Still Happy At Avantair

[mainiac]

Hi Dave

Got your voicemail, of course I'll chime in!
Upgrades are still pretty much right at a year (at recurrent), based on both seniority and merit.
Airplane is a blast, and flying is widespread. On day 4 right now, been from Bozeman, Missoula, back to Columbus, down to Dallas, and overnighting in Oakland tonight.
Get used to giving tours, everyone on the ramp wants to look at "that cool/weird looking thing"!
7/7 is great for me, only commute once a week, and positive space ticket.
Took my whole family on vacation last month on hotel/airline points (including the convertible). Only $$ spent were drinks and meals!
And, always love to brag about my 'paid-for' boat!
(just got some new Volkl skis too!)

Happy Holidays to all the other lucky souls enjoying their Holiday Hotels the next couple nights!

 

[AftCG182]

Here are a couple of answers to the questions that I was checking into-

*Training contract is $22K, one year, prorated.

*As far as Florida bases, we're hiring into PBI at this time.

*As far as the rest of the country goes, we're hiring into "a bunch" of bases right now. Elizabeth is going to get me an updated list when she gets the time. She's very busy, we'll need to be patient.

**This info comes from our recruiter, not the grapevine, so you can believe it.**

More info as it becomes available.

Dave

p.s. yeah, Brian, the boat might be paid for, but I hear that you're still paying for the oars!!!

 

[bailout]

Yup, we were the ones at FL410, burning 500lbs/hr or less! (yes, TOTAL fuel burn!) hahaha!

At what speed??

 

[AftCG182]

Around .65 (By the way, Mmo is .70)

Not bad!

 

[johnsonrod]

Here's another goofy yet entertaining look at training on the P180 (older, non Pro Line 21 version) at Avantair. Seems like it was actually filmed a few years back because I know that things have formalized since then (Flight Safety, etc.). Still, it is entertaining to watch (and get a sense of the P180's speed) despite the Top Gun music. Looks like the P180 is a blast to fly.

Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_T-7ZMeoc4

And check out the nice takeoff of an Avantair P180 on this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUJ0i3-_Yxc&feature=related

 

[PoorJetDriver]

What are the bases/gateways..

 

[johnsonrod]

What are the bases/gateways..

All but a few of these are open (I believe PIE is full but the others are open):

Atlanta GA (ATL)
Baltimore MD (BWI)
Boston MA
Caldwell, NJ (CDW)
Chicago IL (ORD)
Charlotte NC (CLT)
Cleveland OH (CLE)
Columbus OH (CMH)
Dallas-Fort Worth TX (DFW)
Denver CO (DEN)
Houston TX (IAH)
Las Vegas NV (LAS)
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
New York, NY (JFK) (LGA)
Newark, NJ (EWR)
Phoenix AZ (PHX)
San Francisco CA (SFO)
St Louis MO (STL)
St Petersburg FL (PIE)​

Here's the link with more info:​

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/fractional/avantair.html​

 

[AftCG182]

Merry xmas everyone!

To help point out how little a base has to do with where you'll actually be flying...

Today will be an airline day for me. Hop on CoEx in ALB and go to EWR, catch a mainline Continental to LAX, where I'll start this week's tour tomorrow at our maintainence base at Camarillo Airport. Just because the tour starts on the left coast doesn't mean that's where all of the flying will be.

If you're like me and are easily bored with the same old routine, the fractionals might be worth looking into...

I'll have Xmas next week when I get back!

p.s.- thanks for the added info, Rod. The link to airlinepilotcentral.com will answer alot of preliminary questions. Stand by for an updated comprehensive list of which gateways (bases) we're hiring into right now. For accuracy sake, I'll only post info that I get from our recruiter. Let's give Elizabeth a day or two to enjoy the holiday.

 

[Heavy Set]

Merry xmas everyone!

To help point out how little a base has to do with where you'll actually be flying...

Today will be an airline day for me. Hop on CoEx in ALB and go to EWR, catch a mainline Continental to LAX, where I'll start this week's tour tomorrow at our maintainence base at Camarillo Airport. Just because the tour starts on the left coast doesn't mean that's where all of the flying will be.

If you're like me and are easily bored with the same old routine, the fractionals might be worth looking into...

I'll have Xmas next week when I get back!

p.s.- thanks for the added info, Rod. The link to airlinepilotcentral.com will answer alot of preliminary questions. Stand by for an updated comprehensive list of which gateways (bases) we're hiring into right now. For accuracy sake, I'll only post info that I get from our recruiter. Let's give Elizabeth a day or two to enjoy the holiday.

Thanks for the great info Aft and Rod. Definitely different from your typical 121 operation. Nice to see the upgade times are roughly one year and Avantair has considerable growth with new airplanes coming in the new year.

With age 65 and slower movement at all of the airlines likely as a result (including the regionals), I bet Avantair will get a lot more attention.

By the way, I saw a P180 zip along over my house yesterday but I actually heard it first from a distance - you could tell because it sounds like a P-51 Mustang.

 

[learflyer]

Merry xmas everyone!

To help point out how little a base has to do with where you'll actually be flying...

Today will be an airline day for me. Hop on CoEx in ALB and go to EWR, catch a mainline Continental to LAX, where I'll start this week's tour tomorrow at our maintainence base at Camarillo Airport. Just because the tour starts on the left coast doesn't mean that's where all of the flying will be.

If you're like me and are easily bored with the same old routine, the fractionals might be worth looking into...

I'll have Xmas next week when I get back!

p.s.- thanks for the added info, Rod. The link to airlinepilotcentral.com will answer alot of preliminary questions. Stand by for an updated comprehensive list of which gateways (bases) we're hiring into right now. For accuracy sake, I'll only post info that I get from our recruiter. Let's give Elizabeth a day or two to enjoy the holiday.

do u have to pay you're own way to ewr? btw, born and raised in the capital district. miss it. also, it thought pbi was one of the bases?

 

[johnsonrod]

do u have to pay you're own way to ewr? btw, born and raised in the capital district. miss it. also, it thought pbi was one of the bases?

I don't work at Avantair but I believe Albany was formerly open (probably available when Aft applied) and PBI is flexible (possibly still hiring selectively into that base). Not certain but that is what I assume - I'll wait for Aft to say otherwise. The other bases on the list are open to all newhires.

 

[On Your Six]

That's a nice looking airplane:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?...NY 24 UBHE)) beqre ol ivrjf qrfp&photo_nr=22

Those Italians know something about design (e.g., Ferrari).

 

[celloman]

Just an idea of the places I flew LAST week in the Piaggio.

West Palm, Ft. Lauterdale, TEB, Morrsitown, VNY, Dallas, Boccoa, Los Cabos, San Diego, Las Vegas, Reno, St. Marteen, Beef Island in the British Virgin Islands, Sandpoint ID, Sun Valley, and Aspen.....

There were a few more but I cant remember all of them.

Fly Safe,

celloman

 

[johnsonrod]

Just an idea of the places I flew LAST week in the Piaggio.

West Palm, Ft. Lauterdale, TEB, Morrsitown, VNY, Dallas, Boccoa, Los Cabos, San Diego, Las Vegas, Reno, St. Marteen, Beef Island in the British Virgin Islands, Sandpoint ID, Sun Valley, and Aspen.....

There were a few more but I cant remember all of them.

Fly Safe,

celloman

Wow - you certainly can't beat that variety...

How the quality of the hotels/motels on average? When you overnight at a place like Aspen or Sun Valley, do they put you up in a Howard Johnsons or do they actually put you someplace semi-nice? I suppose it partially depends upon how busy the place is and the time of year...

 

[learflyer]

ain't gonna find a hojo in aspen.....

 

[theskyking]

Just to chime in as an ex regional slave who now enjoys the good life, you guys need to check out the fractionals. I fly for one of the other ones that 182 mentioned, not Avantair.

Life is good. Check all the players out. If you get a chance to come this way, you will work your tail off but have a blast doing it. You will go from some class B airport to some little private strip like Ocean Reef and all the airports in between. No two days are ever alike.

On the other hand, if you need a structured day and you have to know where you are going to overnight, stay 121. I'm sure 182 can chime in for Avantair, but at my company, the plan changes many times a day. The city I think I am going to end up in when I start the day is often on the wrong side of the country when the day is done. You just have to roll with it. The people who end up leaving this job are the ones who can't deal with the constant change.

 

[climbhappy]

just curious....what's the indicated at 410

 

[johnsonrod]

Just to chime in as an ex regional slave who now enjoys the good life, you guys need to check out the fractionals. I fly for one of the other ones that 182 mentioned, not Avantair.

Life is good. Check all the players out. If you get a chance to come this way, you will work your tail off but have a blast doing it. You will go from some class B airport to some little private strip like Ocean Reef and all the airports in between. No two days are ever alike.

On the other hand, if you need a structured day and you have to know where you are going to overnight, stay 121. I'm sure 182 can chime in for Avantair, but at my company, the plan changes many times a day. The city I think I am going to end up in when I start the day is often on the wrong side of the country when the day is done. You just have to roll with it. The people who end up leaving this job are the ones who can't deal with the constant change.

If you like the same-ole routine every day, the fractionals would not be a good idea. If you want to see the country, fly into some interesting places, fly some interesting people and fly some nice equipment, perhaps the fractionals deserve another look...

 

[flyguy75000]

Just an idea of the places I flew LAST week in the Piaggio.

West Palm, Ft. Lauterdale, TEB, Morrsitown, VNY, Dallas, Boccoa, Los Cabos, San Diego, Las Vegas, Reno, St. Marteen, Beef Island in the British Virgin Islands, Sandpoint ID, Sun Valley, and Aspen.....

There were a few more but I cant remember all of them.

Fly Safe,

celloman

All nice destinations, however if you went to all those places plus some you don't remember, you work WAY too much.

 

[molson247]

I'd take that over the 5 - 6 hour sits in an outstation for an airline....The down time in an airport terminal with nothing to do but eat with your crew sucks...and makes you fat.