ASTAR Applications and Interview Prep?

[DC3PLT1]

Hey ALL!!

Getting prepared for Astar. Going to get the FE written completed and a friend is going to walk my resume into the appropriate folks.

Do you complete an app. prior to the interview or is it completed in the interview?

How have the interviews gone and what's the news from this end on hiring in the future?

Thanks in advance for all your responses.

 

[DC3PLT1]

Anyone??? I hear a possible class in DEC.

 

[FreightNazi]

You're welcome.

 

[hvydriver]

I haven't heard of any classes planned till after the first of the year.

 

[psysix]

What's the upgrade time?

 

[hvydriver]

Upgrade time would be measured in multiple years from SO to FO, unless there is a miracle, and our fleet is doubled. We've got guys with 6 years that are 90 numbers out from right seat.

 

[psysix]

Why is the upgrade so slow? Are you merging with ABX?

 

[rjforlife]

And also how many retirements do you have in the next few years
Thanks

 

[hvydriver]

There are some retirements, nothing large scale though. No merger with ABX is planned, as far as we know. With both airlines flying for DHL now, it isn't too likely that there will be any additional a/c to allow for new hires.

 

[scarface]

There hopes of potential hiring at ABX next year. Resumes are being accepted but applications aren't being mailed. Life cycle of a resume is in the two to three months timeframe. This info current as of last Friday; it was passed officially and not generated, amplified and fictionalized at the cafeteria.

 

[psysix]

What about all the fighting between ABX and Astar over who's at fault for the hub beins so screwed up? I heard that Astar is going to be buying ABX.

 

[GoABX]

Why would Astar buy ABX? The float is 58 million shares @ $8.00 plus a minimum premium of 20% equates to a sale price of $600million.

To do the deal cheaper, you would accomplish the same thing if ABX bought Astar by transferring the Boeing loan into their name and tripling Dasburg's money and giving him $45 million to go away. Much cheaper. You can put whomever you want in charge of the new company.

In either case the ACMI poison pill stipulates DHL must approve any transaction.

But what have you accomplished either way? The only thing ABX gains is Astar's more higher margin ACMI deal with DHL. If DHL wanted this, they could renegotiate with ABX. Otherwise they are only buying antiquated equipment similar to what they already have. (Cargo doors on old 72's are not that valuable). Either side is facing a refleet in the future. The only real goal that is met is reducing the duplication of having 2 of everything. What is the true incremental cost of having Astar...who knows? But if it were truly that big the cheapest way is to shutdown Astar and pay Dasburg his annual guarantee or have ABX give Daz a one time lumpsum.

 

[steamgauge]

What's the airline by itself worth? For some reason, people think Dasburg wants the trucks and the sort.

Steam

 

[psysix]

I heard that DHL was going to allow Astar to buy ABX to finally get the sort running efficiently.

 

[rotor&wing]

rhoid??? you've come back??

 

[LarryinTN]

Yep, it's Rhoid. Little doubt about it.

 

[Lucky Strike]

What's the address to send resume' to for DHL? I sent one to them recently, only to have it returned...unable to be delivered?

 

[LarryinTN]

There is no "DHL" airline in the US. You'd want to apply to either Astar or ABX. ABX is not hiring at the moment, maybe next year? Astar may be hiring, they've had some recent classes. Both airlines are currently short in many of their seats so hopefully there will be some hiring in the near future.

http://www.astaraircargo.us/

http://www.abxair.com/

 

[Lucky Strike]

Thanks...that's how far out of the loop I am.

There is no "DHL" airline in the US. You'd want to apply to either Astar or ABX. ABX is not hiring at the moment, maybe next year? Astar may be hiring, they've had some recent classes. Both airlines are currently short in many of their seats so hopefully there will be some hiring in the near future.

http://www.astaraircargo.us/

http://www.abxair.com/

 

[LarryinTN]

I see that the pilot recruitment page is difficult to find from the main link which I listed. Here's the direct link.

https://www.abxair.com/flightweb/unsecured_pages/pilot_hiring.htm

It gives the mins and address for when they start recruiting again.

Currently 16 still on furlough but 11 of them have bypassed recall so there might not be much more than five who will return. They might have to have fresh new hires in the first class--whenver that might be.

 

[goastar]

Resources

Lucky strike, go to airlinepilotcentral.com. Look under "airlines". Good resources for your hunting.
Good luck.

 

[rican]

Anyone else in the hiring pool for ABX? Just wondering how many of us there are and if anyone has gotten a call or heard anything.

 

[LarryinTN]

I know that there are some in the hiring pool but don't know how many. I'll see if I can find out. Those poor guys have been 'swimming' for almost five years!

 

[rican]

Thanks for checking. I can't believe it's been 5 years. It would be sweet if you guys started hiring early next year. That's about the time I'll be furloughed.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Thanks...I'll check it out.

Lucky strike, go to airlinepilotcentral.com. Look under "airlines". Good resources for your hunting.
Good luck.

 

[mamba20]

Does DHL put you at FE or the right seat to start?

 

[LarryinTN]

Does DHL put you at FE or the right seat to start?

Once again, there is no "DHL" airline in the US. It is either Astar or ABX Air.

Astar's recent new hires have gone to the panel. Last I heard it currently takes about seven years to hold the FO seat. They have no PFEs but do have 60+ yr old pilots who have moved to the panel but I'm unsure as to what percentage of the FE seats are filled with "retreads" (no offense intended) and what percentage is filled by new-hires. Astar has no two-pilot airplanes so my guess is that they will be putting new-hires into the FE seat for some time. Perhaps an Astar guy can fill in more details.

ABX air has only one airplane type that uses an F/E, the DC8. The DC8 fleet is down to 15 to 18 airplanes. The majority of the FE's are PFEs with only four SO's left on the panel. The latest rumor that I heard was that they were going to upgrade those four to the DC9 after the first of the year and then have no intention of putting anymore "pilots" on the panel. ABX has the option for retiring pilots to go back to the panel but it isn't very attractive and there must be openings, which they haven't been, so we haven't had any "retreads" in quite some time and wouldn't expect any in the future.

The big question mark for both companies is what is DHL going to do over the next few years? Some think that there will be some kind of consolidation between the two airlines, others think that one will grow while the other shrinks. ABX Air has 13 B767s on order but no announcement as to how they are to be used. If they are additional airplanes then there will be a lot of growth. If they end up replacing the remaining DC8s then we're just treading water. One would think that over the next five or ten years all of the DC9s, DC8s, 727s, and A300s will be replaced. If, how and when that happens will make all the difference.