Great, thanks for the info WhaleDriver.

Current Atlas pilots,

What do you use for a phone on the road? iPhone/Android? If an iPhone, Verizon or AT&T? Is there some around-the-world plan to avoid the super-expensive roaming charges?

My current phone died today, so figure I might as well upgrade while i'm swimming...

Thanks!

Most guys use Skype to phone home. Guys that do use phones have the run of the mill flip phone and purchase sim cards in the respective cities they want to use the phone (DXB, HKG, PVG).
That is the majority but there are guys that have the AT&T IPhone.

AT&T has several international plans, both for messaging and voice...a lot of guys have the messaging, but not voice.

From hotels, most of us use skype, google voice, and increasingly magicJack.

Not an Atlas guy, but I'm a 121 supp guy doing the same sort of flying. I just have an iPhone 4 (quad band, so it works just about anywhere in the world), and a magicJack. Works very well.

At my old job, when overseas I used the video chat capabilities of my Macbook. I could watch the kids from the middle east for hours, helping with homework, give the better half a break, etc. Free over the internet.

Skype
 

I'm not Atlas either (We'll see what happens when I retire from the AF in a couple years), but I do get to spend some time overseas. (And I may have slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night!)

I use Skype quite successfully overseas. For those of you with Verizon Androids, their Skype Mobile is locked into using 3G and not wireless (ie won't work overseas). That being said, you can still download the Skype app (Not Skype Mobile) and it works like a champ on wireless...

Clear Skies!

Droopy

And skype on the iphone4 works great on wifi...

btw, lots of guys carry the Apple AirPortExpress and make themselves a wifi network from a wired internet connection at most of the hotels overseas.

Did the phone interview today. Questions like, Why Atlas? Is there anything in your background that will come up in a security check? Any FAA action or training problems? What do you think will be your biggest obstacle in transitioning to a job like Atlas? How will you deal with schedule changes? Why are you a good fit for Atlas?
Got the link.

Question on living abroad and gateway cities
 

If you live overseas in a city serviced frequently by Atlas, (FRA, HKG, VCP) do they still require you to make it back to the US to a gateway city to start your trip?

Or can you pick up an Atlas flight from your home city and just start your trip there?

Thanks!