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Ameristar
- Thread starter apu
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justmeinmsp
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2003
- Posts
- 154
flying_gringo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2001
- Posts
- 78
if Ameristar is like it was before - upgrade depends on when your ready.
don't believe the hype. Aviation is full of whiners. I worked there for a few years, did the upgrade. If you sign the contracts - plan on doing the time. If you don't have the moxy to stand by your commitment- go find a lesser paying job.
I liked the flying - and loved the folks I worked with. Many will tell you the planes were shoddy. I disagree. Old yes - poorly maintained - no. I logged more hours, flew more miles and made far better money then expected. Sure - maintenance was motivated to get planes out of the hanger - but its spineless pilots who accecpt them and launch with broken stuff. On more then one occasion I downed planes with cargo on board intending to leave a base. Had I continued with the broken plane - I would be to blame. and I was never questioned by any member of management when this happened. and yes - as an F/O you can do this as well. right seat, left seat - broke is broke. even as an F/O I refused to do a few trips the capt said he was willing to take. I stood up and identified my decision. Again - never a reprimand from management - an early upgrade. They just want folks with good judgement.
Dispatch - charter sales actually- will force you to make decisions. Maintenance will do the same. If you don't have the courage to make the calls regarding your skills, equipment, weather, crew, fatigue level, etc... then go fly for a 121 gig where all your decisions are made for you, and the unions will cover you when you fail to think.
135 hangs you out. It forces you to think, to work, and to stand up for yourself. There's no union, and your often pitted against folks that have a financial interest in seeing you fly. I had no problem telling them no. Some find that situation too stressful. choose your cup of tea. no job is perfect.
bad things happen to good folks everywhere. but I still feel strongly that Ameristar is a good company, and one I'd consider going back to if all else failed.
one last myth to bust. they're not going bankrupt, and I doubt Tom would 12 year lears if he wasn't planning on RVSM compliance.
its rough and tumble - hard work and good pay... I equated it to a frat with airplanes... I have no regrets and think for the right people its a great opportunity. approach it like the marine corp - its not summer camp but you do get to do some cool stuff.
and some nights - I wish I was back in a 24 with a three pound box of screws for freight launching coast to coast rather then a coasting out in a Challenger full of nuts.
feel free to contact me if you have further questions.
fg
don't believe the hype. Aviation is full of whiners. I worked there for a few years, did the upgrade. If you sign the contracts - plan on doing the time. If you don't have the moxy to stand by your commitment- go find a lesser paying job.
I liked the flying - and loved the folks I worked with. Many will tell you the planes were shoddy. I disagree. Old yes - poorly maintained - no. I logged more hours, flew more miles and made far better money then expected. Sure - maintenance was motivated to get planes out of the hanger - but its spineless pilots who accecpt them and launch with broken stuff. On more then one occasion I downed planes with cargo on board intending to leave a base. Had I continued with the broken plane - I would be to blame. and I was never questioned by any member of management when this happened. and yes - as an F/O you can do this as well. right seat, left seat - broke is broke. even as an F/O I refused to do a few trips the capt said he was willing to take. I stood up and identified my decision. Again - never a reprimand from management - an early upgrade. They just want folks with good judgement.
Dispatch - charter sales actually- will force you to make decisions. Maintenance will do the same. If you don't have the courage to make the calls regarding your skills, equipment, weather, crew, fatigue level, etc... then go fly for a 121 gig where all your decisions are made for you, and the unions will cover you when you fail to think.
135 hangs you out. It forces you to think, to work, and to stand up for yourself. There's no union, and your often pitted against folks that have a financial interest in seeing you fly. I had no problem telling them no. Some find that situation too stressful. choose your cup of tea. no job is perfect.
bad things happen to good folks everywhere. but I still feel strongly that Ameristar is a good company, and one I'd consider going back to if all else failed.
one last myth to bust. they're not going bankrupt, and I doubt Tom would 12 year lears if he wasn't planning on RVSM compliance.
its rough and tumble - hard work and good pay... I equated it to a frat with airplanes... I have no regrets and think for the right people its a great opportunity. approach it like the marine corp - its not summer camp but you do get to do some cool stuff.
and some nights - I wish I was back in a 24 with a three pound box of screws for freight launching coast to coast rather then a coasting out in a Challenger full of nuts.
feel free to contact me if you have further questions.
fg
flying_gringo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2001
- Posts
- 78
I know I'm a treat to fly with. all doctors are.
and I stand by what I say. I flew for a part 121 carrier (both as sic and pic) and eventually in the training department doing line checks- our carrier operated with domestic, supplemental and flag certificates. We had licensed dispatchers with a certificate of their own they were interested in protecting, runway analysis for every runway and condition, company personnel at every station. Ops agents supervised loading of cargo and passengers and prepared weight and balance, flight attendants dealt with the pax once on board, releases came from trained agents and were kept on file if anyone screwed up. Hazmat had its own special agents that were trained in dealing with it and were experts on the subject, and maintenance was at every stop. Even routes were prestored in the FMS - you don't even flight plan. Part 121 flying in my opinion was dumbed down to the lowest common denominator - heck whats a part 121 read back - only a squawk code! everything else is already there. It was repetitive and dull. The same destinations, the same hotels, crew vans, trip pairs, flight attendants... The same departure to the same airways following the same traffic from other airlines - all the frequencies memorized down to the same approach behind another similar airplane. Shower, rinse, repeat. I left to find a challenge. I felt I was no longer piloting. I sure I was flying - but that's only one aspect of piloting.
Part 135 can be a crew or single pilot to destinations you've never been, approaches you've never flown, no company personnel meeting you to assist, no runway analysis, no ops agents holding your hand, no flight plan from a dispatcher nada. You preflighted, dealt with maintenance, did your own flight planning and ran your own performance. The decision to launch into weather was yours, as was you choice on routes or even taking the trip. If you've got passengers or cargo - the destination logistics often fall on your shoulders - from ground transportation, catering and limos to driving the forklift - it can all be in your lap. And if you were in the cargo business (this is an ameristar thread) often times you were picking up or dropping off Haz Mat cargo in places where trucks were afraid to drive.
(this is going to piss off some) I wonder if we should advocate a separate license for those who want to fly 121 all their life. You really could cut out so much of the decision making taught even to a private pilot. Don't believe me? ask any CFI about the average airline guy transitioning back into small planes (if they even bother going to a CFI). Their safety record isn't too stellar. I think the hand holding dulls their skills in decision making areas not exercised.
and to rant on - Airline pilots egos are stoked to ridiculous sizes. (the old joke about the naked guy on the lawn - little d!ck, big watch and just stole my newspaper - must be an airline pilot). So I have no sympathy when I hear about another pilot whining about being "blindsided" by age 60 retirement. insufficient financial planning, too many ex wives, its a joke. take an objective look at our inbred world of aviation and you'll see its a pretty bent place. Yes, there are some normal folks here - and some great ones too who go on to stunning retirements. but the whole crew? - its all a little off kilter.
and just for flamebait - I think age 60 is a good thing. 121 guys are used to being told what to do, so I'm not sure they'd have the decision making ability on when to leave the dance otherwise. you don't want to be the old guy at the club...
hornets nest you say? I thought it was a piñata…
fg
and I stand by what I say. I flew for a part 121 carrier (both as sic and pic) and eventually in the training department doing line checks- our carrier operated with domestic, supplemental and flag certificates. We had licensed dispatchers with a certificate of their own they were interested in protecting, runway analysis for every runway and condition, company personnel at every station. Ops agents supervised loading of cargo and passengers and prepared weight and balance, flight attendants dealt with the pax once on board, releases came from trained agents and were kept on file if anyone screwed up. Hazmat had its own special agents that were trained in dealing with it and were experts on the subject, and maintenance was at every stop. Even routes were prestored in the FMS - you don't even flight plan. Part 121 flying in my opinion was dumbed down to the lowest common denominator - heck whats a part 121 read back - only a squawk code! everything else is already there. It was repetitive and dull. The same destinations, the same hotels, crew vans, trip pairs, flight attendants... The same departure to the same airways following the same traffic from other airlines - all the frequencies memorized down to the same approach behind another similar airplane. Shower, rinse, repeat. I left to find a challenge. I felt I was no longer piloting. I sure I was flying - but that's only one aspect of piloting.
Part 135 can be a crew or single pilot to destinations you've never been, approaches you've never flown, no company personnel meeting you to assist, no runway analysis, no ops agents holding your hand, no flight plan from a dispatcher nada. You preflighted, dealt with maintenance, did your own flight planning and ran your own performance. The decision to launch into weather was yours, as was you choice on routes or even taking the trip. If you've got passengers or cargo - the destination logistics often fall on your shoulders - from ground transportation, catering and limos to driving the forklift - it can all be in your lap. And if you were in the cargo business (this is an ameristar thread) often times you were picking up or dropping off Haz Mat cargo in places where trucks were afraid to drive.
(this is going to piss off some) I wonder if we should advocate a separate license for those who want to fly 121 all their life. You really could cut out so much of the decision making taught even to a private pilot. Don't believe me? ask any CFI about the average airline guy transitioning back into small planes (if they even bother going to a CFI). Their safety record isn't too stellar. I think the hand holding dulls their skills in decision making areas not exercised.
and to rant on - Airline pilots egos are stoked to ridiculous sizes. (the old joke about the naked guy on the lawn - little d!ck, big watch and just stole my newspaper - must be an airline pilot). So I have no sympathy when I hear about another pilot whining about being "blindsided" by age 60 retirement. insufficient financial planning, too many ex wives, its a joke. take an objective look at our inbred world of aviation and you'll see its a pretty bent place. Yes, there are some normal folks here - and some great ones too who go on to stunning retirements. but the whole crew? - its all a little off kilter.
and just for flamebait - I think age 60 is a good thing. 121 guys are used to being told what to do, so I'm not sure they'd have the decision making ability on when to leave the dance otherwise. you don't want to be the old guy at the club...
hornets nest you say? I thought it was a piñata…
fg
flying_gringo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2001
- Posts
- 78
and I almost forgot my favorite topic. Senority based upgrades.
Get hired on at most airlines and while in indoc they can tell you your anticipated date of upgrade. Regardless of performance, skills, decision making, or common sense - they can tell you when your magically good enough to play the role of "Captain"!
I think this system should be incorporated everywhere. While in basic training new recruits should be given dates of upgrade... and if they stick around long enough - everyone of them can be the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff! yippie!
same with politics - goto city council - they should be able to discern when you get to be President! yea!
volunteer sweeping floors at a hospital? give it some time - you'll be head of neurosurgery soon son - its all a question of senority!
...or maybe that's not such a good idea? perhaps you can only upgrade like that if the job doesn't involve that much decision making afterall.
lets all stew on this one, shall we?
...naah - lets just count the days until we're all Captains! yeaaaaaaa!!!
now kids who wants ice cream?!?
fg
Get hired on at most airlines and while in indoc they can tell you your anticipated date of upgrade. Regardless of performance, skills, decision making, or common sense - they can tell you when your magically good enough to play the role of "Captain"!
I think this system should be incorporated everywhere. While in basic training new recruits should be given dates of upgrade... and if they stick around long enough - everyone of them can be the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff! yippie!
same with politics - goto city council - they should be able to discern when you get to be President! yea!
volunteer sweeping floors at a hospital? give it some time - you'll be head of neurosurgery soon son - its all a question of senority!
...or maybe that's not such a good idea? perhaps you can only upgrade like that if the job doesn't involve that much decision making afterall.
lets all stew on this one, shall we?
...naah - lets just count the days until we're all Captains! yeaaaaaaa!!!
now kids who wants ice cream?!?
fg
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