Avantair Info

[mainiac]

Bleed air in the main wings and oil cooler inlet, electric for the forward wings, the tail does not have any anti ice because it apparently doesnt make ice, due to the heat cone produced by the engines. Props also no anti ice because exhaust from the engines. The only boots on the plane are on the engine inlets because the cowlings are carbon fiber.

Thanks, I couldn't see the leading edge heated area in the pics.

 

[myrealnameis]

You cant tell because they are painted. I know, its an Italian thing........but it works pretty good.

 

[flyboy'sfriend]

I've heard that the tail collects ice under certain conditions, and that Avantair mantainence is pretty lousy, stuff breaks alot and they often have a good many planes down due to mantainence on any given day.

 

[myrealnameis]

Yes the tail does collect ice.........sitting on the ground on a cold wet day or night. Unless your NASA and actually did the icing studies I would like to see your facts. I have flown this aircraft in icing conditions many times and never experienced control problems. As for lousy maintenance...........hey its an Italian airplane made to fly 10 hours a month not 10 hours a day. Avantair maintenance does a hell of a job, especially considering that the aircraft have to go to maintenance every 150 hours for inspections. Maybe that is why you may see aircraft in maintenance all the time. To call our hard working mechanics lousy...is way off base. You sir are misinformed.

 

[Autoparts2]

Pay

Not to change the subject but waht is the payrate for extended days on a volunteer basis with Avantair.

Thanks

 

[Dilligaff]

flyboy'sfriend,

You put way too much trust in the rumor mill.

One big problem that we had was getting parts from Italy. Avantair told Piaggio to fix the problem or they will go elsewhere. Piaggio has since been coming through. I totally agree with myrealnameis about our maintenance and you are talking through your outflow valve.

Autoparts2,

We get paid time and a half for overtime.

Dilligaff

 

[angryoneincher]

I've heard that the tail collects ice under certain conditions, and that Avantair mantainence is pretty lousy, stuff breaks alot and they often have a good many planes down due to mantainence on any given day.

Avantair's MX dept is the worst in the industry as far as I'm concerned and I know plenty- see it firsthand all the time. The ones that do know what they're doing either leave or get fired which is typical of this company. Avantair is mickey mouse operation at this point that is run by unethical people.

 

[myrealnameis]

Avantair's MX dept is the worst in the industry as far as I'm concerned and I know plenty- see it firsthand all the time. The ones that do know what they're doing either leave or get fired which is typical of this company. Avantair is mickey mouse operation at this point that is run by unethical people.

And your work there??

 

[angryoneincher]

And your work there??

I'm either a pilot, office person of some type, MX, or one of the lousy clods who run the place, and the latter seems unlikely, now doesnt it?

 

[avman]

I agree oneincher. Too many people that cared, gave a hoot, or told the truth are no longer there. They either left, canned, or blackmailed out with no recorse. There are rumors I have to check with a source to disclose that would blow your mind about Avantair.
Pilots should not sacrifice respect or dignity just to fly....Avantair will tell you to give up both!

 

[citationsarejun]

i do not work at Avantair but i bump into Avantair crews on the road all the time. Without hesitation they say it is a great place to work and that the company tries hard to take care of the pilots. It is where I will apply for a job if I ever leave this place. They tell me it has changed alot in the last couple of years. Just saw a crew yesterday who told me the pilots elected their own commitee and that they will have serious input. There are always a couple unhappy pilots anywhere. Like I said I dont work there just repeating what I have heard from at least 10 crews. Very few negatives.

 

[angryoneincher]

I agree oneincher. Too many people that cared, gave a hoot, or told the truth are no longer there. They either left, canned, or blackmailed out with no recorse. There are rumors I have to check with a source to disclose that would blow your mind about Avantair.
Pilots should not sacrifice respect or dignity just to fly....Avantair will tell you to give up both!

Thanks for agreeing, but it would take alot to blow my mind about Avantair. I've seen every sleezy thing go down here that there could be. But I'd love to hear your story. As far as things getting better, that may be true as far as pilot pay, but the fact that so many good people fell along the way, especially a couple of good friends who paved the way for these changes, makes the whole thing bittersweet.

 

[angryoneincher]

I agree oneincher. Too many people that cared, gave a hoot, or told the truth are no longer there. They either left, canned, or blackmailed out with no recorse. There are rumors I have to check with a source to disclose that would blow your mind about Avantair.
Pilots should not sacrifice respect or dignity just to fly....Avantair will tell you to give up both!

Thanks for agreeing, but it would take alot to blow my mind about Avantair. I've seen every sleezy thing to down here that there could be- lying, covering up illegal stuff, backstabbing, you name it. Par for the course when sleezeballs run a company, I guess. Things may be improving for the pilots as far as pay, but the fact that so many good people that paved the way for that and are no longer here to enjoy it because of management ego makes it bittersweet.

 

[angryoneincher]

oops

Didnt think the first one went through because I got an error message. Didnt mean to repeat myself.

 

[angryoneincher]

i do not work at Avantair but i bump into Avantair crews on the road all the time. Without hesitation they say it is a great place to work and that the company tries hard to take care of the pilots. It is where I will apply for a job if I ever leave this place. They tell me it has changed alot in the last couple of years. Just saw a crew yesterday who told me the pilots elected their own commitee and that they will have serious input. There are always a couple unhappy pilots anywhere. Like I said I dont work there just repeating what I have heard from at least 10 crews. Very few negatives.

What do you think they're going to say? Management told the pilots that they are going to be spot checked up to ten times a year- could be another pilot, could be an owner, could be your neighbor- to see what you say about the company. Of course they're going to say things are fine. This company is desperate to be seen as a player.

 

[citationsarejun]

don't want to get into a battle over this. they seemed pretty geniune. they saw me fly in so I can't imagine they thought I was going to perform a spot check. Like I say there are unhappy pilots everywhere.

 

[flyboy'sfriend]

I think there is a definite caste system at Avantair, you're either an "A" list pilot, or a "B' list pilot, alot of how you're treated depends on what list the management decides you should be on. Has nothing to do with skills, or proficiency, has everything to do with the right backround and how well you kiss up to management and wear the "East Coast" Corporate face, has everything to do with how you play the yes man game, and/or your resume credentials. They pull some things on some pilots they would never do to others, not everyone is treated equally, that accounts for the difference in oppinion. The threat of firings for speaking out against the company sways many to keep it to themselves, also the fact that they are on the job and are responsible for "selling" the company's services, they don't know who you are or even whether you know anyone in circle of management at Avantair.

I've heard of many pilots who came in with great attitudes and got burned by the managemnet so many times. Those pilots would have stayed indefinitely with the company if the management treated them differently, ran the business better and didn't constantly dangle the carrot and never come through, like they're doing now by the way. The way the mangement acts in no way reflects the type of image they are trying to manufacture and project, they have succomed to real sleezy, bottom of the barrel business practices that have been maybe expediant, but have no longevity or longterm payoff for the pilots, owners or the company as a whole.

Organizations that operate the way Avantair does usually do because it is the way of doing business from the top down. Any CEO who is a semi to full hands on leader would not allow the kinds of things that have gone on there unless he fully supported it, everything from the scheduling dept, to the old DO, to maintenance, to forcing unsafe flight practices, to not coming through financially for the pilots when promised, the list goes on, all had to have had the approval up the chain.

Maybe the new changes there will make a difference maybe not, it is yet to be determined. The firings of late still weigh heavily against them, the root of the problems is within the management structure and their business operations theories, until that gets changed the same things will continue to happen over and over again.

It all lays at the feet of the CEO and the managers, it's not the pilots or their attitudes.

 

[Diesel]

Why do the planes go in every 150hrs for mx? A rolling mx schedule? Or is it an inspection of the prop or control surfaces?

Still looks like a cool plane. Allways wild to hear one at 410 though.

 

[angryoneincher]

I think there is a definite caste system at Avantair, you're either an "A" list pilot, or a "B' list pilot, alot of how you're treated depends on what list the management decides you should be on. Has nothing to do with skills, or proficiency, has everything to do with the right backround and how well you kiss up to management and wear the "East Coast" Corporate face, has everything to do with how you play the yes man game, and/or your resume credentials. They pull some things on some pilots they would never do to others, not everyone is treated equally, that accounts for the difference in oppinion. The threat of firings for speaking out against the company sways many to keep it to themselves, also the fact that they are on the job and are responsible for "selling" the company's services, they don't know who you are or even whether you know anyone in circle of management at Avantair.

I've heard of many pilots who came in with great attitudes and got burned by the managemnet so many times. Those pilots would have stayed indefinitely with the company if the management treated them differently, ran the business better and didn't constantly dangle the carrot and never come through, like they're doing now by the way. The way the mangement acts in no way reflects the type of image they are trying to manufacture and project, they have succomed to real sleezy, bottom of the barrel business practices that have been maybe expediant, but have no longevity or longterm payoff for the pilots, owners or the company as a whole.

Organizations that operate the way Avantair does usually do because it is the way of doing business from the top down. Any CEO who is a semi to full hands on leader would not allow the kinds of things that have gone on there unless he fully supported it, everything from the scheduling dept, to the old DO, to maintenance, to forcing unsafe flight practices, to not coming through financially for the pilots when promised, the list goes on, all had to have had the approval up the chain.

Maybe the new changes there will make a difference maybe not, it is yet to be determined. The firings of late still weigh heavily against them, the root of the problems is within the management structure and their business operations theories, until that gets changed the same things will continue to happen over and over again.

It all lays at the feet of the CEO and the managers, it's not the pilots or their attitudes.

Great post. Anyone who thinks that Avantair management is in any way genuine and not scum who think only of themselves should read the above post again and again so they don't forget what kind of people run this company.

 

[angryoneincher]

Organizations that operate the way Avantair does usually do because it is the way of doing business from the top down. Any CEO who is a semi to full hands on leader would not allow the kinds of things that have gone on there unless he fully supported it, everything from the scheduling dept, to the old DO, to maintenance, to forcing unsafe flight practices, to not coming through financially for the pilots when promised, the list goes on, all had to have had the approval up the chain.

There's bound to be problems at a company when the CEO is pathological liar, not to mention a wannabe pilot and a "schmuck."