We fly for both Jetsmarter and Blade and try to make dreams come true; “Escape the city” is the promise and (effortlessly) get transported to the islands. Our schedule populates onto a phone app. through dispatch as the customers schedule. We also pick-up business from other Pilatus outfits (Tradewinds and Plane Sense are big ones) if they get overbooked. It is not uncommon to be waiting at KTEB for our passengers in the FBO and surprise us arriving out on the ramp in helicopters (usually with a drink in hand).

They spend a lot of money on “terminals” that they staff with cute young women (and more drinks). Unfortunately, they often are not too aware of aircrew and security requirements. I had to show them how to turn on the handheld radio so they could receive our “in range” call and prepare for passengers.

All the hubs get crazy from time to time and everyone waits. This is similar to gridlock on the highway except you don’t have the benefit of seeing a tangible impediment to progress (“Why are we waiting?”) In the NYC airspace there is never IFR “Direct To” anywhere so we copy VORs, fixes and airways (just like 10 years ago in “normal airspace”) Filing the correct altitudes are critical to obtaining the more direct routing and avoiding the “Big Dipper Route” through the middle of MA. Recently on the way to Cleveland we received a 300 mile “direct to destination” and the other pilot confessed he had never encountered this privileged phenomenon. The recent presidential TFR over MVY has complicated life only a little bit; suddenly there is no traffic there to contend with. Island business must suffer horribly from this imposition.

The scenery at 5-10K along the route out east can be absolutely fabulous. It really can fool you (if you forget the incessant radio chatter) into believing you are in the Bahamas; just gorgeous. Next step for me, PIC in the left seat and swapping legs (finally pulling my own weight) It’s a great life in the “islands”!