Originally Posted by
alaskadrifter
Does a B1900 FO on the Hageland side get paid the same as an FO on the Corvus/Era side?
Era 1900 FO gets $40/hr first year, $43/hr second year. Hageland 1900 FO gets $40/hr first year, $50/hr second year, but you'll probably be pushed to a sled by then, which IIRC is a daily guarantee of $230 + $45/hr after 4 hours.
To clear up the name confusion, it used to be:
Hageland (part 135) + Era Aviation (part 121) = Era Alaska
Now:
Hageland --> Ravn Connect
Era Aviation --> Corvus Airlines dba Ravn Alaska
Ravn Connect + Ravn Alaska = Ravn Air Group
Don't ask me who/why came up with the above.
Rent in Anchorage is expensive, but it is not 1200/mo unless you're in a really nice place by yourself or getting ripped off. 800/mo is more realistic, the best steal I've heard of is 400/mo for everything. Cost of living is higher than the lower 48, less than Hawaii, probably closest to Seattle. Additionally, you get a yearly dividend from the state (usually $850-1300). Also, no state income tax or sales tax.
Hageland bases are outside of Anchorage, Era's only base is Anchorage (Fairbanks went away). Hageland is 2 weeks on/off, Era is your typical 4 day on / 3 day off or similar--I get the tailored schedule I want and I don't have a lot of seniority.
Approximate times in each seat: B1900 FO is just over a year, Dash 8 FO is just under four years making B1900 captain upgrade time right about five years, less than two years as a B1900 captain lands you in the left seat of the Dash. Movement has picked up
a lot since I've worked here. Additionally, the company is downsizing the 1900 fleet and adding more Dash 8's so time spent in respective seats may change a little.
APC pay scale is accurate except the note that restricts new 1900 FOs to 37/hr--this went away. Guarantee is 60 hours but I have always exceeded guarantee. I averaged 68 hours as a 1900 FO and average 80+ in the Dash. I average 13 days off per month, my best flight-time month I flew 100 hours and had 10 days off. The 401K thing is new this year, basically they threw a lump sum of money in and the percentage will work out to how much each pilot has put up.
All trips are out and backs, lots of charters too, home every night. Small, but awesome pilot group. The flying is fun and intense: Kodiak, Valdez, frozen lake runways, gravel strips. Occasionally, Dutch Harbor and other 3000' strips.
For whatever it is worth I wouldn't leave to anywhere except a major, even if I am flying a prop, unless they fired me of course.
They have a page with a little more info for prospective pilots...