Cargo Gouge AirNet and Ram Air

[citabriapilot]

I'm a CFI trying to do my homework before I get to 135 minimums. Looking into the cargo side of things. Have a few questions for anyone willing to answer.

I've heard the term "floater" on the AirNet side. What is that?

Do companies like AirNet not like pilots coming on board to build flight time and move on to the regionals?

Ok, this one may be dumb, but I've got to know...working nights for a company like AirNet...how is the QOL? Do you guys have opportunities to "have a life" outside of work. Seems tough to work nights all week then transition to days on the weekends to hang out with friends. Seems like a tough way for a single guy to meet chicks ;-)

I saw that Ram Air works mostly 3pm-10pm. Sounds like a good plan to me. Any ideas on this company? How long would I be stuck flying a single?

If I have 1400 hours TT and 500 hours multi PIC in a Skymaster, is it better to apply to the regionals direct, or still go through freight to build more cross country and a load of multi PIC time?

Thanks

 

[wings421]

At AirNet, the floaters cover runs that are open because of someone leaving, someone being sick, on vacation, training, etc... They are going all over the system and have a lot of variety.

As far as getting your time and getting out, they want you to at least stay a year. When I first applied at the company, that was my intention. After researching things and flying for them going on seven months now, I have no plans on leaving. Like any company, some people want to leave, and some don't like the type of flying but the majority like it here I'd say. Pay and schedule (depending on run) are better than most regionals to start out with. With all of the movement right now, you can advance fairly quick. Plus, you are getting PIC time which is a lot more fun than sitting right seat (not speaking from experience, just perception).

QOL depends totally on your run. If you have a weekend run, it might suck. If you have a ball busting 5 day run, it might suck. But, if you have a Monday-Thursday 8PM-4AM run, it might be pretty good. I like having Friday morning - Monday night off so my QOL is pretty nice. Transitioning to the day schedule on the weekend is the only tough part. Fridays are the hardest.

 

[Sav8or]

If you go to (Sc)airnet don't fall for the bull crap line about it being the hardest flying you'll ever do short of going to war(Craig knows what i'm talking about). The line they feed you the first week of training.
Nothing against any airnet pilot. I know a few and they are really good pilots. but the flying ain't that hard. you fly the same route all the time. You get so used to it that you could put a stamp on the approach and mail it in ahead of time.
Try on demand, where you get paged and have 30 to 45 minutes to plan a flight in bad weather to a place you have never been. If it's quality of life you want... you better think LONG and HARD about what aviation is worth to you and what you would let it take from you.

 

[boxjockey]

I agree with the above post. Flying at Airnet can be challenging at times, but when you fly the same run every night, it makes dealing with severe weather, or whatever, much easier. One of the hardest things was flying 3 or 4 different airplanes in one week. Especially when none of them are laid out the same! Good experience, easy to get complacent, unless you're a floater.

box

 

[FN FAL]

I've heard the term "floater" on the AirNet side. What is that?

Floater pilots are used to fill in for people that are gone off on vacation, sick leave or training evolutions. Floaters can also be used to fill temporary vacancies due to attrition on a particular run...or to staff a new run untill they can fill the position with a bidder or a new hire.

You will find that a floater will be based at one your companies main bases, but will foat throughout the system at your company. At some companines being a floater allows you some better benefits than being based on a run. Our floaters will generally wind up with one week scheduled assignment, one week on call, one week scheduled assignment, one week scheduled off. With that type of set up a floater could work a week, have a week off as un-assigned duty, work a week and then start a week of guaranteed off time. You get some travel pay, can make some money on your milage if you drive the right kind of car and get perdiem on all days you are away from home.

Floating also breaks up the monotony of driving a run to the same two or three airports all the time.

 

[starchkr]

QOL is good here...even with a ball busting run, i still have long weekends, and the transition to days on the weekends is not that hard. QOL is going to be non existent if you do on-demand and have to sit on a pager all the time. Scheduled runs is where it is at...you will always know when you can have time for youself.

As far as the quote about airnet being the hardest flying you will do, well, that goes for all SINGLE PILOT operations where you will be flying into horrible weather down to mins all night long. It has nothng to do with just Airnet, and i believe all of us understand that.

As far as flying singles...for someone like Ram Air as you stated, well, multi is where it is at, and unfortunately it is not centerline thrust multi that employers are looking for. Get as much as you can, and try to stay away from the singles...but hey, you already knew that from day one in your private pilot training right.

Do searches on the board and all the information you could ever want is already here.

 

[CLC]

Ram Air

I was lucky enough to start flying the Seneca for Ram right out of training. Predicting how long you'll be in the Lance is questionable. A new hire (online for 3 days) is going to be training in the Baron next week.

One thing that I would strongly suggest is looking into the maintenance of both companies. I have a few friends that fly for AirNet and it seems they don't have to much to complain about.

Most Ram pilots have the attitude of getting the time and get out.
The pilots at Airnet that I have spoken with seem to want to stay to fly the lear or just skip the regionals all together.

centerline thrust ain't goin' cut it!

 

[jaybird]

If you go to (Sc)airnet don't fall for the bull crap line about it being the hardest flying you'll ever do short of going to war(Craig knows what i'm talking about). The line they feed you the first week of training.
Nothing against any airnet pilot. I know a few and they are really good pilots. but the flying ain't that hard. you fly the same route all the time. You get so used to it that you could put a stamp on the approach and mail it in ahead of time.
Try on demand, where you get paged and have 30 to 45 minutes to plan a flight in bad weather to a place you have never been. If it's quality of life you want... you better think LONG and HARD about what aviation is worth to you and what you would let it take from you.

True, I'd say 90% of the time it's cake work at AirNet. I don't care who you are, anytime you do a 500-1000 rvr TO, shoot a 1800 rvr apch, severe wx flying, or have mod to severe icing all SINGLE PILOT it's not easy.