Gemini Info

[B190Captain]

I recently been notified for an interview for Gemini. Any info on pay, QOL, medical insurance etc?

Thanks in advance.

 

[2LT]

"G" spot...

Pay is as advertised:

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/cargo/gemini.html

QOL depends largely on your current 'living' situation, etc. You'll spend 12-14 days on the road --sometimes more depending on if you get back-to-back months-- followed by 14 or so days off. Folks on the -10 --from what I heard while I was there-- seemed to have it a bit worse off than everyone else. E.g., lots of reserve only lines, etc. However, last couple of bid periods have been mainly reserve for the -11 guys too. In any case, you're home based which is a significant 'plus' for most.

Fogrunner should be able to give you more specifics...good luck!!

 

[30West]

Pay is correct. Lines are 17 days, pack for hot and cold weather because you never know.....
Anywhere from 11 to 16 days in a row at home. Home basing.
Hard lines/reserve lines aren't too important because even a "hard" line can get shuffled and you can end up somewhere else sitting reserve right in the middle depending on operational needs. (What Miami reserve line would be complete without a trip to Lagos?)
Sometimes you can get extended for a day or two but in 2 years so far it hasn't happened to me. Also have never been called at home so you don't have to worry about answering on days off.

Rumor mill has been extra busy recently regarding 747-400's as the growth vehicle.
Every airline has it's warts, and this is no different.
Overall it is what you make of it. Great bunch of guys in the cockpit.
Get your shots up to date and hop on!

 

[B190Captain]

Thanks for the reply. I am curious to know what a first year fo can expect in terms to pay based on that sort of schedule without per diem? What is atypical 18 day trip there?

Thanks in advance

 

[porra]

first year count on $45HX65Hrs=2925X12=$35100
On the 10 side of the house your lines are built for 17days a month.
Like other posts you might start your pairing flying Africa and finish in Alaska.
Alot of rumors about 747's A330's or even 777's.
Been here a little over 2 years and got back to back to times and both times in Europe, over 30 days on the road.
Minim. of 11 days off/month.
Old pay scale was not bad, new one S@cks...
Upgrades, who knows how long it will take.
Parking the 10's but no new airframe coming on property yet.

If your looking for heavy time international, not a bad place to get experience. Whatever you decide good luck...

 

[fogrunner]

Thanks for the reply. I am curious to know what a first year fo can expect in terms to pay based on that sort of schedule without per diem? What is atypical 18 day trip there?

Thanks in advance

There is no typical 18 day trip. Last month I started in Chennai India and finished up in Toronto Canada. I recently transitioned from the 10 to the 11.

At the moment all hiring is being conducted into the 11. Training consists of 2 weeks of indoc in Dulles and 4 weeks of FTD and SIM usually in Long Beach, having said that the current new-hire class is in the SIM in Helsinki. Training pay is $50 a day and hotel. If you go to Long Beach for training the company also provides a rental car for each crew.

My medical insurance is $115 a pay period for family coverage.

QOL. Depends on what you are looking for and what your expectations are. Yes, you could end up doing a back to back. That is a long time away from home and quite frankly a few spouses will not put up with that. the caveat to that is you can parlay that into back to back time off which could equate to 30+ days off in a row. The current schedule is built around a 17 day line. So the most days off you will receive in a given month (31 day month) is 14 days. In Feb it was 11. 17 +11= 28days. Some will argue you will get more ie 15-16 days off. This is true with in the cycle not the month.

I can't comment on potential new a/c acquisitions, having said that there are some interesting things in the works.

Upgrades. No one ever knows. You can only ever look back, you cannot predict the future. I do not care where you work. New hires at US Air in 99 were being told a 5 year upgrade. The most Jr. Captain at Gemini has been here 6.5 years. He upgraded a year and a half ago.

 

[Rook]

fogrunner thanks for that breakdown of life at GAC. Very informative.

 

[fogrunner]

Medical Insurance for family coverage is $121 a pay period and $17 for dental.

 

[Fedora]

Nicely done Fog!
I look forward to flying together again in March.
B190 was more accurate with his typo on "atypical". There is very little typical about the schedule. If you have an India, China, and Ghana visa, then plan on going to those places for sure Last month I started by commercialling into Chennai, India. The other places were Istanbul, Milan, Mombai, Dehli, Amsterdam and JFK jsut in time to sit out the JetBlue fiasco trying to get home.
Other points I can think of:
a 401K program (supposed to have company match, but that seems to be on a permanent freeze)
Union dues of 4.8% begin second year
a prepaid medical savings account that is pre tax withdrawn. (good for uncovered medical expenses throughout the year)
Vacation is 7 days plus 12 days you can "wrap" around the vacation days as you wish.

Some of the best doggone flight crews in the industry! I've been a few places before this, and the people here are truly good folks that you will enjoy flying with. In the past, Gemini was very good at weeding out most of the jerks. We spend a lot of time on the road together, and it really helps to have folks you can live with if you know what I mean.

I just got back from 30 days out of country, but will now have 29 days off. Tough when you're gone, but nice to have extended time at home!

Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[Kikuchiyo]

Minor question, but for the flight all the way to India, please tell me you're in Business Class?

 

[767pilot]

4.8% union dues??????

 

[fogrunner]

Minor question, but for the flight all the way to India, please tell me you're in Business Class?

Absolutely. I sat across from him over the Atlantic.

4.8% union dues??????

I think it should be 1.98%.

 

[C-5 MEM]

I start INDOC on Friday, I will see what its all about at that time.

C-5

 

[30West]

Minor question, but for the flight all the way to India, please tell me you're in Business Class?

By contract flying into or out of the Indian or African sub continents is business class.
The only caveat is the wording "if available". You may also waive the business class in exchange for 25% of the fare difference in cash up to $200. I don't ever do this because I'm pretty sure the other 75% never finds it's way back into the pot.

 

[Fedora]

Oops, sorry for the typo. Fog, thanks for fixing that! I'll try to edit and correct the post! Yeah, 4.8 sounds more like a sales tax! Sheesh!
BTW, B190 needs to add another zero to his minutes flown.
Yes it was business class,thankfully. If you go to MD-11 sims in Helsinki, it will probably be back in steerage.
Congrats C-5 Mem! See you on the line someday!

 

[C-5 MEM]

I am curious. What are the colors GAC uses? Silver or Gold on your uniforms?

Thanks for the welcome Fedora.

C-5

 

[Fedora]

United uniform without the hat and striped tie, essentially.
Very narrow silver stripes.

 

[B190Captain]

Thanks for the input. Does the medical kick in first day of indoc? I got 2 kids that need med coverage.

 

[Fedora]

Employee handbook says "You are eligible for coverage on the first of the month following your hire date."

 

[B190Captain]

Thanks!

 

[metrodriver]

Fedora, I didn't know the stripes on the 11 were silver. On the 10 they are gold. Or are yours faded in the african sun? Or color blind?

Talk about changing destinations. In Miami with the flight plan loaded to go to Santiago, Chili do we get a phone call with the question if we had brought winter gear. Of course not! Allright, go back to the hotel, get your stuff and check out. We need you to go to....... Toronto where it is snowing and awful cold, followed by a little hop to JFK. Spend the night there and go to ORD next afternoon. The departure to ORD happened just when the ice storm hit JFK (and Jet Blue). We were on the plane for 19 hrs to do a 1.5 hr flight. After 12 hrs we finally got a small meal and some (diet)cokes delivered, but apparently water is a scarce resource in JFK. No koffie, no way to wash hands (the not-so-potable water had been drained because of the temps).

I hear all of you: why not go back to the hotel??? Because they were all full with stranded folks, even the five clowns!

Good thing boxes don't riot, something that couldn't be said for the guy in charge of shipping these boxes. No, not the captain, the customer rep!

 

[Fedora]

Thanks, Metro! By golly you're right! They are gold! My spare set is in plastic and are definitely more gold than my "working" set. Time to swap them out I guess! LOL. Apologies for the wrong info, folks.
Sorry to hear about the ordeal on the aircraft. I got there the night of the 14th just after they opened 31L. They did have a room at the 5 clowns, and the next day I spent 12 hours in the JetBlue terminal trying to get out on one of the few flights they flew that day.
I'm glad to see us flying to Santiago again. That is a nice trip. I hope they make it up to you.
Waldo

 

[metrodriver]

I hope they make it up to us. I just hope it won't turn into the usual why-didn't-you-pull-the-plug argument we see every month, if something comes out of this. Where do you go if there is no place to go?
I wouldn't be surprised to see the 11 go to Santiago once in a while. The outfit the 11 is flying to Quito for goes quite often to Santiago.....

 

[HA25]

Just to add my $.02.. (and btw, nice to see you here Fedora.. and hello again Fog!)

I'm sitting in YYZ getting ready to start IOE.. originally was planning YYZ-FRA, but due to a schedule change by Air Canada, we're now doing the YYZ-YHZ-VIS-FRA, followed by 27 hours rest, then FRA-YYZ..

I've met with the check airman, and they're a great bunch of guys, and so far my every interaction with one of the pilots, training dept, etc has been a positive one.

This is a small, and relatively young company with lots of potential.. but it could go either way.. stagnation, or growth.. I don't see it getting worse however. Cargo business is too hearty.

 

[2LT]

Frankfurt

I did my IOE out to LAX and FRA from YYZ -- fun town. Fido's is a good local place to eat -- and, there's a Starbucks down in the hauptbahnhoff. Have fun...

 

[ATRCAPT]

There are no less than 5 Starbucks within walking distance of the Haupbahnhoff. Darn near as bad as Seattle.

 

[LaidOffAgain]

Hey not to change the subject, but is Randy Pitts still working there? Got hired back in 2003 time frame and went right seat of the DC10. Lost contact one or two moves ago. Please PM if you don't mind. Would like to get a message to him. Thanks LOA

 

[HA25]

Hey not to change the subject, but is Randy Pitts still working there? Got hired back in 2003 time frame and went right seat of the DC10. Lost contact one or two moves ago. Please PM if you don't mind. Would like to get a message to him. Thanks LOA

Not on my latest seniority list.. sorry.

 

[LaidOffAgain]

Not on my latest seniority list.. sorry.

Thanks for checking!! LOA