AMF to Skywest

[highalti2d]

for big al, PR just happens to be set up that way. Long routes, multiple legs, and relatively slow airplanes. especially if you pull the power back to the new company directed power settings! Check the distance from PR to Port of Spain, Trinidad. Figure a GS of 230 kts or so....

At least they get up at a (somewhat) reasonable hour in PR.

 

[Vegaspilot99]

Do what you feel will best help you reach your goals. I left Mesa to come to AMF and after 4+ years of crew time (3 at Air Vegas and 1.2 at Mesa) I like it here for the most part. I wouldn't go back to a regional period. Thats just me though. You can realistically expect about 300-500 hours a year depending on base and runs. As far as moving to a major from here, we have had a guy leave here for Champion (I know not a major) and another guy just interviewed with Southwest. I think I'm getting quality time and experience here and I don't regret leaving the regionals at all (granted it was Mesa). Good luck with your choice!

 

[PA31Driver]

I would say do what you think will help you reach your ultimate goal the quickest. I've been at AMF for about a year now and have so far logged just under 500 hrs. Time definitely doesn't come quick here. I also know one pilot out of SLC who's leaving for SkyWest soon and another one getting ready to follow him. I think what burns out most pilots here is the lousy QOL....5 am to 9 pm 5 days a week gets old after a while.

 

[Toobdrvr]

Another $.02

My opinion is worth every penny you paid for it, but...

As someone who went straight from AMF (6 1/2 years) to a "major", this is what I learned from the experience:

1. For the average pilot, I don't believe there are really any shortcuts to the final goal. Still know your training partner who soloed the day before you? You'll probably be at his/her retirement party the day before yours. Sure, there are those "blessed" individuals who have an inside track past all of us all the way to the top, but if you were one of those, you probably wouldn't be asking us for advice. My point is that (at least for me) this is more of a journey than a destination. Stop counting every click of the hobbs and enjoy the ride! You'll get there.

2. Keeping #1 in mind, I suggest you focus on where you want to be and what you want to be doing right now, vs. where you think it leads. The flying at AMF and SW are very different, each with it's high and low points. If you'd rather be at SW, then go there. If you like the flying and schedule at AMF more, stay where you are. The majors will still be there when you are ready for them...

3. Many percieved "fast routes" really aren't. Noone has a crystal ball that can acurately tell you the best route, especially in this industry. Many of my instructor buddies who went to the regionals at the same time I went to AMF thought I was nuts. Most of them are still at the regionals, some still right seat (0 pic). I upgraded to the SA227 really fast because all the senior guys at my base turned it down so they could go to the regionals (didn't want to sign the 1 year thing). Two years later, many of those guys were calling me for a job because they had been furloughed (9/11). My point is you never know...

4. Whew, this is getting long. Finally, don't forget that this undustry is pretty tight and your reputation will follow you wherever you go. Sure, you didn't sign a legal contract, but did you lead anyone to believe that you would stay at AMF for any length of time? If you did, I would suggest that you earn (and keep) a reputation as someone who is good on your word. If you don't, this will bite you one way or another. If not, you are free to do whatever you want. Just be up front and honest and you'll never regret it...

Sorry that was soo long. Hope it helps. Good luck!!!

 

[psysicx]

Wow a guy I talked to was getting 90hrs a month out of Sea on the 99.

 

[Popeye0537]

Will leaving AMF after only 5 months look bad on my resume if I leave for SkyWest?? I did not sign a contract with AMF....Or should I just stay at AMF and upgrade to the 99 (PIC Turbine)?

You gotta ask yourself if you like getting paid more for flying a larger aircraft. There is a pay increase from the cheiftan to the 99 and so on. If you go to Skywest, your gonna get paid the same rate to fly 50,70,90 seaters....Is that what you want?

You have to look at the industry, Skywest just aquired ASA and they don't like each other. Management is playing one pilot group against another. I left AMF after about six months with no problem, I let Shawn know a month in advance before my ground school date.

One last thing about where you want to go, I commute every week and must check in upfront with the flight crew eveytime. I have yet to come across someone who worked for AMF. Most of the time they are form the military and the regionals(mesaba,XJT,CHQ,SKW)....... not to say they're not out there but POST 9/11 it is very, very rare.

 

[big_al]

for big al, PR just happens to be set up that way. Long routes, multiple legs, and relatively slow airplanes. especially if you pull the power back to the new company directed power settings! Check the distance from PR to Port of Spain, Trinidad. Figure a GS of 230 kts or so....

At least they get up at a (somewhat) reasonable hour in PR.

Thanks for the reply. What routes do you fly in PR? and are they all with the 1900c?

 

[big_al]

and a 5am-9pm schedule???? is that true?

 

[time builder]

and a 5am-9pm schedule???? is that true?

He he, no, they can't put that down, then they'd only have 8 hours rest on their log.
More like 5 to 8. You show at 5, taxi to UPS at 5:30, wheels up at 6:30, arrive at 7:30, unload, hang out until 5PM, load up, wheels up at 6:00, back at the base at 7:00, unload, and try to make your way across the airport across 2 or 3 runways back to the AMF ramp, (that's what kills you, trying to taxi back in the evening can take a half an hour sometimes).
2 hours flight time, 8 hours pay, 15 hours consumed,... typically, just in case anyone was wondering.

 

[time builder]

What the heck is going on with the symbol maker? It just puts smilie faces where it wants. That's wierd, anyone else had that problem?

 

[ksu_aviator]

It is the : and 0 next to each other. Next time click on disable smileys

 

[Rogue5]

You gotta ask yourself if you like getting paid more for flying a larger aircraft. There is a pay increase from the cheiftan to the 99 and so on. If you go to Skywest, your gonna get paid the same rate to fly 50,70,90 seaters....Is that what you want?

Ummm, I'd venture to guess those rates are SIGNIFICANTLY greater than anything paid at AMF:

CRJ FOs are making mid 40s (after first year).

EMB PIC's are making mid 50s (upgrade runs 1-2 years).

CRJ PIC's are making 80-90s.

These numbers are not abnormal...

 

[Flyin Tony]

I got on with AMF in April, never had to tell them I was to give them 6 months. I did just sign for a year to get in the bro and move the gear handle

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

I got on with AMF in April, never had to tell them I was to give them 6 months. I did just sign for a year to get in the bro and move the gear handle

Don't get too excited tickling that gear handle will you.

 

[DeathPencil]

The difference in pay isn't likely to be that huge. Maybe my experience has been unique, but I have been even with or ahead (pay-wise) at AMF every year compared to what I'd be getting at skywest.
You just have to do what you think you'd enjoy more. Do you want to be home every night/day (but be gone up to 14 hours) or do you want to be gone for days at a time? I think the flying that I've done at AMF has been some of the most challenging and fun flying there is. Most of the people that I've known who hated life at AMF went on to hate life somewhere else.
I'd say go where you think you will be happy (or less miserable) until the coveted major snaps you up 5 or 7 years later. It seems like the time frame is usually the same or very similar.
Just remember: an elephant never forgets (or something like that)

 

[AerroMatt]

Just remember: an elephant never forgets (or something like that)

Excellent line DeathPencil! Many need to be reminded that this is a small industry.

Yanno, I have a buddy at SkyWest who's tried to get me to go to work for them for the past 2 years plus. The last time was a year ago, and starting FO's were pulling down $19.02 per hour, according to their website. I recently saw that they are offering a whopping $23.00 per hour for newhires. If they continue their payscale raises at this rate for newhires, I figue I might be able to afford to go to work for them when I am around 100years of age (which will only happen in another 57 years). Until then, I just can't see telling my wife and two children that they will have to stop eating for 12 months until I get off food stamp wages for myself.

Please understand readers, I have nothing against Skywest. Would love to work for them, but I can't afford to go to work for them! I'll go back to driving a truck fulltime to support my family before I hire on to jerk the gear for $23/hr.

"Hi Honey, I'm home!!! Hi Kids!!! Guess what? It's been 12 months since I was hired, and y'all can start eating again!"

"Did you hear me??? Hello... Hello..."

 

[AZaviator]

and a 5am-9pm schedule???? is that true?

Keep in mind, not EVERYONE has that kind of schedule. Like anywhere else, the more senority you have, the better the schedule you have. We have some guys who only do AM or PM reserve which amounts to a 3-4 hour work day if you don't fly. I've been with the company for +3 years and am flying 4 nights a week. I'm only at work for approximately 6hrs a night, approximately 10pm-4am. No long layover, no hotel. I fly to my destination, have about a 2 hour layover then fly back. That's it. I haven't stayed in a hotel in almost 4 months.

As stated before in comparing AMF to Skywest, it just depends on what your career goals are and the kind of schedule you wish to have. You won't have 3-4 day trips at Ameriflight the way you would a regional. You might not have the higher income potential at AMF, compared to how you could at Skywest. There are guys who leave AMF for the regionals and guys who leave the regionals for AMF. Either way, its all about your career goals.

 

[RefugePilot]

Tails skywest wins

Did you flip a coin and tails was Skywest, heads you would be going to Horizon.

I am new to AMF and it seems everybody is going to one or the other after 6-12 months. I did get a chance to fly with one AMF pilot who has been furloughed by 4 different regionals over the years(his list was a list of loosers given the power of 20-20 hindsight). After a few months in a Be99 he was hired by a major.

From what I can gather PIC is king and turbine PIC is what really counts. If something happens Skywest and you have to go anywhere, your sic time will only get you hired as a regional SIC, essentially you are no more higherable than you were straight out of CFIing, because the regionals are highering with 1000/100 now.

I intend to get some turbine time before I taking my next step in my career. It just seems like a good way to hedge your bet, as you will have proved you can do more than pull the gear in a jet.

The one upside to everyone going to the regionals is upgrade time will be very short. I know of 2 people upgrading in 2-4 months to Be99.

 

[Tryful]

I think it all depends on what is obviously going to make you happy. Do you desire to work for an airline or AMF? Two totally different kinds of flying for sure. Both of these statements have been reiterated many times.

I personally know two people that are ditching AMF to go to SKW. Don't know why, and I'm not going to sweat it. Go your own path.
I'm glad I've chosen AMF as my next step after CFI'ing as I've made some great friends here and the group is very close knit regardless of whether you work out of OAK, BUR etc we all can relate. Plus the flying is fun in my humble opinion and logging good ol' PIC turbine can't be beat.

 

[propjob27]

CRJ FOs are making mid 40s (after first year).

EMB PIC's are making mid 50s (upgrade runs 1-2 years).

CRJ PIC's are making 80-90s.

These numbers are not abnormal...

I flew there for 4 years, from 99 to 2003. I can shed some light on income and career progression.

First year EMB pay for me ended up being 22 K or so

Upgraded exactly after 1 year.

EMB captain for about 2 years, made 43 to 45K each year

Upgraded exactly at year 3 to CRJ captain.

Quit after 9 months as a CRJ capt, but was on track to make 60 to 63K

(Note: none of these figures count per diem. You should not count per diem in your yearly income figures, as it is money you are supposed to spend in full on your trips)

KEEP THIS IN MIND:

The people that are saying you'll make 80 to 90 as a CRJ captain, well....., you gotta look at the simple numbers and take that s hi t with a grain of salt.

A year 3 to 4 employee, like I was on the CRJ, makes 61 bucks an hour. If you're a whore who flys on his days off, or one of these guys that can physically stand flying, ACTUAL flying, 90 hours per month, then yeah, it might be possible to make 80 or 90K. (AND you count per diem in your yearly figures)

However, I am one of these guys that comes very close to collapse if I fly more than 40 hours per month, and all I EVER got paid my 4 years at SkyWest was 75 credit hours per month. (And often less when I called in sick with no user time left).

Do the math on that one, and 75 x 61 x 12 is $55,490 (again, no per diem counted) per year for a year 3-4 CRJ Captain. I may have been the lowest paid CRJ captain on the property, but sitting in an RJ seat for anything more than 40 or 50 hours per month was sending me to an early grave.