Ameriflight interest.

[mcjohn]

I plan on relocating to the L.A. area soon. Time and experience are accurate in my profile (approx. 200 hrs dual given). I have my eyes set on AMF and would like to get on with them as an instructor at BUR. Problem is, I have no idea who the current AMF guys are and I have some questions. Anyone?

Any other companies I should be paying attention to around there?

 

[citabriapilot]

Send me a PM with any specific questions...

 

[mcjohn]

Thanks citabriapilot. That was great info. I was thinking about relocating for Ram Air in Concord, NC but the Charlotte or Raleigh area doesn't interest me or my wife as much as SoCal. I've had a hard time getting much info from anyone that works Ram Air as well. They say that I MUST have the IFR mins and have not said there are any instructor opportunities. The web site says they don't take calls.

Any AMF members familiar with the SoCal area willing to answer some questions?

 

[flyalot]

PM me. Live in So Cal and work for AMF.

 

[RefugePilot]

I will be in Socal training with them on May 14th. PM me on may 24th and I'll tell you what I see.

I am not sure of the hiring mins or requirements but they need FOs on the lears and Brazilias, which could be done with less time than the 135 IFR mins. I am not sure of the upgrade time for these positions or if being an FO would make you qualified for the Navajo down the road. As far as teaching there I will be a student there myself and have over a 1000 hours of dual given, I imagine most of the "students" would be seasoned instructors, so I doubt you will have any opportunities as an instructor there for a few years. I was told though that as an experienced instructor you have opportunities as a check airman or instructor once you are familiar with the plane.

Unless you see another way to build time, I would suggest getting a job at a busy flight school in the LA area, make sure you get a 100 hours of twin time, then apply to AMF when you have 1150 hours. They will hire you a little shy of the total time required knowing you will make minimums when finished training.

I will let you know what I see in May.

 

[mcjohn]

Flyalot and Refuge Pilot thanks a lot. I'll be catching up with ya'll. I need more hours.

 

[citabriapilot]

Yes, your "students" will have more flight time, but Ameriflight does hire pilots with, say 600-900 hours, into training captain positions for the PA31. They conduct sim training and evals, offline training flights in the 'Jo, and often go along as FO's on line flights to build time. Most become checkairman in the Navajo before they have 1200 hours and start training in the 99 as well. I have a friend who started with 600 hours and was a 99 training captain/checkairman before hitting 1200.

Don't assume that because you have more time then the training captain that you are gonna be hot stuff. Don't assume that because its a Chieftain that you will be hot stuff. I've seen guys of all experience levels wash out. The best thing to do is to go in with a humble attitude and solid skills.

As far as becoming a training captain or checkairman later on, yes, with experience in the plane line pilots can get checked out as training captains and then eventually become a checkairman.

 

[RefugePilot]

Thanks Citabria Pilot,

I assumed with all the pilots I saw hired at the interview review sites with at least 1200 hours, that the trainers would have at least that. I wish I knew that I could get on with that low time a few years ago.

Until I came across this site I thought no one would hire me to do a job I wanted to do with less than 100 hours of Multi. As a low time multi pilot I will have a lot to learn, looking forward to the training.

 

[frmrBUFFdrvr]

I am not sure of the hiring mins or requirements but they need FOs on the lears and Brazilias, which could be done with less time than the 135 IFR mins. I am not sure of the upgrade time for these positions or if being an FO would make you qualified for the Navajo down the road.

Every Lear FO I have heard of has already been flying as a PA31 or BE99 captain and got dual qualified. And while we have hired a couple of Brazilia FO's with less than 135 mins (as low as about 600 hrs), they have all been in our commercial FO program, so they already had a track record with us. Which isn't to say we wouldnt' hire someone off the street into the E120, but they probably need to be pretty close to 135 mins.

As for upgrade if you WERE hired, yes. As soon as you have the time, you could bid into a PA31 or even a BE99. (One of our FOs that came in with just over 1000 hours is going to a BE99 in SLC as soon as we can get his replacement trained.)

 

[Toobdrvr]

Hey T.V.!!!

Its AE (frmr SLC ACP)! Just wanted to say "Hi"!