Originally Posted by
Moonlight
SAE is paying the FO 12.00 per hr for the first six month block then 18.00.
Does anyone know if the contract is in place before ground training? FOs do get assigned a domicile after ground training as I understand it.
Do FOs usually move to assigned domiciles or do they commute?
It is kind of overwhelming when one considers FO pay, signing contract, plus not knowing if you will be assigned to the Gulf Region or Mid Atlantic Region till after ground training.
Judy did say she is reasonably sure one can get assigned to the region desired but no guarantees.
The following is from my friend who I mentor. I strongly recommended he go to Southern and he took my advice. He was hired at 1000 hours and as now upgraded to CA. He gave me permission to post the following:
I believe that the low-time FO contract timeline countdown begins when they start to fly the line, but I don’t know for sure. For me, hired as an “FO-> quick upgrade to CA at 1000 hours, my timeline countdown begins once I start flying the line as a CA. And the contract is signed no later than the beginning of Indoc, and is effective as of the date-of-hire.
For the Mid-Atlantic pilots at bases with a single shift, the typical duty day is scheduled for 13 hours, with various degrees of layover at PIT. Bases which have two shifts result in shorter duty days.
The 4/4 schedule is an organizational goal, not a guarantee; however, the goal is usually achieved. When I did TDY out of PBI two months ago, the schedule there was structured as 5/3. They’ve since gone to two shifts at PBI, so I’m not sure about the current scheduling there.
Newly-hired FOs typically do get assigned to a Mid-Atlantic base, but if they indicate a higher preference for a Gulf base, and if openings(s) exist at the time, it can happen. Base assignment happens towards the end of Indoc.
My friend said to me, “You were spot-on correct when you suggested to me that SAE represents an ideal beginning to a professional pilot career. The boxes which get checked off are turbine time, hand-flying down low in the WX, into and out of high-traffic-density airports, >50 NM XC time, CRM, and of course Scheduled 135 line-flying experience. The Caravan is an excellent aircraft for transitioning from the typical light GA fleet, to the typical 121/135/91 fleet which might be subsequently flown.”
The only experience that SAE doesn’t provide is Multi-Engine, but all that is currently required by most Regionals is 25 hours of Multi, so a good play is to follow the advice which you provided to me: obtain the Commercial ME, build some ME PIC time by renting a light twin with another pilot with similar time-building needs, and fly under-the-hood in VMC. This allows for expense-sharing, as well as both pilots logging PIC time (within the Safety Pilot constructs).
I would also offer that SAE has an excellent overall organizational culture. It’s a pleasant place to work, in spite of the grueling schedule. There is good esprit de corps among the pilots. I highly recommend SAE to anyone looking to start their professional pilot career.