Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Ameristar Jet Charter

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

Toad4

Well-known member
Joined
May 19, 2002
Posts
57
Equipment

Base

Schedule

1st yr FO Base & Mileage/Hourly

1st yr Capt. Base & Mileage/Hourly

Per Diem

Contracts

Upgrade Times

Misc.
 
Last edited:
Here's what I recently heard:

Flying Lear 24, 25's, Falcon 20's, just bought some DC-9's, have 2 B-737-200's, and a couple of B-727's.

FO- Lear/Falcon (double duty and 18 month contract)
$23,000 Base and $.07/mile

Capt- Lear/Falcon (double duty and both types for $18,000/18 month contract not pro-rated. Pilots can choose one or both)
$36,000 Base and $.12/mile

Per Diem is $1.50/Hr

They don't share hotel rooms

Schedule is 10 on 4 off

Jumpseat privlidges with Airtran (I think)

Main bases are Addison and YIP.

Seems to be pretty stable and has all of the common problems of other cargo operators.

Any actual Ameristar guys are welcome to add or correct as needed.
 
AJI

Ok, I hate to bash anyone, but I worked for this place, and had a pretty bad experience. Training was pretty good, and most of the pilots are good guys, but some are cowboys.

As far as the fleet, they are Lears and Falcons. They have 2 737s, but that is a subsidary company, and they pick and choose who might go there. Seniority means nothing at this company. The same goes for upgrades. They upgrade by seniority, but might never release you, which means you have a type rating, but are still making FO pay. I didn't stick around that long though.

The company will pump you up with all that is great here, but the pay doesn't end up being what they tell you. You have to fly to make that mileage. You will never be home, or even at your base. Bases are ADS, YIP, ane El Paso.

The maintenance here is pretty bad. Granted you are flying old airplanes, but a lot of the guys want to fly them broken. They are $$ hungry. In my 7 months with the company, I had three engine failures, a fire, along with various other system failures. Ask them about their accident history if you get an interview.

If you go, plan to stay for better or for worse. That training contract is rock solid. The owner's brother is a full time attorney for the company, spends most of his time suing folks that break the contract. If you are fired, you will still be sued. Contract is $12000 for FO, $18000 for Cpt. Add $3-6000 for legal fees, that's a lot of money to owe a company who sued you for refusing to fly a broken airplane.

Expect every duty day to last 14 hours, longer if you let them push you. Expect to sit waiting for freight in an unheated/unair-conditioned hangar at all times of the year. Expect to sit waiting for freight outside in the heat of summer being eaten by mosquitos somewhere in Mexico... Expect to load every piece of freight, whether it be on pallets or 200 boxes you have to hand load. You get the idea, this is no cushy job, the pay doesn't pan out, you're never home, etc etc etc.

I've hear USA Jet is a much better place to work, but don't know anyone that actually worked there. I did hear they were home a lot more, and didn't have to touch much freight.

This is my opinion. I've moved on to an airline job, which I loved and was then furloughed from. I still feel better off.
 
I recently heard about the AJI DC9s but when did they get B727s ?
 

Latest resources

Back
Top