Airnet Question???

[StarChecker]

Latest competitive times we've heard from recruiting is 1000/100. And just to reiterate the positives of working here....

I'm home every night...every weekend and every holiday.
I'm on my way to making $34,000 my first year. (I have a five night run)
I'm flying well maintained aircraft in every weather out there.
My skills are sharp b/c there's no captain there to change my diapers.

With regards to aircraft....myself and another guy in my class only got the Baron....Other people in my class got Baron, Cheiftain and Caravan....it all depends on what they need and where you're going.

Great company...great people. Just be prepared to work hard. The job will stretch your skills in places it has never been stretched before.

 

[jumprunz]

hello all

first thing: I have not flown for airnet

I have done the 135 single pilot freight in caravans and made close to 40K a year (not bad).

airnet seems to be a good company and there are alot worse palces to be. I am certain that the name of the game is quality of life and pay at any company. in times post sept. 11 any job is a good one. the advantage to a regional is that in the long run things will be a little better. airnets first year pay may double that of a regional but in three years the regional will win out. retirement is going to be better depending on the comapny and with a stagnet market go where you can park it for a while.

if you can't get on at a regional and you desire something other than a cfi job, airnet is the place to be. there are other good freight operators also and the exp gained is second to none. good luck and have fun!

 

[AV1ATRX]

I have a question for your Airnet folks: Do they force you to fly? The only freight experience I have had is that I was asked repeatedly to fly overweight, through (not around) thunderstorms, scud run, in incing conditions, etc. I was never allowed a day off, even when I was so sick that I ended up in the hospital one weekend after an especially grueling week of freight running. The airplanes we used for the freight operations could never be out of commission because there were no back-up planes. Therefore, I was berated every time I wrote up a plane for something, regardless of how bad the problem was. I broke down somewhere almost every single day! Thank God it was always on the ground....
I too am looking for a job, but I have sworn off freight for those reasons. Is that what it's like for Airnet? At the company I used to work for, we did charters for Airnet when the pilots were sick or the planes were broke, and it seemed to be a pretty efficient operation, but all the times I flew those were great weather nights. What happens when you are number three for an untowered airport and holding for 45 minutes makes you 45 minutes late at the next stop? Is it considered your fault? My husband also flew freight for a certain freight operation based in NC, and he had the same problems, so we've sworn off freight altogether. Somebody tell me it's not that bad at all the freight companies.

 

[hyper]

AV1ATRX,

The downsides of flying freight that you speak of were primary reasons why I went to Airnet. I'm sure this thread wasn't intended to blow smoke up the proverbial Airnet butt, but.....it is what it is.

Maintenance is second to none I believe. The maintenance dept. doesn't have a budget. Simply, this means if it's broke, fix it. From tires that get changes before they go bald to engines that are replaced with brand new...not rebuilt........at TBO. At my base, if I have a squawk, it's fixed by the time I show that evening.

We're asked to be safe, but realistic. I've never been forced or pressured to do anything I was uncomfortable with. If I'm late because I had to find a hole in a line of TSs, dispatch already knows. They see the same weather on their flight tracker as we do. They already expect you to have some delays and are working the ground ops appropriately. If you ground a plane or refuse to fly for whatever reason, just make sure it's a valid one with plenty to support your decision. They'll ask why, but if it's in the interest of safety, they won't ask again. We fly in crappy weather as you know, but that's part of the gig, right?

"What happens when you are number three for an untowered airport and holding for 45 minutes makes you 45 minutes late at the next stop? Is it considered your fault?" Nope. It would be uncool not to make an attempt to call dispatch through one of the lears and let them know, but it's something out of your control. They may ask you to go to another airport and send couriers or a lear to meet you. Ultimately it's your decision, but decide what makes sense.

So far my experience has been fun. Sure there are nights you don't want to go in, but they aren't company related reasons.

It's as safe as they can make it.

 

[starchkr]

AV1...

Let me first start off by saying that we are referred to as an "airline" here at airnet and not a freight company. Maybe that can start to help ease some of the negative feelings that we all have towards the "freight haulers."

Hyper was very correct in his response to you about our way of dealing with the everyday occurances that come about in this industry. Throughout my tenure here i have cancelled 2 flights and diverted to another airport once due to weather. I have also delayed my departure numerous times due to weather. After doing this for awhile you kind of get the feeling of when you need to stay and when you can go, and it is always in your best interest, as well as the company's, to go. I will tell you one thing though, THAT CARGO I HAUL IS IN NO WAY WORTH MORE THAN MY LIFE!!! I would never put myself into harms way to make a deadline, and they understand that in Columbus.

As far as aircraft breaking go, well they tend to do that when they many thousands of hours on them. As hyper said, we have no budget for MX, if it's broke fix it, it's that simple. I am at a base where there are no backup planes like there are at most of our bases, so if my MX does not get done in the morning before i am supposed to depart i do one of two things. First i either determine whether i can defer the droken item so that i can safely make my run, or i simply let dispatch know that the plane is unairworthy and they are going to have to find another way to get things done that day. We have a charter company here on the field that we use for those kinds of things.

As far as being sick, we get 1 week of sick time every year, and then we can either have the rest of our sick time as unpaid time or use our vacation to cover it... don't worry, you usually have 3 weeks of vacation anyway, so you will still be able to take that planned trip down the road.

So overall, your experiences at the other company are far from what we have to offer, and remember the first thing i said above, we are an "airline" and not a freight company.

 

[inverted]

bases

just a quick question about the popular bases for you airnet pilots. i'm down here in florida training and am originally from Buffalo...i really like the idea of working for airnet sometime in the future, i also like that fact that the have a base out of my home town (buffalo). i would love to get back there with airnet, but how are the possabilities in reality of airnet newbies getting certain bases the request. which bases seem to be more popular, and/ or less popular?

 

[canosoup]

What about SIC program?

Any chances they'll ever bring back the SIC program? Im sitting on about 600 hours, 200 as CFI. Love teaching but not so happy about dealing with the $10/hr underbidders. Ready to hump frieght!

 

[hyper]

Base assignments are really potluck. It all depends on what comes open when you're out of class and if anyone senior outbids you. You need to be willing to go anywhere.

From what I understand, we've suspended interviewing and the hiring pool is full now. I've heard they don't expect to run classes until Octoberish. The SIC program never went away nor would I expect it to. Everything's just on hold for now.

Not much help, I know, but it's all I got.....

 

[startingout]

Does Airnet still fly out of KAPA? I know that they were at one time, but was exclusively a Lear base. Does anyone know if they have any plans to move piston aircraft there? One more dim bulb question, can anyone tell me where the closest "piston base" Airnet has is to Denver?

 

[contactapp]

startingout,
yes it is a lear base, but no props are based there. The caravans do fly in to APA, but they are bases in MDW. I think the closest base would be OMA. On another note . . . to all those people that are hoping to get a base close to home, get out of the aviation business now!!! To work as a pilot usually entails moving away from home. The only people who succeed in this job are the ones who are willing to make sacrifices for their career. I lived in San Diego most of my life and did not think twice about working at airnet and moving to f***ing puke dump Memphis. Yes I miss home and I don't get back home often, but if I wanted to stay in San Diego I would still be a CFI. So make your choice, you either want to be a pilot or you don't.