Question for YIP

[727RedTails]

I live in Canton, only about 15 minutes from YIP in a great little neighborhood. Check out www.cherryhillvillage.com. We are 8 miles from Ann Arbor and in one of the safest communities in the United States. The Canton website is www.canton-mi.org. I grew up in Baltimore and lived in Florida for 8 years before moving up here and I will say I like it a lot more than south florida. We have a good time waterskiing or snowmobiling 15 minutes away, but really anywhere is what you make of it.

 

[hooker23]

To those of you that think the area around YIP is ugly: Have you ever lived in a pure military town? Just asking. I'm in the Army and my expectations are pretty low. Can anyone out there tell my how long USAJet has been in business, perks, benefits, etc? Thanks

 

[2LT]

I've done both...

And yes, it's ugly. The only difference is that when I was on active duty I could take my POV outside a "20-minute" call-back radius. And, if I did go somewhere, I didn't have to have my BDU's on,"...just in case I get paged..."

http://www.activeaero.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Home.main

http://www.aviationinterviews.com/pilotgougedisplay.php3?company=usa_jet

If that last link doesn't work, just go to:

http://www.aviationinterviews.com

Check out the gouge on USA Jet...

 

[Sunnfun]

To those of you that think the area around YIP is ugly: Have you ever lived in a pure military town? Just asking.

Belleville is pretty bad compared to the surrounding areas. That's why you only pay 200K for an acre lot. Outside Bellevile you pay twice as much. Cherry Hill Village is nice, btw. It's in Canton. There are nice areas outside Belleville, they are pricey though and some might be outside the 20-min call-out range. Look at google maps to get an idea.

Can anyone out there tell my how long USAJet has been in business, perks, benefits, etc? Thanks

Active Aero has been in business for a long time, since the 80's or so. The owners then founded USA Jet as a 121 ailrine to operate DC-9s. AA stayed 135 with the falcons. They then merged the 135 part of AA with USA Jet. Active Aero is now just a broker and let USA Jet bid for trips just like any other company (Ameristar, IFL, Kalitta Charters, Cherry etc.). If we're too expensive we don't get the trip. If we don't get trips we get paycuts or layoffs. If that's not enough, they'll shut USA Jet down. AA will always stay on top. That's what of some of the more senior pilots fear most.

Last year in May we were supposed to be bancrupt within 3 months. An average 26% temp. paycut across the pilot board and an above average busy July and august kept that from happening though.

The years before we had regular layoffs during the slow times. This was the first time we just had paycuts instead of layoffs. It's pretty unstable right now, with all the US automakers being close to bancruptcy. The three PAX DC-9s are flying charters during the college sports season, rest of the year they're pretty slow too. We'll see if that changes next year.

Benefits are medical, dental, vision by BCBS, paid vacation after first year and guaranteed days off; I think, one big advantage over other on demand places. Vacation has to be bid one year in advance now, awarded by seniority. CASS is suppsoedly in the works.

Be aware this is not a place for timebuilder, you will sit around A LOT, you can "sell" days off and fly more if the company asks you, but don't count on it. Guarantee is 55 hrs now on all A/C. Breaking guarantee is not easy, this summer some people spent two weeks in a row in Laredo, sitting in a hotel, being on a 20 min call out. Others had 4-5 weeks in a row with no trips.

Hope that helps. Merry Christmas!

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I kind of like the part about sitting two weeks 20 min callout in a hotel in Laredo Texas. (what if you have to take a dump when they wake you? can you get 25mins?)

thats real special.



forget college, PIC turbojet on demand freight is where its at, bro.

 

[Cold_Outside]

I kind of like the part about sitting two weeks 20 min callout in a hotel in Laredo Texas. (what if you have to take a dump when they wake you? can you get 25mins?)

In Laredo we normally get 1 hr from page to block out. So you have enough to take a dump.

 

[pilotyip]

Sunnfun, that is a pretty accurate description of USA Jet, I will just add this for a pilot who spends 12 months in seat, no time off for training, will average about 500 hrs a year on the DA-20 and 400 on the DC-9. On the DC-9 in months of Aug, Sep and Oct we had a lot of cargo pilots break guarantee, many took home around 20K for one month’s work. We are in tuff business, but we a have very low turnover other than the mass exodus in Aug/Sep due to the cut back in guaranteed hours in May of this year. DC-9 Captain turnover is very low, we only trained two new DC-9 Captains in 2005. Active Aero is adding new customers on a regular basis; these new customers keep us flying at a lower rate when the auto companies slow down. Pax flying is up 150% over last year at this time. That will fill in the slow winter months with flying.

 

[pilotyip]

Belleville Ugly?

I don't know about Belleville being ygly, but at mile post 189 on East bound I-94 coming up to the Belleville Rd exit there is a billboard that says "Got an ugly home you want to get rid of? Call 1-800-ugly homes we will take it off your hands" Maybe they live in a different part of Belleville than I do. Actually I live in Van Buren Twp.