Florida West International ? The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

[LaGarbage Man]

Interested in finding out if I should be running to or running away.

 

[gringo]

According to their magazine ad they're "The Most Prestigious and Professional Air Cargo Carrier in the US."

Can't go wrong with an ad like that!

 

[Lear70]

Never even heard of them...???

 

[Mad Dog 80]

2 767-300 Freighters, based in MIA, No Union, good people to fly with from what I hear. The trips are out and back. They like to hire locals.

 

[LaGarbage Man]

Until yesterday I had not heard of them as well. They are mentioned on the Climbto350 site as attending their job fair. After 11 mos. on the street cultivating new prospects in this job market is difficult to say the least. I have a feeling that I am preaching to the choir here though. It appears there is little to be learned about them. Movie Quote; " I got a bad feeling about this man"

 

[LaGarbage Man]

Oooppps!!, looks like I spoke to soon.
Thanks for the intel Mad Dog

 

[MCDU]

They have been around a long time. They use to fly a707 or two, which had nice orange, red, yellow and silver paint job.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Flor...0960961/&sid=847fe7ce5b273d1b7a2b6f72642b7d0b

They and millonair were the two 707 operators out of MIA in the 90's.
Lots of money coming in from S. America.

M

 

[CommanderHoek]

Stay away from any operation in Miami, they are all crap! And that Aeroservice Job Fair is a complete and utter waste of time. I can't wait to find out how many will ask for guys/gals to pay for there own training and be placed in a pool. It really is amazing that that nonsense still goes on down on Miami. Desperate people will do desperate things including stabbing there own mates in the back! Trust me I know. Here are the worst:

Falcon Air
Arrow Air
Centurion
Amerijet
Florida West
Miami Air

 

[GogglesPisano]

And whatever you do, never ever sign a training contract. If it were such a great job .....

 

[Lear70]

There was an old joke for a long time about South Florida operators... for ANY type of aircraft or operation. Would be nice to see that trend go away,,,

That said, when you hear "training contract", I agree, run far, far away. Hopefully someone who works at Florida West can shed some more light for those interested, schedule, days off, CASS status, commutability, type of flying, all the things you want to know before you even go interview...

 

[Sonny Crockett]

They used to have an ad in Flying or Flight Magazine of a Chubby lil FAT kid who had his dad buy him a 767 type rating...and he was "hired" at Florida West.

 

[Lear70]

That's helpful, thanks, Sonny... LOLOL

 

[gringo]

Having been *************************ed myself by a MIA based operator, I concur. Unless your last name is "Gutierez" or some other Latino name, you're gonna get screwed...

 

[LaGarbage Man]

Yeah, My (ECAWS) Enhanced Crappy Airline Proximity Warning System was going off but I figured I'd throw it out there to confirm. This ain't my first rodeo so anything from down the MIA is usually pretty suspect.

 

[Bad-Andy]

Hey LeGarbage,

Don't worry, there will be plenty of local guys lining up for that job and for the 767 F/O jobs with Amerijet. So, you just stay up north (in the freezing cold, I might add) and leave the MIA flying to us locals (that just want to come home........). :smash:


(Before anyone thinks this a flame and roasts me, I'm just kidding with the Garbage Man, as is my duty to do to him...)

 

[LaGarbage Man]

Hey LeGarbage,

Don't worry, there will be plenty of local guys lining up for that job and for the 767 F/O jobs with Amerijet. So, you just stay up north (in the freezing cold, I might add) and leave the MIA flying to us locals (that just want to come home........). :smash:


(Before anyone thinks this a flame and roasts me, I'm just kidding with the Garbage Man, as is my duty to do to him...)

Hey your up late or is it early over there I can't keep track. Don't you worry my friend I will leave those big South America bound jets for you.
I am more interested in putting my low altitude skills to the test and make some real money flying in and out of the sunshine state. Pretty sure it would be a short career with some of my P3 buds out chasing me down but it sure as hell has to be more exciting than the chicken pox. Yep the youngest came in to show off all her pretty red dots. Now don't you have to hop on your magic carpet or camel or something and get back over to the airport.
Disclaimer: Hopefully it is obvious that I am not actually interested in the above mentioned low altitude flying position. Truth be told, they probably would not even call me for the interview. To much airline flying, because you know we would not help load the bales. Ooopps, I ment to say the bags.

 

[carl p]

Buddy worked there about 10 years ago, upgrades/furloughs were not by seniority. He was told to move to MIA or be furloughed, and I think they hired current/qualified off the street for the 767 while furloughing DC-8 crews. As someone else mentioned it sure helped if your last name ended in ez. Maybe it has gotten better but I doubt it.

 

[metrodriver]

There is nothing going on there. They thought they had another contract, but that went south. No need for crews for their 1 1/2 aircraft. Almost all their flying is S. America for LAN

 

[dsee8driver]

We recently started flying for LAN and the "rumor" is that since LAN owns 49% of Florida West, that there is internal riff between owners and our flying is going to increase because of it.

 

[WabiSabi]

And whatever you do, never ever sign a training contract. If it were such a great job .....

Florida West et al. aside. There's nothing wrong with training contracts. A company can require their pilots to sign a training contract and it can still be a great job.

 

[Box-Hauler]

Florida West et al. aside. There's nothing wrong with training contracts. A company can require their pilots to sign a training contract and it can still be a great job.

Name 2 companies that are "great jobs" that require a contract. Heck name one. Name one past or present that was "a great job" that required a training contract, I cannot think of one, past present or future, if they require a contract it is because they know you would leave at the first other job, if not why would they make you sign one, and don't give me the same lame old line about training cost.

 

[waazzuuuup!!]

Name 2 companies that are "great jobs" that require a contract. Heck name one. Name one past or present that was "a great job" that required a training contract, I cannot think of one, past present or future, if they require a contract it is because they know you would leave at the first other job, if not why would they make you sign one, and don't give me the same lame old line about training cost.


Couldn't said it better myself!!!!!

 

[PHXFLYR]

There is nothing going on there. They thought they had another contract, but that went south. No need for crews for their 1 1/2 aircraft. Almost all their flying is S. America for LAN

1 1/2 aircraft ???

Got any pictures of that half of one ?

PHXFLYR

 

[unwashed]

Name 2 companies that are "great jobs" that require a contract. Heck name one. Name one past or present that was "a great job" that required a training contract, I cannot think of one, past present or future, if they require a contract it is because they know you would leave at the first other job, if not why would they make you sign one, and don't give me the same lame old line about training cost.

World Airways is one.

 

[GogglesPisano]

World Airways is one.

Been there. "Good," not "Great." Still not worth being an indentured servant for 2 years.

A more equitable arrangement would be a two-year training contract alongside a 2-yr no furlough/fire contract. The way contracts are currently written there's a quid but no quo.

 

[metrodriver]

the 1/2 is the loaner from LAN whenever their own aircraft is in C-check or otherwise unavailable.

 

[belchfire]

A wise yankee from YIP once said "There's no money to be made south of I-10" though I hear he managed to make some-on his terms...

 

[unwashed]

A wise yankee from YIP once said "There's no money to be made south of I-10" though I hear he managed to make some-on his terms...

His terms at the moment are flying "relief" supplies.

 

[WabiSabi]

Been there. "Good," not "Great." Still not worth being an indentured servant for 2 years.

A more equitable arrangement would be a two-year training contract alongside a 2-yr no furlough/fire contract. The way contracts are currently written there's a quid but no quo.

I am there now and it is a great job. Besides, the last 2 years went by quickly.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Eye of the beholder. Half my newhire class moved on.