Flight Express question

[Flt 525]

Hurting for pilots?

Everyone is hurting for pilots. I think from what I know about FE only the best 500 tt pilots will be accepted to join the line.

 

[jim718181]

For those interested June 26 class starts Baron training on Saturday.

 

[tathepilot]

For those interested June 26 class starts Baron training on Saturday.

?????

 

[Inconceivable]

i think that means that people hired 6/26/2006 are upgrading to the Baron this weekend.

 

[tathepilot]

i see..

 

[ualdriver]

Wow! A Flight Express thread!

I didn't even know anyone talked about Flight Express on Flight Info, never mind anyone even having heard of them.........

Man, times have changed. Up to 43K a year now? Wow! I used to fly for Flight Express many, many moons ago back in '94. I used to fly out of OPF on run 407 (does it still exist?) OPF-FLL Executive-Lantana-ORL-MCO-ORL-TPA-OPF every night starting around 7:30pm until 7am the next day. About a 12 hr. day, 5 1/2 days on, and I think I made a total of $19,000/year on that route. I thought I was rolling in the dough And all the Cessna 210 guys would be absolutely cursing the Baron driver "lifers" to get their multi-time and get the hell out so we could get our multi-time and leave for a commuter. I remember the Baron "lifers" back then had about 2 years of seniority and we used to beg them to leave.

How is it to work there now? I remember it was a tough job, but the planes were in good shape and the maintenance was good.

 

[look4traffic]

Are they hiring with just 500tt and Ifr135 night and instrument mins....or do they require you to have at least 1100tt like their website says?

 

[tathepilot]

Are they hiring with just 500tt and Ifr135 night and instrument mins....or do they require you to have at least 1100tt like their website says?

both... they are looking for vfr135 and ifr135...

send them your resume, now!

 

[Boris Badenov]

How is it to work there now? I remember it was a tough job, but the planes were in good shape and the maintenance was good.

Much the same, except the pay is better, I think, even adjusted for inflation. I'm a day into "airline" training, and I already miss it.

 

[ualdriver]

Much the same, except the pay is better, I think, even adjusted for inflation. I'm a day into "airline" training, and I already miss it.

I've been out of that Part 135 stuff for a while now, but I look back and miss some aspects of that flying as well. It was probably the most "fun" I had flying professionally so far. Flight Express was pretty good to me, except for the low pay, of course

 

[Inconceivable]

Couple questions:

1. What is actualy on a VFR 135 checkride?
2. How is their training different--do they still flight train the approaches?
3. Is there a sim check on your first day of class?
4. Do the VFR pilots actually get a line or are they sort of a reserve?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Boris Badenov]

Inconceivable: Someone with more current knowledge will chime in shortly I'm sure, but I talked to a guy who went through training with some VFR guys the other day. As best my beer-addled mind can remember, the VFR guys do exactly the same training as everyone else (except, obviously, for the checkride, and I've no idea what that entails), meaning that the training still has approaches etc. When I went through almost two years ago the sim check had just been done away with...don't know whether it's come back or not, but I would guess not. The VFR guys are, and again this is hearsay, but I'm told they're all put on high time runs in Florida so they can build time fast in VFR conditions and then get sent to wherever they want to go/the company wants them to go.

ualdriver: 407 is no more. The only run out of OPF is 405, which is OPF-CRG-SFB-OPF four nights a week and a saturday daytime OPF-ORL-OPF. I know this because I've drawn the short straw and gotten TDY'd on it for two weeks after returning to FLX tail-between-legs. If anyone knows someone who wants to live in Miami and work for FLX, this is a golden opportunity. They can't get anyone to take this run...it's become sort of a purgatory for the unlucky.

PS. They seem, inexplicably, to be getting better staffed recently, despite the "pilot shortage of 2007", so if you know someone who wants to get on VFR, they should do it soon. It's still a good place to work, and you can't beat the money for a low-time guy.

Regards,
Boris

 

[jim718181]

I actually left two weeks ago but as of then there were no more vfr guys being hired. They still train the approaches and the vfr checkride is similar to the ifr ride. I believe it's just one less apprach but dont quote me on that. If your planning on signing up I would be ready for an ifr checkride. Keep in mind that once you are on the line you can still legally fly ifr on part 91 legs. If that is something you are not comfortable with and you want to stay vfr only you should talk that over with gary/ernst BEFORE you get hired. And they did give the vfr guys their own run once the checkride was passed. Most of them are based out of TPA.

 

[ualdriver]

ualdriver: 407 is no more. The only run out of OPF is 405, which is OPF-CRG-SFB-OPF four nights a week and a saturday daytime OPF-ORL-OPF. I know this because I've drawn the short straw and gotten TDY'd on it for two weeks after returning to FLX tail-between-legs. If anyone knows someone who wants to live in Miami and work for FLX, this is a golden opportunity. They can't get anyone to take this run...it's become sort of a purgatory for the unlucky.

PS. They seem, inexplicably, to be getting better staffed recently, despite the "pilot shortage of 2007", so if you know someone who wants to get on VFR, they should do it soon. It's still a good place to work, and you can't beat the money for a low-time guy.

Regards,
Boris

Boris-

They got rid of 407!?? That's too bad. It had a little bit of everything- mail, DHL boxes connecting to their 727 in MCO, lab samples in coolers, film, checks, etc. I imagine Flight Express is not so short staffed now that the pay is much higher. Why tail between legs?

 

[Boris Badenov]

I imagine Flight Express is not so short staffed now that the pay is much higher. Why tail between legs?

I think the pay went up because they found themselves competing with all the twin piston operators for a shrinking number of guys with 1200 hours, what with everyone going to the airlines at 600 hours. It's now $12.50/duty hour to start...you can do the math, but it isn't bad if you don't mind driving a 210 for a while.

As to tail between legs...well. I went to Chautauqua for training and let's just say that we didn't agree.