Kalitta Interviewing?

[CARVEMASTER]

Guam360
Do you travel with a board? I kept one in San Diego. It's still sitting there as a result of our sudden shutdown. PM if you're ever in HNL and want to paddle out. I'll let you have all the waves if you get someone to look at my resume.

 

[unwashed]

I see we have a 400 and a classic class starting May 12th. It appears we have classic classes starting every five weeks.

 

[1031Guy]

I heard they're interviewing this week. True?

 

[unwashed]

A friend interviewed on the 24th. I think they interviewed on the 22nd, 23th, and 24th.

 

[adams8251]

War Zones

I heard that you guys are forced to fly into war zones/Hostile areas, namely Kabul and that it is not on a voluntary basis and against the Crewmembers and Unions will. You have 2 choices. 1) Do the flight or 2) Get fired if you don't. Also that there is no extra pay for flying into a war zone/Hostile area. Is this true.

 

[GittinFatter]

Afgan trips are few and far between. Most guys have never been there. Most trips are basically uneventful. This job ain't for everyone

 

[embpic1]

I heard that you guys are forced to fly into war zones/Hostile areas, namely Kabul and that it is not on a voluntary basis and against the Crewmembers and Unions will. You have 2 choices. 1) Do the flight or 2) Get fired if you don't. Also that there is no extra pay for flying into a war zone/Hostile area. Is this true.

These trips do come up at times. It is true that these flights are not voluntary. The union is trying to change that. I don't think you would get fired for not flying it, but you better have a good reason for turning it down.

Also like you said there is no extra pay for this type of flying.

 

[avbug]

I don't think you would get fired for not flying it, but you better have a good reason for turning it down.

I think one can have every expectation of getting fired, whereas memo's and company policy says just that. Failure to fire for refusing a trip would set a precedent that could cause the company a lot of trouble...it's in their best interest to fire to enforce the standard. Think about it. It's certainly grievable, but do you want to be in that position in the first place?

 

[johnsonrod]

Oh c'mon. Kabul (with or without gunfire) is at least interesting. Des Moines is boring. If you don't want adventurous flying, stay with American Eagle and enjoy 20 trips to Moline every month. Borrrrrrrrrrring......

 

[CX880]

Does KA and similar cargo companies flying the classics hire as FEs first or can I go straight into an FO position?

 

[30West]

These trips do come up at times. It is true that these flights are not voluntary. The union is trying to change that. I don't think you would get fired for not flying it, but you better have a good reason for turning it down.

Also like you said there is no extra pay for this type of flying.

Since most life insurance policies are null and void in those places, does the company provide it's own supplemental insurance for crewmembers operating those trips? My previous company always seemed to tap dance around the subject when asked.

 

[embpic1]

I think one can have every expectation of getting fired, whereas memo's and company policy says just that. Failure to fire for refusing a trip would set a precedent that could cause the company a lot of trouble...it's in their best interest to fire to enforce the standard. Think about it. It's certainly grievable, but do you want to be in that position in the first place?

I was assigned to do one of these trips last month. When I called PW to get a briefing I asked was this a 'fly it or be fired' deal and he said no. That being said had I refused the trip I am not sure what the outcome would have been.

As far as life insurance, if I remember right your beneficiary's gets a year of pay at your guarantee rate up to a max of 150K.

 

[unwashed]

Does KA and similar cargo companies flying the classics hire as FEs first or can I go straight into an FO position?

Newhires are FO's

 

[CX880]

Newhires are FO's

That's nice. I was talking with someone from TDX and they were initially hired as a FE onto the A300.

 

[GittinFatter]

CX 880
Are you sure you should be writing anything on this bullitin board?

What does Tradewinds have anything to do with Kalitta, especially, the A-300?????

I am a weeeee bit confused!

 

[freightdawg]

Ummmmm.....wait a minute, here

Desperate measures? You must think working here is an act of desperation. We have people that have moved onto FedEx and UPS that say they enjoyed working here more. .

Ummm, wait a minute here - reality check. I am:

a) A Kalitta alumni who moved on to UPS
b) Not quite sure you have the whole story here.

In December of '06, we had 89 full crews online, and the company's opinion of any crew problem was "If you don't like it, the door's right there." But in '03, '04, '05 and most of '06, there weren't many places to go to. Many of us were waiting for a recall that was always just around the corner.

I now see that there are more aircraft, yet only 60-some crews. Rumor has it (someone please confirm) that Kalitta trained nonstop all last year - yet with a net loss of crews. Something smells in the state of Denmark, methinks.

I enjoyed my time at KA solely due to the great crews there. Many are still there, but only a year later, many have left. It IS a job that not everyone would want, like, or appreciate. I am aware of a couple people who have moved on to other jobs and found them to not quite match up to the billing - an who've been noted as saying they missed being at KA. Ask them if they're missing the people and culture they flew in, or the company and it's management. I challenge you to find someone willing to leave UPS or FedEx to go to KA.

That being said, if you're on the street, looking for work (like I was), and you can make it work for you, KA can be a good place to work. If you're willing to put up with the comany's BS, the schedule, the toothless union, and the occasional slacker/hacker co-worker.

If anyone has any beefs with this assesment, feel free to PM me.

SB

 

[embpic1]

Ummm, wait a minute here - reality check. I am:

a) A Kalitta alumni who moved on to UPS
b) Not quite sure you have the whole story here.

In December of '06, we had 89 full crews online, and the company's opinion of any crew problem was "If you don't like it, the door's right there." But in '03, '04, '05 and most of '06, there weren't many places to go to. Many of us were waiting for a recall that was always just around the corner.

I now see that there are more aircraft, yet only 60-some crews. Rumor has it (someone please confirm) that Kalitta trained nonstop all last year - yet with a net loss of crews. Something smells in the state of Denmark, methinks.

I enjoyed my time at KA solely due to the great crews there. Many are still there, but only a year later, many have left. It IS a job that not everyone would want, like, or appreciate. I am aware of a couple people who have moved on to other jobs and found them to not quite match up to the billing - an who've been noted as saying they missed being at KA. Ask them if they're missing the people and culture they flew in, or the company and it's management. I challenge you to find someone willing to leave UPS or FedEx to go to KA.

That being said, if you're on the street, looking for work (like I was), and you can make it work for you, KA can be a good place to work. If you're willing to put up with the comany's BS, the schedule, the toothless union, and the occasional slacker/hacker co-worker.

If anyone has any beefs with this assesment, feel free to PM me.

SB

I never said I knew people that would leave FedEx or UPS to come to KA. The almighty dollar rules and at the end of the day you make more money at those companies than KA. I was speaking of what you mentioned in your post. The people here are a blast to work with. I have had more fun in some far off places than I have ever had before. We are a small company and when you hear 'I flew with so in so' you have a good chance of saying 'Oh man, he is a character!'

You make it sound that KA is just a place to hang out and pay the bills till something better comes around. Well I guess that depends on where you are coming from. I came from the commuters. Life there was very hard. Long days for little pay. After coming here my QOL improved dramatically. I was home much more and I was making alot more money. I live a comfortable life and really enjoy my job. Sure, I wouldn't mind making the move to FedEx or UPS in the future. That being said, I disagree that working at KA is a 'Desperate measure'.

 

[Colonel Savage]

What does Tradewinds have anything to do with Kalitta, especially, the A-300?

I'll assume you were serious and missed his point, in which case he was pointing out that not all ACMI's with three man crews hire new pilots into the right seat.

He then pointed out as an example that Tradewinds hired them as FE's.

 

[avbug]

Kalitta does both. Kalitta hires people who start as FE's, Kalitta hires people who start as FO's. Some FE's upgrade to FO's. The difference, however, is that the FE seat is not used as a path to the right seat. Kalitta hires professional flight engineers.

Some PFE's do have the qualifications to move to the other seat, though presently the right seat and FE pay are essentially the same. Kalitta no longer hires SO's that start in the FE seat and move up.

 

[30West]

Is there a loadmaster named Shrek still with you guys?