fogrunner

Thanks Birdcage,

Your input on this sight has been very useful. it has helped me me out a great deal. I was surprised during the interview about the amount and depth of the technical questions. Thankfully I had been studying. I know it was not perfection on my part but I think I did well.

Just keeping my fingers crossed that the medical results come back okay.

Cheers

Fog

aupilot

For you guys using PARC, how do you handle the taxes since you do not get a W-2? Do you pay quarterly or yearly? How do you pay social security and medicare?

Also, any of you guys married and how have your spouses handled the schedule?

WS01

do you have commute on your days off?
if you have a long ORD layover, can you fly somewhere (home) in that time or do you have to stay in ORD?

crew's website says for vacation
"24 days per year. Allocated in 2 equal periods per year."
does the parc contract allows to take 2 a months like you guys said or did crew changed their contract ?


thanks

aupilot

What books would you recommend to prepare for the written and technical part of the interview? Especially ETOPs, which I do not have any experience with.

fogrunner

For those of you interested. A friend of mine interviewed this week and was told he was successful. The ONLY one this week.... I guess one of the candidates told his seat support (retired ANA Capt.) "to get with the program and hurry up with the checklist". I think this fails the common sense test.....

fogrunner

I cannot answer your question about taxes as I do not work at AJV/AJX. I can however give you some insight into the schedule. It seems very similar to what we had at Gemini.
If your wife or significant other is use to having you home every three or four days, it will not work. I actually like the schedule it works for my family. I like having the block of days off. With the technology these days and services such as SKYPE it makes it much easier to stay in contact. Heck Skype even worked in Lagos. What works for some doesn't work for others. It worked for me.

EK Birdcage

With regards to studying for the interview, I am not sure what to tell you as the tech. portion is new to those of us here... A good buddy of mine is starting in NOV as AJV Capt., and he said they were mostly ATP written type questions.. The interview seems to ask about hydroplaning, de-icing, a bit of ETOPS and some general stuff on your current plane.. Obviously can vary depending on who the interview panel is on the day..

About schedules: Of course we would all like to have more time off, but with that exception, most guys are very happy with the schedules.. Where else in the world can YOU decide your days off EVERY month.. It is nice to be in the airline business and be able to make plans well into the future.. That to me should keep most wives / partners happy right?? As far as days off, I have no idea how AJX does things, but in AJV you can do whatever you want.. 1 day extra per month, 2 days, 0 days... you can take 5 one month, 1 the next etc.. You have 24 days per year and 11 per month.. The 11 will always be consectutive and must be taken monthly. We have some guys that use "absent" days too which lowers your guarntee, but allows 15 on and 15 off.. This is subject to the approval of the scheduling people and not guarnteed... Since we only fly 30-45 hours per month, lowering your guarntee might not work for a lot of guys, and others just want more time off and don't mind losing the money...

I cannot stress enough about attitude in the interview and training. I thought I had been in this business long enough for guys not to surprise me.. WRONG.. I cannot believe that people in this airline climate are stupid enough to come to an interview not knowing about Japan, ANA, the 767 etc. and those who have a crap attitude.. If any of these things apply to you, save your time in even applying!! You won't make it!
Hope it helps...

FOG, let me know when you get your results.. Normally, you will not hear anything if there are no problems.. When the shrink calls you (Very nice guy btw) you can assume that you have passed everything! Just be patient man!

BC

fogrunner

Could not agree more about your comments. I was chit chatting with the PARC rep after my SIM and asked where he thought people were falling down. Preparation, attitude, lack of respect, arrogance to name a few. Knowing nothing of ANA, the Japanese or the culture. Not bothering to take the time and effort to at least do some research. To me it fails the common sense test...
When I was teaching on the 11 I was amazed how many students could not tell me US holding speeds, let a lone ICAO speeds.
I am by no means the "ace of the base". There are by far better, smarter and gifted aviators than myself. I do work hard and don't like to look the fool. Did I get all the questions right they asked, no. The majority yes. When they asked me something I did not know I told them I didn't know.

captjohndoe

Congrats, Fog and others who were offered the job. I guess they did change the tech stuff and the interview process since I interviewed. And as posted before, good attitude is key. As for SSI and medicare for the US guys, if you're with CREW, they will automatically take it off your pay - but the Federal is your option. The schedules at AJX are very flexible as well. We have apprx. 6-8 guys doing 14/15on 14/15off currently. And I was able to get 40 days off straight (all paid) for my new baby.

And if anyone's interested in living in Japan, I just received my Japanese work visa. The application process itself took 1 month from the date of submitting the application. But the whole process took a few months because I was waiting for some paperwork from my previous employer. As for taxes with the US guys, there are many different ways to go about it. So one person's method may or may not work for the other guy.

Again, congrats to those who were hired, and good luck to all those with future interview dates. Gambate.

Puckhead

I was wondering if it is possible to live in Japan while working for them. In the post above CaptJohnDoe said he recieved his visa. Can anyone working for them qualify or is there more to it?