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and an operator of the CRJ 550 for United Airlines, fosters a friendly, small-company atmosphere where everyone feels like a valued team member. GoJet consistently hires and supports candidates who fit its culture and ensures their success.
“Additionally, we are making signif- icant strides with our fleet expansion. We’ve begun bringing aircraft out of the desert and back into service. Our first aircraft, N569GJ, arrived in STL on June 13th. This is the first of ten planes we plan to return to service by the end of 2024,” added Pennell. “This initiative is key to our growth strategy, increasing our block hours and adding more flight lines. In July 2024, our planned block hours have increased by over 25% compared to July 2023, resulting in five additional lines of flight next month.”
Challenges Ahead
The pool of qualified candidates for direct entry captain and near entry captain positions is limited, making it quite the pilot’s market, as evidenced by the bonuses offered by regionals such as GoJet.
While bonuses can attract pilots, re- taining them requires more than just financial incentives. With so many lucrative opportunities from major airline carriers, staying at a regional airline may not make financial or quality-of-life sense for many pilots.
If companies like GoJet can re- main competitive with pay scales, offer robust benefits, and ensure an attractive quality of life for their pi- lots, they may have a chance at retain- ing their new hires. However, unlike other regionals where candidates are asked to sign premature departure training contracts, GoJet has no cur- rent stipulations to the bonuses paid out over the year. This could put GoJet in a scenario where a pilot accepts their offer and bonus package, stays a year, and then leaves for a major airline once accepted.
I am incredibly optimistic about our future and confident that these positive developments are just the beginning.
– Matt Pennell, Go-Jet Cheif Pilot
August 2024 / TWIN & TURBINE • 7