cfii2007

Good points.

Airnet DOES have an SIC program, and tends to cater to those with around 800-ish total and low multi. They are quite an exception in that you are getting PAID in the right seat until you meet 135 PIC mins. It's not a bad gig, if you can live on the pay for a few months. I believe they make you sign a 1 year contract after your PIC checkride.

Other companies that sell time (Eagle Jet) are pretty much PFT, although in some instances I suspect it would be considered PFJ. If you look at their website, they have photos of Ameriflight aircraft (one company you can buy SIC time in) but with the titles whited out:

http://www.eaglejet.net/ShowPicture.asp?PicId=4

Ewfflyer

Really curious how you came up with that??? Dual-Given is always PIC!!!!!

usmc-sgt

Very interesting, im surprised I slipped that one past HR.

azbulldog

My mistake, could have done without the sarcasm though.

freezingflyboy

Oh my... Choosing a company to work for based on the aircraft they fly?! No offense but that is one of the most backward ways to make your decision. QOL, pay, location, advancement opportunities, impact on your family...THOSE are the things you should be basing your decision on. Get the job with the company THEN figure out what airplane you're gonna fly. Airframes come and go but companies stay fundamentally the same. After 4.5 years of professional aviation (2.5 as a CFI, 2 as an RJ FO) I can tell you this: If they would pay me $150,000/yr, I could be home every night and still have worldwide travel benefits - I would fly a 172 dressed like Ronald McDonald.

azbulldog

Your quote is exactly the reason that many of us are making the career change. You previously said it is about quality of life but then you just about say give me junk to use and treat me like a clown I will still be happy.

I think you would agree that QOL, dignity, an professionalism is more important and it is not always about the money.

freezingflyboy

Haha...well I would consider $150 Gs, being home every night and the ability to go anywhere in the world first class (or business class...ick) to be a pretty decent quality of life. Maybe I'm crazy Also, be advised, I don't consider the mighty 172 to be junk.

My point was this: It's not about what you fly or where you fly it or what you do while flying it. It's about working to live, not living to work...if that makes sense. Once you actually get into this business you will figure out that its about how can I make the most money and still have a lot of quality time with the people that you care about. Your favorite FA or Captain do NOT count.

EDIT: By the way, we all look like clowns in our monkey suits. Most of us understand the uniform as more of a costume that makes passengers feel warm and fuzzy. Believe it or not, an airplane can be flown by some one wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I've seen it done once or twice.

atpwannabe

Freezingflyboy:

I know you don't think that I'm that naive to choose a company based solely on the a/c that the company flies do you? Whew!! I don't know about you bud. That comment was unnecessary. At any rate...QOL, pay, location, and advancement along with the type of a/c that a company flies will be considered in my decision. Obviously some criteria will outweigh others.

While you were CFI'ing, didn't you have a particular a/c you wanted to fly once hired by a regional carrier?


atp

freezingflyboy

You're right. Guess I must have taken that comment completely out of context Just FYI, thats what we in the biz call SJS (shiny jet syndrome).

Nope.

I wanted to fly for the best company that met my needs. I actually made a spread sheet that compared pay, bases, upgrade time and what I knew of scheduling and workrules. I had already decided I was moving to base if hired so I did research on the cities each airline had bases in and where I'd want to live for a while (ended up in Houston, chose it based on low cost of living, a climate warmer than North Dakota and good starting teacher pay). From there I assigned a value to each of those parameters and came up with a short list of the companies that I wanted to work for (can you tell I have a background in the financial world?). Those were the companies I applied to. Aircraft that I'd fly didn't matter to me because I was more interested in location, quality of life and earning potential (which upgrade time has a significant impact on). So the companies I applied to flew everything from CRJs, ERJs, ATRs, Dash-8s, Beech 1900s, and Saabs.

Now all that said, are there airplanes that I like more than others? Sure (love the 757. Like a beautiful woman..long legs, slender body, big jugs). But working conditions and QOL have far more influence on the enjoyability of this job than anything else, so those were the things that were important to me. If you want to see how little impact aircraft type has on fulfillment with the job, just compare the comments from Mesa and Skywest guys (both CRJ2/7/9 drivers) or TSA and ExpressJet guys (both ERJ drivers) or Mesaba and Colgan guys (both Saab drivers).

atpwannabe

Certainly agree with your post on choosing a location. I, too, have done my anaylsis. I have look at the Houston area as well and the cost of living is lower than most of the rest of the country....Clear Lake City to be exact. I have looked at properties not only in Texas, but in Memphis and Northern Mississippi as well. My fiance, has looked at the school systems in each city as well.

In terms of companies, that would mean XJT...(you think we could fly together...)...LOL!!! The other companies would be Mesaba and Pinnacle. I also would prefer to live in base as well. It will cut down on my being away from home no longer than I have to.

Although you may not have a favorite a/c, I do. Those companies that I've identified have a/c that I wouldn't mind flying. By no means is it the deciding factor. That would be insane.


atp