Western Global pilots help please
 

I am trying to apply to Western Global. I have plenty of experience and and MD11 747 and 744 type ratings.
I am also a Floridian.
I sent my resume in using the company website but no joy.
Anyone has a better idea or way to send over my resume for next class?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

PS there is a PDF attachment on website and mentions to contact Cynthia Apricella, but it was updated in Jan/2017 so she might not even be on same position anymore. If anyone could also confirm that.
Thanks.

Must have missed this a few threads down.

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/cargo/88547-western-global-airways-29.html#post2473006

this link only shows that Western Global is on APC but doesn't show anything about how to apply.

Unfortunately I don't believe that the App receiving process is any more sophisticated than an email inbox. If you have internal recs then that for sure the best way to get noticed. Otherwise its very easy to get buried in the inbound emails sent to the Career website...

Best of Luck

Contact me
 

Bomb,

I like your drive. If you want to work at WGA, PM me. Yeah, I am a management puke, 747-400 Capt, and VP of Ops.

TQ

Dont do it
 

Bombinha! Please, I beg of you. Get or stay off that merry go round, it will kill you! A few trips in economy to India, or around the Middle East, will cure you in a hurry. They will treat like you like rubbish cause that’s what they really think of you. Go fly somewhere nice, like Hawaii or Alaska. ALL the good regionals are hiring and trust me, it’s better than any 121 Charter/Supplemental, out there. You will not gain anything going to a bottom feeder. I had to learn the hard way although quickly. A crash pad in kew gardens is better than Afghanistan or Africa anyday.

Your info is way out of date. If I wasn’t at K4, these guys would be my #2

Why would they be your #2? What has changed?

I know of three guys at K4 who used to work for WGA. Just did a trip last week with one of them. You may want to check with one of them before saying they'd be your #2. :D

A friend of mine is in training with them right now. From what he told me, they have removed all stops to get pilots to stay, one item is true home basing from anywhere in the world, so if you wanted to live in Thailand... He also expects to make 90k his first year.
The truth will be realized however once he hits the line. Yes, I know they have a reputation from the past, but again, so does K4.

Wow. Home basing anywhere in the world? That'd be alright but ridding 4 legs in coach would get old real fast.

Gents- there are big differences between the 747 and the MD-11 on every facet of flying at WGA. The mad dog does the bulk of the heavy lifting here (pun intended) and some of the garden spots in Africa and other places is not fun. It is what it is. Obviously the DH/positioning to and from assignments depends on where you live and what airport the Co flies you in and out of. Bottom line: it all sucks but its the price for living in the place you want to live.

WGA doesn't pretend to be anything it is not. It is a growing company that points out from the interview onwards that the flying here is hard work. I will say that overall I am impressed with the mgt and ownership of the airline. They do their best to support the crews on the road (its not perfect), however, benefits like a profit sharing plan and constant 360 feedback environment are just a few of the efforts by senior leadership to keep pilots, MX and LM's interested and motivated to the extent they can. As you all know, freighter ACMI flying is not for folks looking for a cushy gig. I'll get off my soapbox now...

In the last 21 months I have never done 4 legs to position, 3 legs less than 5 Times. It does depend on where you live.

With $77900 as a first year min FO guarantee, $90k is well within reach. Peak season bonuses and a $10k retention bonus every 24 months almost average out to 90k without overtime, unless you start considering present values, etc. Theres $60 a day perdiem on top of this and the spectre of profit sharing, still don’t have anything definitive on profit sharing. There is a 401k plan with Vanguard funds, but there is no match. It’s still good to have with associated tax deferment.

WGA still taking DEC on either fleet?

No new classes DEC.

I totally agree

I know a bit of the points I'm about to make have already been made here but I'll add my two cents:

This is absolutely outdated. I am fairly new, just off IOE and on the MD11 with A background as an RJ captain and I'm young. Under 30. But my experience with all facets of the company so far are overwhelmingly positive.

You are not treated like rubbish, and the leadership goes to pretty solid lengths to remind you that they don't see you as rubbish.

They never lied and said the schedule or flying would be a cakewalk from the onset. Not even in the interview. They said 20 hour days were possible, and I've certainly worked some long ones.

They are mostly supplemental. The operation changes constantly and so schedules change constantly to meet the needs of the customers. They don't do this because they hate you, they do this because that is how they meet their customers requirements, fulfill their contracts, and keep making money which directly contributes to you keeping a job and making money yourself.

They have a constant open line of communication and feedback between operations, the line, and management.

They do little things like send you digital Christmas cards and give you a little extra to get yourself a nice dinner if you are working through holidays.

There is a decent peak season bonus.

There is talk of profit sharing.

They operate on a business philosophy they call "The western global way" which is bassed on the "great game of business" concept. (Google it, really cool idea)

They are trying to establish a company and corporate culture and unique identity.

The economy class deadheads seem to be a sticking point for alot of people. Business class deadheads for every crew member all the time all over the world is a massive expense. It doesn't make economic sense to do that when you are a new company that is trying to grow and gain new contracts and need to keep your costs as low as possible to be able to under bid your larger and more established competitors.

There are tons of "economy class CEOs" out there that don't even buy themselves first or business everywhere they go.

I get that other guys require it as per their CBA and I get that it's really nice. I'd love to fly business everywhere I go for sure, but don't you think it's just a bit pretentious to think that you should be entitled to that at all times?

I personally would rather work for a strong, competitive, financially secure company that keeps growing and receive bigger profit sharing checks than get every deadhead at a price tag of 5 grand a pop. I sure as hell wouldnt buy business for myself all the time even if I had the money to if I'm trying to reinvest everything I can in to growth.

Just playing devils advocate and I happen to understand economics on an amateur level and respect the reasoning there.

It may not always be the case for us either. We can always hope for business class deals in the future if the company grows steadily and gets as big as a
Atlas or K4 and gets pockets as deep as atlas or k4. Who knows?

WGA is fairly new as a company and they are changing fast. Improvements come every day. There are certainly some things that are still being figured out, but from what I've been able to acertain, working here now is like working for a different company all together even than working here a year ago. Alot of people left back then. The comapny made an assessment of why and what it would take to attract and retain people, and put it in to action. Some are coming back. That is all without a big union pushing an agenda. Nobody forced the company to do that. They did it because they are smart enough to understand pilots are a big part of a successful airline. And in a world where other managements are fileing law suits against their pilot groups make them work harder instead of raising pay and making QOL adjustments to encourage them to stay and work hard, I think that speaks volumes for the quality of the folks who run this place.

I can't offer a comparison to life at Atlas of K4 because I have not worked from them. I can only say what my own experience has been thus far. And I understand that as far as the ACMI industry foes right now K4 is top level. If I had a job offer on the table from both I'd take k4. But I didn't, I had a job offer from WGA and I don't regret taking it at all. Ask me in a year if I've changed my mind. I doubt I will have.

Oh and economy class deadheads can be rough, true. But you keep your miles and likely will attain a level of status with at least one of the big three legacies depending on where you live if in the us.

A word of advice on that from my own experiences deadheading and paying my own tickets in the past as well that has nothing to do with WGA but is none the less relevant and can make the travel experience more palatable:

Travel in uniform, introduce yourself to the in-flight service manager and the captain on your international legs, smile, be respectful, don't act entitled, and go on about your trip and you'll be surprised what happens when a seat turns out to be open In business or economy comfort.

I may have had economy class tickets on my deadheads both ways this month, but on the international segments, I did not sit in economy.

Obviously doesn't happen all the time, and you can't be upset if it doesn't. But crewmembers tend to take care of each other.

I have heard this happens less on the foreign flag carriers and some companies like Qatar and Lufthansa ask that you remove your wings and epaulettes so their customers do not mistake you for one of their employees. I haven't delt with that yet.

As for the middle seats, use the airline apps and keep checking back multiple times a day to see if other seats have opened up, as people's plans change, seats will open up and then get gobbled up really fast but there is usually a window of opportunity to nab a better seat.

Basic tier 1 status with all 3 us legacies include at least day of travel complimentary economy plus upgrades. If you have status, don't forget to use it!

Also there tend to be some economy comfort or economy plus seats open that aren't middles. If you are in uniform, are nice and polite and happy, and ask the gate agent not specifically for comfort but rather "if there is any way if a window or aisle becomes available they could think about moving you there" alot of times you'll find yourself in economy comfort with at least A slightly better seat.

Again, not 100% all the time, but just like when you used to non-rev, a uniform, a pleasant attitude, and mutual respect can win you alot.

But
 

Very good post Wingged but if I may. The conditions you work under, and have accepted as ok, have been around for a long long time. If you keep showing up to work, they think you are being treated fairly, which I do not believe you are. You can do better and deserve better. Why you would leave a regional, in todays pilot market, to go to WGA, is beyond me. The Neffs have a long and jaded history. If you start asking for more, they will shut down and move those contracts to the next charter certificate. See the Skylease/Centurion model. That too has been going on for years. The image of them seeming to care is just that. You are an expense to them and thus have to be controlled.

Now as far as business class is concerned, do you know that a lot of contracts are written to have the flight crews ride in bizzo or first. The company keeps the money and buys you an economy ticket. I worked for carriers that did that and still do. Please don’t fool yourself with the “New Airline” BS. They’ve been selling icebergs to Eskimos for years, ie; Southern Air. See how great that place is?

Get off, and stay off, that bandwagon. Being young is a great advantage. You don’t want to look back on your career in twenty years going “what was I thinking”.

Happy Holidays as I expect to get hammered again from this post.

Old timers seem to forget what it is like to work at a US regional, even a decent one... Getting international time in a MD11 or 747 elevates you in the world of piloting from a regional pilot that gets no respect. I could be in the jumpseat of a Delta 757, and the pilots want to hear about flying the 747 around the world. Flying an RJ? They could care less.

You're suggesting bragging rights while jumpseating?

I could care less what a mainline pilot thinks about me flying an RJ vs a 747. Which one will get me to a legacy first is what matters, not bragging rights.

It's a known fact that in "America", flying a wide body adds inches to your dick!!

Inches around

That would be at a regional with flow

If you're going to fly a wide body, have it be the 747.

No, what I am suggesting is that you are viewed as an equal, which is nice, coming from an RJ.

So it's about image, then.

What difference does it make what the crew thinks of you if you're in their jumpseat? Are you seriously suggesting taking a job for the benefit of looking better, being considered an equal, or however you wish to parse it, while in the jump seat?

If that's your goal, it might work out for you. In my experience, having flown ACMI widebody international, when jumping, nobody cared who I flew for, and most had no idea who my employer was, when I told them.

It really comes down to your goal here. If you're after international experience, that's understandable, and if you're interested in experiencing a wide body airframe, ok. If you want to travel, look for variety, or see this as an opportunity with relatively short upgrade times, there's something. It's not a fast path to a major. I can't imagine the notion of seeking out a job however, in order to upgrade your appearance to the crew operating a flight on which you're jumpseating. Seems a tad overkill for a superficial, even vain benefit, if it could be considered a benefit at all, don't you think?

You're not likely to fly enough hours to fast track yourself anywhere, or to use the job as a stepping stone, so hiring on will need to be for the job itself, rather than some pass-through benefit. If it's about looking good to the cockpit crew of your jumpseat ride, it seems quite an effort to make for a very insignificant return...those impressed crewmembers (they won't be) aren't going to get you closer to an alternate goal.

Sounds like an advanced stage of shiny jet syndrome; big shiny jet syndrome.

I can think of a lot of good reasons to take the job. How it makes you look in passing to mainline crew isn't one of them.

I never sold it as a reason. It’s an afterthought, fringe benefit. Being treated with respect by fellow pilots is a good thing, something most of you take for granted having never flown for a regional or been so long since you have, you’ve forgotten what its like.
It’s a real thing.

Not dogging you here.
I flew regionals( back then AKA "commuters") flew ACMI and jumpseated either online or offline for 30+ years.
When the Captain welcomed me to ride on the JS or in the back, it was all the "respect" I needed, and I never took it for granted.
Good luck with gate agents though. Had more than a few who were not so helpful. Fly Safe.

I don’t think no land 3 was talking about any of the things you disparage him for. I noticed the same thing he has after my first wide body type. All of a sudden major airline Captains wanted to talk to me about flying. Didn’t do Adamn thing to enhance my career but it sure made the ride in the jump seat much more pleasurable. I also seemed to notice an increase in Captains who would personally tell the lead FA to put me in first if they had an opening. It is always better to be treated as a peer and not the hired help.

I would also tell my lead FA to seat you in my First Class section if we have an opening. 😬🤣

I too have noticed an instant change I mainline pilot attitudes toward me when I introduce myself as MD11 rather than 145.

It's obviously not a good reason to take a job barring all else, but, it is nice to be seen as a peer instead of a yong punk that works in the part of the business that contributed to your furlough back in 2002.

Do guys have EFB’s over there at Western? Thanks

they have 4g ipads, pm of you are thinking of interviewing

Is the 13 days off consecutive? If a pilot volunteers to extend their days on duty while on a trip affect other pilots that are starting their 17 days on? Does the company break up your 13 day segment stretch? Do you have to sign a training contract? What kind of hotels are you staying in? Are all crew meals provided? Is ground transportation used instead of a airline tickets to get you back to your base sometimes?

I would really like to PM somebody in the company. I recently applied for spot and wondering who I could talk to about getting application looked at. I’ve already spent a lot of time flying around the world the past year in a Hawker 800. Been to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Just luck of crew scheduleing. I’m ready to do these legs in a big jet and put some seniority down at a company

I’ Been trying to get a interview also but no luck I guess the next step is to go to head quarters in Astero Fl and walk my resume since I live pretty close to them

I’ve been told that they have a lot of resumes on file now and are being a bit more selective.

Questions
 

I have a few questions.

Can I PM someone who works there?