ATI, Info

[Heavy Set]

trips vary. open rsv you can get a mix of anything. But the scheduled international trips go very senior. Best bet to fly international is to stay on open rsv.

How do you like freight/mail flying vs. pax flying? Are the DC8s well equipped? Are pilots hired into the FO position?

 

[V2plus25]

All I know is they're trying to hire 8 FO's right now.

 

[DC8-PFE]

Potential FNG's worried about international trips? That is quite a laugh. You got to do your turn in the barrel in Toledo. I've sat behind some of you new guys fresh from the commuters and elsewhere on your first overwater crossing. It's a bit scary. I've beenwith one you new guys who've rarely crossed one or two time zones on his first trip to africa. Absolutely amazed that the captain is trying to gt the exchange rate for dollars to doobers down as low as he can, while waving fistfulls of money at the ground handler, and I'm bribing the fuel truck driver with a case of coke, so that he can find our fueling authorization. It's a different world. The aircraft are as well equipped as an 8 can be. But remember we are dragging this thing screaming into the 21st century. Only a basic autopilot. No fancy bells and whistles. Just the engineer politely asking you "What in the F***k are you doing?". As for hauling boxes versus paxs...Are you frigging kidding???? That doesn't even need a reply.

 

[Reebo]

Potential FNG's worried about international trips? That is quite a laugh. You got to do your turn in the barrel in Toledo.

Does the company pick up the tab while you sit in the hotel on reserve? You guys still stay at the Clarion?

 

[DC-8_FR8]

you pay for nothing.

 

[Victor Meldrew]

Potential FNG's worried about international trips? That is quite a laugh. You got to do your turn in the barrel in Toledo. I've sat behind some of you new guys fresh from the commuters and elsewhere on your first overwater crossing. It's a bit scary. I've beenwith one you new guys who've rarely crossed one or two time zones on his first trip to africa. Absolutely amazed that the captain is trying to gt the exchange rate for dollars to doobers down as low as he can, while waving fistfulls of money at the ground handler, and I'm bribing the fuel truck driver with a case of coke, so that he can find our fueling authorization. It's a different world. The aircraft are as well equipped as an 8 can be. But remember we are dragging this thing screaming into the 21st century. Only a basic autopilot. No fancy bells and whistles. Just the engineer politely asking you "What in the F***k are you doing?". As for hauling boxes versus paxs...Are you frigging kidding???? That doesn't even need a reply.

Are the good old days of being a LM on the 8's in Africa - $$ bills, cartons of smokes and a lot of shouting just to get them to do anything!!

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

Ahhhh the good old days!! Having to lay on the floor of the van from the airport, HKNA, to the hotel!! Bribing the ground crew with the chocolate bars from catering, using my own AMEX for fuel, watching the fireworks from FL210, hoping we were high enough, enroute to HSSJ early in the morning, coming back in the afternoon and seeing all of the burning tanks and trucks.
T/O and LDG on all the fun Red Cross strips hoping they got all the mines out.
Yeah, the good old days!!

 

[speedbird1974]

How much time do you spend away from home? Is it two weeks on and two weeks off?
Also, what are the updgrade times?

 

[Floyd94]

I'd also like to know more, I've been trying to get on with these guys for the last year.

 

[haulingthemail]

It's like this, first worry about getting the interview not the upgrade. It's a long time before you upgrade with only 3khrs. Second schedules, theres a mix of time on and off. If you are worried about being gone 2wks, then any heavy freighter job you wouldn't like. Stay with the commuters if you like your 2 on 2 off stuff.