Originally Posted by
CrowneVic
Sounds like it could be a great gig.
What are schedules like, on/off, etc.? Seems like a lot of these type of carriers are 16 on, 14 off or so. That kind of time away is a no-go for me.
I also read Omni has United pass privileges. How does that work?
Yes, the non-rev with United is something like a ZED. Pretty much the taxes and fees. Available to pilots, spouse, kids. We also have normal reciprocal JS agreements too. But in reality, most pilots never use the United benefits. We rack up airline miles so fast that when we go on vacation we just get award real tickets and never deal with standby travel ever again. The non pilot staff loves the perk.
Schedules. Right now it’s 18 days. 2 of those are over ride days that you are hardly ever used because they come with hefty pay over rides that go above guarantee. So, unless they’re jammed up, you won’t work them. That leaves 16 days.
Most lines will be either one block of 16 days straight and a smaller number of lines broken into two chunks.
In general, they will all be scheduled reserve days. There are a few lines with actual scheduled flying, but in general it’s a reserve line. A day or so in advance stuff starts populating your schedule. Just plan on being at work those 16 days and your safe. If you get to stay home on long call a few extra days, great. Those 16 days include travel day to work, and a travel day home.
My experience this past year has been either on day one or two I’d get called with my travel for the next day. I’d get deadheaded someplace, sit a day, then operate a flight someplace. Sit there a day or more, then DH someplace else, sit a day or more and then operate something.... rinse and repeat. On the last day I’d be positive spaced home.
So, of the 16 days, the first day is your trip notification. Day 2 you DH out. Day 16 you fly home. That really leaves about 13 days to actually work. Most guys get anywhere from 20-45 hours of block per month.
Year three of the contract the max days drop from 18 to 17. We just started year two of the CBA in April. This also means new hire pay increases from $113 to $117 ph.
There are definately worse places to work. The flying is both fun and demanding, while not being too much. Fly someplace, take a mini vacation a few days, fly someplace else and repeat.
There are schedules that are broken up into two chunks instead of one long block. They are about 1/5th of the lines. Doesn’t seem to be too hard to get as most schedules are awarded to multiple pilots (except for the few with actual scheduled flying). Also, in year three of the CBA the days drop from 18 to 17, including those over ride days that you aren’t used.
So, the trips are longer, but the time off comes in larger blocks also. So instead of being home 12-14 days in chunks of 2-4 days off, you’ll get all 12-14 at once, or in two chunks. Then add in the time off over month to month transitions and you can see with carefull bidding you get 2 weeks off at once almost every month, and if you plan it a bit you can take 4 weeks without using a single vacation day.
We do a special program out of Las Vegas that only does LAS-HNL and if you lived there you’d only be gone from home around 8 nights a month. Its a small base, but the FO slots have been going junior lately. You’ll fly 8 legs in 16 days, with the days in between off in Vegas or Honolulu. Its literally getting paid to vacation. Guys do bring their families, and they get the in base hotel the entire trip, so they bring extra stuff and leave it there while in Honolulu.
Omni is not the typical ACMI. We’re passengers only (for now), we run under part 117 duty times unlike the ACMI box haulers that still get beat up under the old 121 rules. You’ll never get abused flying above guarantee unless you’re super senior budding a check airman line on purpose, or in a special program with higher guarantees.
Try it, you’ll like it.
PM if you have more questions, I don’t want to derail your thread, and the conversation they’re having about the MOU is an important one. Or... come visit the Omni thread in the charters section.