Empire Airlines

[fokkers&beer]

DZ Bum, count me in, I'll be in town the second week of Nov and I'll buy the 40's, my Glock is up here in AK though. Hopefully Skydiving guy will join in.

 

[Captain Oveur]

Not too much about Empire on this page....

 

[fokkers&beer]

Theres a bunch on here, just not real pertinent to those not in the loop.

 

[skydivinguy]

Hope to see you when you're in town Fok&beer. We're in a new hanger now after spending the summer in the old T hanger.

Man, did that suck!

To the guy that wants EA info, it's been good to me. Of course, I can only speak for me.

 

[blingair]

Anybody know Ron Gaudier or Ryan Powers email address or phone number? Please PM if you do. Will return favor with adult beverage of choice.
Thanks, B.

 

[ATRCAPT]

Anybody know Ron Gaudier or Ryan Powers email address or phone number? Please PM if you do. Will return favor with adult beverage of choice.
Thanks, B.

Do I have to come to India to collect?

 

[blingair]

Do I have to come to India to collect?

No way man. Drinks for you and all the rest are always free, or at least for the first round.
And thanks to everyone who helped me get their info. Got a hold of both of them and they are willing to help a brother out. Trying to get a exit strategy going. Things are tanking quickly here in India, the land of a thousand smells. Besides lots of flights being canceled and discontinued, the permanent employees (Indians) are getting huge pay cuts. But since we expats are on contracts, we aren't affected, for now. For various reasons, the company and it's pilots don't care for expats and aren't shy of letting us know it. Of course I can only speak for the ATR expats but I'm sure it's the same for the 737 guys and know it's even worse for the wide body foreigners who get paid more and have a better roster than other expats. More salt in the wound. ( The Indians seem more interested in the pilot status as it pertains to the whole messed up Caste system and the bigger the airplane the more status you have. If you have a 1000hrs as a pilot in India you are considered "high time" and they all want the wide body but the insurance companies dont agree so most of the wide body flying goes to the guys with the time, ie expats).
They are angry because we do the "same job for the same money" when actually we fly 6 days a week, are on call 24/7, receive virtually no training, and spend amazingly long periods of time away from our families and a normal life.
The permanent pilots seem to forget the fact that they are some of the highest paid "professionals" in India and receive a ton of extra pay that covers such items as housing, utilities, fuel, cell phones and even casual clothing (non-uniform). Guess they want them to look good at the clubs. Also, they get pretty cherry rosters with tons of sick and vacation leave which they are using to protest the pay cuts.
But, the fact remains that they are VERY angry and their "union" is demanding that the expats be let go before they receive any kind of pay reduction. Doesn't really make sense when you think that expats make up a third of the pilots at Jet Airways, and even more at other airlines. Guess we are a necessary evil. They want to grow but don't have the qualified staffing to take advantage of the now shrinking economic growth. Then they get the pilots on line and resent that they are on their soil.
The average expat lasts for about 8 months and throws in the towel. The longest guy to stay has been here for 3 years, which is absolutely amazing. But you can tell that he's been in captivity for a long time...dudes a little off. So me and two others have had enough fun at the whipping post and are headed home at the end of the month. Theres only so much public whizzing, pooping, spitting, moldy hotel rooms and eating food that you can't pronounce that a guy can take. When you factor in the cost of meals and that you are paid with an ever weakening Rupee, the money is equal to or less than what you make back home especially if you factor in the western lifestyle and family.
Don't get me wrong, it was fun, now thats its over.
B.

 

[fokkers&beer]

I can feel your pain Blingair, the two times I had extended stays (two weeks each, nothing compared to you guys) everything including the coffee started to taste like Curry to me.
I actually like Curry, but couldn't eat it for months after I came home. I couldn't even imagine doing what you are doing.

 

[blingair]

Man, I'll tell ya. I'm starting to get a taste for the food. It's all very simple, starchy food that to me all tastes the same but good. And their curry is much different then in the west. It almost has a creamy texture to it and is mixed with coconut milk. Get that poured over some rice and cucumber curd with some buttered nan, and it aint half bad.
I wish that the company would have given us some "Introduction to Indian Culture" classes or some thing to that effect. Like the aviation training, we we're left on our own to figure out the people, culture and general system. Before I came over I was thinking that I'd be wearing the bindi and attending sweet Beatles style Ashrans but find myself running from hotel to car to terminal and back. It's just too filthy, hot and sweaty out there. Even the so called nice places or resorts areas aren't too pleasant. I went to the beach once. There was a line of constant poo as far as I could see down the high water mark.
Don't get me wrong, some of the people are extremely nice, almost to a fault, but those in higher castes literally push old ladies and kids aside as they come strolling along. It's hard to see it happen and not say anything. Plus they stare, hard! Kind of creepy. They arent used to seeing a 6'2" 300 red head and can't help themselves. You just grin and bare it.
Like I said before, now thats its almost over, I'm glad I did it. If I knew then what I know now would I have gone over? No way. But thats just me. If some one is less of a wimp than me, they might do good over here and pocket some coin. It's hard to tell if its for you until you get here. Thats the problem.
Anyways, wheres my King Fisher Super Strong?

 

[El Piloto Chido]

Just saw on the news- a bunch of luxury hotels have been attacked in Mumbai by "Al Qaeda", or some other bunch of radical bastard, S.O.Bs. They were targeting westerners, and supposedly took a bunch hostage.

I hope like hell no Empire alums got caught up in that sh!t. Godspeed to you guys over there- keep your heads down and be safe.

 

[Juan Trippe]

Just heard/read about the same stuff too! Sh*t!! You guys be extremely careful over there. We're thinking about you.

 

[refplusnone]

Has anyone spoken to any of our Empire guys we have in Mumbia today? I tried making some calls over there but have yet to get a hold of anyone.

Ref

 

[loveflying]

Just got an e-mail from one of the guys over there - he's OK. Scary stuff.

 

[refplusnone]

If the email you are referring to is the one from ND, I just got it as well. Good to get the info about our India guys.

Ref

 

[thunderworm]

makes you wonder if the attacks were done to get expat pilots out of the country due to the natives getting pay cuts. how is india going to atract new guys now.

 

[El Piloto Chido]

I think if the local pilots wanted to 'get back' at an expat- they'd be more inclined to place a wet turd in his flight bag or something.

I'm no terrorist expert, but having been o-seas a little, this has the hallmarks of some Pakistani radical outfit. If it's homegrown, it might be from the lower castes- feeling outcast or something. I dunno.

 

[Gas Man]

He said homegrown.

 

[El Piloto Chido]

roll your own

 

[blingair]

I can personally account for all Empire expats. All good. All safe. The bad guys choose the "swanky" part of Mumbai, which would be the southern tip. This is probably the first and only time when not staying in a nice hotel was a good thing and spared the bros. But, there were several flight crews from many other airlines staying in those hotels and in those areas and the terrorist had been rounding up those fair skinned people with specific passports. Because there is complete saturation on the still on going events, it seems that all flight crews are safe but there are hundreds of people still barracaded in their rooms and active gunmen hunting them down.
As for the Indian pilots, although they want us expats gone, they and the rest of the locals didn't want this to happen and have been very sensitive to these events.
20 gunmen held thousands of people hostage and kills hundreds and I can't imagine how things would possibly be different if law abiding citizens were able to carry firearms and fight back.

 

[thunderworm]

did any cows get harmed? thank goodness no one of the empire guys got hurt. has the airline adressed this situation and said what they plan to do to assure safety of expats. if that can be done.