Notices
Charter Part 121 pax charter airlines

Via Air

Old 07-29-2018, 07:54 PM
  #501  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 12
Default Via info/news

Can anyone shed some light as to what one can expect as a 145-FO new hire. Interested in more info about schedule, quality of life, how is training, what is the training foot print like. Is there any additional routes Via is searching out or additions to the fleet in the near future? What type hotels are you in when on reserve or overnights? Is there a lot of reduced rest overnights or not on average? Are the schedules flexible or changed often, when are the schedules assigned?

Appreciate any info, thanks!
lowbalance is offline  
Old 07-30-2018, 04:24 AM
  #502  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Position: SW4
Posts: 121
Default

Originally Posted by lowbalance View Post
Can anyone shed some light as to what one can expect as a 145-FO new hire. Interested in more info about schedule, quality of life, how is training, what is the training foot print like. Is there any additional routes Via is searching out or additions to the fleet in the near future? What type hotels are you in when on reserve or overnights? Is there a lot of reduced rest overnights or not on average? Are the schedules flexible or changed often, when are the schedules assigned?

Appreciate any info, thanks!
It's all over the place as far as training. . . some training is 3 months, others is 8 or 9 months. They took a huge hit in March when they lost a lot of IOE CA's . . . so the entire training ended up the back of the chief pilot. It is SLOWLY getting better. They are really looking for folks to be based at either Austin, or Orlando although they still claim "home basing". Schedules are suppose to be at least 15 or so days out or more, but right now (because they are short on pilots) they come out about a week before.

This is not a "normal" airline, all trips come back to base, unless there is an issue. So if you are based in Austin, you are in Austin every night . . .if you are on reserve, then you sit reserve at your home. If you are home based, you dont get predium while flying out of your home based. AS far as working you hard . . . many pilots right now are flying the max number of days or hours flown a month per 117. This place will either be a great place one day, or they will continue to have a hard time based on the decisions that keep being made by management.
pilotguy7 is offline  
Old 07-30-2018, 07:30 AM
  #503  
New Hire
 
Joined APC: Jul 2018
Posts: 5
Default

Originally Posted by pilotguy7 View Post
It's all over the place as far as training. . . some training is 3 months, others is 8 or 9 months. They took a huge hit in March when they lost a lot of IOE CA's . . . so the entire training ended up the back of the chief pilot. It is SLOWLY getting better. They are really looking for folks to be based at either Austin, or Orlando although they still claim "home basing". Schedules are suppose to be at least 15 or so days out or more, but right now (because they are short on pilots) they come out about a week before.

This is not a "normal" airline, all trips come back to base, unless there is an issue. So if you are based in Austin, you are in Austin every night . . .if you are on reserve, then you sit reserve at your home. If you are home based, you dont get predium while flying out of your home based. AS far as working you hard . . . many pilots right now are flying the max number of days or hours flown a month per 117. This place will either be a great place one day, or they will continue to have a hard time based on the decisions that keep being made by management.
So are they hiring to replace the lost CA's? I applied with 4000+ Pic in type weeks ago. No reply. If they take away home basing, the quality of applicants is gonna take a hit.

Last edited by RUSHAIR; 07-30-2018 at 08:05 AM.
RUSHAIR is offline  
Old 07-30-2018, 08:40 AM
  #504  
Gets Weekends Off
 
FLYMIA's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Sep 2013
Position: CRJ Left
Posts: 264
Default

Originally Posted by pilotguy7 View Post
It's all over the place as far as training. . . some training is 3 months, others is 8 or 9 months. They took a huge hit in March when they lost a lot of IOE CA's . . . so the entire training ended up the back of the chief pilot. It is SLOWLY getting better. They are really looking for folks to be based at either Austin, or Orlando although they still claim "home basing". Schedules are suppose to be at least 15 or so days out or more, but right now (because they are short on pilots) they come out about a week before.

This is not a "normal" airline, all trips come back to base, unless there is an issue. So if you are based in Austin, you are in Austin every night . . .if you are on reserve, then you sit reserve at your home. If you are home based, you dont get predium while flying out of your home based. AS far as working you hard . . . many pilots right now are flying the max number of days or hours flown a month per 117. This place will either be a great place one day, or they will continue to have a hard time based on the decisions that keep being made by management.
Sorry to hear that about you guys. Sounds brutal. Just curious why guys would stick around for the misery when theres other 121 charter outfits that have pretty decent QOL pay and schedules? Full disclosure im at Elite. But FO pay there is $60k to start with complete home basing. The schedule is line bidding either A or B and its simply put, alternating weeks of work. If you arent assigned a trip typically four days in advance, and it's your "on" days, you are OFF. roughly week on week off now especially with staffing approaching a 7/7 level. I guess the other difference is your 135 side. Not familiar with that but there was talk about putting a VIP CRJ on a 135 over at elite as well. Hope things work out for you guys.
FLYMIA is offline  
Old 07-30-2018, 10:54 AM
  #505  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 12
Default future growth?

Is there any future growth plans for the fleet and additional routes/markets, or is the company content with the current route structure and fleet size? is there potential for maybe some midwest routes/markets? What are typical schedules like 6/5, 7/7 etc... how does the scheduling work with 117 rules, is it based on seniority? Are there many guys leaving now? Does the company work with you if you have appointments come up for your kids during the month that you would need a day off etc?

Thanks
lowbalance is offline  
Old 07-31-2018, 04:00 PM
  #506  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Sep 2015
Posts: 33
Default

It’s tough to see the same vision, yet see it fall short time and time again. There have been the same plans for company and fleet growth since before obtaining their 121 cert. They have lost every bit of flying given to them for whatever reason whether it be Caesar’s, pass, or eas. The owner has said that there is countless opportunities everywhere, but they kept the pilot bench so tight and bought ****e planes that everyone felt the departure of even just one pilot. Due to the most awful advice, he was told pilots are easily replaceable in this current state of pilot hiring. That could have been correct if the pay was decent and a schedule could be kept.
I believe they are beyond thin on instructors and captains, and less thin on FO’s. It’s a revolving door. There is only one pilot there over 2 years.

Save yourself the heartache and unnecessary aging. Seek life elsewhere.
loc n slope is offline  
Old 07-31-2018, 04:29 PM
  #507  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Position: SW4
Posts: 121
Default

Originally Posted by loc n slope View Post
It’s tough to see the same vision, yet see it fall short time and time again. There have been the same plans for company and fleet growth since before obtaining their 121 cert. They have lost every bit of flying given to them for whatever reason whether it be Caesar’s, pass, or eas. The owner has said that there is countless opportunities everywhere, but they kept the pilot bench so tight and bought ****e planes that everyone felt the departure of even just one pilot. Due to the most awful advice, he was told pilots are easily replaceable in this current state of pilot hiring. That could have been correct if the pay was decent and a schedule could be kept.
I believe they are beyond thin on instructors and captains, and less thin on FO’s. It’s a revolving door. There is only one pilot there over 2 years.

Save yourself the heartache and unnecessary aging. Seek life elsewhere.
Yep. . .see above! An email just came out titled "Expectations while on flight duty" . . . and it was short and too the point . . . " Each crew member should prepare mentally to be on duty for their maximum allowable FDP. "
yep. . revolving door! I really hope they can turn this place into a really cool place to work . . but history makes me very cautions.
pilotguy7 is offline  
Old 07-31-2018, 06:25 PM
  #508  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 12
Default via

Seems, like short staffing and unstable/changing schedules are a common theme for complaints from what i've gathered in the previous posts of past or current guys.... What has the company, upper management, DO or Chief Pilot done to remedy it? Is the Chief Pilot and DO a company Guy or do they really look out for the pilots? Is it really true that the longest pilot employed there only 2years? Why such a revolving door? How many airlines can you jumpseat on, it says Via is part of cass? Also why home-basing if part of cass? What kind of hotels do the home-based pilots stay in?
lowbalance is offline  
Old 07-31-2018, 06:41 PM
  #509  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Position: SW4
Posts: 121
Default

Originally Posted by lowbalance View Post
Seems, like short staffing and unstable/changing schedules are a common theme for complaints from what i've gathered in the previous posts of past or current guys.... What has the company, upper management, DO or Chief Pilot done to remedy it? Is the Chief Pilot and DO a company Guy or do they really look out for the pilots? Is it really true that the longest pilot employed there only 2years? Why such a revolving door? How many airlines can you jumpseat on, it says Via is part of cass? Also why home-basing if part of cass? What kind of hotels do the home-based pilots stay in?
The CP is amazing. . . he works his **S off to make things happen. He is/was the only LCA when many of the "senior" pilots left. He works 8 days a week, and when he is not flying the line, training in the sim, doing line checks and IOE's, he's flying the line, and keeping this place together on his "days off" . . . he is the hardest working CP many of us have ever seen. He's a good guy, and we all feel for him for the amount of work the company expects him to take on. The DO is new . . . we had one before, that . . . lets just say, many a' pilot left because of what happened under his watch. . .not sure it was him or not, but it is/was what it was/is.
As far as schedules, just look at other forums... lots of talk about it . .. you are positive spaced for work. . very limited jump seat right now.
pilotguy7 is offline  
Old 07-31-2018, 06:59 PM
  #510  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 12
Default via

Who was the Director of Ops that is no longer there, why the departure? What airlines can you jump seat on, united, southwest etc? Are you put in crappy hotels when on over nights? How are the guys you fly with, is the morale pretty low?
lowbalance is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
alphonso1
Charter
142
05-01-2017 08:29 PM
ToiletDuck
Hangar Talk
26
03-03-2008 11:35 AM
Lbell911
Major
29
07-31-2007 05:02 PM
Freighter Captain
Cargo
0
07-09-2005 09:27 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices