Don't be too afraid. If we do lose Gateway or Home basing, its because we would have a contract similar to UPS in the next five years.
Lol

 

Atlas has zero interest in negotiating a contract. This is all a show so they can say they tried. Every time anything involving money comes up they're not prepared.
They're waiting for the courts to rule in their favor and force the merger of the two exsisting contracts.

If they can find a way to drop our travel they will. Put that monkey on their employees. They don't care. It's a cost they don't want.

Don't come here in the hopes of a new contract. HR and middle management are lying to incoming applicants just to fill the seats any way they can.

Everyone is abandoning the ship as fast as they can. Unfortunately the carriers aren't taking our guys fast enough.
UPS! FedEx! Want to take care of the competition??? Take their pilots!!
Everyone would leave tomorrow.

 

thank you, appreciate it

 

Has anyone been contacted for the upcoming classes - online test, phone interview, interview invitation?

 

Was told by Agnes that I might be getting a one off interview in late December. If this is true then the spotlight is going to be on. Any tech gouge for the interview?

 

Do you know what a 10-9 page is? If so, you’re hired.

If not, we will teach you this in training.

 

Sounds like training is a fire house seat-of-your-pants affair. If you come positive and determined to grit your teeth and do it sounds like one might have as good a chance as any in the 74.

Now would anyone say that the training atmosphere in the 747 program is hostile? Are people setting you up? It's one thing to pass a difficult checkride, it's another to pass someone with agenda.

Thanks for any answers...
RK

 

I would not say that anyone is setting you up. They have made changes in MIA and it is certainly better that it used to be. They fired some of the worst offenders.

SA is the director of training, and he has made significant improvements such as the new computer training which is night and day better.

The problem is that the entire training program is not set up to handle pilots with no international and or heavy experience. They simply are not prepared or willing to spend the time and money necessary to train the type of pilots we are hiring now. We are seeing the results of this out on the line on a daily basis.

Atlas is not a beginners airline. Pilots are being released from OE without a North Atlantic crossing. Mistakes are being made that would have been unimaginable 5 years ago. Of course, the company blames the pilots for all of this...

My advice to any new hire is to purchase a quality active noise cancelling headset BEFORE you start OE! Read the ICAO Communications manual.

When you choose to become an international pilot, you have to follow the international rules. You sound like an unprofessional clown when you say things like "Giant 1234, 2 point 5 climbing to 9000."

In some ways, the flying we do is easier than what many regional guys are used to. We don't fly 4 legs a day, etc. Anyone with a good attitude and appropriate aptitude can fly the whale around the globe, but you have to know a lot of stuff that is not necessarily written in a book in order to do it safely and efficiently. Experience is purchased with time, effort, and exposure.

 

Thanks for that answer. To be honest I am one of those regional FOs at the moment. NO TPIC. Adding to the pot... I've lived overseas most of my life in Asia, Aussie, Europe etc. I am completely at home out in the world. In fact it makes more sense out there where reality is king. International flying has fascinated me. I'll do my best not to look a pratt!

One of my concerns would be how to get good at this doing one landing a month in the 74. Right out of OE making a 40kt crosswind landing at Narita in the face of a typhoon...

QUESTION: What is the best way to get good at this once you're there? What could I do now as a pre-applicant or once as a whale FO that would give me an advantage at being ready when the time comes? What makes a good FO at Atlas in the 747?

 

Well, that is the problem. You will not get many landings each month, but you should aggressively seek them. I see FO's turn landings down. I never did that as an FO.

Be a sponge, ask questions, study on your own, etc.

The 747 is tricky because we land at weights from empty to max landing weight. But don't be intimidated either as it is not a difficult plane to fly. It is just big. Learn to stay on center line at all times, develop strict aileron discipline, and strive to be smooth. The jet has a lot of inertia and you have to respect that. You can't pull it out at the bottom like you can in smaller aircraft. And your worst enemy is fatigue. You will rarely be on your A game.