Flight Express Info...

[rickyrhodesii]

Hey all...i'm new to flightinfo...sent over from another forum...

I'm really interested in working for Flight Express, but i have a few questions i haven't been able to find through the forum search.

From what i understand, Flight Express has hubs in Tampa, Nashville and St. Louis and many other "bases". When you get hired on, do you choose where you'd like to fly out of?

Where do you live...say if you had a family? Do you live in the hub city and commute to the base/domiciles every day?

What is the average day/or week life as far as scheduling goes?

thanks for any responses!

 

[bobs98tlr]

Honestly im not to sure about your answers so ill refrain from saying anything. However, like the next guy to post i would recommend a search on flight express. They have been talked about many times on here. That will get you answers faster then waiting for a response.

 

[martincfi]

welcome rick.

ive been flying for FLX for almost a year now, and its a very good place to build experience, upgrades are a lilttle too slow at the time but in general its a great company to work for.

we have our headquarters in orlando executive, and 2 more big bases in tampa and nashville, the we have scattered many other outpost and small bases, as st louis, jacksonville, opa locka, lunkin Ohio, jackson Mississippi, etc...you can check the website for all the places we operate to and from

when you get hired, you still need to do and PASS the groundschool and checkride, during that time (1 week usually) operations will say which bases "are and could" be open for when the checkride is done, now in the written test you have in the groundschool, the highest score gets to choose from "that list they give", the second highest score picks second and so on so on...
however, things change so rapidly that you could end up being sent to the opposite side of the country from where you chose according to your score....so they will tell you in the phone interview...come to ground school with your luggage "ready" to go "anywhere"....during ground..they pay for the hotel and also pay you 75 a day....so the deal is very good as you see

if you have a family you can request to be sent close to where you live...but then again it all depends on the need of the company, if at the beginning you are sent far away...they will try and do their best to have you come back closer.....they are pretty cool with tath.....but you have to have patience...

schedulewise, all runs are different in duty time, flight time and accordingly pay....expect to make in the low 19K to the mid 20K a year depending on that. i tell you what i do so you have an idea...i go on duty at 1530 and off duty at 0300....flight daily between 4 and 5 hours...and a "lot" of layover time doing nothing, but gettin paid of course.....

i hope that answer your questions and if you have more feel free to keep asking....FLX is a great company to work for as i said before....

i saw in your profile....that you have a ppl and 70somthing hours? is that right? i'm sure you know the minimus for part 135 operations are 1200 total time with different requirements in between, xc, night, instruments, etc...

well...anything else i can help you with...let me know

martin

 

[rickyrhodesii]

Thanks martincfi...this is exactly what i was looking for.

As far as my hours go...i'm looking to finish my ratings and certificates and do some instructing and then onto flying cargo.

 

[Art Vandalay]

Here's the short story, PM for specifics if you would like:

FLX will initially base you where they need you. This could be as far south as Opa Locka, as far north as Cincinnati Lunken, or as far west as Kansas City. New hires tend to get the runs no one else wants. These seem to be Jackson MS or Tampa FL, but it varies month to month. However, the DO will work to get you the base/run you desire, and this usually happens within a month. Sometimes, they will cover the hotel the entire time you are at your first base, but this depends on the situation.

Most runs are day runs. However, they can vary from a 4 hour duty day with 2 hours flight, to a 14 hour duty day with anywhere from 2 hours flight to 8 hours flight. Most longer days (11-14 hr duty days) involve a long layover which you are paid (hourly) for. This is where FLX's pay scales works well for the pilot.

Baron upgrades (I guess it's an upgrade?) are still about 6 months if you are flexible. Most Baron runs are in Nashville, so if you want to live there, you can get into the twins sooner. Also, FLX does have housing in BNA and CPS that is free for the pilots. It is similar to dorm life, but free nonetheless.

Maintenance is excellent. With any 135 company, as soon as a discrepancy is noted, the airplane is UNAIRWORTHY. This could be something as trivial as paint peeling off a cowling, or as major as a wing missing. Once written up, the airplane doesn't fly. You will hear horror stories of 135 freight companies pushing pilots to fly unairworthy airplanes with maintenance issues, but I never had that happen at Flight Express.

Finally, you will fly through bad weather. Fortunately, FLX also owns a company named "Flight Ice" that designs, installs, and certifies TKS systems on many different piston and turbine powered aircraft. I found this system to be a breath of fresh air from most 135 operators. Central Air Southwest also uses this system. However, you as the PIC, make the decisions on cancelling a flight, diversions for weather, flight planning, etc.

For more information, contact Gary Hillyer, the Flight Express pilot recruiter. He can be reached at (407) 895-0453, extension 613.



Art V.

 

[yzf6]

and if anyone needs a job they're still taking people for the classes starting this monday (nov 28th) and dec 12th. give gary a call and pm me so i can get the referral fee

 

[Boris Badenov]

austincollins.com

The above is the website of the director of training, and has a huge amount of info for the propsective pilot. If you're planning on going, you'll be sitting pretty if you go through the documents there and learn what you can ahead of time. Pay particular attention to the flows, you'll be expected to use them all verbatim in the airplane. For groundschool, concentrate on basic part 91 instrument flying stuff, the 135 will be taught in class.

Good luck.

Regards,
Boris

 

[aviatrix]

you'll be expected to use them all verbatim in the airplane.

"Positive rate on two instruments, clear of all obstacles, out of usuable runway....Gear up (hummmm, clunk)" Gosh.....I almost miss it!

You'll get invaluable experience flying at Flight Express! Stay sharp......the weather can be treacherous! But all in all, it's a fair place to work and company people are pretty cool!!!

 

[yzf6]

out of usuable runway....Gear up

gear in transit! austin would be dissapointed.

 

[rickyrhodesii]

I noticed on Flight Express' pilot senority list there was less than 60 pilots. How long do most pilots stay? Is it possible to make Flight Express a "career?" Just curious...

 

[Boris Badenov]

A lot of guys seem to stay 4-8 months. Then there's another group that stays for twin time, so something around the year to year and a half mark. I think the #4 guy on the seniority list has been there for 3 1/2 years or so and I think it's far from decided for him whether or not to stick around. So I guess that leaves three guys who are confirmed "lifers". This is all just my observation, so don't take it as gospel fact.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Are there really lifers at Flight Express?

 

[yzf6]

2 of those 3 are the CP and dir of training, but i think #2 has been here nearly 10 years. i guess he would be considered a lifer.
it's rare for someone to stay over a year. after 6 months here i'm halfway up the seniority list.

 

[wildfreightess]

#4 on the list will never leave because he knows I want his run.

 

[rickyrhodesii]

#4 on the list will never leave because he knows I want his run.

So lemme make sure i got this right. If you're the last man on the roster, you get whatever run that is left? So your run/route could potnetially change every month/bidding peroid? Would this mean you were living out of a suitcase for your first few months?

Now, say if you were in the middle of the roster, you get to pick the run you want, and no one below you can get it? This way you would have more of a stable "schdule?"

How often do the upper level guys switch thier runs?

Sorry, for all the question...but i love the fact that i can actually talk with the pilot's of Flight Express!

 

[rickyrhodesii]

Are there really lifers at Flight Express?

Was that just a silly question? Why would you not want to work for a company if they treat you good and the pay isn't bad...or is not possible or desireable to live off the pay?

What would your pay look like the year running a C210 route?
What about a Baron route after the first year?

Thanks in advance!

 

[icefr8dawg]

Do you guys have a run out of ILM? I saw a the 210 there on Friday, it actually didn't look too bad for a freight bird.

 

[Boris Badenov]

How bidding works is at the moment kind of a black art, as far as I can tell. The story from Orlando is basically "if you want something, tell us, and we'll see if we can get it for you. Subject, of course, to our needs at the time." In theory, a more senior pilot can "bump" you from your run, I think. In practice, I've never seen this happen. This is largely because the more senior pilots already have runs they like, but also, I suspect, because there is no clearly defined "bidding" process. This is not a regional, where you sit down with your laptop and see what your seniority will hold. When I moved to my current base and expressed an interest in a certain run I was told "you can plan on that, but the pilots sort of work out who flies what on their own". Make of that what you will (I got the run I wanted, woe is me). Generally, once you have a run you want, you will not be removed from it. That being said the first month or so you could be almost anywhere. Mostly places other pilots have decided they do not want to be. Jackson and Birmingham seem to be extremely unpopular, for example.

I've never heard of a guy high on the seniority list changing his run. But again, since the process isn't exactly "transparent", I can only speak for my base.

As to pay, it's totally dependent on duty time. You can do five short legs in a row and make $19.5k/year, or you can do 2 legs and sit around all day and clear $34k your first year. Take this under advisement when choosing a run. Pay does not, to my understanding, go up a great deal, although there is some sort of raise after a year. Baron are paid the same basic rate as 210 runs, under the (accurate) theory that multi time is its own reward and you'll be moving on soon anyway. Also, baron runs tend to be shorter, so try to put something in the bank while you're on the 210.

 

[millhouse21]

That's a true statement. Most baron runs pay less than the typical 210 run so you'll take a pay cut to "upgrade." Of course, nobody's holding a gun to your head to go fly the baron. When I was there we had a belgian dude in CPS who had just upgraded to the baron after flying something like 3000 hours in the 210. He had waited so long that he actually got a well paying run. He still lived in the hangar, though!! It was 2 years ago but my guess would be that he is still there...

 

[rickyrhodesii]

Thanks for your reply Boris

Jackson and Birmingham seem to be extremely unpopular, for example.

What's wrong with those two cites? I'd love to work in either of those two routes....expecially Birmingham!

As to pay, it's totally dependent on duty time. You can do five short legs in a row and make $19.5k/year, or you can do 2 legs and sit around all day and clear $34k your first year. Take this under advisement when choosing a run.

How could you fly 2 legs and sit around all with making $35k a year? Would that be longer run? From what i've found, pilots are paid $10/hour while on duty. So do you get paid per hour or by the route?

Thanks!

 

[Aviator]

Do you stay at the airport during a longer layover or does the company provide a hotel like Ameriflight?

 

[ClippedWings]

Do you stay at the airport during a longer layover or does the company provide a hotel like Ameriflight?

Lazy Boys in the local FBO.

 

[Boris Badenov]

The Belgian dude is definitely still there. Still lives in the hangar too. Still cooks like a maniac and still likes to drink and smoke a nice cigar on the weekend. Good guy, if you can get past the "Americans this americans that" schtick.

To answer your question, the hypothetical 5 leg run would be constant flying. I've never actually seen that one, but I started on a three leg run that paid minimum and you never really sat around. Now I'm on a 12 hour duty day run and 9 of those hours are spent cooling my heels. Net result: More money, less work.

 

[yzf6]

The Belgian dude is definitely still there. Still lives in the hangar too. Still cooks like a maniac and still likes to drink and smoke a nice cigar on the weekend. Good guy, if you can get past the "Americans this americans that" schtick.

good description! every night there was the HUGE salad and 2 hours of running around the hangars. good guy though.

icefr8dawg, no run at ILM that i know of, unless there's one out of nashville going there.

 

[yzf6]

What's wrong with those two cites? I'd love to work in either of those two routes....expecially Birmingham!

i've been to birmingham a couple times and it actually seems like a decent place.
jackson, however, i won't be too dissapointed if i never go there again. 2 weeks was plenty. nothing to do there, and the whole city is located within the bad part of town.

How could you fly 2 legs and sit around all with making $35k a year? Would that be longer run? From what i've found, pilots are paid $10/hour while on duty. So do you get paid per hour or by the route?

since there's so many different runs in the system, you'll find some like that where you fly a couple hours, sit around all day, then fly back home. pay is the same whether your flying or sleeping in the pilots lounge.

you get paid based on what the route says, or how long it actually takes you, whichever is more. say the run is supposed to take 10 hours, but your couriers are early and you get back in 9.. you still get paid for 10. the next day you've got weather delays and it takes you 12 hours.. you get paid for 12.

So lemme make sure i got this right. If you're the last man on the roster, you get whatever run that is left? So your run/route could potnetially change every month/bidding peroid? Would this mean you were living out of a suitcase for your first few months?

once you get a run it's yours. someone higher than you can't bump you off the run that you've been on for 2 months because they suddenly decided they want it. tough luck for them, they have to wait until you don't want it anymore. there's exceptions, but that's usually how it works.

 

[Beechnut]

Gary Hillyer hired my in 1999. I thought he went to Airtran. Did he go back to Flight Express or never leave? Is Ernst still the D.O. down there?

S.

 

[ClippedWings]

Gary went to Air Orlando flight school for a couple of years as the marketing director then went back to Flight Express (once a freight dawg always a freight dawg). Ernst is still there.

 

[millhouse21]

There are normally no overnights at Flight Express and therefore, no hotel. You are back at your base after up to 14 hours of duty. If the FBO has couches, great. Sometimes the FBOs get a little upset by all the freight dogs dirtying up the lazyboys and eating all the popcorn, though. One of my friends had a long (over 6 hours) sit at SGF and the FBO had banned all FLX guys from going in there. Some kind of spat with the company. Sucked for him.

The good news is that if you're lazy, you can find a 13 plus hour run with 2 legs and spend 11 hours sleeping in the FBO and being paid for it. I think there were a couple of those out of CPS and they typically went to senior 210 guys. I was LIT based and had all my sits at CPS in the hangar watching TV and listening to the Belgian guy bitch about Americans and George Bush. Good Times.

 

[Boris Badenov]

I'm the lucky inheritor of the SGF run, millhouse. They still allow us to stay just long enough to check the weather. Then it's off to our own devices. I hang around the terminal and use the wifi. Obviously.

 

[needapayraise]

I'm the lucky inheritor of the SGF run, millhouse. They still allow us to stay just long enough to check the weather. Then it's off to our own devices. I hang around the terminal and use the wifi. Obviously.

Do you buy gas at the FBO? Why do they treat you like that? When I was flying cancelled checks, I always made it a point to be on good terms with the FBO's that were on my route. I never had a problem with them treating me any differently than any other pilot. In fact most FBO's I dealt with back then told me that they liked us better that most coporate operators as all we needed typically was just fuel and didn't need our a$$es kissed by them like some corporate pilots and passengers did.