Air Cargo Carriers, Inc

[Tonala2k]

Looking for some information. Main interest is that they have a base in Fresno, CA. Does anyone know about working conditions, schedule, and competitive minima?

 

[EWRJ0225]

i have a friend who works there that likes it pretty well. They do a 19 on 9 off schedule! Just about everything is in a shorts. Slower than hell but very fun to fly (from what I have heard), They have bases all over and most of them are in the midwest. The only guy i know there jump seats out of louisville (SDF). THe fresno base is probably pretty senior. THey have a listing of all their bases/route structures/jump seat schedules on their website aircar.com. You have to fill out their online application. I filled it out a month ago or so and havent heard anything. My friend said that he would walk my resume in, but I am still weighing other career options before selling my soul to haul boxes at night!

 

[OzBushWhacker]

Fresno just vacated from what i hear and pretty $$$$ to live so would think easy to get.

 

[Wankel7]

Search and you will find

www.aircar.com

 

[texarkana]

Looking for some information. Main interest is that they have a base in Fresno, CA. Does anyone know about working conditions, schedule, and competitive minima?

Fax/email a resume and make it *clear* you are from Fresno and I doubt you will have a problem getting a call. Many people don't want that run, most of us are from east of the mississippi.

 

[texarkana]

i have a friend who works there that likes it pretty well. They do a 19 on 9 off schedule! Just about everything is in a shorts. Slower than hell but very fun to fly (from what I have heard), They have bases all over and most of them are in the midwest. The only guy i know there jump seats out of louisville (SDF). THe fresno base is probably pretty senior. THey have a listing of all their bases/route structures/jump seat schedules on their website aircar.com. You have to fill out their online application. I filled it out a month ago or so and havent heard anything. My friend said that he would walk my resume in, but I am still weighing other career options before selling my soul to haul boxes at night!

The 19/9 schedule is only for on-demand charter... all scheduled runs are pretty much a mon. night thru fri. night deal. The .pdf route map on the site is up to date... we have lost the RNO run and added a run that goes LCK-SDF. And FAT ain't too senior lol

 

[mcjohn]

Go to aviationinterviews.com and read the gouges on ACC before you show to an interview. It's free. At the interview they will have you take a version of the instrument written and have you fly a querky sim (Baron or King Air on MSFS 2004.) The sim is a nightmare. Maybe O.K. if you're VERY proficient with MSFS 2004. On the fly they had me shoot an approach that wasn't published anymore and I couldn't find it in the plates they provided. When made aware he went and dug up an old one and still laid it on me. You will pay for own your airfare and accomodations to interview so make sure you are VERY sharp for the sim and the written or you will quickly kiss the investment goodbye.

 

[Tonala2k]

Thanks for the help. It took me a while, but I finally found the link at the bottom of the window for "Job Opportunities." Looks like I've got another 6mo to meet 1500 mins.

Thanks again.

 

[slick1]

"Does anyone know about working conditions, schedule, and competitive minima?"

Working Conditions: Terrible.

Schedule: Worse.

Competetive Minima: CMEL and a pulse.


Pilots are fleeing Air Cargo as fast as they can out. I think they're getting pretty desperate for pilots, so low time should not be a problem.

The Charter side is 19 days on and 9 days off. Of course you'll spend two of your off days commuting to/from where ever your plane is located. Management will expect you to abuse the jumpseat priviledges in order to get to and from your airplane. You will be on the road 21 days and home 7.

The scheduled side a total grind. 2-3 hours of flight time per night, every night, Monday night through Saturday morning. Basically, you will have one day off, (Sunday). Commuting home on the weekend is impractical. If you end up with a scheduled run, plan to be away from home for at least a year. No vacation the first year. Forget about spending holidays with the folks. Won't happen! Enjoy Christmas dinner at your garage apartment in Dothan, Columbus, Danville, Huntsville, Marion, etc.

Most UPS runs require you to load and unload the airplane at your base. You'll be moving anywhere from 3000 pounds to 13,000 pounds of freight on and off the airplane everynight. Two-a-day workouts will keep you in good shape. Prepare to sweat,...summer, spring, winter, and fall.

Morale in the maintenance department is very low. Don't expact the mechanics to go the extra mile to make sure your airplane is safe.

Finally, there's the flight operations management and staff. I could write a book on this disfunctional bunch. Instead, I'll just use some key words: intimidation, heavy-handed, threatening, thick-headed, tight-fisted, defensive, arrogant, nasty, bi-polar, cliquish, flagrant, impersonal, uncaring.

Bottom line: Unless you live in an Air Cargo base city and you're guaranteed to get that base, stay away. I'll be leaving as soon as my 12 month training contract is up. No, I won't be hangin around for an upgrade.

 

[Flying Illini]

Working Conditions: Terrible.

Schedule: Worse.

Competetive Minima: CMEL and a pulse.


Pilots are fleeing Air Cargo as fast as they can out. I think they're getting pretty desperate for pilots, so low time should not be a problem.

The Charter side is 19 days on and 9 days off. Of course you'll spend two of your off days commuting to/from where ever your plane is located. Management will expect you to abuse the jumpseat priviledges in order to get to and from your airplane. You will be on the road 21 days and home 7.

The scheduled side a total grind. 2-3 hours of flight time per night, every night, Monday night through Saturday morning. Basically, you will have one day off, (Sunday). Commuting home on the weekend is impractical. If you end up with a scheduled run, plan to be away from home for at least a year. No vacation the first year. Forget about spending holidays with the folks. Won't happen! Enjoy Christmas dinner at your garage apartment in Dothan, Columbus, Danville, Huntsville, Marion, etc.

Most UPS runs require you to load and unload the airplane at your base. You'll be moving anywhere from 3000 pounds to 13,000 pounds of freight on and off the airplane everynight. Two-a-day workouts will keep you in good shape. Prepare to sweat,...summer, spring, winter, and fall.

Morale in the maintenance department is very low. Don't expact the mechanics to go the extra mile to make sure your airplane is safe.

Finally, there's the flight operations management and staff. I could write a book on this disfunctional bunch. Instead, I'll just use some key words: intimidation, heavy-handed, threatening, thick-headed, tight-fisted, defensive, arrogant, nasty, bi-polar, cliquish, flagrant, impersonal, uncaring.

Bottom line: Unless you live in an Air Cargo base city and you're guaranteed to get that base, stay away. I'll be leaving as soon as my 12 month training contract is up. No, I won't be hangin around for an upgrade.

Where are you based? Are you scheduled? What run?

 

[apu]

The scheduled side a total grind. 2-3 hours of flight time per night, every night, Monday night through Saturday morning. .[/quote]


oH MY GAWD, you have to work, like, five days a week. That must be horrific. Gee, I hope EVERYONE else in the world doesn't hear that or they won't want to become pilots to fill the supposed coming shortage. Bet you got on with the astronomical time of 500 hours and now feel superior. Hope your misconstrued impressions of aviation don't stop you from continuing your career.

 

[Tonala2k]

What's funny is this. After reading your post slick, I starting getting teary-eyed "that should be me" *sniff, sniff*

Your Post leaves me with just a few questions (sorry, you haven't scared me off) as my wife and I know it will be best to move (especially Fresno).

1. I assume you start charter (19/9)?
2. On charter how much notice do they guarantee, or am I at the airport 24/19?
3. Is it common to hold the same base for a year?
4. Night flight... 2-3hrs. When would I report to the airport and when would I leave?
5. Finally, pay. Could you break down how they figure pay and what the progression is through your first year (in terms of monthly gross)?

 

[texarkana]

The bottom line about this job is attitude. Some people will like it here, others will NOT like it here. ACC has its ups and downs, like *everywhere* else. You can choose to enjoy your time here, or you can choose to have a negative experience. Keep that in mind before you go to any new job. I've had my share of things here (i.e. away from home, up all night, etc) but I think 99% of the people here are really cool (especially charter crews), and the captain I fly with is one of the best in the company. Whether I stay here or move on I am glad I worked here.

Tonala, if you get FAT, you will be home every day and every weekend. Though you will be gone every night, alot of jobs can't offer you a schedule like that in your home town. Getting the run you want is all about LUCK, but keep in mind I know a kid who got his hometown run right out of class.

 

[OzBushWhacker]

Few years since you've been here T-Gates huh.

 

[OzBushWhacker]

Good post. Agree attitude is everything.

 

[shortbus driver]

Not everything on here is true

i worked for six months for ACC and was in MKE most of the time. I think that its all about your attitude...like said before. I loved ACC and miss most of the people there. Many of the captains are great. Scott Gourlay is one of the instructors and I flew with him a lot. He is awesome. Many of the guys and girls I met are the greatest ever, and not afraid to grab a beer in MKE. The mechanics in MKE are outstanding. Many of them are really great guys who do try their best. The shorts has its issues that are tough to work out, but they're doing the best they can. I think some of the outbase mechanics are not as top notch, but its tough to find good help that have zero supervision. The guys in Beckley are great too. They can do so much with so little. They will hire low time guys and its soooo worth it when it comes to getting some good turbine expereince. The time is low, but it builds over time. I am getting about 6 hours 6 days a week. Its too much. The airplanes all leak and theres nothing anyone can do about it. The planes have no auto pilot, but that makes you a much better pilot and after a month, its not even a big deal. Anyway, have fun flying guys.

 

[mcjohn]

I still want to work there. They said I could apply again in 6 months.....probably just a polite way of getting me out of the building. Who ever the sim check guy was said, "Well, you made over a 90 on the test but you need to spend some time in a sim. Too bad 'cause Scott said he really liked you in the interview."

I DID SPEND SOME TIME IN A SIM TO PREPARE!! (On Top PCADT thing) It just wasn't MSFS 2004. Also, who's got my back that the checklist for the Baron on their sim says APPROACH - 101 KIAS. I tried to fly my approaches at 101 knots in a Baron! I'll take full responsibilty of course for not ignoring that. The guy that went before me said he did it no problem with FULL flaps. Also the sim check guy started with "You will be flying approaches for Green Bay. Go ahead and open the approach plates and I'll give you a few minutes to look them over. I be back in a few." He leaves the room and I start digging in the NOS plates under the G's. NO GREEN BAY!! I keep digging until he comes back and tell him I can't find them. He says "Oh Green Bay's airport is called......" something starting with a A. I get about 20 seconds to look. Aggghhhh!!!

So much money down the drain. If they're so desperate for hard working pilots that have a good attitude then why did this have to happen to me of all people?! Agghh!

Sorry folks. I've had this one bottled up for a while. Probably inappropriate. Oh well.

 

[wheelsup]

Sorry folks. I've had this one bottled up for a while. Probably inappropriate. Oh well.

the sim was twitchy but not impossible. you need more patience if you think that thing was twitchy. wait till you get into a CRJ sim.

20 seconds to look over the plates? you're lucky! How about "ok sit down, and here's your clearance...we're starting off at XYZ and you are on the runway...".

gouge? what gouge. there was no gouge when I interviewed. you at least knew what was coming (the sim, the test, the interview itself!).

I was using jepp plates at the time and they had NOS. I had no idea of course because there wasn't a gouge. I hadn't used NOS EVER. Guess what, I still got thru.

I'm sorry, their sim was twitchy but it wasn't anything someone that has patience and has been flying or familiar with the IFR environment should have a problem with.

examine yourself, and see why you failed. work on those areas. was it your inability to read approach plates and pick the pertinent info off of them quickly? are you impatient? do you lack standardized procedures? seriously, use this as a learning tool.

 

[Tonala2k]

McJohn,

I feel ya'. I just got back from an interview where I felt everything things was going great. I really wanted the job, bad. However, finding time to peel myself away from a skyhawk in VFR to reacquaint myself with something complex, high performance, and multi-engine in IFR... It's true what they say that those multi-engine skills go fast and hard.

I got five hours in a Barron 55 and three hours in a PCATD. Felt I had it. At the interview, I was not on top of my game (I'm sure having not slept for 24 hours and counting helped). I'm sure we're in the same boat. It's not that I don't have the ability, I just lost the standardization. I got everything done in a safe and timely fashion, but not smoothly. When employers are trying to fill limited slots they've got to go for the pilots that have gone through the pains to make sure they present themselves as the best.

I hate to say it, but the sooner we accept our own faults, the sooner we'll be ready for that next interview. Sadly I'll just have to accept that last interview as a learning experience.

Best to you McJohn

 

[mcjohn]

Thanks man. I have always taken full responsibility for the situation. It's still frustrating and I needed to vent....mainly about losing all the money to get myself up there and back without any success. As far as a learning experience? ABSOLUTELY!