Finally, an Ameriflight Class Date!!

[ProPilot5]

Started to worry about my existance as a pilot, after 2 years of instructing and 2200 hours with 300 hours multiengine, I finally got offered a position. 103 Cover letters and resumes later, an offer came the other day from Ameriflight! My first commercial flight position after instructing.

Anyone have comments on class, dress (as in what to wear?), length of ground school? I haven't received my package yet. Can I get ahold of study material to prepare before class? or just wait?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Hello!

Can't comment on what to prepare for, but would like to say CONGRATS on getting hired!

 

[fraitman]

Way to go Flyboy2!! You will get all the info, they'll tell you what to prestudy in preparation for the class. It is a one-week class at the Burbank facility, it is a very thorough class. After that, you'll go right into flight training, the Lance I presume.

Dress professionally, not necessarily your best interview suit, but decent slacks, shirt, tie. A year from now, you'll look back and be amazed on how much you have learned from the extensive training and well as the experience of flying the line everyday. Your new-hire packet should arrive shortly, it should have the answers to most your questions.

It is very difficult to get a job with Ameriflight right now, in fact, very difficult to get an interview. You must have made a strong effort in preparation for the interview and impressed them as a mature person who will go out and perform well. As you will find out, you will gradually realize that much of your focus will not be flying an airplane, but doing a good job for the customer as you fly very urgent and valuable cargo. Good luck. And by the way, don't forget to have fun, it's allowed.

 

[embdrvr]

Congrats on getting the job. Now the real work starts. Don't sweat the details about dress code. That will undoubtedly be contained in your packet. Read the packet word for word. Don't be the only guy who shows up not wearing a white shirt on Day 2 if that is what the paperwork says to do. Plan on studying like your job depends on it because it does. If you can get someone with air carrier experience to sit down with you and explain how Ops Specs are structured. This person does not have to be an Amflight person. All Ops Specs are similarly organized whether Pt 135 or 121. I think Ameriflight does both because of the EMB. Lots of good pilots from that company so you've picked a fine place to be.
If you know the airplane you're starting in someone on this board probably still has some Ameriflight ground school material kicking around. In the meantime you can review the AIM, the Jepps intro section, and any good books on weather.
When you're done with all that you can read War and Peace cover to cover, in Russian. It will be tested.
Just kidding. You can skip the AIM review;-)

Finally, be a pro from the beginning. You'll meet idiots at every carrier that routinely break the regs and violate the SOP in the name of getting the job done. Don't be one of them. Use common sense and remember they are paying you to get the freight delivered legally. Do everything you can to get the job done within parameters. Pick the brains of the check airmen and instructors. Don't do stupid things like show up late with a lame excuse. Know your job and the rules that surround it. You should never be in doubt about whether or not a forecast is legal for dispatch and whether or not you need a second alternate. Know that stuff cold.
Focus, that's all I can say. Fly Safe. You're off to a good start. There are ex Ameriflight people at practically every regional and major.

 

[RFtech]

Congrats!

Let us know how the training goes.

 

[SDCFI]

Hey flyboy, do you know when your class date is yet? I was interviewed Jan 21 and was given a Feb 10 class. The 10 year background check is a pain, everything else is pretty straightforward. Maybe I'll see you there.

 

[A36DRIVER]

Congrats.
Your ground will not be that difficult. It will be a great review of weather and IFR etc. The ground instructor is a walking version of the AIM, FAR, TERPS and weather manual. Everyone at BUR is very professional and concerned about your success. When your in ground befriend your roomate and conduct yourself in a professional manner. The packet that will be coming will tell you in great detail what will happen, but if you have any questions call BUR, ask for Jean or Stan and they should be able to answer your questions.
One concept to remember, they did not hire you to be a pilot. They hired you to use your airplane as a tool. There product is to sale time. Understand Managements end of the business and that will make your job much easier. The one who knows the rules the best wins the game. Know your airplane, ops man, airports you serve, and your customers.
At the end of the training period and when you come online remember YOUR THE CAPTIAN.

What base did you ask for?
Good Luck

 

[cruxx@9]

First of all CONGRATS!! on your new job.

It's a tough market and it's good to hear of someone getting a flying job. I remember my first 135 job and the excitment that came with it. Anyway, all of the replies so far have had very good info. I don't know much about Ameriflite, but in general just as the rest have said...be professional! Those old sayings "you never have a second chance to make a first impression" are priceless. Being associated with the training dept. at my airline, I know what I am looking for in a new student. Dress and preparedness are both very important; I am very impressed with someone that shows up in slacks and a collared shirt. I know this may seem like common sense, but it shows me how much the students care and his/her professionalism. I'm not talking a suit by all means but showing up in old jeans and a grateful dead t-shirt is bad marks from day one. (facial hair and ear rings don't usually impress your instructors much either...but that is a whole other thread entirely!) Unless otherwise told so, dockers and a polo type shirt or a button-down shirt with dress shoes are usually acceptable. Being early at class is obviously important. Bring a notebook to take notes and all manuals issued to date. I know this seems very obvious as I said earlier, but you would not believe how relaxed some people take groundschool/simulator training. This probably doesn't apply to you, but a great attitude and effort are also very important. I can deal with a student making mistakes, hell I make them all the time, but it's what you do with them afterwards that counts. Take the training as seriously as you would if it were UPS, FedEx, SWA or where ever it is you want to end up!

Remember you are being judged from day one. Later on when it comes time for upgrades, instructor and check airman positions, management tends to remember everything.

You will do fine I'm sure, and this is probably all common sense stuff that probably doesn't apply to you, just my two cents, from what I've observed in other students (good and bad) at this airline. And just as everyone above has said be professional!

Good luck and Congrats again!
cruxx

 

[hopeful]

Ameriflight requires shirt and tie in class. They have not cought on to the SWA idea of, "a happy employee is a good employee."

I have a friend who worked their several years ago and he said it was pretty humorous the way things were run.

 

[qwerty]

I just started working there. I think it is a great company no matter what you have heard. You should be really stoked. If you care and are not a baby you will do fine. I'll see you there.