Saipan Anyone!

[Galaxy]

That webpage lists NetJets as a BAD aviation job.

If you look at the pay scales they were written prior to thier industry leading contact. Now they tell you don't work at netjets due to the domicile issues..

 

[Twitch]

Does anyone know about freedom-air in Saipan(100NM of Guam)? They are looking for pilots to fly C172, Piper 6., they also have a couple of twins. I spoke with the chief pilot and he said the pilots must sign an 18 month contract! If anyone can shed some light on this outfit that would be great.
www.freedom-air.net

The 30 year old company is Guam based but their main income is derived from the part 135 VFR scheduled service between the islands of Saipan and Tinian (located in the CommonWealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, CNMI). You will fly alot. 90 to 100 flt hours a month, 5 days a week, sometimes 6 days. 8 hours of flight per day and up to 30 landings. It will primarily be day VFR single-engine pt to pt xcntry time. Maybe 5 or 6 hrs of night per month. You will not get any twin time and you will not want to take the aircraft IMC. You will not be paid for ground school and will not receive a pay check until the completion of IOE, $1600/month. They will put you up at a nearby hotel for Grnd on Guam and provide transportation to and from. Your on your own for housing and transportation after getting dropped-off in PGSN. They are always one accident away from losing the certificate.

 

[mjb00123]

sounds ok

hey twitch! Ur post seems to be a little on the positive side about this company. But Becuase of the Intel from the others I'm still on the 50/50 side of going. The only good thing for me is that if I choose to go over there I will have a government job on the side!

 

[8AF]

hey twitch! Ur post seems to be a little on the positive side about this company. But Becuase of the Intel from the others I'm still on the 50/50 side of going. The only good thing for me is that if I choose to go over there I will have a government job on the side!

Government job on the side? You are kidding me. CNMI or the feds? If you get a CNMI govt job good luck cashing your check. You will not have time or energy for a second job anyway. You have no clue what you are getting yourself into.

 

[mjb00123]

its a fed job! I understand where you are coming from 8AF. Im just trying to weight it all out. But believe me with you guys advise i doubt if I still go... So your saying basiclly that Freedom Air is the Flying job from hell:bomb: from all aspects?

 

[mjb00123]

Help

Also the real reason why it sounded so good was because the feds would move me out there, My nice salary would be tax free, plus a 25% cost of living pay. which is pretty sweetimp: . So I thought If I could fly for freedom I could kill two birds in one stone:smash: . Build my time and save a hella cash at the same time. But you guys bursted :bawling: my bubble cuz I knew it was to good to be true... ******************** the of best both worlds!

 

[8AF]

Sorry if I was a little bit harsh. Take everything into consideration and determine if it is worth the effort. If you go that's fine but don't expect you can get onto the SD3. Go get your 135 IFR min and come back. Good thing is that you will have some war stories to tell years from now.
Hmmm.... don't tell me you got a job with TSA. They are the largest fed employer out there after the military.

 

[1flier]

1 suggestion, DONT DO IT

Freedom Air, owner is a jerk and then some. Do a search on Exestar out of FLX with an owner named Clyde and that guy would seem like a gem to work for compared to Joaquin Flores. I just got back from Tinian in September 2005 working for Freedom Air's competitor. At the time I was a single pilot operator and the company moved into a basic 135 shortly after I left. Friends I had flying the 6's between Saipan and Tinian could not be seen talking with me or hanging out during our personal time off they would be fired. Pay was $1600 a month with 2 weeks training in Guam unpaid then 2 weeks IOE unpaid. Some of the guys said it was up to 6 weeks before the started getting paid because of trouble scheduling IOE. The Shorts upgrade, some of these guys beent there 4-5 years no upgrade but a guy from the islands with a Comm AMEL and 300 hours gets hired straight in. Its a buddy buddy network. One of the station managers in Saipan use to threaten piulots before, 3 of the guys I knew flying there were given Letters of Investigation from the FAA because the company did not provide charts in the planes as required and the were busted on ramp inspection. You jump ship before 18 months is up and they hit you with a $3000 bill for training no proration. On the other hand I would not recommend the company I worked for either Taga Air Charter. These guys are run by casino owners and they dont car about your rest periods much like their employees at the casino they feel they can contact anytime day or nite since the FAA is only out there 4 times a year at best. 6 days a week, 14 hours a day sometimes 7, its no paradise. If you like being treated like the ultimate minority because you are not an islander or one of contract workers from the Phillipines or China, then you may enjoy it. If you get a kick out of seeing people abused by their employers then Saipan maybe the place for you. The website stated earlier www.saipansucks.com is true, I thought it was a joke before I went over there in 2004 and it barely breaks the surface about things there. I have a friend now looking at building time to 135 IFR mins now who is looking at that and I am trying to find them something better than that. Its not worth it, if it is island living you are looking at, there are a couple of charter and flight schools in the Virgin Islands looking for instructors and FO's. Puerto Rico has tolair and also the University at Bayamon is looking for CFI's also. Do what you want to do, but I can tell you from firsthand experience, Saipan and Guam are not worth it unless you going with Cape Air out there and Air Micronesia flying the 737.

 

[8AF]

3 of the guys I knew flying there were given Letters of Investigation from the FAA because the company did not provide charts in the planes as required and the were busted on ramp inspection. You jump ship before 18 months is up and they hit you with a $3000 bill for training no proration.

Oh no. They used to provide charts when I was flying there. The company should get the violation instead of the pilots. :angryfire

They did not bill me for jumping early. Tell them fu(k himself if they do. Did they make you sign a paper now? I don't recall if they do that.

 

[sidewalk]

hey twitch! Ur post seems to be a little on the positive side about this company. But Becuase of the Intel from the others I'm still on the 50/50 side of going. The only good thing for me is that if I choose to go over there I will have a government job on the side!

I dont think his post was at all on the positive side. If you want to work somewhere lousy as well as live somewhere lousy,go for it.Saipans a dump and Guam aint much better. Hawaii, and the Carribean are where its at. You couldnt pay me enough to go back out there and live and work,let alone visit.

 

[mjb00123]

tell me something good!

:nuts:

I dont think his post was at all on the positive side. If you want to work somewhere lousy as well as live somewhere lousy,go for it.Saipans a dump and Guam aint much better. Hawaii, and the Carribean are where its at. You couldnt pay me enough to go back out there and live and work,let alone visit.

So tell me what's really good down there in the carribean?

 

[sidewalk]

:nuts:

So tell me what's really good down there in the carribean?

Do a google search or something.Theres lots of jobs down there from what I've heard,too many to name.I don't know if you'll be able to get on with anyone because of your low flight time though.Good luck.My advice is to either instruct, tow, fly jumpers till you get enough time to fly freight,then go to an airline after paying your dues flying freight. Or just try and go to an airline after instructing for like 6-12 months like 90+ percent of us do. No one ever said this was a fair or easy industry to get into. Again,good luck.