Gemini Interview ?

[HA25]

I personally know 3 that were hired with ZERO turbine PIC time. 2 of them into the MD-11. One didn't even have an ATP. I would love to work for a company like GAC. I'm young (relatively), single, want to see the world, and have no problems being out 17+ days straight. I tried when they were hiring in the summer/fall of '05, then again at the end of last year. Sent resumes, had two friends that work there write me letters. Heard nothing.

Thing is, I have no PIC time, lots of glass/FMS SIC, just no PIC. I would think they would ACTUALLY like that, because I would not be able to go anywhere anytime soon.

Check your PM

 

[B747FR8DAWG]

5 Towns Chatter

Just ran into a Gemini guy at the 5 Towns, and he was asking me about employment opportunities at Atlas. He's been there for a relatively short time, but had nothing really positive to say about the company, the positive was that he flew with a great bunch of guys, but said that there was a lot of attrition over there. Not trying to Flame you guys (we got our problems at Atlas) but just want the low down at GAC?

 

[flypixs]

Interviewed there about a week ago. Just wondering if anyone there knows about how long it takes to hear something one way or the other. They said it would be for a first week of July class. Haven't got the thanks for playing letter yet so I guess I still have a chance.

Hey,
Just wondering if you ever heard back from GAC? PM me if you get a chance.
Thanks

 

[md11driver]

tj, Fedora is one of our senior CAs who actually CARES about where his company is heading. Like myself, you haven't been here that long, and you don't know the history of the company. Put your self in the shoes of someone who's been there 10 years, and in his late 50's (UPS isn't so practical), that has watched his fleet size halved in his tenure, and watched his management miss opportunity after opportunity to grow it.. He's far more vested in this place than you or I, so try to see it from his view, and not the view of an excited new hire. I was there too, so I'm not judging you, just giving you insight into why some people will have their criticisms. You'll soon be on the line, and you can make up your mind for yourself.

good points from both of these guys, if you're a new hire it's exciting but I dont believe the company offers the financial rewards necessary to remain happy in the long run. You do end up with a type on your cert but so what? with no PIC time it's useless. Did it for a year and left for NJA, different lifestyle but definitely a place to retire from flying.
Good Luck with your decicions

 

[2LT]

Huh?

good points from both of these guys, if you're a new hire it's exciting but I dont believe the company offers the financial rewards necessary to remain happy in the long run. You do end up with a type on your cert but so what? with no PIC time it's useless. Did it for a year and left for NJA, different lifestyle but definitely a place to retire from flying.
Good Luck with your decicions

Don't tell UPS that...

About the money, you're spot on...very little pay, no retirement, etc.

 

[metrodriver]

posted by q100:
Do you want to fly for a company that treats its people pretty well, have reasonable time off in long chunks, see the world, and fly big, modern, well looked after but not necessarily shiny jets? Can your loved ones stand to have you away from home for over two weeks and for the occasional month at a time (perhaps that's what they want!)?

The first point is debatable, especially when you ask the folks that have been here more than 2 or 3 years.
The chunks of days of are reasonable. Most folks though are looking forward to 2 weeks on / 2 off. Any reduction from the current 17 days would be a start. Good thing about Gemini is that they don't keep you out after your tour is over, although lately there have been quite a few instances of that happening. Not a good thing.

Seeing the world: yes, from FL290 or higher in the nighttime. Rest is often during the day (like the miami flying) back in MIA, you spend your time locked up in a compound (Lagos, Chennai, Bengladesh) or 12 hrs rest at an intermediate stop (Nairobi at the end of an 16-18hr duty day). We do have days off in Europe of which a big part you sleep away, either resting after a flight or resting before a flight. Playing tourist for a day in Brussel or Milan is not bad, compensation for Lagos or Bengladesh I guess.
The DC10's are not modern anymore. 30 years old and counting. The 3 GPS units are nice, better equipment then those of the competition in MIA. Maintenance is in the eye of the beholder. Quite a lot of AOG's of late could have been prevented if maintenance figures would have listened to crews, and acted on that. A proper supply of spare parts (APU's anyone?) would solve a lot of problems too. Sending a plane for weeks into Africa without an APU is asking for trouble.

A family that can miss you for a long time is nice. Don't see it that much. Reason for the high devorce rate?

 

[AMDFlyer]

posted by q100:
Do you want to fly for a company that treats its people pretty well, have reasonable time off in long chunks, see the world, and fly big, modern, well looked after but not necessarily shiny jets? Can your loved ones stand to have you away from home for over two weeks and for the occasional month at a time (perhaps that's what they want!)?

The first point is debatable, especially when you ask the folks that have been here more than 2 or 3 years.
The chunks of days of are reasonable. Most folks though are looking forward to 2 weeks on / 2 off. Any reduction from the current 17 days would be a start. Good thing about Gemini is that they don't keep you out after your tour is over, although lately there have been quite a few instances of that happening. Not a good thing.

Seeing the world: yes, from FL290 or higher in the nighttime. Rest is often during the day (like the miami flying) back in MIA, you spend your time locked up in a compound (Lagos, Chennai, Bengladesh) or 12 hrs rest at an intermediate stop (Nairobi at the end of an 16-18hr duty day). We do have days off in Europe of which a big part you sleep away, either resting after a flight or resting before a flight. Playing tourist for a day in Brussel or Milan is not bad, compensation for Lagos or Bengladesh I guess.
The DC10's are not modern anymore. 30 years old and counting. The 3 GPS units are nice, better equipment then those of the competition in MIA. Maintenance is in the eye of the beholder. Quite a lot of AOG's of late could have been prevented if maintenance figures would have listened to crews, and acted on that. A proper supply of spare parts (APU's anyone?) would solve a lot of problems too. Sending a plane for weeks into Africa without an APU is asking for trouble.

A family that can miss you for a long time is nice. Don't see it that much. Reason for the high devorce rate?

It appears from APC that GCO just renewed a long term contract with Alitalia, does that mean that the flying in Italy will intensify? Will the Milano Malpensa destination will see an increase in GCO flights? Can anybody in Gemini elaborate on the subject?

Thanks

 

[metrodriver]

we did not have a contract with Alitalia, so tell me how it can be renewed. We do fly for another Italian cargo company and if that contract will be renewed then that would be wonderful

 

[AMDFlyer]

we did not have a contract with Alitalia, so tell me how it can be renewed. We do fly for another Italian cargo company and if that contract will be renewed then that would be wonderful

...just reading what was written in another website, my apologies for the mistake. How much longer left on the Cargo Italia contract and how many chances to renew it?

 

[Atccfi]

Does Gemini have any J/S agreements with other airlines? Do you get to keep the hotel points/ airline miles for your travel? Thanks.

 

[Atccfi]

Does Gemini have any J/S agreements with other airlines? Do you get to keep the hotel points/ airline miles for your travel? Thanks.

I wanted to edit the last post, but for some reason it won't let me.... so as a follow up on that last post, how about ID 90's or Zed fares on other airlines? Thanks Again.

 

[dhc8drvr]

You get the points, no zed/id90 fares, CASS participant.

 

[Atccfi]

You get the points, no zed/id90 fares, CASS participant.

Thank you for the reply. Out of curiousity, what does being CASS participant do? Do you have an agreement with airlines to Jumpseat, or what is it used for? If so, who do you have agreements with? Thanks again.

 

[dojetdriver]

Thank you for the reply. Out of curiousity, what does being CASS participant do? Do you have an agreement with airlines to Jumpseat, or what is it used for? If so, who do you have agreements with? Thanks again.

GAC has been on the reciprocal list at both the airlines I have worked for. I imagine they are probably on most others as well.

As far as CASS goes, it allows the pilot to physically occupy the jumpseat on a flight operated DOMESTICALLY on another airline. Cannot occupy an offline jumpseat leaving or entering the U.S.

 

[Atccfi]

GAC has been on the reciprocal list at both the airlines I have worked for. I imagine they are probably on most others as well.

As far as CASS goes, it allows the pilot to physically occupy the jumpseat on a flight operated DOMESTICALLY on another airline. Cannot occupy an offline jumpseat leaving or entering the U.S.

I guess I should have posed the question in a better way. I know what CASS is, I just didn't think there were any J/S agreements so I couldn't figure out what it would be used for.... thank you for the info.

 

[dhc8drvr]

As a GAC Pilot I can jumseat on any other CASS airline. If they are non CASS then I guess we would have to have a reciprocal agreement. Is there a specific airline you concerned with?

 

[Shifty]

hired

Hey guys,
I got the call today. Aug. 6th class MD-11. Looking forward to a great time and Cya online.

 

[Atccfi]

As a GAC Pilot I can jumseat on any other CASS airline. If they are non CASS then I guess we would have to have a reciprocal agreement. Is there a specific airline you concerned with?

How about USairways or even Continental? Can you Jumpseat international on them as well? I under the impression you would have to have an agreement wether an airline is CASS or not..... Thanks.

 

[Fedora]

Congratulations, Shifty. Welcome aboard!
As far as jumpseating goes, it seems we can jumpseat easily enough, although Gemini buys me a ticket to wherever I need to go, and I get the sky miles and the American Express points for all my flights, so I can take the wife anywhere I want using miles and points. Personally, I find very little need for jumpseating. When I do, AirTran usually puts me right up in businesss class when they have a seat available. Jumpseating to and from work is not authorized at Gemini.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Fedora,
I'm curious. Who did you fly the CV990 and CV880 for? I remember seeing them at JFK when I was a kid. American ,Delta and TWA,later on Modern Air Transport. Neat looking airplane.

Phxflyr

 

[Fedora]

Hi PHX!
I flew a converted Convair 880 as Chief Pilot for a contractor at Patuxent River NAS. The 990 rating came with the territory like the B757 and B767 as a similar type. It had a KA-3 tanker package in the aft baggage compartment and we "passed gas" to the FA-18's and F-14's at the test center. Because of it's speed, they mounted a lot of telemety gear in the back and we chased Tomahawk cruise missiles and did some other stuff I'll not talk about. 880's and 990's still hold some of the trans-continental speed records, mainly because of the 250 kt below 10k rule, but it was truly a unique experience. The aircraft I flew started out belonging to the FAA as an MLS test platform, and was "sold" to the Navy for a dollar.
Seven years of some great flying ended in 1993 when the Navy retired her to ground testing. Lisa Marie in Graceland is one of the last preserved 880's that I know of. There were a bunch in Mojave, but I think that they're gone now.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Sounds like you did some really interesting flying. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Read somewhere that most pilots referred to them as the best 4 engine fighter they ever flew.

PHXFLYR

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

Hi PHX!
I flew a converted Convair 880 as Chief Pilot for a contractor at Patuxent River NAS. The 990 rating came with the territory like the B757 and B767 as a similar type. It had a KA-3 tanker package in the aft baggage compartment and we "passed gas" to the FA-18's and F-14's at the test center. Because of it's speed, they mounted a lot of telemety gear in the back and we chased Tomahawk cruise missiles and did some other stuff I'll not talk about. 880's and 990's still hold some of the trans-continental speed records, mainly because of the 250 kt below 10k rule, but it was truly a unique experience. The aircraft I flew started out belonging to the FAA as an MLS test platform, and was "sold" to the Navy for a dollar.
Seven years of some great flying ended in 1993 when the Navy retired her to ground testing. Lisa Marie in Graceland is one of the last preserved 880's that I know of. There were a bunch in Mojave, but I think that they're gone now.

Fedora,
Something like this?
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1092846/L/

 

[bobs98tlr]

Fedora- Random question, do you have a younger brother that lives just outside of Chicago?

 

[Fedora]

Thanks for the link, ATR-DRIVR! Yep that was the jet! I should submit the photos I have with 18's on the hose.
I didn't want to mention the part where they blew her up during testing. It was a great machine.
We joked about flying a pair of F-4's in close formation. The CJ805 engines were basically J-79 engines without the afterburner. Many are still in use in Navy turbine powered ships and as Alaskan pipeline turbine powered pumps. In a standby status, they start and go to 105 percent in sixty seconds under a full load. They also swallowed birds without so much as a hickup and a few nicked blades. BTW, that photo is a great shot and one of the few I don't have!
No younger bros here, Bobs98tlr. I was the baby of the family. I've lost track of some of the guys that I flew with there. Thanks for the interest, guys!
Regards,
Walt

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

Glad to help!! More great shots there also!
Wish I could have seen it up close!

 

[HA25]

Hey Walt.. we'll miss you man! Lets keep in touch.

that C880 was a good looking plane, and very fast I recall... almost as fast as the X.

 

[dojetdriver]

Hey Walt.. we'll miss you man! Lets keep in touch.

that C880 was a good looking plane, and very fast I recall... almost as fast as the X.

You leaving the G-spot already?

 

[HA25]

You leaving the G-spot already?

yup. PM me if you need more info.