IFL Group - Convair 580?

[dickburns]

Yeah I agree, our maintenance is great and that is a big plus too but again listen to mr.redballs! I had some very good friends that started on the convair at this time last year, it took them 7 months to get to their checkrides, not because of their ability, that is weeded out in the first training flight, but because business is so slow there was no approval for them to get checked out and get on line, they realized that the sic time is worth just the same at a regional as it is flying on demand freight. Eventually my friends on the convair all left for regionals and 135 pic jobs mainly because they were sitting around on a 20 minute call out flying less than once a week. The only thing I can say is if the upgrade is a little quicker, i.e. Kalitta, Ameristar, Cherry, or even some type of scheduled of freight, Airnet or Ameriflight and the likes, and you have a personal reason for flying boxes over passengers then yeah youre cut out for freight, the lifestyle is tough, 20 minute call outs and the ultimate, get there and wait! I don't mind the on demand right now because I am so busy in the plane I fly that I overlook the callout time, in the future I really hope to get something scheduled so I can have a little more of a life other than sitting around my 20 minute chain. Again its all personal choices, people will argue about upgrade time, they argue about sic vs pic vs jet vs turboprop, DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, don't let people convince you to go somewhere because of a bad a$$ plane. I remember an old pilot told me, a plane is a plane is a plane is plane, if the job paid right I would be comfortable flying a skyhawk the rest of my life. I would say go to a job where you want, to me a good lifestyle is important. Unless you have nothing holding you down, then do your cost benefit anaylsis and see if a crappy lifestyle will help you get to what your goals are. In the case of working here I feel the crappy lifestyle isn't worth getting on a Convair because you will only fly 2-300 hours a year. Hope this helps you all, again its nothing against the company, the people are great to work with, lots of fun, but is this time going to be beneificial to you?

 

[CMI]

Flying the Falcon for IFL Rocks! How many Fr8 jobs let you fly a glass jet with FMS?

 

[bobs98tlr]

Convair flying picking up much? Can you get hired and switch to the Falcon?

 

[pilotyip]

it would depend upon how hard up they were for DA and CV pilots.

 

[JessMan]

Flying's pretty busy for this time of year. They just hired a butt-load (technical term) of new FO's for the Convair and the Falcon, they hire you directly into the plane you'll be flying, although they do sometimes cross-train (emphasis on sometimes). Not sure if they'll still looking, but you can always shoot them a resume.

 

[bobs98tlr]

Is it gonna take 7 months for a check ride like this time last year? What are the mins for the Falcon? Just curious how much flying is out there for them im pretty interested.

 

[dickburns]

There's no mins really, just whatever they feel like putting you in, last year they were putting guys with the lowest time in the falcons, and higher time guys in cv's. Been away from the loop lately, They hire mainly on who you know there or who has reccommended you, most people get on with considerably lower time than the other freight outfits in the dtw area. I wouldn't waste your time in the on demand industry right now with the movement that is going on in the 121 pax operations. Theyll hire a street captain before theyll upgrade you into the falcon, and for the convair, jess can answer that, haha.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Anyone know anything about this place?

Yeah...my Dad flew a few of their 580's back in the sixties when they had a different paintjob. No shortage of power, to my understanding

 

[falcon20driver]

I don't GODDAM get why ANYGODDAMONE would go to ANY GODDAM ondemand freight outfit when Skywest upgrades are at one year.

 

[Captain Oveur]

Well, geez, falcon20driver, maybe some folks like
freight better better than commuter flying.....don't get so
upset, LoL:laugh:

 

[bobs98tlr]

Maybe because skywest doesnt hire 400hr pilots....

 

[avbug]

I don't GODDAM get why ANYGODDAMONE would go to ANY GODDAM ondemand freight outfit when Skywest upgrades are at one year.

The true beauty of your arrogance is that your approval isn't necessary, to anybody. Nobody hiring into the job cares what you think or understand. Nobody hiring for the job cares what you think or understand. Nobody doing the job cares what you think of understand about it. Beautiful. And a darn good thing nobody needs your blessing, too.

Why choose freight or any other job over skywest? Perhaps some don't like to be underpaid, overworked cookiecutters. Perhaps some don't want to move. Perhaps some like the job they're doing now. Perhaps some actually thrive and enjoy live without your understanding or approval. Hard to swallow, but it's true.

 

[pilotyip]

On-demand has bene's

Actually there are reasons some pilots stay in the on-demand business. I know of a pilot who has turned down an interview at a LCC, so he can stay in at USA Jet. He likes being home, the average on-demand pilot at our place is gone from home approximately 5 nights per month. Unless he wants to sell days off and pick up extra money. Pilots who sell lots of day are gone about 7 days a month. One of DA-20 Capts will get close to a $15,000K check for the month of March. No junior manning, guaranteed home on your days off. Loose your medical for a couple months, stay on the payroll, doing Jepps or teaching ground school. So there are reasons to go to the on-demand business, but you are right, upgrade does take longer, about 2.5 years in the DA-20 and 7 years in the DC-9.

 

[dickburns]

Falcon20driver took the words out of my mouth, you will make more money your first year at an on demand outfit but typically your second year pay at a regional is going to be the same as on demand flying, your third year pass it, especially at IFL, and if the upgrade is running that fast like skywest your pay will be twice if not 3 times as much there than at an on-demand outfit, I'm saying this and I fly on-demand. People just see a jet or a big old turboprop that looks kind of cool and let it go to their head, they don't realize all the extra crap that goes along with it when they're low time. Then when they get older they caught in that on-demand freighter captain trap and can't afford to make a move to a better life.

 

[Wankel7]

I don't GODDAM get why ANYGODDAMONE would go to ANY GODDAM ondemand freight outfit when Skywest upgrades are at one year.

Because Falcon 20's are the best jurasic jets around