Southern Air/Tradewinds Cargo
03-14-2006, 01:03 AM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Posts: 781
Southern Air/Tradewinds Cargo
1. How is life at these low cost cargo airlines?
2. How can new hires make captain in 1 year, how does that work? Do they hire many regional pilots?
3. What are the benefits?
4. Typically, what kind of flying do pilots do after leaving Southern/Tradewinds?
2. How can new hires make captain in 1 year, how does that work? Do they hire many regional pilots?
3. What are the benefits?
4. Typically, what kind of flying do pilots do after leaving Southern/Tradewinds?
03-14-2006, 07:51 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,398
I don't work for these guys just another of the supplementals and most are fairly similar.
1.You will work around 18 days a month being gone the whole time-possibly all in one shot or broken up into a couple of periods,
2.They try to hire high jet time pilots preference to heavy time, some regional guys get hired at my company.
3. A job, a paycheck, medical, no retirement except 401k which may or may not be matching.
4. Some go to better things (UPS,Fed Ex, etc,) some stay, some look for jbs with less time away. It is hard on family life.
1.You will work around 18 days a month being gone the whole time-possibly all in one shot or broken up into a couple of periods,
2.They try to hire high jet time pilots preference to heavy time, some regional guys get hired at my company.
3. A job, a paycheck, medical, no retirement except 401k which may or may not be matching.
4. Some go to better things (UPS,Fed Ex, etc,) some stay, some look for jbs with less time away. It is hard on family life.
03-14-2006, 08:42 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Pretty much what he said...
Just a few things to add. If you only have time in RJ's, then there is usually a certain amount of flight time you have to acquire in type before they allow an upgrade. In the neighborhood of 500-1000 hours depending upon that outfts' rules.
IMO it is not for everyone, but it holds up pretty well in comparison to many of the regional jobs out there nowadays. To me, having the chance to home base, and more days off in a row was preferable to the 2-3 days off, 3-5 on that was shortended with a one or two leg commute to work (going to and from base).
My advice is to do exactly what you are doing. Investigate, explore, and get as much info on what exactly the work enviorment is like. Pay or career advancement are not unimportant, but what really matters if it is the type of job you would enjoy doing, and would fit well into the workplace. Do a search on Southern Air and you will pull up a few great posts by 18Wheeler that gives the low down on SAI if that is one of the companies you are serious about.
The honest truth is that long haul freight is as different from regional flying as say... corporate or fractional flying is. And much like that kind of flying is great for some pilots, but not for every aviator, so is flying for an long haul freight operator.
Either way, good luck to you in you efforts. Fly Safe.
Just a few things to add. If you only have time in RJ's, then there is usually a certain amount of flight time you have to acquire in type before they allow an upgrade. In the neighborhood of 500-1000 hours depending upon that outfts' rules.
IMO it is not for everyone, but it holds up pretty well in comparison to many of the regional jobs out there nowadays. To me, having the chance to home base, and more days off in a row was preferable to the 2-3 days off, 3-5 on that was shortended with a one or two leg commute to work (going to and from base).
My advice is to do exactly what you are doing. Investigate, explore, and get as much info on what exactly the work enviorment is like. Pay or career advancement are not unimportant, but what really matters if it is the type of job you would enjoy doing, and would fit well into the workplace. Do a search on Southern Air and you will pull up a few great posts by 18Wheeler that gives the low down on SAI if that is one of the companies you are serious about.
The honest truth is that long haul freight is as different from regional flying as say... corporate or fractional flying is. And much like that kind of flying is great for some pilots, but not for every aviator, so is flying for an long haul freight operator.
Either way, good luck to you in you efforts. Fly Safe.
03-15-2006, 05:57 PM
#5
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: B747 CA
Posts: 86
Southern Air
Answers:
1. Life at these airlines is what you make it. If you want to see the world jump in. If you could not stand being away from home for extended periods stay out. It can be tough but you can have a lot of fun. For someone that is single, it is a good place to get a tremendous amount of diverse experience without a suffering home life.
2. It comes down to flying experience. Some of the FO's we have do not have the required flight time to qualifiy as Captain per the GOM. They want to have 8 crews per airplane and when you go from 1 to 4 airplane in six months there were not enough total pilots to make captain so some were hired off of the street as captains and others that were hired as captains did not make the cut the first time round. They occupied the right seat until they got more flight time then given the chance to upgrade. You have to remember it is a big fast airplane with a lot of systems and and rules and regs that some people that have not delt with before. And international ops can be very intimidating for the inexperienced. And just because you can get a type rating doesn't mean you have "Command Ability". It is not just about flying the airplane you have to do that and manage the cockpit and make all of the right calls when the doodoo hits the fan.
3. I covered the benies in one of my other post.
4. Everywere. Lateral moves to other freight haulers, corporate, pax ops, retired.
1. Life at these airlines is what you make it. If you want to see the world jump in. If you could not stand being away from home for extended periods stay out. It can be tough but you can have a lot of fun. For someone that is single, it is a good place to get a tremendous amount of diverse experience without a suffering home life.
2. It comes down to flying experience. Some of the FO's we have do not have the required flight time to qualifiy as Captain per the GOM. They want to have 8 crews per airplane and when you go from 1 to 4 airplane in six months there were not enough total pilots to make captain so some were hired off of the street as captains and others that were hired as captains did not make the cut the first time round. They occupied the right seat until they got more flight time then given the chance to upgrade. You have to remember it is a big fast airplane with a lot of systems and and rules and regs that some people that have not delt with before. And international ops can be very intimidating for the inexperienced. And just because you can get a type rating doesn't mean you have "Command Ability". It is not just about flying the airplane you have to do that and manage the cockpit and make all of the right calls when the doodoo hits the fan.
3. I covered the benies in one of my other post.
4. Everywere. Lateral moves to other freight haulers, corporate, pax ops, retired.
03-16-2006, 08:54 AM
#6
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: B747 CA
Posts: 86
Sorry I overlooked the question about RJ pilots. Yes they have hired some.
The preference is to hire pilots that have long haul cargo experience. Not as much culture shock and less turnover.
Yes, RJ pilots can do the job but statistactly they have better luck with prior cargo pilots.
The preference is to hire pilots that have long haul cargo experience. Not as much culture shock and less turnover.
Yes, RJ pilots can do the job but statistactly they have better luck with prior cargo pilots.
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