Very sorry to hear about that

I heard a rumor this bunch is getting CRJs with a cargo door. Can anyone confirm it? If so when? Where do you apply?

Confirmed! Arriving Fall 2015. Apply via email.

I'm a Michigan native considering IFL. What kinds of pilots do they usually hire? Do I need a contact to get the interview? I'm at 2200-ish hours. Mostly CRJ and PC12 time. 500 TPIC.

They like to hire previous freight folks and locals esp those within 9 miles of ptk. Otherwise your just fine for a lear or falcon gig. Kfs and serria west are also hurting for lear drivers.

My condolences.

Can anyone tell me what the training is like in the falcon? Washout rate? Where Sim training is? Thanks in advance.

you won't washout, they need you too bad!

Where can I sent my resume to IFL? How does one apply? Email address?

They post job openings on climbto350. You have to apply on there.


Where do they do sim at?

IFL Hiring
 

Just had a phone conversation with chief pilot at IFL. Sounds like a great guy. Friend here at Scenic referred me over to them for the 727.

Don't have the time to jump in the right seat, they wanna make me an FE for about a year-said they'll do the type ride and ATP ride for me.

Anyone been an FE on the 27 for em?

QOL?

I see them up around GFK BJI TVF alot around the holidays. If anyone hasnt been to that area, its the boonies.

FE's training and the job has nothing to do with flying the aircraft itself. What you will do is work harder than the Capt and F/O operating the aircraft systems. If you done any A&P stuff this will take the sting out of understanding and operating the various systems.

I agree. Hardest job on the aircraft.
For what it's worth, my advice is to be cautious about accepting a job as a flight engineer at any airline. Many of these type airlines will hire a pilot as a flight engineer and keep you in the back seat because it's convenient for THEM. I'm not suggesting IFL is this way, but It's easier for them to just hire qualified FO's into the right seat than it would be to upgrade you, then have to hire and train another FE to replace you. Gentlemen's agreements don't mean much in this business, so I would try and get something in writing saying they will put you in the upgrade program when you get your minimum qualifications. Airlines only care about making $$ and they will tell you whatever you want to hear.
Yes, if you're hired, you will get a B727 type rating. If you don't have your ATP, these type airlines will probably still hire you, and the examiner will combine your ATP with your type ride.
These airlines like to hire young, hungry pilots because they know they will do whatever the company wants. QOL is not good, unless you live in Michigan. You will be on call all the time. TONS of duty time, but not much flying time (maybe 35-50 hours a month).
Turbine time is turbine time, so if it was me, I would go to work for Ameristar and fly my butt off, getting turbine PIC. That will be much more valuable to you than getting 727 FO time. Of course the FE time is totally worthless.

IFL was just announced as the launch customer for the CRJ 200 Freighter.

IFL Group to Acquire the First Bombardier CRJ200 Special Freighter Aircraft - Bombardier

^ Thats pretty cool!

What is the CRJ replacing?

Probably the Falcon 20

Looks like DC9 type loads.

That is bloody awesome, I'm proud of them !!!

oooo a shiny new turd.... don't take an FE job unless you have no other options, the time is worthless in your book...

That's what people told me about FE time 5 years ago, somehow it translated into Jet PIC... funny.

Merry Christmas !!! Realize that 90% of the guys who post on these boards are unhappy, follow your own gut, your own path, Godspeed !!!

Its a convair and older cf700 falcon replacement.

damn, sucks to see the convairs go.

is IFL furloughing?

No..: itll be a year before the crjs show up and anything gets parked. They cant fill fo classes anyway as of late.

They hiring 727 Captains for rotational schedules yet (2 on 2 off / 4 on 4 off)???

Because sign me up if so.

is their brownsville operation still operating? (Southwind, IFL)
I hear that operation is going away and those pilots furloughed that are currently working down there.

Might explain why I've seen a pile of resumes from people in Brownsville.

Warning! Be Very Careful
 

:eek: If you have an FAA friend contact them about this airline, that's how I found out about them during my research. I found out they totaled one of their 3 B727's a few months ago they are so bad. They only had about 16 crewmembers but over 20 FAA "letters of investigation" were sent just in 2014. You read right, that's more "letters of investigation" than crewmembers! The FAA is constantly all over them. You will have FAA in your ground school, simulator rides, your IOE, line checks and trips. They have over a 90% turnover rate the largest in aviation. It's so bad that once "unsuspecting pilots who didn't do their homework" realize what this place is they actually quit within months and start payments of their huge training contracts. They have hired an militant Eastern Airlines hitman for all training which results in over an 60% failure rate which is also the highest in the US by far. They say his handy work is legendary at Planet Airlines. Call anyone who did time at planet and you will find out about this guy. Because of this they are constantly hiring. They will run classes of 8 to 10 just to get one or two, but they won't tell you this. Call around because this information was easy to find. This is a "Trifecta Airline" because in the end you will end up on the street, out of work, repaying your training contract, and for the rest of your career having to check one of those "Kiss of Death" boxes on every airline application in your future. They like to lure young kids out of college who end up getting absolutely blindsided. Poor things, So anyway, Don't walk away from this one RUN! It's a career ender

How many were actually convicted? That's the only thing that matters. The Feds can accuse me of anything they want. Innocent until proven guilty.

Their Convair 5800s look pretty cool.

I have heard nothing but good things. This guy is obviously disgruntled and bitter.... He must have got passed up for upgrade lol

When I was there in the 90's it was a cool outfit, DC-3s, piston and turbine Convairs, good people, it paid well, it was by the book , and a great launching pad for legacy carriers and Purple freighters, I can't speak for the present, but my memories of the IFL I knew are fond ones.

I'm glad you have heard nothing but good things.

Unfortunately aviation has turned into a highly regulatory and litigation liable industry. If a pilot at an airline was ever unfortunately involved in an accident involving death of passengers the representative attorneys of the remaining families and their estates will use anything no matter how small in that pilots flying history to literally, and with no end in sight sue the daylights out of the airline. Every airline knows this extreme liability. Now there are over ten databases and counting that the airlines can track the pilots with. They are programmed to find even "investigation history" which by the way never expires in "outside databases". If a pilot in the future happens to trigger one of these database inquiries (that runs every 90 days) at the majors, then he is tagged for the rest of his career. So even if he thinks he's smart and doesn't select any of the "Death" boxes on the online airline applications it doesn't matter, because they will have him tagged on their "Questionable History" databases. "Conviction" or "no conviction" makes no deference to airline liability. Don't let the anyone tell you this goes away. An investigation may only be traceable for a year or so through government record request, that's why the outside databases for the airlines pull every 90 days. This way airlines can make it a permanent record for their hiring liability assessments. In the old days before computers were so powerful, you could dodge a few miss hit bullets from investigations but bottom line, those days are over, it is best that pilots keep a completely spotless record throughout their career. At the majors there are literally 80 pilots completing for each seat, being tagged by one of these databases makes it an easy "culling of the herd" process. Do your best to keep your record clean if you can.

Mangers on the forum Again, Really!
 

I knew this would happen as soon as I read this guy’s warning post the other day. This always happens. It is rare when good crewmember is courageous enough to warn others about a troubled airline. Unfortunately this sets in motion management types “trying to be clever” doing everything possible to contain and reverse their situation. This process begins by “posing” as common line pilot on forums to deny, deny, deny, then false accusations then deny. This post is so blatantly obvious it’s painful. First he doesn’t refute allegations (which was easy to find and is true), and then second, he wasn’t even smart enough “NOT” to use common “MANAGMENT” phrases like “disgruntled employee” and “bypassed for upgrade”. Remember, management will do, say, act, claim, and deceive in order to control how much investigation stuff leaks out on these forums. First order is to monitor and then try to deflect. Understand this, this airline has never has been “the place to be” even when the feds weren’t targeting them, and now that the crap is hitting the fan, it’s an easy call. So beware everyone, when you see post with slobbering praises and attacking the messenger for the next couple of months, you can bet the farm it’s a manager posing as a pilot. This infiltration is shameful I know. But its reality. I for one thank this guy for the truthful information. This will at least inform the pilots considering this place. Now they can decide with their “eyes wide open”. Go back to the airline pages on this site and do your research, I defy you to find one airline that’s “NOT” hiring in 2015, it’s “RED HOT”. In your right mind, why would your risk your certificate?

I worked there for 5 years. It isn't easy, but I had a lot of fun while I was there. Good mx. The 72 the hater talked about had to do with air stairs, on the ramp.

I was on the Boeing at IFL for almost four years. It was and still is an oustanding place to work. Sometimes I wonder why I even left. The training department there is top notch. Training is not done to a typical night freight level. They strive for excellence and expect nothing less. How many places do you think would be able to take glass cockpit trained 20-somethings and turn them into FEs, FOs, and Capts on a 727? This list is not long, I can assure you of that. It was some of the most rewarding, challenging, and fun flying I have ever done.