Hey YIP

[RedGuy]

NO QUESTION ---- I would say "F*C* Aviation" before doing this.

What a way to live..

Why? You don't like to work for a living?

 

[T-REX]

NO QUESTION ---- I would say "F*C* Aviation" before doing this.

What a way to live..

Somebody posted a few months back, "It's the only way to get 15 years expreience in 3 years." Where else is a guy with 1500 hours in 3 years gonna have 1000+ jet PIC with international experience? For myself, even with better pay aside, it sounded much better than being just another guy with SIC RJ time.

Definately not a job for someone currently flying a Gulfstream. But hopefully, it gets the rest of us closer to a job like yours that affords us such perspective.

 

[PCL_128]

Why? You don't like to work for a living?

I don't think anyone minds a little work, but this is just being treated like a dog. You USAJet guys really need to get a union on the property. No professional pilot should ever be treated like you guys are.

 

[RedGuy]

I don't think anyone minds a little work, but this is just being treated like a dog. You USAJet guys really need to get a union on the property. No professional pilot should ever be treated like you guys are.

What's soo bad about the treatment? I don't work for USA but another on demand airfreight out fit. Yeah, sometimes it sucks to be on a short leash, but you learn to live with it, how to still live AND be withing 20min of the airport. Loading your own freight, that's no big deal, so you might get alittle swetty and dirty. I only stay on the road about 1 night a week, the rest I'm home. They run us hard when it's busy, but I don't mind, I came here to fly and make money. So far both have been good. In the last three months I've piled on 400hrs of multi turbin time, where else you going to do that? Would I do this for the rest of my life, no way. But for some one just starting out you'll build time 3 or 4 times faster than at a regional, make twice as much or more, upgrade faster, and above all REALLY LEARN how to fly as a professional.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Why? You don't like to work for a living?

you have to be a complete idiot to work under those conditions.

How many people at these places have lives? a family? hobbies?

To even consider this a career type of job? I cant fathom it. You would become some "freight dog for life" freak....a stepping stone?? sure you bet, many jobs are...but a career? 20 mins to be in the building? huh?

its a job folks, a way to support you family and lifestyle...no?

keep telling yourself its where you "learn how to really fly"...got news for you -- many places WONT hire long term freight pilots because they question WHY someone works under these conditions....can you fly an ILS to 0/0 in broken equpment and for $hit pay, plus fudge the paperwork before the ramp check???? YES OF COURSE!, IM A FREIGHT DOG MAN.....great.

exactly why I wouldn't hire you.

 

[RedGuy]

you have to be a complete idiot to work under those conditions.

How many people at these places have lives? a family? hobbies?

To even consider this a career type of job? I cant fathom it. You would become some "freight dog for life" freak....a stepping stone?? sure you bet, many jobs are...but a career? 20 mins to be in the building? huh?

its a job folks, a way to support you family and lifestyle...no?

keep telling yourself its where you "learn how to really fly"...got news for you -- many places WONT hire long term freight pilots because they question WHY someone works under these conditions....can you fly an ILS to 0/0 in broken equpment and for $hit pay, plus fudge the paperwork before the ramp check???? YES OF COURSE!, IM A FREIGHT DOG MAN.....great.

exactly why I wouldn't hire you.

You've never flown freight. Your on the outside looking in, and you've got it all wrong. I know there's places that won't hire long term freighters and it's because they think like you. Fly an approach to 0/0, never happens, contrary to popular belief we don't bust minimums because we don't want to die either. Matter of fact seems to me I here more about some dumb corporate pilots bashing one in because their PAX presured them into it. Sorry but the boxes never pressure me, we're perfectly happy going somewhere else if the weather is that low. Broken equipment, there's another one for ya. No we won't grond the plane because the ashtray is missing, or in the case of a particular Masaba crew becasue they THOUGHT they might have had a bird strike even though there where NO dents or even bird guts. But we're not flying around in some jallopy where nothing works, this comes back to the we don't want to die either. $hit for pay, that's where your WAY off, I make at least twice as much as a regional F/O. BTW we never fudge paper work, there's no reason to, we follow the ruels too. As far as time spent away from home, I only spend about 1 night a week on the road, I know of alot more corporate and airline pilots that can't say that. I don't have a family, nor would I with a job like this, but most of our Captains do, they deal with it. So as far as I can see the only real hang up is the 20 minutes away and on call, big deal. BTW I never said it was a long term career, I plan on spending a few years doing this, but not the rest of my career.

 

[Fly4hire]

jurrassic,
The 121 side is growing and will be running classes in '06. I've also heard the rumor about wanting 25 airplanes. Upgrade time can be quick especially with the growth going on. The downside is less experience in the cockpit.

I have a couple of contacts who work there, and the quick upgrade is not universal - typically those who are on furlough from UAL, DAL, NWA, etc. that have a lot of jet experience. It's still seniority, however apprently they have hired a number of lower time and turbo-prop F/O's who need a lot more time before they will upgrade them. (Disclaimer - not dinging lower time regional pilots, just the reality of the difference between 10, 15000 hr + , large jet 121 experienced crew members)

 

[rnobson]

I just awakened from a kinda dream where a fr8 pilot works only 10 months a year (takes Jan/Feb off and enjoys the sunshine of "Downunder") Starts back March 1st each year and has all the days off he wants There was a rumor that he earned somewhere in the region of $300,000 in the last 20 months of "on call" You might think that's impossible Of course I couldn't possibly comment !!!!!

 

[CapnVegetto]

How in the bloody hell do you expect guys to get out of bed, get dressed, drive to the field, file a flight plan, preflight a jet, perform all cockpit checks, and get off the ground in 45 minutes???? OMFG. Unbelievable.

 

[RedGuy]

How in the bloody hell do you expect guys to get out of bed, get dressed, drive to the field, file a flight plan, preflight a jet, perform all cockpit checks, and get off the ground in 45 minutes???? OMFG. Unbelievable.

It's accually not that hard. Though my company generally gives us an hour to get off the ground, it's not uncomon to be off in 45. Usually who ever get's to the airport first file's and the other guy pre-flights the plane, the the cockpit check only takes about 2 min, all the rest of the checks are done on our way out to the runway. The hardest part is jumping out of bed at O-dark thirty and rushing in to the airport. Though, it's pretty easy for me since I live within 10 min of the airport it gives me time to shower and get ready. I don't like to start the day without a shower. Other guys that live farther away usually get everything ready the night before so they just have to get dressed and go.