PlaneSense / Alpha Flying

[jjc525]

Does anyone know how overtime flying is paid and what about the training agreement, how much and is it and is it pro rated?
looks like a good gig, if corporate of fractionals are in your future plans!

 

[Taildraggaah]

I'd take the 'pay cut' to fly something with two jet-a burning engines.

PT6 burns Jet A

 

[Geronimo4497]

I'm out of Alpha now, but on the new 7 and 7, the rumor is that OT will be paid at 1.5 times your daily rate. The FO training contract is 18 months, pro rated somehow. No contract anymore for PIC upgrades. I had a good time there over 3+ years but I got sick of many things; compound that with the lack of multi time = splitsville.

 

[jjc525]

geronimo
by the look of your avatar, are now at Avantair? in regards to Alpha can one be based in FXE in the winter and PSM in the summer??
Over all I hear good things about Alpha, the MOU is what it is; it sound like the 7/7 will happen. can you give me any insite on the interveiw??

Thanks
JJC

 

[LAFrequentflyer]

Lack of ME time is a big knock...However, for someone that isn't looking at moving on from there and can do part-time CFI work on the side the 7 on / 7 off is a good deal...

-LAFF

 

[LAFrequentflyer]

I'm out of Alpha now, but on the new 7 and 7, the rumor is that OT will be paid at 1.5 times your daily rate. The FO training contract is 18 months, pro rated somehow. No contract anymore for PIC upgrades. I had a good time there over 3+ years but I got sick of many things; compound that with the lack of multi time = splitsville.

What were some of the trips (to / from)? I tried to track on flightaware but don't know the N#s you guys use.

-LAFF

 

[Geronimo4497]

All of the tail numbers end in AF. Check PSM on flightaware and you will see the traffic. If you can find the FAA listing of approved RVSM operators, you can find a comprehensive listing of the airplanes in the fleet.

JJC, I'm not sure about switching bases between seasons. That would be a great question to ask during the interview. As far as the interview goes, I'm not the person to ask. The way the interviews are conducted nowadays is light years ahead of the way mine was conducted way back when (something along the lines of: 'You have PC-12 time? Can you start in next month's class?')

If I did not have career aspirations greater than bombing around the east coast of the US, Alpha would have been perfect for me. How does that saying go about the hot chick? There is always some dude sick of hitting it!

 

[PhilatAU]

No offense young buck...It's probably hard for you to understand right now...
Mr. I.

Thanks for all the advice, dad. Just be careful, some people won't listen to you if half of what you say to them is insulting.

Good luck Phil. Have fun.
Mr. I.

Thank you for lightening up and understanding that I get advice from lots of sources, The last of which is a message board that I've been on for all of 2 weeks.

You will be in that position soon enough, and become a whiner as well.
dickburns

I was told the same thing a few years ago when I, as a private pilot, told somebody I was looking forward to being an instructor. I've been teaching a couple years now, had to wait 6 months longer than expected to start teaching in the twin, currently make $5/hour less than full time instructors, don't get paid for an incredible amount of administrative work, and do it while being a full time student and being in charge of a couple student organizations.

And ya know what? I still love the job, the flying, the students, and 90% of who I work with. The "just wait, you'll change" argument has never really worked with me. Try again.

Do yourself a favor and stick it out til you get 135 minimums, you're very close. Yeah life might suck for a couple years after that but you'll look back on it and be glad you did it.
dickburns

So if life is going to suck anyway why not just take the job in the PC12 to build up to part 135 mins? How is it better if I "stick to" instructing?

Just make sure it makes sense for YOU. And good luck!
Ronin

Thanks!

Flying a PC-12 will be a good learning experience for him...short airstrips and uncontrolled fields that his ASA buddies will miss....can always go the regional route later if needed. $27K is a lot more than his ASA buddies...7/7 will also give him some time to enjoy the local nightlife. Sounds like a good situation for someone just out of school - especially if you don't want to go the airline route.
OnYourSix

WE HAVE A WINNER! Those are my thoughts, stated exactly as I think them. By this time next week I'll have 1,000 TT and 120 multi, I can get on with a regional in the future if I really need to. So there's my backup plan if it makes anybody feel better.

 

[dickburns]

I'm not trying to discourage you from flying, I too once upon a time enjoyed instructing, the money was ok and I was home all the time, pretty much made my own schedule.

Set your standard higher than a single engine sic job, if you work from your 900 hours to 1200 for 135 mins I would imagine youll still be under a contract with them.

Theres way better places than alpha flying to get your initial flying experiences. Nothing against alpha but it more or less sounds like a retirement job, its for a person that doesnt need time anymore but wants to keep flying.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Phil,

I don't think working for Alpha is a bad job starting out. You'll probably learn quite a bit. On the other hand as dickburns pointed out, and a much older pilot once told me about a company I once worked for(not Alpha), "it's a good place to start and a good place to finish, but you don't want to spend a career here"!

There are certainly many whiners on this board and in aviation. However, many of the points it seems they are up in arms about are often quite valid points. Maybe they don't really come across that way. And yah, lots of times it's just hot air. I'm sure as time goes by you'll develop your own sense of how to discern the whiners and the ones who have these valid points. I can say I've been able to learn a good amount, both bad and good, about one company or another by paying attention to some of the concerns brought up on this and other aviation web-boards.

I have to admit, I love flight instructing as well. Still do it. Although I wouldn't do it full-time in 172's forever as you really don't expand your knowledge beyond that realm of aviation, thus the need to fly bigger, better, faster, etc. Definitely move on to Alpha, just don't limit yourself.

Mr. I.