Hey all,
New member, but just got an email from USA Jet saying I got an interview next month. I am pretty excited, just not sure I want to live in MI. Still trying to find more info about QOL and how the "trips" are.

Maybe a TAD simplistic saying you were golden ;)
Sorry to hear about it though.
What was your background / experience?

USMCFLYR

Wanna fly a real classic apply at IFL we fly Convairs! We were looking for a Miami F.O. but I think that may be filed already.

Never worked there but I worked for a competitor and we'd see those guys in the typical auto freight hot spots. LRD, GYH, MMIO, ELP, YIP etc.. Last i heard they had 8 days off. On call 24 hours a day on days worked. 45 min call out for trips, so you must live pretty close to willow run(YIP), which sucks pretty much aside from maybe 2 months a year. On demand cargo isn't for everyone. You'll probably fly with some bitter old losers that never made it to their dream job. i'm glad that part of my life is over, hopefully i can keep it in my rearview for ever.

Thanks for the info. I have heard a lot of pros and a lot of cons. I am currently a captain at a respected regional (if there is such a thing anymore) but want to move on and a legacy carrier doesn't seem like something I want to do. The biggest drawback I see is living near YIP.... even though I hear Ann Arbor is nice.

Ann Arbor and Belleville are nice locations, Belleville is closer to YIP. Both are easily within 45 minutes.

Hi All... first post!

I fly out of YIP (flight center on the west side of the field) and live just off the departure end of the 23's. The apartment complex I live in has a few USA Jet guys that I know of. It's fairly affordable and easily within the callout time. It's literally a 5-10min drive to the East Ramp.

Belleville is also a great alternative. It has lots of affordable housing and is on the same side of the airport as USA Jet and that puts you well within your call out time. Ann Arbor is a nice area, but tends to be a bit pricey depending on what your budget is.

Best of luck!

I can say that if you are a captain at a decent regional and enjoy a somewhat good QOL, usajet would not be a good move for you. Also based on your avatar "no waivers, no favors", again it would be a down grade. One of the mgmt guys posts here and on FI, he prides himself on how usajet isn't union.

Thanks! I wouldn't say I have a good QOL, and the writing is on the wall at this company, so many of us are looking for outs. The avatar is based on the company that I currently work for and management continually breaking our contract. I wouldn't have a problem working at a non-union company. If a company can keep pilots on property and keep them relatively happy without a union, then awesome... no more dues.

Generally, I would say you would be crazy to go to USAJet.

If you think you may lose your job, I would try to get hired at the majors or Atlas/Kalitta/Evergreen/Southern/Omni. Evergreen/Southern may not be much better than USAJet, but at least you will be getting heavy/intntl experience...or go for a decent corporate job (or UAV, if you are into that).

USAJet is better than Mesa, Gulfstream (FL), Great Lakes, and maybe Trans States. The "better" regionals are better than USAJet.

On the other hand, the new Flight/Duty/Rest rules going into effect before 1 Aug, will make USAJet a much easier place to fly. No more 24/7 indefinite reserve. No more 20+ hour duty days (for a two-man crew). No more 0200 callouts, with no rest, for a 16+ hour duty day, etc., etc. BUT, these new rules may threaten the Falcon 20 operation. The companies they fly for will have to be willing to pay a lot more for the same services. Just like everything else on Earth, no one knows what will happen.

From reading your post, I think you are anticipating a "Grass is Greener" type of situation, which it is not.

Also, you do NOT have to live in DTW. You will just need a crashpad near YIP.

Good luck!
cliff
ANC