Lower Level Management-I have 5 years of HAA flying spread across three companies, and leadership from the chief down at Guardian are by far the worst. Terrible communicators, schedulers, and managers/leaders. I saw my manager two times in 12 months and both times it was because we were conducting training. One manager in particular is arrogant and doesn't know his job. He once told me “I would have taken that flight.” It is common practice among most pilots to NOT call him when he is on call. As far as the chief, I saw him once in the past year and only because I happen to be at the base when he ferried an AC in. The 20 minutes he spent talking to me, he unevenly divided his attention between me and his phone, iPad, and computer. I got the impression he’d rather be ANYWHERE else but talking to me. He doesn’t care that 9 pilots in 12 months have left the company. And if he hears that you did something he doesn’t agree with (even if it is not directly or indirectly unsafe or violate policies/regulations) he won’t contact you directly to discuss it and maybe, just maybe, figure out why you did it, OR find out you in fact did not do it, he’ll send you a counseling e-mail explaining all the things you did wrong and CC HR so it’s on record.
Bases – Most bases are in tiny towns with nothing more than a Walmart (but not always) and pawn shops. Expect to fly less than 100 hrs/yr if stationed anywhere but AZ or NM. The living conditions at most bases are horrible. Pilots and crew live together. All quarters double as living quarters as well as work spaces. There is no separation between work and rest. Most houses/apartments are old, dirty, and rundown. One in particular has only two pilot bedrooms so when the incoming pilot shows up the day prior the night pilot has to sleep on the couch like an unemployed high school dropout.
Crew – Management DOES NOT CARE that there are crew members openly hostile to pilots. I personally witnessed two crew members at two different bases yell, curse, and/or demean pilots. A third crewmember at a different base simply won’t talk to pilots. Management knows this behavior occurs but instead of firing the crew member they conduct conference calls (they couldn’t be bothered to have a face-to-face meetings) that accomplish nothing.
Pay – If you don’t live in the town you work you pay your travel. If you’re a float you don’t get per diem or a hotel, even though it has been promised for over two years. Oh, and you better read up on pay, overtime, early calls, etc. because no one teaches you what to do or how to do it. I was with the company a year before I found out (from the other float who just happened to put two and two together) that we get workover pay for more than 15 days worked in a month.
