Ameriflight interest.

[frmrBUFFdrvr]

You guys know everything about AMF! May I pick your brains for a moment...

I'm finishing a foreign contract and am very interested in finding a descent job in Puerto Rico for awhile. I'm not very familiar with AMF, but from the forum posts, it sounds like most guys are looking to build time and leave. Are the working conditions there good enough that many pilots stay around for a couple of years on the turboprops? Are some 3 day weekends possible? How much vacation time? Health insurance? Any other benefits or drawbacks... especially for the SJU base? Do the BE and SA guys load their own planes? What's the pilot morale like? Has the SJU base been around for awhile and will it stay around?
All info. appreciated!

Finally. Someone who recognizes my vast wealth of knowledge.

Seriously; yes, there are guys who stay around for a while. If you look at our seniority list, about 25% of the pilots have been here 5 years or more.

Three day weekends will depend on your schedule and the staffing at your base. Besides vacation time, company policy provides for up to 2 personal (read: unpaid) days off per month, schedule permitting. Vacation time is accrued starting when you are off probation (90 days after your checkride) and you get one week the first year. The amount per year goes up after that, though I don't have those figures immediatly available.

Health insurance also kicks in after 90 days. I can say from personal experience that it's pretty good coverage. My wife has to take several medications and we save more than what the insurance costs just in perscription benefits.

We also have a 401K plan available.

I don't know any specifics about the SJU base, but it has been in operation for over a year and we don't have any plans to close it.

Loading depends on the run. UPS and DHL runs are generally loaded. Others you will probably be involved with the loading.

Hope that helps

 

[RefugePilot]

From what I have gathered(in class now with some canidates for Metro and BE99 in SJU), things are different in Puerto Rico.

There are something like 12 paid holidays a year and the insurance program is also different, than the rest of AMF. The flight times there tend to be long (60-100hrs/mo) and mostly VFR, but when its not VFR it is not pleasant, think tropical convectivity.

Anytime you accept a base with AMF you have a 6month commitment to it. I imagine you could get by without speaking Spanish, but your QOL might suck without it, and it would make doing your job easier. There was a post a while back

Check out these links as well
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=66177&highlight=sju
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=72207&highlight=sju

 

[Toobdrvr]

Sju

I spent around 6 months there last year. You can get by fine without speaking spanish, everyone speaks english (except in rural areas). As a matter of fact, I speak spanish but it's soo poor everyone would get frustrated and insist we speak english.

Watch out driving around San Juan. It's absolutely the craziest thing ever. Also, gasoline is sold in litres (2.2/gal), Distances in km, and speeds are in MPH...

 

[greenDOG]

I have my application filled out!
I've lived in San Juann before so i know it's someplace I'd like to be. I'm just trying to find out more about Ameriflight. Thanks for the helpful information! For anyone interested in SJU, living in San Juan speaking only English certainly can have its dificulties but in general it's no problem.

 

[EatSleepFly]

Anytime you accept a base with AMF you have a 6month commitment to it.

SJU is normally one year.

 

[threegreen]

so when are you guys gonna start hiring into SJU again??

 

[frmrBUFFdrvr]

so when are you guys gonna start hiring into SJU again??

When there is an opening we can't fill internally. That is the way we handle every opening. Give the guys who are here the chance to fill it first. If we can't, then we hire directly.

The only position you can guarantee there will always be openings for are PA31 pilots. If you will only come on for a particular airplane at a particular base, you might get lucky. Or you might wait forever.

Best advice I can give - put in your application, interview well and get hired where you can and then put in a bid for what you REALLY want.

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

Besides, once you get a Metro airborne...pressurization, lights, steering, flaps/gear...what else is there to do?

Get the magazine/newspaper out!

 

[DirtyBeech]

Or tune in your favorite news/talk, country music, or sports am station and enjoy the ride. Also, quoting Celebrity Jeopardy on company was a favored past time.

 

[molsoneh?]

my bad

 

[molsoneh?]

Also, gasoline is sold in litres (2.2/gal),...

actually 3.785 litres per u.s. gallon, 2.2lbs per kilogram.

Oakland has several pa31 runs and needs pilots immediately. Cost of living is an issue but quick upgrades are usually the rule of thumb with outstationed 99's

 

[TxPilot0878]

Hey AMF boys!!!!

Hey you Metro Boys say "Hi" to Matt Smith (hey brother!!!), Smolinski, or Mr. T.Payson if they are still around???

JAW