Kalitta Air or Jet Blue

[lionflyer]

I was in a similar situation. I declined an interview with Jetblue for the reason that there was no way I was going to commute to NYC for $40/hr in the 190 with a 7+ year upgrade (at the time anyway). Yes I know they make more now. You get used to the 17 days and being home for 13-14 days straight is nice. The Co pays for your ticket to work so you can live where you want. You'll definitely make more money at Kalitta. My only grip about Kalitta is the 18hr duty days we sometime do (which will hopefully be dead & buried in a few months) and the complete clusterf&%$ that is our scheduling dept. There is no accountabily and it's run like it's 1965. Connie says there is a plan for when he is gone but I don't know. Roll the dice and take your chances. I certainly don't think Doug is cabable of running it. I think we'll eventually be sold or merged with someone because the Co is a goldmine.

 

[PUNISHER]

I was in a similar situation. I declined an interview with Jetblue for the reason that there was no way I was going to commute to NYC for $40/hr in the 190 with a 7+ year upgrade (at the time anyway). Yes I know they make more now. You get used to the 17 days and being home for 13-14 days straight is nice. The Co pays for your ticket to work so you can live where you want. You'll definitely make more money at Kalitta. My only grip about Kalitta is the 18hr duty days we sometime do (which will hopefully be dead & buried in a few months) and the complete clusterf&%$ that is our scheduling dept. There is no accountabily and it's run like it's 1965. Connie says there is a plan for when he is gone but I don't know. Roll the dice and take your chances. I certainly don't think Doug is cabable of running it. I think we'll eventually be sold or merged with someone because the Co is a goldmine.

Just curious why you think Doug is not capable of running K4?

 

[spitfire1500]

Let's see: fly for a sh#tbag outfit with an single owner who could clutch his chest at any moment. Or he might just just get tired of this current set of "crybabies" (his words), or work for a company actively traded in the public forum with real schedules.

This is really a tough one.....

......yea go to Atlas!!

 

[johnsonrod]

I have a FlyI alum who spent 2 years at Kalitta and is now an E190 FO at JB and couldn't be happier.

Seeing the world is nice, but don't think for a minute that you're not going to be out for 18 days straight and spending a good amount of time in the middle seat in coach (at least that was the policy at another nonsked where I did my postgrad work.) That may not be the case at Kalitta but definitely ask.

The majors have pass benefits, better (read easier) training, more egalitarian/automated scheduling protocols, and generally a better culture.

The nonskeds have home basing (nice if you live in small town in the middle of nowhere) and the potential for a lot of fun on overnights. But even a 3-day layover in Honolulu isn't going to be very fun if you miss your kids. You're also dealing with a much smaller company where your schedule and income can be based more on whether you're in the good graces of a scheduler than your seniority (again, I speak from experience.)

In the end you have to ask yourself where you want to reitre.

3-days in sunny HNL? Sounds like a good job if you WANT to get away from your nagging wife and punk kids (joking)... Everyone is different - I guess it is a matter of perspective.

 

[GogglesPisano]

And before anyone corrects my spelling "reitre" is French-Dyslexic-Canut for "retire." :erm:

 

[Victor Meldrew]

The 17 days go before you realize it.
Quite easy to make 6 figures as an FO without breaking a sweat and being an OT whore.
NO PASSENGERS and NO WHINNING FA's (the big plus).
Home based.
No up and down the NE corridor for days on end.
Heavy time with type now from initial hire.
Every part of the world to be seen and get paid for it.
On the subject of pay reasonable rates now but a lot better to come. Talk is 30%+ raise aka Atlas new deal.
Long stretches off.

The list goes on. Been doing this for 5+ years now and wish I'd done it far sooner. At the end of the day only you can decide.

 

[lionflyer]

Just curious why you think Doug is not capable of running K4?

He's not Connie. K2 is also under Connies umbrella even though it's "run by Doug".

 

[GogglesPisano]

Heavy time with type now from initial hire.
.

I notice guys bring that up a lot. The only purpose of getting "heavy time" is to use it to jump ship to another nonsked or an overseas operator. Majors couldn't care less about heavy time, they want PIC and connections and a good attitude.

Again, I think the original poster is looking for a destination, not a stepping stone. And unless he's 21 with a few years to waste, he should be thinking destination.

 

[PUNISHER]

He's not Connie. K2 is also under Connies umbrella even though it's "run by Doug".

Yeah he's definitely not Connie but he brings alot of experience to the table. I highly doubt Connie has time to run K2 for Doug. I think you guys are really under estimating Doug's capabilities. He started at the bottom flying beeches and Lears, working his way up to DC-8 Captain. Since then he has been running his own companies sucsessfuly for the last decade. He has used capital from Connie to get started but the companies have been pretty self sufficient since. Currently owns and operates Kalitta Charters, Kalitta Charters II, Fly a Charter, and DK Turbines.
He definitely has the experience for day to day operations, and he knows how to find cheap airplanes and run a business on tight margins. With a good sales team to help him get new contracts, K4 would continue on as usual. The real question is what would happen to K1 and K2 if Doug takes over K4?

 

[lionflyer]

Yeah he's definitely not Connie but he brings alot of experience to the table. I highly doubt Connie has time to run K2 for Doug. I think you guys are really under estimating Doug's capabilities. He started at the bottom flying beeches and Lears, working his way up to DC-8 Captain. Since then he has been running his own companies sucsessfuly for the last decade. He has used capital from Connie to get started but the companies have been pretty self sufficient since. Currently owns and operates Kalitta Charters, Kalitta Charters II, Fly a Charter, and DK Turbines.
He definitely has the experience for day to day operations, and he knows how to find cheap airplanes and run a business on tight margins. With a good sales team to help him get new contracts, K4 would continue on as usual. The real question is what would happen to K1 and K2 if Doug takes over K4?

I sincerely hope you're right. My gut tells me otherwise. Maybe it's my overall negative experience with airlines over the last decade. K2 would probably be merged. The Lear operation would stay seperate. Anyway, Kalitta Air is better than most despite my earlier gripes. The Co just needs to get out of the 60's

 

[av16]

Doug is more than capable, it would be different no doubt. I no longer work for Kalitta for my own reasons but would not hesitate to work for Doug again should the need arise

 

[airgator]

Was sitting in the Hotel in JFK the other day next to a Connie crew. Counted how many times the word F#ck was used in about sixty seconds (figured he was going for a record) , 16 times this mensa warrior used the word in a place that had children and normal people within ear shot. Everybody in the room kept flashing glares at this idiot and all it did was make him increase his volume.

First off, what "normal" person would bring their children to the Five Towns? Second, I doubt a bunch of cargo pilots were embarrassed because one of theirs was dropping F bombs. Your story is filled with holes.

 

[Guam360]

First off, what "normal" person would bring their children to the Five Towns? Second, I doubt a bunch of cargo pilots were embarrassed because one of theirs was dropping F bombs. Your story is filled with holes.

he has definitely never been to Brooklyn, it is a native word there

 

[kdaforever]

Let's see: fly for a sh#tbag outfit with an single owner who could clutch his chest at any moment. Or he might just just get tired of this current set of "crybabies" (his words), or work for a company actively traded in the public forum with real schedules.

This is really a tough one.....

I opt for single owner type airline. 'cause I can commute one leg,reside at the 5 Towns for 12 days and go home....friggin awesome!

 

[Guam360]

First off, what "normal" person would bring their children to the Five Towns? Second, I doubt a bunch of cargo pilots were embarrassed because one of theirs was dropping F bombs. Your story is filled with holes.

i have done both, I don't miss the domestic stuff, I have my reasons for both.
I don't care about the sims that are nice, so what, I like the paid commute, the home basing and the international flying, and especially the 13-14 days home . Now I don't have to miss a good swell.
Not every place has all things that we want so I like my choice. Jetblue was fun and I liked it. the money is about the same.
G