Avantair - Still Hiring? How's it going?

[On Your Six]

I have a good friend who flies a King Air 200 and is interested in this fractional. I've read the previous posts and it sounds like a good outfit - although the pay (like all fractional operators) is quite low. Naturally it is experiencing some of the expected growing pains (scheduling issues, too few pilots, etc.).

So, I wanted to know how things are going - is Avantair still adding airplanes? How many newhires expected in 2005? Any new pilot bases? Do the pilots fly throughout the country or just regionally? And finally, how do you like flying the P-180 (best and worst features)?

I parked next to one at HPN a few days ago - very stylish looking... Looks like a fun ride (although a little tight up front).

 

[hyper]

How is it? You pretty much answered that in your post.


Growth; busting at the seams. Can't get enough aircraft fast enough for the shares being sold. Many customers from other fracs looking for a "better deal".

Pay: Lowest in the industry. Progress has been slow in that area, cutbacks have been made. Hopefully they'll start favoring investing in their existing pilots when the attrition rate due to pay persists. Oh wait.......this is aviation. Scratch that one.

Schedule: 7/5......looking for that to improve to 7/7 when we get enough captains on line.

No idea on hiring numbers. Bases still RNO, PIE, CDW. Fly anywhere we can get to.

The Avanti is a very "too good to be true", capable aircraft. Fast, quiet, roomy, economical........and sexy. It will bite you if given the chance, like most slick a/c.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

How many of them do you have? Seen them in quite a few places. Pretty nice cabin. What is the pay? Thanks.

Mr. I.

 

[psysicx]

Do you have to live in base?

 

[hyper]

14 or so Piaggios now. Pay...all the other fracs have us beat.

 

[eglpilot]

is it single pilot?

 

[Kingairrick]

Never single pilot.

 

[Ill Mitch]

Good buddy of mine works there. He loves it. Last we talked, they were hiring dudes, but they want them to be a quick upgrade to captain. BTW: He was hired at 3000TT, 500ME, maybe a couple hundred turbine and an ATP.
He doesn't live at his base (he is about 4 hours away). Apparently they don't care, just be were you are supposed to be on the appointed day and they are happy (from what he told me....so don't quote me on that).