Empire airlines
04-16-2019, 11:32 PM
#91
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2015
Posts: 27
Originally Posted by Turbine driver
A synopsis. Once a great company in rapid decline. Used to be a place pilots stayed for years working for low pay in exchange for QOL. A couple years ago company atmosphere completely changed. From the top down the attitude is we'll just replace pilots when they complain. If you come to them with a complaint, often the reply is leave if you don't like it. That sometimes is followed with CASS problems. Longtime employees are leaving due to the change in atmosphere. HR is described as used car salesman, with new hires often complaining of this isn't what HR described. Retention bonus can be pulled by company, RX days are sometimes scheduled sometimes not. Its at the discretion of the company. HR is very happy to show you the door. Caravan pilots have reported problems with TKS inside cockpit.
Days are long. (Day run) out the door at 5am, sit at the airport waiting for late planes, stand at plane for loading sometimes hours due to slow loading. Fly 1 hour, sit all day, fly back in the evening and home by 8pm Monday-Saturday. Some runs have you in a hotel nightly and home for a long lunch due to late departures.
121 often has no reserve pilot so don't get sick or have personal emergencies. 121 side has had pay raises due to lack of crews as a result of a bad reputation.
135 side has high training failure rate. Majority of bases are new hires, as the senior employees left.
Company has created a very bad reputation
Pro's Aircraft well maintained due to customer paying for it
Days are long. (Day run) out the door at 5am, sit at the airport waiting for late planes, stand at plane for loading sometimes hours due to slow loading. Fly 1 hour, sit all day, fly back in the evening and home by 8pm Monday-Saturday. Some runs have you in a hotel nightly and home for a long lunch due to late departures.
121 often has no reserve pilot so don't get sick or have personal emergencies. 121 side has had pay raises due to lack of crews as a result of a bad reputation.
135 side has high training failure rate. Majority of bases are new hires, as the senior employees left.
Company has created a very bad reputation
Pro's Aircraft well maintained due to customer paying for it
I’ll add that everyone in management pretends to be your friend and act like they are working hard to make changes and then will just blame the lack of change on someone else.
I know multiple people who were sold by HR on Ohana with false promises, but they figure once you make the move all the way to HI that you’ll stay since there are very limited other options out here.
04-24-2019, 06:25 PM
#92
Line Holder
Joined APC: Aug 2017
Posts: 64
Empire
Originally Posted by Redbeard
Same thing applies for Ohana side. Couldn’t have said it any better and agree 100% other then the aircraft maintenance on the Ohana side.
I’ll add that everyone in management pretends to be your friend and act like they are working hard to make changes and then will just blame the lack of change on someone else.
I know multiple people who were sold by HR on Ohana with false promises, but they figure once you make the move all the way to HI that you’ll stay since there are very limited other options out here.
I’ll add that everyone in management pretends to be your friend and act like they are working hard to make changes and then will just blame the lack of change on someone else.
I know multiple people who were sold by HR on Ohana with false promises, but they figure once you make the move all the way to HI that you’ll stay since there are very limited other options out here.
100% correct
04-28-2019, 04:44 AM
#93
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Still Swinging props!
Posts: 297
Chief Pilot
So that might explain the Chief Pilot opening that’s been advertised for what, almost the last year? Or is there some other reason?
I see on the website that Empire has not only branched into HI, but into airline operations support? I’ve seen consulting firms that will sell you a GOM/Training manual/Dispatch template, but found it odd that Empire would, too. Is this a market where there are new operators are trying to launch? I would hope that doesn’t mean the DO/CP/DOM isn’t double tapped to support that sideline, in addition to the 121/135 operations. At TWA, “back in the day”, we offered developing countries a turn key airline launch, complete with airplanes, staffed by all of our folks from mx/gnd/flt, while training the locals. That was fun. Good money, too. Most of you kids will have to google TWA. It was a thing when pilots flew NDB approaches like they were localizers. In non radar environments.
In the past, I’ve worked with a handful of prior Empire folks from flight to maintenance. All said the pay wasn’t the best, but the QOL really was. Sad to hear this has changed.
I am looking to return to a place with mountains and water, with an operator that knows how to appreciate and welcome an old chief pilot and dir of mx into their fold. Idaho and HI satisfy half of that objective! My search continues!
Stay safe out there!
I see on the website that Empire has not only branched into HI, but into airline operations support? I’ve seen consulting firms that will sell you a GOM/Training manual/Dispatch template, but found it odd that Empire would, too. Is this a market where there are new operators are trying to launch? I would hope that doesn’t mean the DO/CP/DOM isn’t double tapped to support that sideline, in addition to the 121/135 operations. At TWA, “back in the day”, we offered developing countries a turn key airline launch, complete with airplanes, staffed by all of our folks from mx/gnd/flt, while training the locals. That was fun. Good money, too. Most of you kids will have to google TWA. It was a thing when pilots flew NDB approaches like they were localizers. In non radar environments.
In the past, I’ve worked with a handful of prior Empire folks from flight to maintenance. All said the pay wasn’t the best, but the QOL really was. Sad to hear this has changed.
I am looking to return to a place with mountains and water, with an operator that knows how to appreciate and welcome an old chief pilot and dir of mx into their fold. Idaho and HI satisfy half of that objective! My search continues!
Stay safe out there!
05-04-2019, 06:00 PM
#97
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2015
Posts: 27
Originally Posted by PittsFlyer
Accepted an offer for a FO position on the ATR, anyone have any advice or gouge for training they might be willing to share? Thanks.
05-04-2019, 09:26 PM
#98
New Hire
Joined APC: May 2019
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by Redbeard
Get ready for some of the worst training you will experience in your career. Empire and flight safety houston (ATR program) is like the blind leading the blind. Not saying you'll fail, they seem to let anyone with a pulse through.
Last edited by PittsFlyer; 05-04-2019 at 10:08 PM.
05-05-2019, 09:57 PM
#99
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2014
Posts: 62
Originally Posted by PittsFlyer
So you’re telling me there’s a chance! LOL
05-05-2019, 11:45 PM
#100
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2015
Posts: 27
Originally Posted by deskflier
Does empire use their own checkairman or use flight safety’s in house DE’s for the type ride? If it’s flight safety’s in-house; ask around about the atr pass rate. It’s your career and your record be informed.
They use Flight Safety's people for everything. I didn't know until I got to Houston, but apparently before I started (over a year ago) they had about an 80% fail rate, at least for Ohana side, not sure if that was fedex side as well. Empire sent some management down to Houston to observe some rides and since then, it seems that they are just letting anyone through.
The ATR (so I've been told) is probably the hardest type rating you'll get. I think some of that high fail rate was due to jet guys coming in thinking a turboprop will be easy and surprise surprise, it's not. You actually have to fly it and use a 6 pack
When you get a V1 cut without auto feather there is this huge prop making a lot of drag and its not easy to manage(who would of thought
) But really its not that hard if you come in ready to learn and work hard. You will have to do a lot of reading and learning outside of ground, so just don't screw around during training and you'll be fine.
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