Avbase

[n5374f]

Does anybody know anything about Avbase, how are they to work for etc...

 

[350DRIVER]

Stay away. Take a guess why they are always hiring every few months?. You got it, speak to a few of their former pilots and you will pass on this without a second thought. A board search should also do the trick. Fred Kirby is a very nice guy, just a sh!tty operation and work rules that leave a lot to be desired. Take it for what it is worth.

good luck

 

[aeronautic1]

Old News

Kirby has been gone for a few months now.

 

[350DRIVER]

Kirby has been gone for a few months now.

Where did he head off to?.

 

[Annamarie]

Avbase Warning

Do not go there unless you want to lose your sanity. They are down to 2 a/c right now. Contract pilots only come back for a second helping if they are in real need and even then they have had regrets. I know that place all tooooo well.
The mgmt is the worst and the lead flight support person (there are only two now because they have gotten rid of everyone else one way or another) is a real @#$%^*!. The $ situation is something you should investigate before venturing in.
Fred Kirby retired.

 

[aeronautic1]

Annamarie

And you got fired from Avbase for what reason?

 

[Flyingdutchman]

hiring aliens I think. They are only allowed to hire Indians like you amigo

(couldn't resist there my new big friend ! can't you feel the luv?)


FD

 

[Annamarie]

I left like most people do there. It is hard to believe one place could be so difficult. The people I feel sorry for the most are the pilots. They are the only true value to that company and DePalma doesnt provide for them in the least.

 

[aeronautic1]

How bad is it really at Avbase? What aircraft do they have on certificate and where is their crew base? Do they hire foreign pilots? I know Dutchdoor is looking.

 

[Annamarie]

Well, I know of 3 contract pilots who are still waiting to get paid 8 or more months later! Not to forget the vendors that will never be paid.
But, mostly they do not treat ANYONE like they are human.
There are things you wouldnt believe that go on there. All I can do is discourge others from finding out the hard way.

 

[Annamarie]

Answers

I forgot to answer your questions. They are based in CLE. They have a Lear 45, Lear 31, Hawker 800XP, Citation III, (2) Gulfstream 200, and maybe another a/c. The Hawker is already crewed by the owner. The G200's are in based in seperate places. The Lear 45 and 31 are in CLE. Citation III is based in N.J.
The pilots that work there are professional and wonderful.

 

[aeronautic1]

Do not go there unless you want to lose your sanity. They are down to 2 a/c right now. Contract pilots only come back for a second helping if they are in real need and even then they have had regrets. I know that place all tooooo well.
The mgmt is the worst and the lead flight support person (there are only two now because they have gotten rid of everyone else one way or another) is a real @#$%^*!. The $ situation is something you should investigate before venturing in.
Fred Kirby retired.

In your original post, you stated they are down to two aircraft. Now you say they have more than 2? Which is it. Also, what was the story about flight support sending a $1200 catering order to the arrival airport instead of the departure airport? OUCH!! You were in flight support, where you not? Where did Meric go?

 

[Annamarie]

I was referring to a/c that was actually flying. Everything else was either down for mx or owner wouldnt let it fly.
The flight support person on duty the day you are referring to had worked +17hours straight that day and 16 hrs the day before. SOP @Avbase.
Meric went to Flight Options.

 

[aeronautic1]

Sounds to me...

... that it sucks to work in Flight Support at Avbase. Where are you working now Annamarie and how are the conditions there?

 

[Annamarie]

Work

I'm at Shuttle America. It is wonderful here. I love it. Dispatching RJ170's!
Avbase never paid for o/t and consistantly would not pay pilots for hard days off that they worked.

 

[aeronautic1]

Fly on hard days off?

... never heard of such a thing. However I did hear that they lure you with a 6 and 4 flight schedule that never materializes. Also heard that the current "flight support" has turned into "customer support" and little support for flight crews are provided (e.g. weather routing, flight planning, dispatch). Sounds like they are on the skids. I too have heard from past/present pilots that the corporate environment there is not a happy place.

 

[Annamarie]

hard days off

Flying them is not the issue. Getting paid for them is. Everything you said is true. They used to be flight support when Meric and I were there. But towards the end, John DePalma felt he wasnt getting the max out of the pilots. So, he started shaving back on what flight support was supposed to do for them.
When you hate paying people to work for you but you have to, you find ways to abuse them as much as possible.
I dont know what else to say on this subject. I hated it there and I am glad I am free.

 

[PlaneStupid]

Annamarie, does the 31 still belong to Bettcher Ind?

 

[LJDRVR]

I used to fly with a great guy that went there. If anybody knows where Richard Locke is these days, drop me a PM. (I lost his cell #, last I heard he had moved up to CLE.)

 

[rettofly]

Succession Plan?

Flying them is not the issue. .
When you hate paying people to work for you but you have to, you find ways to abuse them as much as possible.
QUOTE]

This guy sounds like a candidate to replace Boisture at NetJets!