yrbroom

I assumed they meant that if you’re looking to leave to a major and have no TPIC you won’t get it at Atlas anytime soon

ChopNDrop

Can someone contractually lay out what the upgrade requirements are? Seems like there hasn’t been a clear answer on this.

742Dash

I do not know of any. Upgrade has always been by seniority, and I can not recall there ever being an issue with one exception back in 1999 [I have been here a long time]. And that idiot manager is long gone.

IMO the only issue that a new hire/junior FO should be worried about is getting the experience to upgrade. Not numbers, but the experience and understanding of the 4 corners of the world so that they can function as a Captain should function when they are going into places like Kabul or Djibouti. And that might become an issue in the future if FOs from the domestic network start bidding for upgrades on the 777/74. But that is speculation on my part.

As I have said before on this thread, this is not Kansas. Do not come here if you are just going to be casually biding your time.

TiredSoul

This ^^^
Thank you for posting 742

The Dominican

Isn't that what OJT is for, ground school for unfamiliar airports, route checks?
Little experience is one thing but an experienced pilot doesn't really need to have flown to all theaters of the world to become captain.

Unless there is a void in training?

Sorry I just don't really agree with the concept that flying to all corners is a prerequisite, it really all depends on how a person prepares ahead of the flight, the information and training the company provides and your Route Training Captain.

742Dash

There is no "ground school for unfamiliar airports", no route checks, no such thing as a "Route Training Captain". There are "Station Guides", but they are the result of feedback from the crews.

Atlas does not have a stable route structure. It is more like a charter operation or a fractional in that you operate to and from what the customer wants -- and that can change on short notice. More than once I have gone into an airport that was not only new to Atlas, but that had never seen a 747 before. The big issue then being that had I known ahead of time I would have ironed my pants and worn a fresh shirt for the locals who show up to see the airplane.

There are a lot of routine "same old thing/different day" days at Atlas; but there are also a fair number "bring your A game" days. And it is not just Atlas, it is ACMI in general. Some guys thrive on it, some guys hate it.

RyeMex

Hahahahahaha. Route Training. Funny.
There is no such thing as Route Training here. You can get your class 2 / ETOPS sign off on a NRT - SYD flight and you are expected to prepare yourself for operating in the NAT HLA system. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never flown it before.

Dhood84

Applied two months ago with internal recs and nothing. Here’s to hoping.

DH

WhiteMorpheus

They still need to meet the requirements of part 121, so, 1000 hours of 121-equivalent PIC/SIC...a regional FO with 500 hours of 121 time still has some hour building to do. I would guess that the only upgrade seat having people passed over for lack of the required time would be 737 CA. Some of the other ACMIs have had pilots in the same boat on 75/76 fleets (people passed over because they lack 121 SIC/PIC).

RyeMex

Per our FOM:

”The criteria to upgrade to a Captain position is as follows:

(1) 2,500 hours total time on Large Group 2 Transport Category aircraft (turbojet aircraft of more than 41,000 pounds take-off weight) or,

(2) 1,500 hours Second-in-Command in Large Group 2 Transport Category aircraft (turbojet aircraft of more than 41,000 pounds take-off weight) and 500 hours as Second-in-Command at the Company.”