Fr8Master

Hey YellowCandle, for some reason I still can't get PM's. Do you mind emailing me at the address listed in my signature? I'm about 150 hours shy of the TT requirement but I'm triple the multi time requirement and have a lot of night hours. Just wanting to learn more about the company. I appreciate it.

brett at designsforprofessionals com

atr42flyer

i am a former empire atr FO.

some good about it is that your home most nights.

almost impossible to commute to this job.

fedex writes empire a blank check for mx. empire then is very cheap with mx infact i know of a captain that was fired for writing stuff up.

you have a 1.5yr training contract. if you break the contract you pay them back. for a prorated amount of your contract. i know this because i am paying $50 a month to empire.

then if you upgrade you get to sign another training contract.

sometimes at least when i was there, the following months schedule will come out the first of that month. very hard to plan your life around that. they changed my days off to meet their needs. this is after the awarded schedule came out.

pay not really all that great.

there are other threads about empire around here that have more info. but there ya go!

Fr8Master

Thanks a lot ATR42 Flyer. I'm hoping to get on with them at either of their Texas locations on the ATR. I fly a lot at night and I hear them coming into KAFW. It seems like it would be the perfect job for me. I know they aren't hiring as of right now, but I think there could be some movement in the industry soon and I'd really love to get on with them. Thanks again for the info!

BrownClown

Sounds like little has changed since 97/98. So much for ancient history! Apply at your own risk...

hoover

caravan life is great. i have heard no one complaine about that. I know that the pilot group tried to unionize back in 07 because their pay scale had not been adjusted for 10 years. Unfortunatley that failed and now they have a payscale that hasn't been adjusted in 13 years. The story of a cpt getting fired for writting something up is true. they also fired a guy for not signing a training contract after he had been upgraded for several months and then they sprang it on him. Not everyone had to sign the contract at the time but so many were leaving that they felt it was the only way to keep people around.

I always say do what is right for you just make sure it is something you can work with while you are there. there is nothing more annoying then hearing a new hire complain about his job.

YellowCandle

People need to get the facts. I'm familiar with this "pilot who go fired for writing things up". That's not the whole story and you guys know that. There are training contracts, like it or not, good or bad. You know what the deal is up front, and if you don't want to sign a contract you can find employment elsewhere. It's not that uncommon for smaller companies to do that. As far as the maint, in my experience when things are broke they get fixed. It does not do anybody any good to have broken airplanes. As far as the comment about lack of pay raises, the scale was adjusted a few years ago (it was long overdue) but it did changed and it has not been 13 years.
Good luck to ya. Check them out, lots of pilots like it there.
Like I said before, there are always going to be disgruntled ex pilots that have left for some reason and think it's the worst place in the world. That's their right. I think it's a good place to start and get some experience.

lear 31 pilot

I worked as an FO at empire a few years ago and did not like it, but I stay in touch with many guys who like it. Maintenance sucks, Management sucks, good bunch of pilots mostly, pay was 25000 a year, at the time upgrade was quick, around a year, most Captains I flew with are or were in India making good money, the ATR type is still very valuable over their. I left very quickly for a much better job and have never looked back. Apply at your own risk, would not want to be stuck as an FO their right know. Some routes are very short and you dont bulid much time. My own two cents is dont go their.

bondjamesbond

I flew the F27 and the ATR between 2000 and 2005, and can say without hesitation it was the absolute worst job I have ever had. The brain trust at HQ is, not only completely out of touch with the line pilots, but they simply don't care. You are nothing but a cost unit to them, and they treat you like a liability rather than an asset.

There is absolutely no stability. Runs are added and canceled at the drop of a hat. I sold my house and moved for the company only to have the new base close after I signed a lease on an apartment. Come to find out, Empire knew all along this was about to happen, but didn't bother to tell me.

Having said all that, the crews on the 121 side are top notch. I wouldn't hesitate to put my family on an airplane under the command of any of those guys.

I understand that in this day and age any flying job is a hot commodity, but think long and hard about this company.

lear 31 pilot

Amen to that Bond.

hoover

I guess I don't know the whole story about the guy getting fired. Please enlighten us. I agree that most small companies may use training contracts but when fedex pays for the training what does empire have to loose when that pilot leaves? And why do they get the money not fedex? Wasn't that pay adjustment something like 5%. Pretty crappy amoratized over 10 yrs. Still cannot reccomend anyone to work there based on what others that I respect have told me.