capmflojo,

Congrats! Any indication on whether newhires will get either MD11 or 744 seats? Is it just assumed MD11?

 

They use "for training only" NDB approaches.

Some of the MD-11 have GNS. Don't know about the B747.

 

Are you hand flying these, using heading select or using a NAV overlay and just monitoring the raw data?

 

They could give you the always-popular "Proceed to Rudesheim and hold..."

 

One of the 2 Non-presision must be hand flown. So in other words hand fly the VOR/LOC and the check will let you use the AP for the NDB. One Nav display or the other on raw data the other on map display. Not flown in NAV but map can be an aid. Have fun with it some days it will feel more like a knife fight in a phone booth.

 

Can be flown in NAV so long as the computer is doing a good enough job, but must go HDG or TRK if NAV is not cutting it.

 

World Pilots/New Hires,

I was recently invited to an interview in June for a potential class start date in July but couldn't make it due to not being able to go on terminal leave to retire from the military for another couple of months; I've been told I could possibly be invited for the next round or interviews if they have more this fall. Can any of you help me out with what to study to prep for the interview and can any of the current World guys fill me in on the following:

- What are the duration of the trips each month? Are they all together or split up?
- How does the "home basing" thing work?
- Does each DH day count as a paid day?
- How do you sit reserve if you are "home based"?
- Is there a beneficial place to live ie.. ATL, etc
- Pros/Cons of the company in general such as financial stability, union, mngmt/pilot relationships, benefits
- Any nuances about company culture you wish you would have known about prior to being hired
- Are pilots seniority based or on contract
- How long is MD-11 training?
- Are sims done at night since they use Deltas sims?

I apologize for all of the questions, however, anything you can shed light on for me is highly appreciated. I freely admit that I am completely clueless about airline culture and especially about World since I don't know anyone there. All the reservists in my current squadron fly for other companies and none of them know anyone or anything about World either. I hope none of the World Airline guys are offended by my questions, I truly don't know anything about the company and haven't been able to discern much from the forums. I have flown on the MD-11 jets a few times while on active duty and use to enjoy talking to the World Airways pilots a lot when I was a C-141 guy at various places like Ramstein, Frankfurt, Osan, Yokota, Saudi etc....and use to wonder how they liked the company.

Thanks in advance.

 

16 to 18 days...mostly together, some are split. I don't know exactly, perhaps at a ratio of about 70/30.

It is the company's responsibility to get you into position and back home as long as you live in the lower 48 (or in some Canadian cities). There is an option for you to book your own tickets and that is still at the company's expense.

Yes, per diem and 1/2 credit in hourly pay for each hour DHing

On one type of reserve, you have 16 hours from first call/voicemail to departure time and the minimum pay is 65 hours. On the short leash version of reserve, you have 7 hours from first contact to departure time and minimum pay is 76 hours.

If you want to fly, then yes ATL or any other major hub. Also, the mx base just moved from ATL to TPA, so lots of trips from there too. If you want to increase your chances of sitting at home, then move to the sticks and use an airport that requires a connection to a hub.

Since we're still privately held, there's little info on financials. Word is that we * made a nice profit last year.

*"we" meaning everyone except for the pilots and F/A's got a profit sharing check

As for stability, who knows? We're owned by a holding company that is owned by capital management firm, both of which seems more interested in getting by on as little as possible. What else is new? Right? There is an IPO in the works.

Union/management relations aren't warm and fuzzy to say the least. For the most part, solidarity in the pilot group is good, but nobody is singing Kumbaya.

Benefits are decent.

With this part, I can type until blue in the face. You can't really grasp the culture of the supplemental/non-sched world until you've done it. To answer your question, no. (actually, there is a lot more drinking than I would have thought, but that's not necessarily a bad thing )

I'm not sure of what you're asking. We are unionized, we have a contract in the form of a CBA and we have a seniority system. We are not contract employees if that's what you mean.

It takes about 5 to 6 weeks from basic Indoc to your PC. How long IOE takes is a craps shoot....from almost immediately to as long as 4 months. The good news is that you start getting paid minimum guarantee (65 hours) after your PC.

Sim times are generally pretty good. They have mostly been day time periods and occasionally we'd get a period that we got out at midnight-ish.....still enough time to get to Spondivit's!



I'm sure no one has taken offense to your questions. I hope my answers help.

One of the best parts of this job is that we fly our country's troops.

Good luck in your endeavors!

 

One thing I'd like to add, the health insurance (United Healthcare) at World is the best I've ever had. I'm a family man with small kids so the insurance gets used weekly. My wife has received many compliments (from pharmacist to doctor offices) on how good our medical coverage is. One recent example, my wife sees a chiropractor for a neck spinal issue and they recommended these special custom made shoe inserts to help for alignment. The outright cost was $500 , after checking what amount our insurance would pay the office lady told her we would only be responsible for $17. She said she has never seen insurance pay this much, in fact she said most insurance will rarely even cover 25% of the total cost.
One other way we maximize this benefit is also use the flexible spending account. It reduces your taxable income and you get a credit card to use for office visits, ER room copays (if you have kids u visit here at least once a year!), prescription medications, etc. We have been very happy with both these benefits that World provides.

 

That's only if you're being punished for doing something wrong.

The rest of the clearance went "...say remaining fuel, do NOT lie!"
Ah, FRA. Miss that place.