bgmann

1. What are the 3 most junior bases (Direct hire captain)? Changes OFTEN. Charelston and Beckley, WV; Santa Barbara and Fresno (typically); now have a Fargo-Winnipeg (not sure how popular it will be)
2. Is the schedule commutable? no schedule is Monday night through Sat morning; most pilots are successful with commuting home on weekends; examples MSP and ATL
3. How many days off per month? How many Saturdays and Sundays in a month?
4. Do you get any "Hard" or guaranteed days off? weekends only; after 1 year of employment you get a week of vacation
5. What is a typical day/week/month like?; on-duty at 1900 arrive SDF 0000; depart SDF 0430, off-duty 7am
6. How are the hotels? Been happy with hotel accomodations!
7. How many hours per month do you fly? west coast routes are low maybe 50 (never flown them) routes I have been on log 75-85 per month
8. I have seen a lot of discrepancies in pay between sources...So what is the average first year take home pay for a captain? 43K haven't confirmed net or gross
9. Is there anyone there that has left a regional Jet job to fly with ACC? Yes know of one guy that left Pinnacle to log PIC METurbine; maybe additional, but don't know
10. How does vacation accrual work? Don't know

We also have an Iraq contract that pays $18K-20K per month non-taxable

mattp1803

Thanks for the info!

twebb

18K for the Iraq slot? How many guys try to go for that? The money is very tempting.

Flyboydan

There is a reason why they can afford to pay out 18-20,0000 per month. Better strap in with kevlar and an M16 in your flightcase.

twebb

Dangerous yes, but would be great experience and pay well worth it if you make it out okay. I wonder how long the pilots are over there at a time, and what they have to say about the enviroment.

SkyKatt

I have an unusual hours problem. My end goal is the majors. I have 1600 TT 1250 ME, Comm SEL and MEL, inst and ATP written but only 250 PIC (non-turbine) which is my biggest weakness. I went to a Conference and the offers that came up were: Regionals, definite hire; One offer from a fractional that has about 1 yr upgrade time, and a couple of the Part 135 companies I felt overqualified for (ACC wasn't there). According to this thread, Air Cargo Carriers would hire me as a direct Captain. It sounds like great pay for Capt and the best way to increase the PIC turbine I need. Am I missing something or are there any other companies out there that I could get PIC turbine with this pay? For my situation this seems the best option over regionals or even the fractional since it's a year upgrade there. Other than the Shorts being hot in the summer, cold in winter--is it dangerous flying and on a tight schedule? I've checked out the website and other threads and looks like it's 14 on 7 off. Do they pay for your hotel at night and is there such thing as a domicile? Thanks for any help.

bgmann

You can bid for Charter cargo (14 on 7 off) but its hard to get as street hire captain. BUT you could get lucky, it happens--in which case you would be based in Milwaukee, WI. The companies senior captains are either check airmen or company "floaters" (aka reserve). Pay is, I've heard, $43K 1st yr captain, keep forgetting to confirm this. Yes, with your time you can get hired as street captain. Because its hard to get Charter cargo as a captain, you would be a captain on a scheduled run for UPS or DHL. You get assigned to a domicile, captains have a little easier time getting the domicile of their choice vs. F/O because they need captains...oh wait they need F/O's too, disregard!. Weekends are the only days you have off until you reach 1 year seniorty and i think you get 1 week (whoopdee)--no 14 on 7 off there! You will work 8pm M through 8am Saturday with the weekdays off at your domicile to "sleep"! YES, the Shorts is cold in the winter. It does have bleed air but some dont work right--2 legs had to fly with the by-pass valve in the open position giving us COLDEST air and no choice of warmer, it was either high flow cold air or -10C with no fan. And when it does work it takes a while to warm up to a comfortable temp, this is typically when reaching cruising altitude, until there you will be wearing your ski hat, your ski fleece, ski jacket and ski gloves; as the yoke is freezing cold, right after waiting 30 minutes for the loading crew, supervising the loading crew load the plane for an additional hour. Good thing about being a captain is you dont have a submarine escape hatch above your head. F/O's wear their Alaskan fishing bibs and jacket when its raining. I haven't experienced summer yet, but I can imagine what its like while waiting for engines to start, however AC is pretty good on the ground when engines operating and Main Fan turned on. GOSH IM SO NEGATIVE, oh no I am not negative, I am just explaining it truthfully...

SD3FR8DOG

SKYKATT........ I believe you would probably be happier at a better regional with a quick upgrade. Time is slow to build here and conditions are not as good as some regionals. With that i refer to loading freight, duty times and lack of a union.

I enjoy flying the shorts and the experience is great (and your time isn't alot of time btw many have been hired here with more than what you have) but equipment old and in this market it seems Jet time or experience with glass is favoured better. Most our captains leave here and go to regional FWIW.

SD3FR8DOG

Can confirm pay is 43k first yr. Increases about 3k/yr after that. May have gotten a pay raise recently but not sure.

Charter pilots were supposedly better paid but they don't fly much at all so hence are often paid less than scheduled runs (QOL is crap too).

We have our fair share of tools so please don't apply if you are one of these..... crews end up spending plenty of time together and it just makes you likely to get left by the side of the road somewhere.

Not trying to be negative but best you be informed of all a job entails as many have not done their research and then thrown hissy fits and left. Both parties out of pocket and not really fun for anyone.

The shorts does have ramp presence tho and she has a way of attracting the women-folk.

bgmann

Since when did that start! Your a little out of reality.