Quest Diagnostics

[wheelsup]

Any one have info or currently fly for them? Seems like a awesome, stable company with a small flight department (well I guess large by 91 standards).

I might have something coming up with them in the future if the news keeps getting better.

~wheelsup

 

[captainv]

not this reflects on the company as a whole, but the ATL branch had some safety problems over the years. they switched from 310s to TBM 700s a while back, but i heard they had a fatal in one of those too. i'd look at the company's safety record and ask around about their approach to flying when the weather is below mins...

 

[Timebuilder]

I know one highly qualified guy, with great LOR's from people they know, and over twice my TT. He was known to the local people at Quest, and had good friendly relations with the pilots and the chief.

When he applied, he was virtually ignored.

I have never been able to figure out why. It makes no sense to me.

 

[TDTURBO]

Funny you should say ignored. Seems to be company policy. We use them for our labs, I have tried several times to contact our rep unsuccesfully. I will be changing to a different lab. The same people must be running their flight department as their medical department. We do thousands of blood tests a year through them, seems like poor business to me, I wouldn't fly for them based on their lack of follow through but I understand some people don't have the luxury to be choosey.

 

[CapnMatt]

I dont work for Quest but we carry work for them and I have talked to some of there pilots. They did have a fatality in a TBM a year or so ago going into Mobile. I have heard that they are looking for 2 or 3 pilots, good pay but hard to get on with.

 

[Timebuilder]

I dont work for Quest but we carry work for them and I have talked to some of there pilots. They did have a fatality in a TBM a year or so ago going into Mobile. I have heard that they are looking for 2 or 3 pilots, good pay but hard to get on with.

It's true, they did lose one. Right away, I was concerned that it had been someone I knew. It wasn't.

"Hard to get on with." Yes. And no apparent rhyme or reason to the process.

 

[guitarflyer]

I would second the attitude at Quest.

I used to fly for their competitor, LabCorp (callsign: Skylab). Now there's a high class outfit.
Very little turnover in the flight department, though. The aviation dept mgr had been there over 20 years, the chief pilot 15, others between 5-10 years.
Give them a call. They'll call you back. They're based in Burlington, NC. Their customer service and general attitude was awesome (at least 4 yrs ago it was). The aviation mgr & chief and other pilots & mechanics were the best group of guys I've ever worked with. Nice planes, too. At that time they had 3 chieftains and a citation II.

We used to race the Quest guys in their 310s into Lawrenceville, Gwinette Co. near Atlanta. They always smoked us, though. Dang 310s are quick.

 

[airbrush]

Quest did have a fatal accident a year or two ago (in a 310, I believe; not sure of the details) and another non-fatal in a TBM-700 last December involving a takeoff at night with frost on the wings. The FAA did a safety review and made recommendations that are currently being implemented.
From what I am being told (admittedly from the outside, so take it for what it is worth), they are currently working on upgrading and standardizing their procedures, and are getting ready to build a simulator training facility to further improve their operational standards. I used to work with the guy doing the training program, and he's a good one for the job. They are also creating a new position in flight operations/safety, for which I have applied.
As far as the "attitude" issues, I can't comment from my brief exposure, but everyone seemed nice and happy to be there.

 

[halfmoon]

not sure if i have the lastest info on them. RAM Air used to fly quest diag work to BWI then they started up there own flight dept out of PDK in ATL (i think) they fly nice 310R's. When i was looking for work there (about 4 yrs ago) pay was like 60K a year, full beni's, maybe things have changed.

 

[captainv]

i used to fuel their 310s at LZU for a while back in '99. listening to their stories cured me of any desire to fly for them - i really hope they were exaggerating.

here's a recent one, took off in snowy conditions.

On December 6, 2003, at 0439 eastern standard time, a Socata TBM 700, N700QD, operated by Quest Diagnostics, Inc., was substantially damaged while departing Reading Regional Airport (RDG), Reading, Pennsylvania.