12 if they all show up or 6 smart ones who decline and go to K4 or a passenger carrier ....pick one they all pay more!

I doubt any pilot sees an ACMI as their dream job. Sometimes you just make a move at the wrong time and end up stuck somewhere and get comfortable. And I wouldn’t say ATI is the best ACMI for most people but for some it might be a good fit. Especially if you don’t want to fly around the world for 2 weeks at a time (think 20 somethings with kids who still think their first marriage is gonna work out). If you live in or near the hub or one of the west coast amazon airports you could be home every 2-3 days for ~36 hours and still get two weeks off a month (all subject to change at the drop of a hat). And yeah any legacy or even major will be better in the long run. But hey if you have all the check marks to go to a legacy and they aren’t beating down your door and your airline doesn’t have flow... grab some heavy time with a fun group of pilots. And if ATI calls you and 3 months later k4 calls and that’s what you want just bail and go there. You will make more money and gain international experience and look better to brown or purple where you could end up flying international right out of OE.
Either one you will make more as an FO than a regional captain and not work nearly as hard.
Both have grown a lot recently and even with continued growth upgrade times have to increase. I’d make sure you have that magical 1000 TPIC before you go to any ACMI.


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^^^^ Most reasoned post on the ACMI realm ever. Good job!

Please don't take this as a "cry me a river"post.
Due to being married and having to provide for my family when I started my pilot career, a lot of options to enhance my resume by going to the regionals was not an option due to poor pay.
This was back in the early 2000 btw.
I did instruct for about 2 years. Then I was able to get hired as a cargo 135 PIC.
Did that for a couple of years to build multi time. Then I was lacking turbine time, so I applied and got a job flying a BE-99 up north.
Family stayed in Texas.
Wife gave me an ultimatum saying continue your career up there, or come back to Texas and stay married. Flew up there about 8 months and accrued 250 hrs of multi turbo prop.
Moved back home while the 2008 recession was going on. Unable to find ANY pilot jobs.
Worked odd jobs to pay bills for a while.
After a couple of years not flying, I was lucky to find a job as a 135 cargo pilot again.
Now I'm lacking Jet hours. Paid for my type rating to get hired locally as a Citation Mustang pilot for a small local 135 charter.
Been flying there single pilot for 5 yrs racking up about 1400 PIC jet time.
And now I'm here...
Plenty of hours, but again short on Crew, 121, and International experience.
Filled out application for ATI, and would be super happy to work at a company flying International heavy equipment to improve my resume!
The thing is...
They might not even consider me due to the lack of hours mentioned above..😔
I feel I have put in my time and effort to improve my resume as much as possible considering my situation. ( financially not able to have flown for the regionals and a wife not wanting to move where better opportunities might have been found).

Is the lack of experience they are looking for going to be a show stopper, and if so,
What would be some recommendations for me to move forward..?
TIA

Can't afford their 4 month at $1600/month and 1st year pay after that.
I DID find out though that I can get the security clearance needed due to me being a permanent resident for 5+ years.
Thank you though.

In the future, ditch the wife. If she isn’t willing to stick by you and support you so you can support your family (her included), than she isn’t worth it. Sounds like you have really busted your rear trying to keep both going. I did that and nearly lost both. I was fortunate to have at least salvaged my career. Marriage went into the tank and now several years divorced, Im kicking myself for not having separated sooner.

Just my .02, best of luck

I thought the same thing, I just didnt want to be the one to say it. I told mine she could stick with me or not, but this is what I'm going to do, with you or without you. It was a tough few years, but we somehow stuck it out. We are doing awesome now, but even if she had left I'd still be doing awesome by myself, with a pocket full of cash, flying big jets and looking for a newer model. Life is too short waste making yourself miserable just to keep someone from leaving you.

Career must come before family. If you cannot support yourself, you cannot support anyone else.

Are you YOU?
Or, are you your JOB?

Not to answer for that guy, but I am me. Not my job. However, without a job I cannot feed myself or my family. I will cease to exist if I do not rectify that in a timely manner. So I need a job. My family needs me to have a job so they can eat too.

Now if the wife develops a bad attitude and presents an ultimatum, than said pilot is in a bind. Sacrifice current job (and personal dreams) for wife or ditch the b**** and maintain ones self. Here is the kicker: sacrife FOR the wife and still there is a high probability that she will divorce you anyway. Why? Because the job really isn’t the issue.

So be smart and protect yourself. If your wife really is vested in you than she will stick by you untill the end (death do us part). If she won’t stick by you than I guess your marriage vows weren’t worth the toilet paper a trucker utilized a bit ago.