are a few issues. But you know what? They know about them. They’re fixing them. Every week it gets better. This is a relatively new company and it has growing pains. Great, how can I help fix it, what can I do? That's my attitude, and that's the attitude that those of us that stayed have, the attitude that those we hire now must have, and the attitude that those who have left us did not.

I say, let's see what we can make of this place. I want to be able to look back 30 years from now and be able to say, yeah, I was there from the beginning, look what we built, look what I helped build.

So sit back and throw your sticks and stones, eat your sour grapes, or whatever it is that makes you feel the need to rain on a party that you're not being invited to and at which you wouldn't fit in. It's no skin off my teeth. But to those out there looking at this place as a potential career, I felt you needed to hear more of the good stuff.

Like the old saying goes, Stand Back! I don’t know how big this thing’s gonna get!

Cheers!

[Charles_MT]

Sounds like a good company!

Does the brass have any interest in helping out a dedicated, motivated individual, willing to sign a contract for the investment, (within reason) with some training?

I'm working my way through my ratings and could use a great opportunity!

(Hey it never hurts to ask!)

-C-

Shaking head sadly…

Ok, I have to chime in with an admittedly unsolicited yet at the same time heartfelt and sincere opinion. Look out, it's Soapbox Time!

I too fly the XCitation for XOJet and I'm having a Xcellent time doing so. I am privileged enough to be able to fly new, brand spankin' new airplanes for interesting people that I'd never in my lifetime have the opportunity to interact with otherwise, and I often spend time in amazing places I wouldn't ordinarily get to go. Like Teterboro for example! (wait, that's not a benefit, scratch that one).

Unlike many other flying jobs out there, I have actual time off. We get 7 days off at a time, and if I don't choose to work on a day off no one forces me to. If I want to fly on a day off it just means extra cash for me and it helps the company out to boot so what does it hurt?

I work with and for great people. This is the nicest group of folks that I’ve ever associated with and you just can’t beat that. Everyone here is just a nice person! I have bosses that listen to my input, even ask for it often enough, and best of all, unlike my previous flying job, here pilots are treated like an asset rather than as a liability.

Now lest you go off thinking that life here is all rosy it's not. There are a few issues. But you know what? They know about them. They’re fixing them. Every week it gets better. This is a relatively new company and it has growing pains. Great, how can I help fix it, what can I do? That's my attitude, and that's the attitude that those of us that stayed have, the attitude that those we hire now must have, and the attitude that those who have left us did not.

I say, let's see what we can make of this place. I want to be able to look back 30 years from now and be able to say, yeah, I was there from the beginning, look what we built, look what I helped build.

So sit back and throw your sticks and stones, eat your sour grapes, or whatever it is that makes you feel the need to rain on a party that you're not being invited to and at which you wouldn't fit in. It's no skin off my teeth. But to those out there looking at this place as a potential career, I felt you needed to hear more of the good stuff.

Like the old saying goes, Stand Back! I don’t know how big this thing’s gonna get!

Cheers!

[bumpandrun]

Sounds like a good company!

Does the brass have any interest in helping out a dedicated, motivated individual, willing to sign a contract for the investment, (within reason) with some training?

I'm working my way through my ratings and could use a great opportunity!

(Hey it never hurts to ask!)

-C-

I like your style. And yes, it never hurts to ask. I too fly for XOJet; I've only been with the company for about 3 months but I'm LOVING every min. of it. I honestly feel like I won the lottery when I got my offer letter. They NEVER make you work on your days off, you get paid time and a half if you do volunteer, so like the other pilot said, it's money in your pocket, and you're helping the company out filling another trip to boot. Veloce pretty much hit the nail on the head. This place is great, and don't let someone who doesn't work here or have any affiliation with this company tell you otherwise.

I am by no means the "brass" you referred to, but I can try to steer you in the right direction since it wasn't that long ago I was in your position. This industry is about "paying your dues," and XOJet is no exception. You need to build experience (ie flight time). I got my private in 2000 and have been paying my dues ever since. Flying jumpers, towing banners, hauling freight, etc. I even worked at an FBO fueling airplanes because I got a discount on renting their 172's so I saved a little cash while building up hours to get my commercial. I worked as a customer service agent at a commuter airline while I was in college. It's not flight time, but it's customer service experience that is an important part of our job. You could say that I'm still paying my dues, but now I'm paying my dues in a Citation X! I'm not sure where XOJet could use a private pilot with 150 hours, but if you REALLY wanted to fly here, I would suggest you finish getting your ratings up to commercial, then get a job towing banners over the beach there at the Jersey Shore or in Maryland, and commute to work as an aircraft detailer at our facility in Wilmington Delaware. It might be a couple hour commute, but your foot will be in the door here and that's better than nothing. You'll start meeting pilots and making friends, but more importantly you'll be building your reputation as that "dedicated, highly motivated individual" that XOJet is looking for. Prove to your bosses that you're worth your salt, that you actually care about XOJet and your job (no matter how menial you think it is). Let everyone know of your plan to fly a Citation X (or Challenger 300) for XOJet one day. From what I've seen of the kind of people that work for XOJet, from the pilots to the mechanics to the office staff, your supervisors will look out for you and do everything they can to help you succeed, if you put in the hard work and are serious about your aspirations. If you prove you want to work here, and you've got the ratings and are "paying your dues," as they say, you'll have a better shot than if you just walked in off the street. I don't know what else to tell you. I hope it all works out for you in the end. Good luck. -bumpandrun

[Charles_MT]

Thanks bumpandrun,

I've been thinking about fast track schools, ratings, money to do it etc for years now. I've finally got myself to a point where I can start my instrument/commercial here at my local FBO. The people have always been good to me and I found a finance program to help get me through. (without taking a HUGE loan out for an overpriced school!) After that I'm going to try exactly what you said. Tow banners, jumpers, freight, maybe instruction etc... to build up some time and get my multi, then try to find a place like XO and go for it. (I've got a great job, and work for some really good people, who do everything they can to help me succeed also, theres just not a lot of flying in communications... although we do helicopter to mountaintops to do some of our work.)

As much as I love flying, my family is my priority and at 32 years old with a wife and child I don't want to go make some crazy decision to take out a huge loan and go 3-9 months with no income. I'm all about earning my way and paying my dues, and also about having some fun flying along the way!

Thanks for the kind post!

Regards,
Charlie

[dorsey282]

Does anyone that works for XO Jet have any advice for getting an interview. I meet the mins and have filled out the online resume and no response. Was wondering if their was someone I could email or send my resume to directly? Thanks

[ready2fly]

Does anyone that works for XO Jet have any advice for getting an interview. I meet the mins and have filled out the online resume and no response. Was wondering if their was someone I could email or send my resume to directly? Thanks

Ditto here.

[Flightbag]

Bumpandrun:

Are you saying that working for XOJet is paying your dues.

If so, where do you hope to end up?

Flightbag