Mountain Air Cargo

[CrimsonEclipse]

How do they get you to the floater base? Jump seat, airline you out? Do you have to relocate? How long before you get assigned a permanent base?
Thinking about applying so I'm trying to get a feel for the QOL.

You drive. You're supposed to live within 1 hour of your floater base. Then you fly an airline to where you are needed.

You bid on an open line. If a run opens up, bid on it and it's yours until you quit, are fired, or the run ceases to exists. Both come open regularly. Some people actually PREFER a floater position. Ask during the interview.

As for QOL, search for Mountain Air Cargo or MAC.

Lotsa info on this forum and many others.

CE

 

[brokeflyer]

yet again another stellar operation.....go work at Wendy's....you'll be better off.

Back in the day I was in dispatch there, as they began computerized flight & duty, they "asked" me to change the times in the PC to make sure they were all legal.

NOT!!!

 

[luckyman]

MAC

Overall as early stage pilot employer - above average, with key exception below
Pay - VAN=good for this level of work, ATR=poor
Time building - average
Company's income stream - solid (FedEx 1 customer pays expenses)
Management quality - weak
Line growth - relatively static (FedEx requirements only)
Flexibility towards employees - poor
Pilot flow through to FedEx - none
Ability to meet FedEx Pilots - possible at large hubs
Training - annual Cat D sim paid by FedEx
Med insurance - poor, consider as disaster only

Largest network FedEx feeder (from Brazil, Caribbean, southern US East Coast all the way up to Canada - at times).

Management control limits pilot ability to take reasonable next employment steps. Very difficult to travel and intverview when you're ready to move to next step, if that's your direction.

By-the-book vacation will mean it's not available for nearly 2 years from start - horrible bidding process, no jumpseating privi's or CASS. Time off only weekends / FedEx holidays. Some very capable airmen get stuck in MAC's system way longer than they wish, some manage to get out gracefully to grow to next steps, but it's difficult to do.

If you go into the VAN and you're career building, don't over-stay your time in the VAN. Many next employers look at VAN experience as solid, but multi-year stays in the VAN without movement to larger aircraft is negative for career builders. Get experience and move on.

MAC overall = above average early stage crew experience, or otherwise semi-retirement slot

 

[CRACKHEAD]

jumpseating

To jump seat for your employer is one of the fastest way to lose jump seat privileges.

Not to hijack the thread here but:

You'd be amazed at how many 135 operators have their pilots use the jumpseat privilege to travel their pilots for business purposes. In many cases the pilots don't know the rules for jumpseating; which was my case, since it was my first flying job with such privileges.

I worked for a particular Shorts operator (which will remain unnamed) from the cheese state along time ago, that required the pilots to jumpseat to get around. It wasn't until I worked for a 121 airline that I found out the rules for jumpseating.

Shame on them!!

 

[A300FE]

MAC

Overall as early stage pilot employer - above average, with key exception below
Pay - VAN=good for this level of work, ATR=poor
Time building - average
Company's income stream - solid (FedEx 1 customer pays expenses)
Management quality - weak
Line growth - relatively static (FedEx requirements only)
Flexibility towards employees - poor
Pilot flow through to FedEx - none
Ability to meet FedEx Pilots - possible at large hubs
Training - annual Cat D sim paid by FedEx
Med insurance - poor, consider as disaster only

Largest network FedEx feeder (from Brazil, Caribbean, southern US East Coast all the way up to Canada - at times).

Management control limits pilot ability to take reasonable next employment steps. Very difficult to travel and intverview when you're ready to move to next step, if that's your direction.

By-the-book vacation will mean it's not available for nearly 2 years from start - horrible bidding process, no jumpseating privi's or CASS. Time off only weekends / FedEx holidays. Some very capable airmen get stuck in MAC's system way longer than they wish, some manage to get out gracefully to grow to next steps, but it's difficult to do.

If you go into the VAN and you're career building, don't over-stay your time in the VAN. Many next employers look at VAN experience as solid, but multi-year stays in the VAN without movement to larger aircraft is negative for career builders. Get experience and move on.

MAC overall = above average early stage crew experience, or otherwise semi-retirement slot

Looks like you have pretty good info. Have you worked for MAC?

 

[jmreii]

the way this economy is shaping up I would not worry too much about jumping from plane to plane. instead you might want to worry about that unemployment line that maybe coming to a neighborhood or industry soon. That includes fredex.

 

[BigC208]

I don't think so jmrei. The lighter the loads get for FedEx, the more us Feeders get to haul. Seen it several times during other slow economic periods. Never seen anybody furloughed or layed off at the Mountain. Don't know about the other feeders ofcourse. We still have folks switching planes. Mostly replacing ATR guys going to fly in India or the fractionals. That opens up slots for the Van.

 

[shorty]

Does anyone know if there is a van opening in Ft Lauderdale or Miami currently? I hate to keep bothering the HR lady. Thanks.

 

[jmreii]

I don't think so jmrei. The lighter the loads get for FedEx, the more us Feeders get to haul. Seen it several times during other slow economic periods. Never seen anybody furloughed or layed off at the Mountain. Don't know about the other feeders ofcourse. We still have folks switching planes. Mostly replacing ATR guys going to fly in India or the fractionals. That opens up slots for the Van.

You are right big C, the feeders will do fine as fedex find ways to cut costs. I spent nine years at one of the fedex feeders before moving on to fedex management. They will squeeze whats left of the mainline fleet to get the most production out of. I got run, somebody is wasting money and I got cut the fat. Peace!

 

[152hvy]

Does anyone know if there is a van opening in Ft Lauderdale or Miami currently? I hate to keep bothering the HR lady. Thanks.

MAC has alot of floaters in FL. I can't remember the last time MIA-FLL came up for bid, I for one am looking forward to going to the van in Talahassee...