Ameristar

[gundriver]

I'm curious if anyone has any info on new hires for Ameristar namely.

1. Are they currently hiring, if so what is competetive time?

2. I understand new hires are based in Detroit, on average how long does it take to get back to Dallas?

3. What is the schedule like?

4. How much dinero can you expect your first year?

5. On average, how long is upgrade to Capt?

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Gundriver

 

[PilotAg]

1. Not currently hiring. 2000+ TT, 750+ ME

2. That has been the case. Next class will be hired for ELP and ADS

3. 10 days on / 4 days off

4. $27,000 to $32,000, depending on how much you fly. Yearly guarantee is $23,700.

5. Right now, 1.5 to 2 years

Good luck

 

[wingnutt]

whatsamatter, you tired of Texstar

minimums? a recommend will carry you alot further.

base can also be chosen by your age; ie, oldest in the class gets pick of whats available.

contract is pretty solid too

14 hour duty day

per diem 1.50 per hour

and i hear the boeings are not easy to get into, got little or nothing to do with seniority?!?

...and PilotAg seems to have the rest nailed down

*EDIT* for technical inaccuracies

 

[gundriver]

PilotAg

Thanks alot for the info, I really appreciate it.

Wingnutt,

How's it going? No not tired of TexStar, actually having a good time just planning for the future.

Thanks for the input...

Take care

 

[PilotAg]

gundriver,

The actual minimums are 1500 TT and 500 ME. There are no 12 day rotations. 11 day rotations at the end of May, all of June, and at the end of December. The mileage pay for F/Os starts at .05 a mile after 10500 miles. (appx 30hrs). The Boeing and DC-9 transition is slow. Only 2 737s and 3 DC-9s. The 9s are taking 2 135 guys in Jan. All new hires for the 737 and the 9s come from the 135 side, but it is slow going. The next 135 class will be in March or April and all will be hired for ELP and ADS. Good luck.

 

[wingnutt]

...and there ya have it

 

[PilotAg]

Not bad for a DeVry dropout, huh?

 

[Country Wild]

PilotAg,

I am curious with they way Tom and Ted have run the company and the stories I have heard about Ameristar, how can you guys stay in business and how did you afford those 3 DC-9's?

 

[PilotAg]

Not sure I am following you. Ameristar is one of the strongest 135s in the business. When other companies are laying off, Ameristar is hiring. When other companies are parking airplanes, Ameristar is buying airplanes. When other companies are shutting down, Ameristar is marketing for new business. Ameristar has never furloughed and the paychecks are always there. Ameristar was able to afford the DC-9s because of the way Tom runs the business. Not a rant or gloat, but those are facts. If you have any specific questions, I will be glad to answer them the best I can. Fly safe.

 

[Country Wild]

I am not in the 135 business but a few of my friends are and I have heard how they run flights for the cost of fuel and how they under cut be running flights just so that they take business away. I have read about the lawsuit pending on how the company bid trips to keep other companies from flying. My buddies at GM and Ford tell me how they come running to them every couple of months and show them how cheap they can fly. Now having said all of this, I try yo keep up with companies that I have stories about. When I interview applicants to hire I like to have a working knowledge of the company they come from. It seems to me that they are not a well liked company in the 135 business. I have interviewed enough applicants and talked with some guys who have flown there. Does the one lawyer brother sue the pilots often? Don't get offended, I am just curious.

 

[gundriver]

PilotAg,

Thank you for the clarification.

Take care

 

[PilotAg]

Hey, not offended at all. That is what these boards are for, discussion and information. Do you really think that if Ameristar ran in the red by operating below operational costs or just by breaking even that they would still be around. With the economy starting to slow in 2000, Ameristar still has added 3 DC-9s, 2 B737s, and 1 LR25. Wouldn't be able to due that in the red. Ameristar is a private company so there are no outside investors to help float Amerstar along. In trying to lure business away, name one company in the US, besides non-profit companies, that do not try to lure business away. In our industry, everytime a start-up or low cost carrier enters a market, the big boys swoop in, cut there fares, and try to drive the new carrier out. It is all part of being in a capitalist country. Ever heard the saying if we do not take care of the customer, someone else will. Do you have a link on the lawsuit? I would know and there are no pending lawsuits. Where most pilots are disgruntled with Ameristar is the time on the road and the training agreements. Because the contracts are not pro-rated, it is not a job you can try out for awhile and a lot of pilots do not like this type of flying. 10 days on the road, all on-demand, flying old airplanes, all hours of the night, etc. Its hard to blame them. And because of the contracts, the pilots feel trapped and start to resent the company. If you really listen to the applicants, most of the problems they have with Ameristar are actually problems they have with the 135 on-demand industry. You don't see to many pilots leaving Ameristar for Grand Aire, Kalitta, USA Jet, or who ever. They are trying to get on with a fractional, a national, a major, or coporate. Something with a better schedule, better hours, newer airlpanes, better lifestyle, etc. This is a mid-level job. A job to better your chances for greater opportunity. Pilots do not get sued. A pilot signs a training agreement for a specified time (18mos) and if that time is not met, they owe the costs of the training. If they complete the 18 mos or pay the costs when they quit, there are no problems. They will collect though if you try to renig on the agreement. If renigging on a contract is being sued, then you will be sued. It is pretty straight forward. I can say that the chief pilot does a pretty good job in explaining the job to an applicant about everything to expect at Ameristar. Good discussion and take care.

 

[mllflying]

PilotAg, check your PM's. I sent you one. Thanks

 

[wingnutt]

hey PilotAg, since your info seems much better than the goofball i talked to, i have a question(s)...

1- does it ever get better than 10 on 4 off, or is that the norm no matter what plane you're in?

2- whats it take to get into the bigger stuff? ive heard senority has little if anything to do with it?

3- do you have to sign another 18 month agreement to get left seat, or do they run together?

4- does your last name start with M?

 

[PilotAg]

1. The schedule seems to change a little every year. 2003 is 10 on/ 4 off then 9 on /5 off Jan thru April. 11 / 3 as stated above, and 10 / 4 Aug thru Dec. The 125 and 121 departments have different schedules. On average, 113 scheduled days off plus 7 days vacation.

2. Seniority has a lot to do with it along with company perception of your work ethic. If you created a lot of problems on the 135 side, the company isn't going to pass you along to the bigger planes just because your next. Again, it is very slow going. 121 has a total of 14 pilots and 125 has around 16. They need more airplanes to speed up the flow through.

3. Yes, but they do not run together. If you are in a FO agreement and you get the type rating 13 mos after being hired, the new agreement would supersede the first one.

4. No

Good luck to you.

Pilot