August 1, 2024 • 39 mins
In this episode, Adam chats with Ivan Rodriguez from Flexjet, exploring his unique journey from nursing to a fulfilling career in aviation. Ivan shares his aviation backstory, including his pivotal discovery flight and subsequent commitment to the field. He discusses his initial job with an aerial survey company and his eventual transition to Flexjet. Ivan offers insights into a typical day for a Flexjet pilot and outlines the requirements for joining the team. The episode wraps up with a discussion on the importance of networking and paying it forward, highlighted by TPNX.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
This episode of the pilot network podcast isbrought to you by BrightLine Bags.
Most of you probably already know what aBrightLine Bag is or at least have seen one
around the airport.
I knew about them, but hadn't pulled thetrigger because, well, you know, I'm a cheap
pilot.
Recently, my pro gear bag was falling apart,and my organizational system is well, it's less
(00:23):
than stellar.
So I decided it was time to check outBrightLine.
Ross Bishop, he's the founder and creator ofthe BrightLine Bag Modular System.
Well, he attended Tipin X, and I decided to getin the weeds and chat with him about what he
had created.
I was totally sold.
I'm kind of a mess when it comes to keeping mystuff together.
People might send my mess with other stuff too,but I'm really a mess when it's keeping my
(00:47):
stuff together on the flight deck.
So I figured, why not?
I'll give it a try.
I especially, had to get the flex array pocketkit.
Dude, this thing is super legit.
If I ever lose another power block or courts ofAirPods, etcetera, anything like that again,
It's because I didn't put it back in itspredetermined spot.
(01:07):
A spot that will always be the same from now onunlike my current up.
Ross has also created stuff for you, dronepilots, photographers, firearm enthusiasts,
head over to the link in the show notes.
That's TPN's affiliate link, which shows us aton of support.
We thank you so much for doing that.
Use the code TPNX 2024 by June 30th to receive10% off your order and simplify your life with
(01:31):
BrightLine bags.
(01:52):
What's up, network, round 2 from TPNX.
Today, I'm joined by Ivan Rodriguez fromFlexjet.
This guy and I hit it off immediately.
This is probably the longest of all thepodcasts that we did at TPNX.
He has a interesting backstory.
Again, I find these back stories that I get atTPNX from not only recruiters, but attendees,
(02:15):
volunteers to be fascinating.
He got a little later start in his career, butaviation then grabbed him and motivated him
because much like me, He wasn't what you wouldcall the finest student on the planet.
He totally went for it, set up a wonderfulcareer for himself at Flexjet where he
absolutely loves not only flying the airplanes,the business model, but also the recruiting
(02:36):
portion.
You could really see it in the way he went fullbore at TPNX talking to the attendees had a
smile on his face the whole time.
I really enjoyed meeting Ivan getting to knowhim not only during the podcast, but at the
happy hour events as well.
You could hear me keep talking, but let's takeit away with Ivan.
Hope you enjoy.
(02:59):
Hey, folks.
Welcome back to another episode of the TPNpodcast live from TPNX.
I am joined by Ivan Rodriguez from Flexjet.
He is one of the recruiters over there.
Their booth has been killing it.
Super busy.
It's, it's crazy.
They have such cool setup.
You guys had such an awesome social I wannawelcome you.
Thank you for coming.
Ivan, how are you doing today?
Thank you.
I'll be honest.
(03:19):
This is one of the the best events that I'vebeen to.
The other events kind of feel like an expo kindof feel kind of professional, you shake
people's hands and they're kind of sweating.
You see the the sweat dripping down.
Here, they kinda know what they're gettinginto.
They have a time they know they need to come tous.
It's almost like it takes a pressure off andyou get personal with the people.
(03:41):
That's what it's my first time at TPN.
Okay.
Or is it TPN or TPNX?
So it's funny because you say that.
That's a great question.
So TPN, like, the pilot network, we threw theon when Matt I was like, what's the x for?
And he's like, I don't know.
It just looked cool.
Like, a small x at the end.
And I'm like, what?
And he goes, expo, experience and, like,experience, the TPN experience.
It's the analog.
So it's a part of it.
(04:02):
Like, you can say TPNX.
Yeah.
You could say Alright.
Cool.
And it's just all about the experience of,like, being here and, you know, was telling the
the attendees that come here, and and you kindof nailed it right when you said that this is
not a job fair.
It's on an expo.
It's on a trade show.
It's a networking conference.
It's your chance to get to know people becauseyou don't know what opportunities you don't
know about until you see that.
Absolutely.
(04:24):
And there's more than just airline recruitershere.
There's vendors, and there's all sorts of otherparallel aviation support industry that are
here to help you get to where you wanna begoing forward.
Yeah.
I saw the guy selling the, the flight bags overthere.
He, like, took
it all apart and, like, built this togetherand, like, did all the things with it.
And it was pretty cool.
Ross Ross is a really cool dude.
We reached out to him last year, and he waslike, yeah, I don't I I can't make TPNX this
(04:47):
year last in 2023.
And he said, but, you know, I'm I'm kindainterested in the mystery.
He's like, yep.
I'm all in, and he's, I mean, those bags aresweet.
I kind of wanna go buy the for $500 1.
Let's see if the wife says okay to that.
So, Ivan, how did you I like to always probepeople on their history and background of
aviation because We all come from differentbackgrounds.
(05:07):
We all have similar ending points, really, butthe starting point is what's unique.
Well, how did you get started in aviation?
What drove you through, through to where you'reat now?
It's kind of a long story.
I'm gonna have to go back to my high schooldays.
Yeah.
Okay.
That's where I have to go to a lot of times.
So back in high school, of course, you wanna beeither cop of firefighter or doctor.
Yep.
So I'd I went the firefighter route.
(05:28):
I did firefighter paramedic for a little bit.
I went to Miami Dade for Miami I went to MiamiDade College.
They're kinda like a one stop shop foreverything.
So I was able to do my EMT, my paramedic, andmy fire all in kinda like same, school.
So I did that.
I worked on the fire trucks for a little while,got a cool experiences because I was a a a fire
(05:52):
explorer, which is kinda like a a program forpeople that are or people in high school that
are interested in the job.
So
remember that.
From the high school.
Yeah.
So you can get on the job training.
You're writing the rescue trucks, the firetrucks.
You hang out at the station with the guys.
It's it's actually a really cool, like,experience.
So I did that, and, I ended up in the ER for alittle while as an as a paramedic.
(06:12):
And, I was there for about 5 years And I waslooking around, and I'm like, I can make triple
the money if I go to school for 1 year andtransition from this paramedic role into a
nurse role.
So I I did that.
I went back to Miami Day College, and I did my,paramedic to nurse transition.
And, basically, the course is set as anaccelerated program since you already have the
(06:33):
foundation of the medical stuff.
And, on my last class, So if the year went byand I was super excited, I'm like, I'm done.
I'm gonna go make triple this money.
I'm gonna go be a nurse.
I failed.
So a little bit of history about me.
I'm kinda like the or student.
So Same here.
So I'm like c.
(06:53):
And then right when I dip to a d, I start tostudy just a bit just to get back up.
So I was doing the whole year, and I built upthis rep at the school.
So when I got to the last class and I'm, Iwould I failed it by half of a half of a point.
0.0 but I had that rep on me.
You know?
I had that, like and so the instructor took itpersonal.
He's like, I got you.
(07:15):
So I went up to him, and I'll I it was a fightthe last day of the last class, like, the final
exam.
And I was like, hey.
Like, I know I failed by half of a half ofappointment too.
This is literally one question of all the testswe've done throughout the whole course.
He's like, sorry.
I'll see you next semester.
I was like, to screw this.
Yeah.
I'm done.
Who the hell wants to be a damn nurse anyways.
(07:35):
Right?
So I swear I left from the final exam, jumpedin my car, And I said, I'm changing careers.
I've I drove myself to the airport, and I didwhat's called the discovery flight.
Right then and there.
Right then and there.
Like, mine was committed.
I was done.
I was over it.
And so I took my first flight.
My flight instructor was amazing.
(07:56):
And I got the feel of it.
And got hooked on it just like everyone else.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I started spending all this money and I gotso far into it.
I'm like, well, now I can't stop.
I just gotta keep it going forward.
You know?
So During the 1st 3 months of it, I I startedfeeling out the airplane, started getting it
back into or started getting it to the airportmore, And, the semester was coming up for
(08:18):
nursing, and I was or the new semester, I waslike, you know, I can't leave this for one
class.
So I went back to to class.
So I had 3 jobs at the time.
Plus, I went back to nursing school.
Plus, I just started, like, this crazy, like,high level role.
And I
was like, first, my family was like, what thehell are you doing?
And I'm just like, I don't know.
I'm just having fun.
(08:38):
Like, I'm having a good time.
I got lucky as well, after I got my privatepilot and studying for instrument.
I found this guy that he lived in Naples, buthe had his airplane at, Tamiami Airport.
So, basically, he would rent it to me for acheap price with fuel just because it was just
sitting there.
I didn't have to pay any overnight fees.
There was one's tracking me.
(08:59):
I could take the plane for the weekend and justgo have fun.
So I would do Orlando trips, go to Universal.
I would go to the keys, like, down for fantasyfest if you've ever been.
Yeah.
I'm familiar.
I used to live in Tampa.
We're familiar with the
whole world.
Right?
I went to Tampa a lot too.
So, I feel like that plane made me pilot.
So that really advanced me.
I just had, like, no limit.
I was just doing, I mean, the limit was thebank, of course.
(09:20):
You know?
But Of course.
I mean, I had credit cards and after they werelike, you gotta pay us back now.
I'm like, oh, crap.
But, so I did that.
And then before you knew it, I had all the thetime, to be a flight instructor.
I'll be honest with you.
I hate it instructing.
But You're not
the first person to say that.
Yeah.
But I found the way around it.
So I went back to the nursing school.
(09:41):
I finished up nursing and became a registerednurse in a intensive care unit.
I got my year of experience, and then I wenttravel nursing.
So that took me to Oakland, California.
And over there, it's a little bit differentthan South Florida.
They have a, a flying club.
So, I I went to the airport.
And I was like, hey.
Like, I'm an instructor.
Like, what's up?
And so the guy, he was he you know, thosegrumpy guys that, like, you're you're kinda
(10:05):
timid by them, but they you so much in life.
Like, he was one of those.
One of those.
Yeah.
The the the old trusty mentor.
Exactly.
So, he, he told me he's like, I'm really nothiring anyone, but if you just wanna hang out
around the club and, if, like, you just wannarent the airplane and just go with your
student.
It was kinda like a free for all kind of likeflight obstructing thing, which I love that.
(10:27):
By the way, I hate limits.
So, like, when it's limitless, like, thatpushes me, like, at my pace, and that way I
can, like, continue to invest.
You go from slacker student to, acceleratedstudent.
Exactly.
I know I know the exact feeling.
So, so I started just picking up students overthere.
Life is kind of so expensive that you have tobe making, like, good money.
So the people that actually wanna fly aren'treally doing it to be a a pilot.
(10:51):
They're doing it more for the experience.
They're doing it for the tour.
They're doing it to say they flew a planebecause their friend told them they flew a
plane because it's been a goal There's so I Iflew a lady just because she was going through
a divorce and was down.
She wanted to go fly an airplane.
So she just came by the club.
Oh, that's flu.
Yeah.
That that cool experiences, meeting all thosedifferent kinds of people.
Yeah.
So it became more of, like, a tour thing.
(11:12):
Like, it it was still flight attendant.
It was a discovery flight.
It was just like, a lot of discovery flights.
Yeah.
Sure.
It wasn't like a constant student.
Like, they'd stick around for a little while,and then they just realized, like, maybe I
don't wanna do this.
I I was They're mostly like business or techpeople over there.
So, anyways, nursing took me over there.
So I was nursing 3 days a week, and then I wasdoing that, some of the time.
(11:33):
And, sorry.
That picture
just No.
I did.
We're gonna get a few of those.
Yeah.
So, so I've before you knew it, I startedbuilding up my hours, and I started building up
so much time as a nurse that I was like, I canliterally get a nursing job wherever I want.
I need to start focusing on my flying career.
So I started doing, like, the low timedesperate application.
(11:53):
I just started throwing my app everywhere, andI got picked up by an aerial survey company.
Okay.
They took me out to corpus Christie where we'redoing aerial surveys for NASA.
Apparently, a storm went by and there wasflooding where there wasn't flooding before, so
they were just trying to get, like, pictures ofBut it had to be so specific because there
couldn't be clouds.
It had to, like, it had to be with the tidesbecause the water had to be low so that the
(12:15):
camera component is, It had to be, like, theperfect scenario.
So long story short, I was locked up in a hotelfor 2 weeks just because that perfect scenario,
like, that window was so minimal that we missedit almost every time because of whatever
reason.
And I was like, this is not what I wanna do.
Like, I just left my travel nursing job It wasa pretty good salary.
Yep.
(12:35):
Pretty good paycheck.
And then now I'm sitting in a hotel in CorpusChristi, like, oh, don't I didn't sign up for
this.
You know?
So I went back to where I came from.
I started travel nursing again, kind of kickstarted it and started, like, focusing more of,
like, yeah, I'm, like, low hour, but, like,let's see where I can go with this.
So I didn't mention, while I was a paramedic, Ialso did some Metaback for a company called
(12:56):
Griva at a Fort Lauderdale executive.
So I went ahead and called them back up.
And I was like, hey.
Like, remember me?
I'm the paramedic you guys.
I I just did a year with them in Paramedic.
So they were like, yeah.
I'll apply.
And I was like, alright.
Cool.
So the Aviation, like, section of the companyreached out to the medical group and was like,
hey.
Would you hire this guy back?
(13:16):
And one of my cool, like, mentors there,Stephanie.
She was kinda like the paramedic trainer.
She was like, I'll hire this guy in aheartbeat.
So because of that connection, I was able tostart, flying jets at about 7:50 hours.
Yeah.
And this is pre COVID.
This is, like, 2017
or 2018.
(13:37):
Yeah.
So low time dude getting picked up all aboutthe networking connection for those of you who
are listening.
Did you see how he did that?
He put that in there for you?
It definitely helped me out so much.
And, So without me knowing, I was gonna get somuch international experience, so much
experience that people that have been flyingfor years haven't gotten just because they've
always stuck to domestic.
(13:58):
So using the HF Radio, flying into theCaribbean items, flying into, like, FEMA ops
because they just got through, a a nasty stormand they're a state of emergency.
We're flying supplies in and people out.
So, we were a flying ambulance pretty much.
Yeah.
Cool mission set too.
I mean, yeah.
Like, the humanitarian thing's always been kindof near and dear to my heart.
(14:19):
So I can I can see where that also would driveyou to even, like, a little bit more not push?
Obviously, safety is always our concern, butjust that little bit more, like, mission
oriented.
Get it done.
Get it done.
We're going we're going to do this today.
For sure.
And and once you establish that as afoundation, everything else is easy.
Yeah.
You know, like, you your foundation is used tobeing, like, so mission oriented and task
(14:44):
oriented.
And it's not like I'm gonna cancel this flight.
We'll wait till tomorrow.
Like, yeah, we're gonna cancel for safety, but,like, your cancellation is delaying care for
someone that's waiting for it on an island.
You know?
Like, they're in an ICU in Haiti or they're inan ICU in Jamaica because they got sick on a
cruise, and their family's doing everything toget them out of there.
And, yeah, you can cancel the flight, safety ofabsolutely, but you're just gonna take that
(15:07):
second look just in case.
Sure.
So that was where my foundation was, and thatwas all in connection with the nursing.
And then COVID hit.
And so since I was already a nurse and I wasworking in the ICU and I because I'm I'm I'm
still doing that.
So it's still an active, like, job.
But at that time, COVID hit.
I was in the COVID ICU.
I started picking up COVID patients.
So people in my class that got hired with me inthis medevac company lost their job, but I was
(15:30):
able to keep it because I had that medicalbackground.
Wow.
So I was blessed with that too.
Like, It's been a cool ride.
Yeah.
That's quite the ride.
Yeah.
So after all of that, things got a little weirdafter COVID.
Like, everything was, like, kind of unstable.
And they tried to push me into a corner.
And I was like, you know what?
I love you guys.
You guys did awesome for me, but I think it'stime to go find my next thing.
(15:51):
We all have to move on at some time with withespecially with jobs like that.
And you just gotta read the room sometimes.
You
know?
Right.
Yep.
And they're not.
You may be scared of that change.
But that change is probably the best thing thathappens
to you.
Mhmm.
So, that change was Flexjet, and that's how Igot to Flexjet.
So I quit the MetaPack company.
I got all my experience and my time there.
And, and then everyone over there was alwaystalking about Flexjet.
(16:12):
This Flexjet down.
I'm like, what the hell's a Flexjet?
So I come over here and, I tell them, oh, I'mI'm, like, my well, we I sit down in the
interview, and, I get Rick County, one of ourVPs, And he's he that's the first question he
asked me.
Where do you come from Reva?
And he his eyes opened.
He's like, well, you come from Reva.
I'm like, yeah.
(16:32):
How do you know?
He's like, oh, like, We own Reva.
So, apparently, Flexjet is owned by a companycalled Directional Aviation, and Directional
Aviation owns like a bunch of other stuff.
So they own Flexjet, and they also own Reva.
In in their, like, web of, like, I mean, I'veheard a lot about Flexjet there, but I had
didn't, like, everybody there knows aboutFlexjet, but no one I've, like, the pilots at
(16:54):
Flexjet don't know about Revo.
Sure.
Like, it's almost like the growing forward, butyou don't really know what's behind you.
You know?
So that's how I gotta flex that.
And, honestly, it's it's been awesome.
Like, I I tell everyone because I I try to theythink I'm selling them the job, but I'm just
telling them what we do.
You know, like, it's it's pretty amazing.
(17:14):
What we do over there, it's amazing how theytreat us, the benefits that we do.
Someone just asked me, like, oh, what's therelationship with management?
And I was like, you know, it's funny that mostof the management are pilots.
So they know what we're looking for.
They know what makes us happy.
They know what we want.
And I think that that reflects a lot of what wedo on day to day.
So when you start telling these people, like,what our benefits are, what our schedules like,
(17:35):
like, what advances we have, like, with ourcareer opportunities, what kind of events we
do, they're just like, oh, you're trying tosell me this.
I'm like, don't don't listen to me.
Talk to the other, but they're right here.
Yeah.
Everybody else They'll say the same thing, sir.
Yeah.
Totally.
So I've been there for two and a half years.
And, honestly, like, it's been amazing.
So what are you flying at FlexUp?
I'm flying creator 500 and 600.
Okay.
So it's all fly by wire.
(17:56):
I like to say it's like an an Airbus technologyinto a corporate Okay.
So it's all fly by wire.
It's all computerized.
It's really the future of aviation.
Yeah.
I've so one of the things.
So I wanted to, talk Flexjet and do a trade andsay, hey.
Listen.
We'll give you guys TPAX, you know, forever.
If, Matt and I can start getting flown aroundin the private jets.
(18:18):
I don't I don't think that's gonna work, but,you know, we gotta try.
You can't
For sure.
Man, tell me, say no, right?
But one of the so one of the things, like, Isome of the golf nut, big golfer, and, like, I
always look to see kind of who the golfers areflying with and stuff like that.
And then, of course, Augusta, They're all downthere for the
Oh, I was just there.
Were you there?
No.
I wish.
No.
I I've never never been to Augusta.
I've never gone to the tournament.
I want to.
(18:39):
I said, hopefully, one day, this networkingthing will pay off with me at least going to
see the course.
And I I I tell this story because I had afriend when I was at Atlas he came from a I
can't remember, which fraction it was eitherfractional or corporate.
I don't remember which one it was.
Doesn't really matter.
It wasn't flexible.
I'll I'll I'll tell you that.
He flew and talk about networking.
(19:01):
He flew, a gentleman and his wife back from,somewhere in Montana, and they were landing in
Atlanta.
So they flew back, and he had this wonderfulconversation.
He was really helpful.
There was some stuff that happened outside ofthe normal operation that he kinda went out of
his way to help this this couple with.
Yeah.
And, the guy, sometimes car, and he didn't lookat it.
He just put it in his pocket.
You know?
(19:22):
And, they get back in, and they're taking thejet.
So the land didn't land on, they're taking thejet back somewhere else empty, like, and when
he they're in flight and he's like, talking tothis dude.
He's fine with me.
He's like, hey.
I I'm recognized that guy.
Where do I recognize him from?
He's like, what do you mean?
What do you base before.
He's like, that that's the president of AugustaNational Golf Club.
And this guy is a huge golf nut.
He's like, are you serious?
(19:43):
And, he's like, yeah.
So he reaches in his pocket feeling around nocar.
They scour the the whole cockpit.
They'd look all over the airplane gone.
And the the his FFO or whoever is fine with islike, I think he was inviting you as a guest to
play at Augusta National.
And I think he just blew it by not having hiscard.
(20:04):
He said it was the greatest it's it's simplyput maybe that wasn't the case, but it simply
put the greatest regret of his life by notholding on to a little business card.
So it And it's part of that.
Like, you guys have a very different,obviously, different lifestyle than what I do
flying wise, but you get to meet and see theseinteresting people or people nobody knows about
who are these very wealthy individuals, but youalso get to do some other interesting things
(20:29):
that, especially a lot
of military transitioning guys, the guys
who are older who not gonna be triple 7captains at American because they're just gonna
age out too quickly.
You guys have the whole mission aspect of youfly in that airplane, like, from start to
finish.
And so, like, what's a normal day for you likewhen you go to the airport to go fly that day?
(20:49):
So before we get off topic, we have to talkabout the people we fly, of course.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Let's do that first.
Sorry.
Yeah.
I mean, no.
It's it's pretty straightforward.
Like, these people are just people.
You know, this is just a lifestyle for them.
This is their method of transportation.
So we get a lot like, oh, like, are they mean?
Are they, like, nice or Are they a holes?
Like, no.
Like, these people are just normal people, andthis is their method of transportation, and
(21:12):
you're taking them from point a to point b.
It's not a charter where it's like, hey.
Here's $20 Hickmundo, New York.
I'm gonna go party in the back.
Like, these people own a percentage of theairplane.
Mhmm.
So if they ruin the airplane, they're ruiningtheir own investments.
Yeah.
See, that it's a great way to put it together.
And also, like, you don't have to hold theirhand and, like, baby them like, oh, here's
where we keep our stuff.
(21:32):
And, like, these people fly so much and theyare so educated on their investment again, that
they can almost tell you the safety briefing.
So it's it's cool, and it takes a lot of thestress off and a lot of the pressure off
because you're not having to constantly havingto supervise them.
It's they're just getting an attack or an Uberor a they they get offended when I say that.
(21:52):
So it's a black limousine, you know.
But, yeah, so a day in the life of a Flexjetpilot, first of all, there's no commuting.
So your day one is your commute out, but you'regetting paid.
You're getting your per diem.
We pay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
So you get your company credit card, like,you're on the clock.
There's no crash pad.
Is is it a hotbed bed.
(22:13):
We don't do
we we don't even
know what that means, honestly.
Yeah.
Sure.
Yeah.
So, so once we get to the airplane, you checkit out.
You make sure everything's good.
That's most of the captain's responsibility andmaking sure all the because no one's really
there to hold your hand and make sure thateverything is fine.
Program.
You're on your own.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It you're basically doing what you do on a 172during flight instructing, but with a jet going
(22:35):
to much cooler places.
Yeah.
Very cool.
So you have to make sure your safetyequipment's there.
You have to make sure the documents are there.
Everything's to date.
So that's kinda like day 1.
Flexjet's awesome too because you just call themaintenance department.
Every before every leg and after everymaintenance event, you have to call in and be
like, hey.
I wanna call in for a book report.
And what they do is they check out for any MELsthat are gonna affect you.
(22:56):
They check out for any upcoming maintenance.
They just it's like an extra protection oflayer to make sure that you're flying something
safe, but you're also checking for yourself tomake sure it's safe.
So that's day 1.
Most of the time.
There's probably, like, a lecture or 2
there.
Yeah.
Sure.
Day 2.
And and every other day after that, I wouldsay, like, 60% of our flights have people on
(23:18):
them and then 40% don't.
Alright.
Like empty leg stuff.
Because what what happens is you pick someoneup, you take them to their destination, you
reposition to the next destination, you picksomeone else up, and then you drop them
wherever they're going.
And then either you stay the night there, oryou'll reposition for the morning.
So it's like a lot of, like, one way travel forthe people, and then you reposition to the next
(23:38):
people that need to get somewhere else.
Yeah.
So, yeah, very different than like, what I doand what other people have done in the hub and
spoke mentality or even point to point likeSouthwest does.
It's still it's still it's very different.
It's kinda similar to Southwest, though.
They they fly a lot.
So Okay.
Yeah.
So Alright.
And and in the sense of, like, they landsomewhere.
Like, they're not just doing, like, 1 or 2legs.
(23:59):
They're they're probably pushing, like, 5 legsat time the same people stay on their airplane.
So they just keep it moving.
So, yeah, that's kinda like what we do flyingwise.
And then your last day, when you come backhome, If you do fly a leg or 2, you may fly
yourself home, which that's always the best.
I'll tell you I'll tell you the secret, though.
The worst part of this job is the airlineeither to and from home.
(24:21):
Like, getting in that terminal after being onthe private jet for the whole time, you're just
like, oh, like,
Yeah.
I see.
You know, it's funny because, when I did mywhen I was a cartle guy at Atlas, one of the
best perks of the job was everywhere you flewinternationally, you know, 1st class.
And in the 1st class world, internationally,it's all you get the lounge and stuff like
(24:42):
that.
The lounge is some places internationally.
They're like, holy cow.
These are like, so nice.
Palatial.
Amazing.
They have sleep pods and all this stuff.
You know?
And then you get back to the states, and that'sall out the window.
Yep.
And so you get you get you get that treatment,then you're like, okay, middle seat on the way
to, like, even for us there, it was written inthe contract.
(25:04):
When you deadhead to Honolulu, you you did notget, 1st class at the time that I was in.
So it was I I remember one time I wasdeadheading from O'Hare to Honolulu, and I was
middle seat in the back of an airplane.
And I'm like, this sucks.
That's terrible.
That's terrible, man.
So When
you're heading home or heading out to a planeand you get stuck in the middle after the TS,
(25:26):
but I will say not a paid advertisement.
It's just the AmEx platinum card is has been mylifesaving because when you go especially when
you're flying Delta, because that's the onlytime you can go into Delta Lounge.
And you're able to, like, escape from thatterminal just a little bit and go to the
lounges.
It does help out a little bit.
Yeah.
Sure.
Got it.
I mean, it it it really does change yourperspective in life.
(25:47):
Like, even even going home, after all of this.
Because you're seeing all the changes thatthese, like, huge business people are doing.
You're seeing how much money people areactually spending out there.
Then you go home and you're like, well, yeah,it takes money to spend to make money.
So let me just spend all my money here because,like, look how much these other people are
spending it.
So you've kind of had I've kinda had to, like,adjust that in my life a little bit, but it's
(26:08):
actually helped me out of my personal life alot too because, everyone says, yeah, if you go
cheap, it'll cost double.
You know?
Like, I speak Spanish.
So they say Lo la Loero Salacado Mhmm.
Which means the cheap stuff ends up being moreexpensive.
Yep.
It's
true.
So then you go home with this, like, No.
Like, let's do it right the first
time and set it.
Yep.
And so this job has helped me out with that alot aside from everything.
(26:28):
No.
It it, you know, it all everything that youspeak is is a lot of truth.
Right?
Like, the I so many friends of mine who are notpilots, the the flying public, they they may
they might be flying to Disney World for 1 onetime a year with their kids, you know, or
something like that.
And that's like a big event for them.
And what they don't understand is we do it allthe time.
Exactly.
And it changes from the airport is not a placewhere it's this unique place where it gets to
(26:54):
go.
Once it's that's my home away from I'm thereall the time.
So I understand it.
And you know, my I see everything going on.
I always tell my wife when she walks to theairport.
I'm like, look around.
A lot of people are, like, trapped in the threefoot bubble, and they don't see everything
else.
Where we as pilots and and it crew in general,we kinda see everybody else because we're so
used to it.
The environment is now or we've gotten to thefar into the other spectrum where we don't see
(27:17):
anything except for just a straight line to ourgate and the and home.
And, you know, like, somebody asked me, where'smy favorite layover?
And I go, yeah, it's, it's Milwaukee, Wisconsinbecause that's where I live.
That's my home is my favorite layover.
And that's where I love being most because I'veI've been everywhere else, but I've wanted to
go on the road.
Yeah.
What's your favorite part?
Hold on.
Before we move on from that, it's funny thatyou mentioned that about the crew and, like,
(27:40):
how they know so much about the airportsbecause we don't
Yeah.
You guys don't see it as much.
When the public is out there and they see apilot, you become, like, the information
station right away.
You wear those those rips on your shoulder,you're the information station of the
No matter who you fly for.
So now the you're at the airport and someonecomes up to you and they're like, where's gate,
whatever?
Where's the restroom in here?
Like, Sorry.
I don't know.
(28:00):
They're like, what?
Like, you're a pilot.
What do you mean you don't know?
Like, yeah.
It's a long story.
I I I've been asked, in Paris, in French, and Idon't know French very well, where the bathroom
is.
And I'm like, I don't know, but I'm lookingtoo.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's go
together.
Oh, sorry.
What was
your question?
No.
No.
Is it just with with how much I had a realpassion for military aviation when I first
(28:22):
started out.
And, you know, I still love my job.
I I'm not a GA flyer.
I don't kinda do aviation on the side, but Ihave my favorite parts of the job.
You know, not like the 8 flying because goingabove the clouds and it's sunny outside when
everybody else sees gray is kind of a thing Ithink everybody loves doing.
(28:44):
Yeah.
But, like, what's your favorite part of ofFlexjet flying there.
So
I will say the coolest part about flying atFlexjet is our altitude see.
That's, like, the biggest one.
So while all of you are getting bumped aroundin the thunderstorms, con the controller will
come up and ask, like, hey.
Do you guys need the VASs?
I not.
We're above it.
Yeah.
So the ride is much is much cooler, honestly.
(29:07):
It's a much better ride most of the time, butalso fly at Flexia, it's not really, like,
here's your packet.
Here's what you're doing.
Like, go fly the packet.
You really have to have, like, your sense of,pilot on at all times.
Like, there's not really a time you can slackon being a pilot, which means, like, oh, auto
throttles or auto pilots on, like, let me justlounge back for a second.
(29:29):
Like, if you're not ahead of the ball or aheadof the game here, that's where you open up to
susceptibility.
So, like, you're always kinda, like, on, youknow, and and and, I get bored easily.
So I need to be and I feel like that happenswith a lot of military guys.
And I've been talking to a lot of them thatcome by, and they're like, oh, do you have
military people with you?
And I'm, Honestly, I've seen people jumpingfrom airlines coming over here because they're
(29:49):
bored at the airlines.
Like military guys are highly stimulated.
They need to have that that constantstimulation in order to stay engaged.
Mhmm.
And I'm kinda like that too, even though Ihaven't been in the military.
And I feel like as soon as you let your guarddown here, that's when something has the
potential to happen just because there's somany factors happening on, like, you you this
may be the first time you're landing at theairport.
(30:10):
It's untoward.
Do you have enough runway?
Is it wide enough I've never thought aboutrunway with.
Right?
But is it wide enough for us to land?
What are the, like, yeah.
Okay.
The winds, we get that.
We get the ADIS report, but, now you're reallythinking about which direction because that
you're landing on a seventy five foot widerunway, you know, can I turn around on this
runway?
Does this place have fuel?
Like, yeah, can I get out of here?
(30:31):
Can I get out?
Yeah.
Because once you're in, like, you that's notthe time to think about it.
You have to be, like, ahead of the game, twostops behind.
Yeah.
And that's to feel through.
And that's definitely, like, stuff thatmilitary, individuals have have done in their
previous life, especially, like, C17, C130 guyswho and army dudes who go into these austere
fields and gotta know, yeah, can I I can getin, but it out?
(30:52):
It's all connected out.
Like
Sometimes we we land in a place where it's justa runway.
And at the end of the runway is the guy's carthat you're dropping off, and that's it.
There's nothing else around.
So then you gotta plan to get out of there.
And then where's your next field stop?
Is it possible?
And then you gotta work out with the company.
Is it possible just to make it to the nextplace you're trying to get to, or do you have
to have a fuel stop in between that?
So it's like it's like a big rotating ballthat's just constantly moving and, like, it
(31:18):
changes directions constantly depending onwhat's hitting it.
Yeah.
You know, because there's so many things thatif, like, someone can call out.
Someone can get sick.
Someone is delayed and that delayed somethingelse, but now they just switched everything up
so that that owner won't get delayed.
So they'll send another airplane in there.
And then that that guy was supposed to go homethat day, but now he's going home from a
different airport.
So he got a different airline.
(31:38):
And then the replacement has to also get adifferent airline to get to the now the new
chain.
So It's just a constant rotation of craziness.
Yeah.
So it's it it it's it's that keeping engaged inthe process of getting not only your airplane
where it needs to be, but doing it, withcomfort, well, obviously, safety.
I I don't even think I have to mention that.
Like, that that comfort and then kinda doingeverything with smile on your face too because
(32:03):
we we, as pilots, whether we fly for a majorcarrier or the military or anybody else, it's
we're kind of the face we're the face ofaviation people
see us.
They think we are shrouded in mystery up there.
And to some extent, that's true.
So we there's a lot of nervous flyers outthere.
We gotta make them feel comfortable.
My one of my my wife's best friend just flewdown to, uh-uh, Texas.
(32:25):
And she was super, super nervous, and she wastexting us.
And I'm like, she's like, why can't you beflying this plane?
I'm like, a, I'm not qualified on it.
B, you're gonna be just fine.
Those guys wanna get you get home just as muchas you wanna get down there safely.
They're they're more they're almost moreinterested in in the safe and comfortable
operation.
Than you are.
Absolutely.
And and you guys take that to a next level, theway you treat your customers, just the way I've
(32:47):
been watching the way you you work with theattendees.
I have never seen a group that's just more fullof fun smiles.
I mean, the the event you guys kicked off lastnight for TPNX was just amazing.
Everybody was having such a great time.
It's what we're known for.
That's that's what makes us flex our pilots.
And that's what we're looking for.
Someone asked me that during the presentation,they're like, what is a flex up pilot?
Like, what are you guys looking for?
(33:08):
And it's that.
Like, someone walks by you, you you approachthem as a human, you know, as a person and,
like, not to fluff them up because, like, I'mreally not getting any sort of, like, credit
for this, but our that that it comes a lot fromour management.
You know?
Yeah.
If if I walk up to a management and I I saidthat in the briefing too.
Like, I can call a manager and be like, hey.
I'm having this problem.
And it's not like, oh, that's not my job.
(33:29):
It's, hey.
That's not my department, but let's see how wecan solve it.
Let's see who I can connect you with.
Like, they're and and they'll follow-up withyou.
They'll send you an email.
They'll call you.
They'll text you whatever just to make surethat you got what you needed done.
And I think that when you come from a placelike that, it's kind of hard to be unhappy.
Like, you'll have unhappy moments, but andespecially doing these events that you're
(33:50):
people that are in a part of the company, itgives you, like, a little bit of a refreshment
of, like, this is what, like, when you're inthe in the circle, like, you can get
frustrated.
Like, oh, man.
I'm running.
And, like, they're they're flying me and allthis stuff.
But then you start talking about all the perksand what the job really is, and you're like,
wait.
It's actually, like, I just had a bad moment,but it's really not that bad.
Yeah.
I think I think aviation in in in a nutshellever he has bad days.
(34:14):
Right?
But when you look back on the on the end ofyour career, where they're more good than bad.
Exactly.
And and almost everybody I've ever met this betsaid there's more good than bad.
Maybe 1 or 2 have almost everybody else is likethat.
So if there's if there's one thing thatsomebody out there oh, before I get to that,
just a basic what are the requirements?
If I was, you know, pilot out there, wanted toget on with Flexjet requirements, stuff like
(34:38):
that.
So we just raised our minimums.
It came with a pay rate.
Which that's a good part.
But Yeah.
That's nice.
We we are we're looking for a minimum of 3000hours.
Okay.
If you have some turbine time, 121 time, 135time.
Basically, if you've been in a jet simulatorbefore, because our interview consists of a jet
simulation, and the fail rate is pretty highbecause we get, like, the single engine guys.
(35:00):
So now you put the pressure of the, like, theinterview, and then you give them a v one cut.
They never been in a sin before.
I've never seen so much disaster in my life.
But, But if you have some jet time, some turbantime, some, if you have 121 and 135 experience,
even great, or even better, we can consider youat 2500 hours And the way that works is that,
(35:22):
your resume and your experience gets passed onto our vice president or, like, our VPs.
Mhmm.
And they make a decision if, you can come inwith a reduced amount of hours right now, we're
looking for 3000 hours.
Okay.
Cool.
And gross.
It's good to know.
I mean, it's good to know for people out therelistening, especially, you know, some people,
who are lower time, may think, oh, well, Flexitmaybe the, you know, they fly smaller
(35:43):
airplanes.
Maybe I have a chance.
And it's like, well, that's not really how thatworks.
Yeah.
There's there's other options out there for youto get gain that experience before you move on
to the next thing.
Yeah.
Flexjet right now.
We're focused on being a career destination.
Sure.
This is not stepping stone.
Like, the benefits and and the way that weoperate and the investment that we put, not
only in our in our, like, in our pilots,because it's not really like a money thing.
(36:05):
It's more like a culture thing.
We invest to make you a part of our family.
And so this is not just something that we take,like, for granted or, like, really lightly.
When you leave, like, we we get offended.
Like, oh my god.
Can you believe who left?
Like, we're hurt.
You know?
So we're we're really trying our best to makethis a career destination.
So this is not somewhere where you come buildhours.
(36:27):
This is where you come for the rest of yourcareer.
Yeah.
You you know, and the thing is is I can tellI've been seeing Flexjet here now for 3 years,
and And there has been definitely, a very niceevolution where you can see just, I mean, in
the size of the staff that's brought here, Andthe the motivation is one thing, but the
exuberance that they all experience, like, tojust talk about the company and Sure.
(36:47):
This like I said, all smiling faces all thetime.
Really enjoy hanging out with them.
So if there's one thing that the listenersshould take away from this podcast from Ivan.
What what's that one thing?
You know, I'm gonna have to say it and bebasic, but, like, even when you fail, like,
when you think you're at your worst.
(37:08):
You've hit rock bottom.
I guess the basic thing is once you hit thebottom, there's nowhere else to go, but up.
So even though in the moment you may feeldefeated, like, you you just hit, like, your
worst point, your goals haven't beenaccomplished or what you expected to come out
didn't come out of it, Just keep going and tryto make the best of the situation because
(37:29):
that's how I got here.
Remember, this story started with a failednursing class, and that brought me to where I'm
at today with pilot stuff and look look whereit's led me.
Yeah.
I had no idea.
And, like, this was never a part of the plan.
I was just having fun along the way.
And what do you know?
It's been it's I've honestly, if I could do itall over again, I would do it exactly the way
it happened just because it's turned outamazing.
Yep.
It's amazing.
(37:49):
I I always say doors open windows closed,windows open doors closed, that kind
of thing.
Exactly.
And and and that's kinda a lot of what TPNX isabout too is opening that aperture seeing all
of the things that are in aviation, not onlyfor you, but what you can do to pay it forward,
you know, our mantra, pay it forward.
Now it's we add a little something from theaspiring to the retirement and and Ivan's a
(38:11):
great example that I've been, I wanna thank youfor joining me today, man.
I don't thank you so much.
I had a blast.
Awesome.
Yeah.
The first cast my my my rear end.
You're amazing.
So and and and for all of you out there, we wecan't wait to see you, at TPN X 2025 for those
of your that are here today listening to this.
Thank you for coming.
If you guys need to reach out, hey, guys.
(38:31):
It's pilot network.com.
Hit us, hit us up on the socials, find us onthe website, as always, fly safe.
Keep the shiny side up and the greasy dieddown.
And you have to follow Flexjet, careers page onInstagram.
You have to follow Flexjet Curpades onInstagram.
You guys hear that?
Fly safe everybody.
Hey, network.
One last quick request.
(38:52):
Can you answer a question or 2?
Do you enjoy the show, or do you hate it?
Either way, please give us a review.
If you love the network, consider stopping bythe pilot network com to support TPN by buying
something, signing up for our newsletter, orjust checking out the page.
Making us feel really good in the process.
You can stay in touch with us athayguys@thepilotnetwork.com.
(39:16):
Subscribe to all our social media channels.
Make sure you follow or subscribe this podcast.
And if you really love TPN, consider signing upfor TPN Pro.
As always, shiny side, greasy side, fly
This episode of the pilot network podcast isbrought to you by BrightLine Bags.
Most of you probably already know what aBrightLine Bag is or at least have seen one
around the airport.
I knew about them, but hadn't pulled thetrigger because, well, you know, I'm a cheap
pilot.
Recently, my pro gear bag was falling apart,and my organizational system is well, it's less
(00:23):
than stellar.
So I decided it was time to check outBrightLine.
Ross Bishop, he's the founder and creator ofthe BrightLine Bag Modular System.
Well, he attended Tipin X, and I decided to getin the weeds and chat with him about what he
had created.
I was totally sold.
I'm kind of a mess when it comes to keeping mystuff together.
People might send my mess with other stuff too,but I'm really a mess when it's keeping my
(00:47):
stuff together on the flight deck.
So I figured, why not?
I'll give it a try.
I especially, had to get the flex array pocketkit.
Dude, this thing is super legit.
If I ever lose another power block or courts ofAirPods, etcetera, anything like that again,
It's because I didn't put it back in itspredetermined spot.
(01:07):
A spot that will always be the same from now onunlike my current up.
Ross has also created stuff for you, dronepilots, photographers, firearm enthusiasts,
head over to the link in the show notes.
That's TPN's affiliate link, which shows us aton of support.
We thank you so much for doing that.
Use the code TPNX 2024 by June 30th to receive10% off your order and simplify your life with
(01:31):
BrightLine bags.
(01:52):
What's up, network, round 2 from TPNX.
Today, I'm joined by Ivan Rodriguez fromFlexjet.
This guy and I hit it off immediately.
This is probably the longest of all thepodcasts that we did at TPNX.
He has a interesting backstory.
Again, I find these back stories that I get atTPNX from not only recruiters, but attendees,
(02:15):
volunteers to be fascinating.
He got a little later start in his career, butaviation then grabbed him and motivated him
because much like me, He wasn't what you wouldcall the finest student on the planet.
He totally went for it, set up a wonderfulcareer for himself at Flexjet where he
absolutely loves not only flying the airplanes,the business model, but also the recruiting
(02:36):
portion.
You could really see it in the way he went fullbore at TPNX talking to the attendees had a
smile on his face the whole time.
I really enjoyed meeting Ivan getting to knowhim not only during the podcast, but at the
happy hour events as well.
You could hear me keep talking, but let's takeit away with Ivan.
Hope you enjoy.
(02:59):
Hey, folks.
Welcome back to another episode of the TPNpodcast live from TPNX.
I am joined by Ivan Rodriguez from Flexjet.
He is one of the recruiters over there.
Their booth has been killing it.
Super busy.
It's, it's crazy.
They have such cool setup.
You guys had such an awesome social I wannawelcome you.
Thank you for coming.
Ivan, how are you doing today?
Thank you.
I'll be honest.
(03:19):
This is one of the the best events that I'vebeen to.
The other events kind of feel like an expo kindof feel kind of professional, you shake
people's hands and they're kind of sweating.
You see the the sweat dripping down.
Here, they kinda know what they're gettinginto.
They have a time they know they need to come tous.
It's almost like it takes a pressure off andyou get personal with the people.
(03:41):
That's what it's my first time at TPN.
Okay.
Or is it TPN or TPNX?
So it's funny because you say that.
That's a great question.
So TPN, like, the pilot network, we threw theon when Matt I was like, what's the x for?
And he's like, I don't know.
It just looked cool.
Like, a small x at the end.
And I'm like, what?
And he goes, expo, experience and, like,experience, the TPN experience.
It's the analog.
So it's a part of it.
(04:02):
Like, you can say TPNX.
Yeah.
You could say Alright.
Cool.
And it's just all about the experience of,like, being here and, you know, was telling the
the attendees that come here, and and you kindof nailed it right when you said that this is
not a job fair.
It's on an expo.
It's on a trade show.
It's a networking conference.
It's your chance to get to know people becauseyou don't know what opportunities you don't
know about until you see that.
Absolutely.
(04:24):
And there's more than just airline recruitershere.
There's vendors, and there's all sorts of otherparallel aviation support industry that are
here to help you get to where you wanna begoing forward.
Yeah.
I saw the guy selling the, the flight bags overthere.
He, like, took
it all apart and, like, built this togetherand, like, did all the things with it.
And it was pretty cool.
Ross Ross is a really cool dude.
We reached out to him last year, and he waslike, yeah, I don't I I can't make TPNX this
(04:47):
year last in 2023.
And he said, but, you know, I'm I'm kindainterested in the mystery.
He's like, yep.
I'm all in, and he's, I mean, those bags aresweet.
I kind of wanna go buy the for $500 1.
Let's see if the wife says okay to that.
So, Ivan, how did you I like to always probepeople on their history and background of
aviation because We all come from differentbackgrounds.
(05:07):
We all have similar ending points, really, butthe starting point is what's unique.
Well, how did you get started in aviation?
What drove you through, through to where you'reat now?
It's kind of a long story.
I'm gonna have to go back to my high schooldays.
Yeah.
Okay.
That's where I have to go to a lot of times.
So back in high school, of course, you wanna beeither cop of firefighter or doctor.
Yep.
So I'd I went the firefighter route.
(05:28):
I did firefighter paramedic for a little bit.
I went to Miami Dade for Miami I went to MiamiDade College.
They're kinda like a one stop shop foreverything.
So I was able to do my EMT, my paramedic, andmy fire all in kinda like same, school.
So I did that.
I worked on the fire trucks for a little while,got a cool experiences because I was a a a fire
(05:52):
explorer, which is kinda like a a program forpeople that are or people in high school that
are interested in the job.
So
remember that.
From the high school.
Yeah.
So you can get on the job training.
You're writing the rescue trucks, the firetrucks.
You hang out at the station with the guys.
It's it's actually a really cool, like,experience.
So I did that, and, I ended up in the ER for alittle while as an as a paramedic.
(06:12):
And, I was there for about 5 years And I waslooking around, and I'm like, I can make triple
the money if I go to school for 1 year andtransition from this paramedic role into a
nurse role.
So I I did that.
I went back to Miami Day College, and I did my,paramedic to nurse transition.
And, basically, the course is set as anaccelerated program since you already have the
(06:33):
foundation of the medical stuff.
And, on my last class, So if the year went byand I was super excited, I'm like, I'm done.
I'm gonna go make triple this money.
I'm gonna go be a nurse.
I failed.
So a little bit of history about me.
I'm kinda like the or student.
So Same here.
So I'm like c.
(06:53):
And then right when I dip to a d, I start tostudy just a bit just to get back up.
So I was doing the whole year, and I built upthis rep at the school.
So when I got to the last class and I'm, Iwould I failed it by half of a half of a point.
0.0 but I had that rep on me.
You know?
I had that, like and so the instructor took itpersonal.
He's like, I got you.
(07:15):
So I went up to him, and I'll I it was a fightthe last day of the last class, like, the final
exam.
And I was like, hey.
Like, I know I failed by half of a half ofappointment too.
This is literally one question of all the testswe've done throughout the whole course.
He's like, sorry.
I'll see you next semester.
I was like, to screw this.
Yeah.
I'm done.
Who the hell wants to be a damn nurse anyways.
(07:35):
Right?
So I swear I left from the final exam, jumpedin my car, And I said, I'm changing careers.
I've I drove myself to the airport, and I didwhat's called the discovery flight.
Right then and there.
Right then and there.
Like, mine was committed.
I was done.
I was over it.
And so I took my first flight.
My flight instructor was amazing.
(07:56):
And I got the feel of it.
And got hooked on it just like everyone else.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I started spending all this money and I gotso far into it.
I'm like, well, now I can't stop.
I just gotta keep it going forward.
You know?
So During the 1st 3 months of it, I I startedfeeling out the airplane, started getting it
back into or started getting it to the airportmore, And, the semester was coming up for
(08:18):
nursing, and I was or the new semester, I waslike, you know, I can't leave this for one
class.
So I went back to to class.
So I had 3 jobs at the time.
Plus, I went back to nursing school.
Plus, I just started, like, this crazy, like,high level role.
And I
was like, first, my family was like, what thehell are you doing?
And I'm just like, I don't know.
I'm just having fun.
(08:38):
Like, I'm having a good time.
I got lucky as well, after I got my privatepilot and studying for instrument.
I found this guy that he lived in Naples, buthe had his airplane at, Tamiami Airport.
So, basically, he would rent it to me for acheap price with fuel just because it was just
sitting there.
I didn't have to pay any overnight fees.
There was one's tracking me.
(08:59):
I could take the plane for the weekend and justgo have fun.
So I would do Orlando trips, go to Universal.
I would go to the keys, like, down for fantasyfest if you've ever been.
Yeah.
I'm familiar.
I used to live in Tampa.
We're familiar with the
whole world.
Right?
I went to Tampa a lot too.
So, I feel like that plane made me pilot.
So that really advanced me.
I just had, like, no limit.
I was just doing, I mean, the limit was thebank, of course.
(09:20):
You know?
But Of course.
I mean, I had credit cards and after they werelike, you gotta pay us back now.
I'm like, oh, crap.
But, so I did that.
And then before you knew it, I had all the thetime, to be a flight instructor.
I'll be honest with you.
I hate it instructing.
But You're not
the first person to say that.
Yeah.
But I found the way around it.
So I went back to the nursing school.
(09:41):
I finished up nursing and became a registerednurse in a intensive care unit.
I got my year of experience, and then I wenttravel nursing.
So that took me to Oakland, California.
And over there, it's a little bit differentthan South Florida.
They have a, a flying club.
So, I I went to the airport.
And I was like, hey.
Like, I'm an instructor.
Like, what's up?
And so the guy, he was he you know, thosegrumpy guys that, like, you're you're kinda
(10:05):
timid by them, but they you so much in life.
Like, he was one of those.
One of those.
Yeah.
The the the old trusty mentor.
Exactly.
So, he, he told me he's like, I'm really nothiring anyone, but if you just wanna hang out
around the club and, if, like, you just wannarent the airplane and just go with your
student.
It was kinda like a free for all kind of likeflight obstructing thing, which I love that.
(10:27):
By the way, I hate limits.
So, like, when it's limitless, like, thatpushes me, like, at my pace, and that way I
can, like, continue to invest.
You go from slacker student to, acceleratedstudent.
Exactly.
I know I know the exact feeling.
So, so I started just picking up students overthere.
Life is kind of so expensive that you have tobe making, like, good money.
So the people that actually wanna fly aren'treally doing it to be a a pilot.
(10:51):
They're doing it more for the experience.
They're doing it for the tour.
They're doing it to say they flew a planebecause their friend told them they flew a
plane because it's been a goal There's so I Iflew a lady just because she was going through
a divorce and was down.
She wanted to go fly an airplane.
So she just came by the club.
Oh, that's flu.
Yeah.
That that cool experiences, meeting all thosedifferent kinds of people.
Yeah.
So it became more of, like, a tour thing.
(11:12):
Like, it it was still flight attendant.
It was a discovery flight.
It was just like, a lot of discovery flights.
Yeah.
Sure.
It wasn't like a constant student.
Like, they'd stick around for a little while,and then they just realized, like, maybe I
don't wanna do this.
I I was They're mostly like business or techpeople over there.
So, anyways, nursing took me over there.
So I was nursing 3 days a week, and then I wasdoing that, some of the time.
(11:33):
And, sorry.
That picture
just No.
I did.
We're gonna get a few of those.
Yeah.
So, so I've before you knew it, I startedbuilding up my hours, and I started building up
so much time as a nurse that I was like, I canliterally get a nursing job wherever I want.
I need to start focusing on my flying career.
So I started doing, like, the low timedesperate application.
(11:53):
I just started throwing my app everywhere, andI got picked up by an aerial survey company.
Okay.
They took me out to corpus Christie where we'redoing aerial surveys for NASA.
Apparently, a storm went by and there wasflooding where there wasn't flooding before, so
they were just trying to get, like, pictures ofBut it had to be so specific because there
couldn't be clouds.
It had to, like, it had to be with the tidesbecause the water had to be low so that the
(12:15):
camera component is, It had to be, like, theperfect scenario.
So long story short, I was locked up in a hotelfor 2 weeks just because that perfect scenario,
like, that window was so minimal that we missedit almost every time because of whatever
reason.
And I was like, this is not what I wanna do.
Like, I just left my travel nursing job It wasa pretty good salary.
Yep.
(12:35):
Pretty good paycheck.
And then now I'm sitting in a hotel in CorpusChristi, like, oh, don't I didn't sign up for
this.
You know?
So I went back to where I came from.
I started travel nursing again, kind of kickstarted it and started, like, focusing more of,
like, yeah, I'm, like, low hour, but, like,let's see where I can go with this.
So I didn't mention, while I was a paramedic, Ialso did some Metaback for a company called
(12:56):
Griva at a Fort Lauderdale executive.
So I went ahead and called them back up.
And I was like, hey.
Like, remember me?
I'm the paramedic you guys.
I I just did a year with them in Paramedic.
So they were like, yeah.
I'll apply.
And I was like, alright.
Cool.
So the Aviation, like, section of the companyreached out to the medical group and was like,
hey.
Would you hire this guy back?
(13:16):
And one of my cool, like, mentors there,Stephanie.
She was kinda like the paramedic trainer.
She was like, I'll hire this guy in aheartbeat.
So because of that connection, I was able tostart, flying jets at about 7:50 hours.
Yeah.
And this is pre COVID.
This is, like, 2017
or 2018.
(13:37):
Yeah.
So low time dude getting picked up all aboutthe networking connection for those of you who
are listening.
Did you see how he did that?
He put that in there for you?
It definitely helped me out so much.
And, So without me knowing, I was gonna get somuch international experience, so much
experience that people that have been flyingfor years haven't gotten just because they've
always stuck to domestic.
(13:58):
So using the HF Radio, flying into theCaribbean items, flying into, like, FEMA ops
because they just got through, a a nasty stormand they're a state of emergency.
We're flying supplies in and people out.
So, we were a flying ambulance pretty much.
Yeah.
Cool mission set too.
I mean, yeah.
Like, the humanitarian thing's always been kindof near and dear to my heart.
(14:19):
So I can I can see where that also would driveyou to even, like, a little bit more not push?
Obviously, safety is always our concern, butjust that little bit more, like, mission
oriented.
Get it done.
Get it done.
We're going we're going to do this today.
For sure.
And and once you establish that as afoundation, everything else is easy.
Yeah.
You know, like, you your foundation is used tobeing, like, so mission oriented and task
(14:44):
oriented.
And it's not like I'm gonna cancel this flight.
We'll wait till tomorrow.
Like, yeah, we're gonna cancel for safety, but,like, your cancellation is delaying care for
someone that's waiting for it on an island.
You know?
Like, they're in an ICU in Haiti or they're inan ICU in Jamaica because they got sick on a
cruise, and their family's doing everything toget them out of there.
And, yeah, you can cancel the flight, safety ofabsolutely, but you're just gonna take that
(15:07):
second look just in case.
Sure.
So that was where my foundation was, and thatwas all in connection with the nursing.
And then COVID hit.
And so since I was already a nurse and I wasworking in the ICU and I because I'm I'm I'm
still doing that.
So it's still an active, like, job.
But at that time, COVID hit.
I was in the COVID ICU.
I started picking up COVID patients.
So people in my class that got hired with me inthis medevac company lost their job, but I was
(15:30):
able to keep it because I had that medicalbackground.
Wow.
So I was blessed with that too.
Like, It's been a cool ride.
Yeah.
That's quite the ride.
Yeah.
So after all of that, things got a little weirdafter COVID.
Like, everything was, like, kind of unstable.
And they tried to push me into a corner.
And I was like, you know what?
I love you guys.
You guys did awesome for me, but I think it'stime to go find my next thing.
(15:51):
We all have to move on at some time with withespecially with jobs like that.
And you just gotta read the room sometimes.
You
know?
Right.
Yep.
And they're not.
You may be scared of that change.
But that change is probably the best thing thathappens
to you.
Mhmm.
So, that change was Flexjet, and that's how Igot to Flexjet.
So I quit the MetaPack company.
I got all my experience and my time there.
And, and then everyone over there was alwaystalking about Flexjet.
(16:12):
This Flexjet down.
I'm like, what the hell's a Flexjet?
So I come over here and, I tell them, oh, I'mI'm, like, my well, we I sit down in the
interview, and, I get Rick County, one of ourVPs, And he's he that's the first question he
asked me.
Where do you come from Reva?
And he his eyes opened.
He's like, well, you come from Reva.
I'm like, yeah.
(16:32):
How do you know?
He's like, oh, like, We own Reva.
So, apparently, Flexjet is owned by a companycalled Directional Aviation, and Directional
Aviation owns like a bunch of other stuff.
So they own Flexjet, and they also own Reva.
In in their, like, web of, like, I mean, I'veheard a lot about Flexjet there, but I had
didn't, like, everybody there knows aboutFlexjet, but no one I've, like, the pilots at
(16:54):
Flexjet don't know about Revo.
Sure.
Like, it's almost like the growing forward, butyou don't really know what's behind you.
You know?
So that's how I gotta flex that.
And, honestly, it's it's been awesome.
Like, I I tell everyone because I I try to theythink I'm selling them the job, but I'm just
telling them what we do.
You know, like, it's it's pretty amazing.
(17:14):
What we do over there, it's amazing how theytreat us, the benefits that we do.
Someone just asked me, like, oh, what's therelationship with management?
And I was like, you know, it's funny that mostof the management are pilots.
So they know what we're looking for.
They know what makes us happy.
They know what we want.
And I think that that reflects a lot of what wedo on day to day.
So when you start telling these people, like,what our benefits are, what our schedules like,
(17:35):
like, what advances we have, like, with ourcareer opportunities, what kind of events we
do, they're just like, oh, you're trying tosell me this.
I'm like, don't don't listen to me.
Talk to the other, but they're right here.
Yeah.
Everybody else They'll say the same thing, sir.
Yeah.
Totally.
So I've been there for two and a half years.
And, honestly, like, it's been amazing.
So what are you flying at FlexUp?
I'm flying creator 500 and 600.
Okay.
So it's all fly by wire.
(17:56):
I like to say it's like an an Airbus technologyinto a corporate Okay.
So it's all fly by wire.
It's all computerized.
It's really the future of aviation.
Yeah.
I've so one of the things.
So I wanted to, talk Flexjet and do a trade andsay, hey.
Listen.
We'll give you guys TPAX, you know, forever.
If, Matt and I can start getting flown aroundin the private jets.
(18:18):
I don't I don't think that's gonna work, but,you know, we gotta try.
You can't
For sure.
Man, tell me, say no, right?
But one of the so one of the things, like, Isome of the golf nut, big golfer, and, like, I
always look to see kind of who the golfers areflying with and stuff like that.
And then, of course, Augusta, They're all downthere for the
Oh, I was just there.
Were you there?
No.
I wish.
No.
I I've never never been to Augusta.
I've never gone to the tournament.
I want to.
(18:39):
I said, hopefully, one day, this networkingthing will pay off with me at least going to
see the course.
And I I I tell this story because I had afriend when I was at Atlas he came from a I
can't remember, which fraction it was eitherfractional or corporate.
I don't remember which one it was.
Doesn't really matter.
It wasn't flexible.
I'll I'll I'll tell you that.
He flew and talk about networking.
(19:01):
He flew, a gentleman and his wife back from,somewhere in Montana, and they were landing in
Atlanta.
So they flew back, and he had this wonderfulconversation.
He was really helpful.
There was some stuff that happened outside ofthe normal operation that he kinda went out of
his way to help this this couple with.
Yeah.
And, the guy, sometimes car, and he didn't lookat it.
He just put it in his pocket.
You know?
(19:22):
And, they get back in, and they're taking thejet.
So the land didn't land on, they're taking thejet back somewhere else empty, like, and when
he they're in flight and he's like, talking tothis dude.
He's fine with me.
He's like, hey.
I I'm recognized that guy.
Where do I recognize him from?
He's like, what do you mean?
What do you base before.
He's like, that that's the president of AugustaNational Golf Club.
And this guy is a huge golf nut.
He's like, are you serious?
(19:43):
And, he's like, yeah.
So he reaches in his pocket feeling around nocar.
They scour the the whole cockpit.
They'd look all over the airplane gone.
And the the his FFO or whoever is fine with islike, I think he was inviting you as a guest to
play at Augusta National.
And I think he just blew it by not having hiscard.
(20:04):
He said it was the greatest it's it's simplyput maybe that wasn't the case, but it simply
put the greatest regret of his life by notholding on to a little business card.
So it And it's part of that.
Like, you guys have a very different,obviously, different lifestyle than what I do
flying wise, but you get to meet and see theseinteresting people or people nobody knows about
who are these very wealthy individuals, but youalso get to do some other interesting things
(20:29):
that, especially a lot
of military transitioning guys, the guys
who are older who not gonna be triple 7captains at American because they're just gonna
age out too quickly.
You guys have the whole mission aspect of youfly in that airplane, like, from start to
finish.
And so, like, what's a normal day for you likewhen you go to the airport to go fly that day?
(20:49):
So before we get off topic, we have to talkabout the people we fly, of course.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Let's do that first.
Sorry.
Yeah.
I mean, no.
It's it's pretty straightforward.
Like, these people are just people.
You know, this is just a lifestyle for them.
This is their method of transportation.
So we get a lot like, oh, like, are they mean?
Are they, like, nice or Are they a holes?
Like, no.
Like, these people are just normal people, andthis is their method of transportation, and
(21:12):
you're taking them from point a to point b.
It's not a charter where it's like, hey.
Here's $20 Hickmundo, New York.
I'm gonna go party in the back.
Like, these people own a percentage of theairplane.
Mhmm.
So if they ruin the airplane, they're ruiningtheir own investments.
Yeah.
See, that it's a great way to put it together.
And also, like, you don't have to hold theirhand and, like, baby them like, oh, here's
where we keep our stuff.
(21:32):
And, like, these people fly so much and theyare so educated on their investment again, that
they can almost tell you the safety briefing.
So it's it's cool, and it takes a lot of thestress off and a lot of the pressure off
because you're not having to constantly havingto supervise them.
It's they're just getting an attack or an Uberor a they they get offended when I say that.
(21:52):
So it's a black limousine, you know.
But, yeah, so a day in the life of a Flexjetpilot, first of all, there's no commuting.
So your day one is your commute out, but you'regetting paid.
You're getting your per diem.
We pay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
So you get your company credit card, like,you're on the clock.
There's no crash pad.
Is is it a hotbed bed.
(22:13):
We don't do
we we don't even
know what that means, honestly.
Yeah.
Sure.
Yeah.
So, so once we get to the airplane, you checkit out.
You make sure everything's good.
That's most of the captain's responsibility andmaking sure all the because no one's really
there to hold your hand and make sure thateverything is fine.
Program.
You're on your own.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It you're basically doing what you do on a 172during flight instructing, but with a jet going
(22:35):
to much cooler places.
Yeah.
Very cool.
So you have to make sure your safetyequipment's there.
You have to make sure the documents are there.
Everything's to date.
So that's kinda like day 1.
Flexjet's awesome too because you just call themaintenance department.
Every before every leg and after everymaintenance event, you have to call in and be
like, hey.
I wanna call in for a book report.
And what they do is they check out for any MELsthat are gonna affect you.
(22:56):
They check out for any upcoming maintenance.
They just it's like an extra protection oflayer to make sure that you're flying something
safe, but you're also checking for yourself tomake sure it's safe.
So that's day 1.
Most of the time.
There's probably, like, a lecture or 2
there.
Yeah.
Sure.
Day 2.
And and every other day after that, I wouldsay, like, 60% of our flights have people on
(23:18):
them and then 40% don't.
Alright.
Like empty leg stuff.
Because what what happens is you pick someoneup, you take them to their destination, you
reposition to the next destination, you picksomeone else up, and then you drop them
wherever they're going.
And then either you stay the night there, oryou'll reposition for the morning.
So it's like a lot of, like, one way travel forthe people, and then you reposition to the next
(23:38):
people that need to get somewhere else.
Yeah.
So, yeah, very different than like, what I doand what other people have done in the hub and
spoke mentality or even point to point likeSouthwest does.
It's still it's still it's very different.
It's kinda similar to Southwest, though.
They they fly a lot.
So Okay.
Yeah.
So Alright.
And and in the sense of, like, they landsomewhere.
Like, they're not just doing, like, 1 or 2legs.
(23:59):
They're they're probably pushing, like, 5 legsat time the same people stay on their airplane.
So they just keep it moving.
So, yeah, that's kinda like what we do flyingwise.
And then your last day, when you come backhome, If you do fly a leg or 2, you may fly
yourself home, which that's always the best.
I'll tell you I'll tell you the secret, though.
The worst part of this job is the airlineeither to and from home.
(24:21):
Like, getting in that terminal after being onthe private jet for the whole time, you're just
like, oh, like,
Yeah.
I see.
You know, it's funny because, when I did mywhen I was a cartle guy at Atlas, one of the
best perks of the job was everywhere you flewinternationally, you know, 1st class.
And in the 1st class world, internationally,it's all you get the lounge and stuff like
(24:42):
that.
The lounge is some places internationally.
They're like, holy cow.
These are like, so nice.
Palatial.
Amazing.
They have sleep pods and all this stuff.
You know?
And then you get back to the states, and that'sall out the window.
Yep.
And so you get you get you get that treatment,then you're like, okay, middle seat on the way
to, like, even for us there, it was written inthe contract.
(25:04):
When you deadhead to Honolulu, you you did notget, 1st class at the time that I was in.
So it was I I remember one time I wasdeadheading from O'Hare to Honolulu, and I was
middle seat in the back of an airplane.
And I'm like, this sucks.
That's terrible.
That's terrible, man.
So When
you're heading home or heading out to a planeand you get stuck in the middle after the TS,
(25:26):
but I will say not a paid advertisement.
It's just the AmEx platinum card is has been mylifesaving because when you go especially when
you're flying Delta, because that's the onlytime you can go into Delta Lounge.
And you're able to, like, escape from thatterminal just a little bit and go to the
lounges.
It does help out a little bit.
Yeah.
Sure.
Got it.
I mean, it it it really does change yourperspective in life.
(25:47):
Like, even even going home, after all of this.
Because you're seeing all the changes thatthese, like, huge business people are doing.
You're seeing how much money people areactually spending out there.
Then you go home and you're like, well, yeah,it takes money to spend to make money.
So let me just spend all my money here because,like, look how much these other people are
spending it.
So you've kind of had I've kinda had to, like,adjust that in my life a little bit, but it's
(26:08):
actually helped me out of my personal life alot too because, everyone says, yeah, if you go
cheap, it'll cost double.
You know?
Like, I speak Spanish.
So they say Lo la Loero Salacado Mhmm.
Which means the cheap stuff ends up being moreexpensive.
Yep.
It's
true.
So then you go home with this, like, No.
Like, let's do it right the first
time and set it.
Yep.
And so this job has helped me out with that alot aside from everything.
(26:28):
No.
It it, you know, it all everything that youspeak is is a lot of truth.
Right?
Like, the I so many friends of mine who are notpilots, the the flying public, they they may
they might be flying to Disney World for 1 onetime a year with their kids, you know, or
something like that.
And that's like a big event for them.
And what they don't understand is we do it allthe time.
Exactly.
And it changes from the airport is not a placewhere it's this unique place where it gets to
(26:54):
go.
Once it's that's my home away from I'm thereall the time.
So I understand it.
And you know, my I see everything going on.
I always tell my wife when she walks to theairport.
I'm like, look around.
A lot of people are, like, trapped in the threefoot bubble, and they don't see everything
else.
Where we as pilots and and it crew in general,we kinda see everybody else because we're so
used to it.
The environment is now or we've gotten to thefar into the other spectrum where we don't see
(27:17):
anything except for just a straight line to ourgate and the and home.
And, you know, like, somebody asked me, where'smy favorite layover?
And I go, yeah, it's, it's Milwaukee, Wisconsinbecause that's where I live.
That's my home is my favorite layover.
And that's where I love being most because I'veI've been everywhere else, but I've wanted to
go on the road.
Yeah.
What's your favorite part?
Hold on.
Before we move on from that, it's funny thatyou mentioned that about the crew and, like,
(27:40):
how they know so much about the airportsbecause we don't
Yeah.
You guys don't see it as much.
When the public is out there and they see apilot, you become, like, the information
station right away.
You wear those those rips on your shoulder,you're the information station of the
No matter who you fly for.
So now the you're at the airport and someonecomes up to you and they're like, where's gate,
whatever?
Where's the restroom in here?
Like, Sorry.
I don't know.
(28:00):
They're like, what?
Like, you're a pilot.
What do you mean you don't know?
Like, yeah.
It's a long story.
I I I've been asked, in Paris, in French, and Idon't know French very well, where the bathroom
is.
And I'm like, I don't know, but I'm lookingtoo.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's go
together.
Oh, sorry.
What was
your question?
No.
No.
Is it just with with how much I had a realpassion for military aviation when I first
(28:22):
started out.
And, you know, I still love my job.
I I'm not a GA flyer.
I don't kinda do aviation on the side, but Ihave my favorite parts of the job.
You know, not like the 8 flying because goingabove the clouds and it's sunny outside when
everybody else sees gray is kind of a thing Ithink everybody loves doing.
(28:44):
Yeah.
But, like, what's your favorite part of ofFlexjet flying there.
So
I will say the coolest part about flying atFlexjet is our altitude see.
That's, like, the biggest one.
So while all of you are getting bumped aroundin the thunderstorms, con the controller will
come up and ask, like, hey.
Do you guys need the VASs?
I not.
We're above it.
Yeah.
So the ride is much is much cooler, honestly.
(29:07):
It's a much better ride most of the time, butalso fly at Flexia, it's not really, like,
here's your packet.
Here's what you're doing.
Like, go fly the packet.
You really have to have, like, your sense of,pilot on at all times.
Like, there's not really a time you can slackon being a pilot, which means, like, oh, auto
throttles or auto pilots on, like, let me justlounge back for a second.
(29:29):
Like, if you're not ahead of the ball or aheadof the game here, that's where you open up to
susceptibility.
So, like, you're always kinda, like, on, youknow, and and and, I get bored easily.
So I need to be and I feel like that happenswith a lot of military guys.
And I've been talking to a lot of them thatcome by, and they're like, oh, do you have
military people with you?
And I'm, Honestly, I've seen people jumpingfrom airlines coming over here because they're
(29:49):
bored at the airlines.
Like military guys are highly stimulated.
They need to have that that constantstimulation in order to stay engaged.
Mhmm.
And I'm kinda like that too, even though Ihaven't been in the military.
And I feel like as soon as you let your guarddown here, that's when something has the
potential to happen just because there's somany factors happening on, like, you you this
may be the first time you're landing at theairport.
(30:10):
It's untoward.
Do you have enough runway?
Is it wide enough I've never thought aboutrunway with.
Right?
But is it wide enough for us to land?
What are the, like, yeah.
Okay.
The winds, we get that.
We get the ADIS report, but, now you're reallythinking about which direction because that
you're landing on a seventy five foot widerunway, you know, can I turn around on this
runway?
Does this place have fuel?
Like, yeah, can I get out of here?
(30:31):
Can I get out?
Yeah.
Because once you're in, like, you that's notthe time to think about it.
You have to be, like, ahead of the game, twostops behind.
Yeah.
And that's to feel through.
And that's definitely, like, stuff thatmilitary, individuals have have done in their
previous life, especially, like, C17, C130 guyswho and army dudes who go into these austere
fields and gotta know, yeah, can I I can getin, but it out?
(30:52):
It's all connected out.
Like
Sometimes we we land in a place where it's justa runway.
And at the end of the runway is the guy's carthat you're dropping off, and that's it.
There's nothing else around.
So then you gotta plan to get out of there.
And then where's your next field stop?
Is it possible?
And then you gotta work out with the company.
Is it possible just to make it to the nextplace you're trying to get to, or do you have
to have a fuel stop in between that?
So it's like it's like a big rotating ballthat's just constantly moving and, like, it
(31:18):
changes directions constantly depending onwhat's hitting it.
Yeah.
You know, because there's so many things thatif, like, someone can call out.
Someone can get sick.
Someone is delayed and that delayed somethingelse, but now they just switched everything up
so that that owner won't get delayed.
So they'll send another airplane in there.
And then that that guy was supposed to go homethat day, but now he's going home from a
different airport.
So he got a different airline.
(31:38):
And then the replacement has to also get adifferent airline to get to the now the new
chain.
So It's just a constant rotation of craziness.
Yeah.
So it's it it it's it's that keeping engaged inthe process of getting not only your airplane
where it needs to be, but doing it, withcomfort, well, obviously, safety.
I I don't even think I have to mention that.
Like, that that comfort and then kinda doingeverything with smile on your face too because
(32:03):
we we, as pilots, whether we fly for a majorcarrier or the military or anybody else, it's
we're kind of the face we're the face ofaviation people
see us.
They think we are shrouded in mystery up there.
And to some extent, that's true.
So we there's a lot of nervous flyers outthere.
We gotta make them feel comfortable.
My one of my my wife's best friend just flewdown to, uh-uh, Texas.
(32:25):
And she was super, super nervous, and she wastexting us.
And I'm like, she's like, why can't you beflying this plane?
I'm like, a, I'm not qualified on it.
B, you're gonna be just fine.
Those guys wanna get you get home just as muchas you wanna get down there safely.
They're they're more they're almost moreinterested in in the safe and comfortable
operation.
Than you are.
Absolutely.
And and you guys take that to a next level, theway you treat your customers, just the way I've
(32:47):
been watching the way you you work with theattendees.
I have never seen a group that's just more fullof fun smiles.
I mean, the the event you guys kicked off lastnight for TPNX was just amazing.
Everybody was having such a great time.
It's what we're known for.
That's that's what makes us flex our pilots.
And that's what we're looking for.
Someone asked me that during the presentation,they're like, what is a flex up pilot?
Like, what are you guys looking for?
(33:08):
And it's that.
Like, someone walks by you, you you approachthem as a human, you know, as a person and,
like, not to fluff them up because, like, I'mreally not getting any sort of, like, credit
for this, but our that that it comes a lot fromour management.
You know?
Yeah.
If if I walk up to a management and I I saidthat in the briefing too.
Like, I can call a manager and be like, hey.
I'm having this problem.
And it's not like, oh, that's not my job.
(33:29):
It's, hey.
That's not my department, but let's see how wecan solve it.
Let's see who I can connect you with.
Like, they're and and they'll follow-up withyou.
They'll send you an email.
They'll call you.
They'll text you whatever just to make surethat you got what you needed done.
And I think that when you come from a placelike that, it's kind of hard to be unhappy.
Like, you'll have unhappy moments, but andespecially doing these events that you're
(33:50):
people that are in a part of the company, itgives you, like, a little bit of a refreshment
of, like, this is what, like, when you're inthe in the circle, like, you can get
frustrated.
Like, oh, man.
I'm running.
And, like, they're they're flying me and allthis stuff.
But then you start talking about all the perksand what the job really is, and you're like,
wait.
It's actually, like, I just had a bad moment,but it's really not that bad.
Yeah.
I think I think aviation in in in a nutshellever he has bad days.
(34:14):
Right?
But when you look back on the on the end ofyour career, where they're more good than bad.
Exactly.
And and almost everybody I've ever met this betsaid there's more good than bad.
Maybe 1 or 2 have almost everybody else is likethat.
So if there's if there's one thing thatsomebody out there oh, before I get to that,
just a basic what are the requirements?
If I was, you know, pilot out there, wanted toget on with Flexjet requirements, stuff like
(34:38):
that.
So we just raised our minimums.
It came with a pay rate.
Which that's a good part.
But Yeah.
That's nice.
We we are we're looking for a minimum of 3000hours.
Okay.
If you have some turbine time, 121 time, 135time.
Basically, if you've been in a jet simulatorbefore, because our interview consists of a jet
simulation, and the fail rate is pretty highbecause we get, like, the single engine guys.
(35:00):
So now you put the pressure of the, like, theinterview, and then you give them a v one cut.
They never been in a sin before.
I've never seen so much disaster in my life.
But, But if you have some jet time, some turbantime, some, if you have 121 and 135 experience,
even great, or even better, we can consider youat 2500 hours And the way that works is that,
(35:22):
your resume and your experience gets passed onto our vice president or, like, our VPs.
Mhmm.
And they make a decision if, you can come inwith a reduced amount of hours right now, we're
looking for 3000 hours.
Okay.
Cool.
And gross.
It's good to know.
I mean, it's good to know for people out therelistening, especially, you know, some people,
who are lower time, may think, oh, well, Flexitmaybe the, you know, they fly smaller
(35:43):
airplanes.
Maybe I have a chance.
And it's like, well, that's not really how thatworks.
Yeah.
There's there's other options out there for youto get gain that experience before you move on
to the next thing.
Yeah.
Flexjet right now.
We're focused on being a career destination.
Sure.
This is not stepping stone.
Like, the benefits and and the way that weoperate and the investment that we put, not
only in our in our, like, in our pilots,because it's not really like a money thing.
(36:05):
It's more like a culture thing.
We invest to make you a part of our family.
And so this is not just something that we take,like, for granted or, like, really lightly.
When you leave, like, we we get offended.
Like, oh my god.
Can you believe who left?
Like, we're hurt.
You know?
So we're we're really trying our best to makethis a career destination.
So this is not somewhere where you come buildhours.
(36:27):
This is where you come for the rest of yourcareer.
Yeah.
You you know, and the thing is is I can tellI've been seeing Flexjet here now for 3 years,
and And there has been definitely, a very niceevolution where you can see just, I mean, in
the size of the staff that's brought here, Andthe the motivation is one thing, but the
exuberance that they all experience, like, tojust talk about the company and Sure.
(36:47):
This like I said, all smiling faces all thetime.
Really enjoy hanging out with them.
So if there's one thing that the listenersshould take away from this podcast from Ivan.
What what's that one thing?
You know, I'm gonna have to say it and bebasic, but, like, even when you fail, like,
when you think you're at your worst.
(37:08):
You've hit rock bottom.
I guess the basic thing is once you hit thebottom, there's nowhere else to go, but up.
So even though in the moment you may feeldefeated, like, you you just hit, like, your
worst point, your goals haven't beenaccomplished or what you expected to come out
didn't come out of it, Just keep going and tryto make the best of the situation because
(37:29):
that's how I got here.
Remember, this story started with a failednursing class, and that brought me to where I'm
at today with pilot stuff and look look whereit's led me.
Yeah.
I had no idea.
And, like, this was never a part of the plan.
I was just having fun along the way.
And what do you know?
It's been it's I've honestly, if I could do itall over again, I would do it exactly the way
it happened just because it's turned outamazing.
Yep.
It's amazing.
(37:49):
I I always say doors open windows closed,windows open doors closed, that kind
of thing.
Exactly.
And and and that's kinda a lot of what TPNX isabout too is opening that aperture seeing all
of the things that are in aviation, not onlyfor you, but what you can do to pay it forward,
you know, our mantra, pay it forward.
Now it's we add a little something from theaspiring to the retirement and and Ivan's a
(38:11):
great example that I've been, I wanna thank youfor joining me today, man.
I don't thank you so much.
I had a blast.
Awesome.
Yeah.
The first cast my my my rear end.
You're amazing.
So and and and for all of you out there, we wecan't wait to see you, at TPN X 2025 for those
of your that are here today listening to this.
Thank you for coming.
If you guys need to reach out, hey, guys.
(38:31):
It's pilot network.com.
Hit us, hit us up on the socials, find us onthe website, as always, fly safe.
Keep the shiny side up and the greasy dieddown.
And you have to follow Flexjet, careers page onInstagram.
You have to follow Flexjet Curpades onInstagram.
You guys hear that?
Fly safe everybody.
Hey, network.
One last quick request.
(38:52):
Can you answer a question or 2?
Do you enjoy the show, or do you hate it?
Either way, please give us a review.
If you love the network, consider stopping bythe pilot network com to support TPN by buying
something, signing up for our newsletter, orjust checking out the page.
Making us feel really good in the process.
You can stay in touch with us athayguys@thepilotnetwork.com.
(39:16):
Subscribe to all our social media channels.
Make sure you follow or subscribe this podcast.
And if you really love TPN, consider signing upfor TPN Pro.
As always, shiny side, greasy side, fly
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com