Originally Posted by
eman
Lol! weekends off, home every night and major holidays off wasn't a bad quality of life. Pay for first year chieftain captain aside though...metro was just fine!
During my time at AMF I did not experience the QOL you mentioned. I too was on the Metro and the pay was still a joke. I worked many weekends regardless of what A/C type I was on.
I also sat around on Xmas eve (on airport reserve) waiting to see if UPS was going to need us for emergency services (recall how UPS's operation was overwhelmed {and made the news} not too long ago).
I worked (not by choice) the 4th of July and New Years Eve recalled by seeing fireworks from the cockpit at night both times.
"Home every night" (UPS schedule) - I feel when a pilot gets home at 730-8pm and misses dinner and then wakes up at 430am M-F, or (international schedule) home at 1030pm wake up at 6am; the home at night isn't much of a selling point.
To folks pondering Ameriflight that want to fly 121 for their career: Continue accumulating flight-time with the intent of getting hired at a regional airline. Why?
-I know regionals have a bad rep but you will be significantly less stressed.
-The 121 equipment you will be flying is significantly more safe.
-135 PIC turbine hours are becoming less important.
-Flying alone (most of a pilot's hrs at AMF) does not develop CRM <--This is a big one and could cause training problems at a 121 carrier.
-AMF is small and political. Which means sometimes unfair.
-The new rest rules that mainly protect against long duty days combined with too many legs do not apply here.
-Once off reserve, you will accumulate more flight time at a regional per month even during a minimum credit month.
-They will not be able to attract future pilots causing a short-staffed situation translating to further reduced QOL for a new pilot at AMF. Noted below.
Originally Posted by
giblets8o3
If you have a lot of turbine time it would be possible to go straight to CVG (very short staffed).
People usually interested in Ameriflight are generally "lower" flight-time pilots. If you find yourself one of these people that also want to have a 121 non-regional career you need to have 4-5000 hrs (generally speaking at the time of interview with big 121 career). With the exodus of regional captains moving to better places that will occur very soon you will likely have the opportunity to upgrade at the regional that you choose. Even if it is 3-4 years that's okay because you need to get your hours higher anyway. It's much easier to build time with a great FO schedule as you become more senior. Then upgrade and take the QOL hit.