Avantair Interview
 

Just got the call today to go down and interview. Avantair sounds like a pretty cool place to be. Just wondered if anyone has any tips on the interview. They said the Boston base is still open. Anyone know anything different?

They have been adjusting the gateways slot openings alot lately.

I've got an interview coming up too. When I asked around about interview info I was told that they dont like folks posting gouge, but that Elizabeth could give an idea of what to expect. I e-mailed her and got a response very quickly with an idea of what to expect.

That would be a nice upgrade from your C402! A little bit more speed. That P180 is a hot lookin' airplane I must say.

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Interview tips and an insiders view
 

I am interviewing in a few days. Would someone who has interviewed recently please email me (it's in my profile) or AIM me (it's the same as my email). I just want to get a clearer idea what they will be asking me. I know they don't like gouges on the internet. Also I would like to get a better idea, from some people who have been at avantair for a while, what it is really like.

Thanks.

And if no one is willing to give a gouge that's fine. However I really need to get some insider info on the company.

I don't have any inside info but I would definitely familiarize myself with the website (history, number of airplanes, market served, difference between Avanatair and the other fractionals, etc.) - check out www.avantair.com if you haven't already. Take a look at Flightinfo.com as well if you want additional information (same type of information forum).

Good luck

Yeah I am getting that all to memory along with the typical 135/91k regs, WX, Aspen etc. I think I can get through the interview ok. I just want to have some correspondence with someone that has been with Avantair for a while. You know, the good, the bad, the ugly... all of it as seen from the pilots perspective. Nothing spiteful just honesty. I guess I just need that little nudge to get off the fence either way. I am currently at a regional and don't like the airlines that well. Have 5 years 135/91 experience previous to where I am now and would like something with a good quality of life and some real growth. I just can't decide if it's Avantair. I am fascinated by that P180 regardless.

Looks like a pretty good deal if you think about it. Fast growth, huge number of domiciles, very nice equipment that passengers love, great market niche that no other fractional is touching, Embraer Phenom 100 light jets on the way, mainly short flights vs. longer flights in a tight cockpit, better route variety than any airline can ever offer. There are plenty of Avantair pilots on this and other forums (i.e., flightinfo.com) and I agree that you should speak with them via PM and ask a lot of questions. I have spoken with a few and the reviews tend to be very favorable.

By the way, have you seen that Avanti II? Nice Pro Line flight deck! Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PozsRQUjem4

Not sure how many Avanti IIs in the fleet but I know the number is growing...

Also check out this corny Avanti video (watch the entire video - looks like pilot training in the P180):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_T-7...elated&search=

Good luck in the interview - just give it a shot. You might find that you really enjoy this type of flying. You never know...

Well I have 22 posts to go before I can PM and I can't find any members working at avantair with other contact info. You have probably been around long enough to know things could change the day after one gets hired. I guess I just want to be convinced that this is a risk worth taking. It will be my 4th aviation job. Two of the first three stagnated and the plane went away on the other. I am looking to go somewhere long term.

As you know, this industry is a crapshoot. With that said, if fractional flying was your goal, I would look at Avantair (because of the opportunity to upgrade quickly) and Netjets (because it is the leader of the pack by a big margin - although upgrade time could take 4-5 years). I would apply to both and roll the dice. You want some good type ratings to make yourself marketable in the event of a downturn. If that is the case, Netjets might be the better choice because you can get jet ratings on popular airplanes. Who knows? I still think Avantair would be worth it and that P180 looks like a lot of fun...

How long does the whole day of the interview last? Can you fly in prior night and leave late afternoon the interview day, or should you budget 3 days coming from western U.S.?

Elizabeth told me that the interview process will be about 3 hours. Tour, powerpoint, HR and Tech. Bring updated resume, work history and references. Tech will cover 135/91, WX, and Aspen plates. That literally as specific she got.

I am flying the night before (from texas) and leaving the same afternoon. Interview is starting at 10am.

You won't need 3 days - even coming from the West Coast...

I work at Avantair,

Been there for about 14 months and finished upgrade IOE a month ago. My background is 121 regional flying a CRJ (5 years over 1K PIC) and then freight B727 out of MIA. For me this is the best flying job I've ever had.

I like the diversity and, I hate to admit, I like the much nicer FBO (compared to an airline terminal) and hotels. The passengers treat us better and we often get tips of $100 or so each.

The interview for me was first a phone interview where I was asked of my background and what I knew of the Piaggio and Avantair. When I went to the main interview it was around 4 hours consisting of the HR spiel, technical questions like how to brief an approach (read ASE here) and basically a chance to get to know you. I was offered the job that day after a chance to sit in the Piaggio.

As far as advice goes; I would recommend that you read up on the Piaggio. Know that there is an Avanti I and an Avanti II. The difference is the glass (Collins pro-line 21) in the II. Know that the plane has a forward wing and not a canard. Know that it has Pratt Whitney PT6A-66 engines and they are flat rated. The plane travels at 390Kts at alts up to FL410. The range with reserve is 1300 miles or so.

This is just a bit. Find more info at the Piaggio America web site or elsewhere online.

Overall this has been a very positive experience for me and I really enjoy the company and the flying. They treat us like real live human beings and give us respect and everything! Pay is okay, perdiem is $2.00 / hr, hotel points and airline miles are ours to keep. Sched is 7 on and 7 off. Vacation is 1 week(which equals 3 weeks off) after a year. Health care and other benefits are supposed to change for the better within a couple weeks so I'll refrain from posting at this time.

Good luck.

Hope this helps.

Got the job offer I am just trying to decide when to start. I guess the prospect of changing jobs is a bit more stressful than I thought it would be. I think it's because I am getting out of my comfort zone. I have over 2000 hours on the aircraft I am on right now and pretty much know every idiosyncrasy it has and can tell when a noise is out of place. Anyway I look forward to a new aircraft even though I haven't ever flown a turbo prop.

May I ask where you worked prior? Also are the payscales on this site accurate?

As far as payscale this website is out of date for the FO's

Year 1 $35,000.00
Year 2 $37,000.00
Year 3 $39,000.00
Year 4 $41,000.00
Year 5 $43,000.00
Year 6 + COLA


Captains are the same

Great job! Did they offer you the Avanit I or the II?

Thanks. I guess it depends on how the sim is configured at the time you go to flight safety. Then once you get comfortable out on the line they give you differences training and you fly both. That's how I understood it anyway.

Nobody can convince you the risk is worth it. It has to be your experience with the company that makes it worth it. Aviation is my 5th career and the best advice I can give you is this: Sometimes you just have to be willing to step off the curb. You won't know if its good until you get there but look at the facts, you don't like where you are now so can it get any worse? A couple of our guys went to Avantair and they love it. The company has shown good growth and they employess are basically happy, probably not a bad move from a regional.

Yeah I have come to the same conclusion... thanks for the quality post. I will be starting in Nov most likely.

I know someone who was just hired there and he's supposed to be getting BOS.

Interesting. So, eventually Avantair pilots will interchange between the Avanti I and II? That would make sense and it would be more flexible for scheduling...

As far as pilots go for the I and the II...it's a one day differences class followed by 2 hours in the plane to shoot a few approaches.

I'm dual qualed as are many pilots. Some have yet to go through differences so they are locked into one or the other. With only II's coming its only a matter of time before the I's are all gone (as owner contracts expire) and it'll be a moot point. (or a moo point as in Friends (sorry, obscure reference)).

Got the job
 

I go the job at Avantair and start in a couple months. I also had a real good offer from an airline. They offered the left seat off the bat. The pay sucks, the bases suck, and the scheduel sucks. For my money Avantair is the way to go even if it is right seat for a year. Just wondered about the lifestyle and how good it is with the fractionals. Any opinions good or bad?

If your talking about going to Big Sky over Avantair you need to put DOWN the booze. There is a world over difference between working for the best regional and the most crappy of the fractionals (not that there really are any).

Ask CA1900 about his experience of hotel quality.

Geronimo, why don't you tell us or show us the link, as I am also interested?

FSI changes the sim every three weeks between the I and the II - it's just a matter of what FSI has the sim configured for as to which you'll train on initially. Eventually, you'll be scheduled for differences training in the other aircraft. It may not be until upgrade time, but it'll happen.

Did I miss something? :confused: I am pretty dumb, however!

I had the same choice: left seat with a regional 121, or the fractionals. Would not have to move with the airline - but that was the only advantage. I am off to FlexJet - and I am done with job interviews forever!:)

I didn't know there were any really good regionals. Being at a regional this is my opinion...in my estimation they are all racing to see who can get to the bottom first (a bit of a generalization I know) and it seems all the fractionals are moving the other way...for the time being.

The nice things about fractionals is that the share owners will not tolerate bad service. They WILL walk with their feet and checkbooks if the promises that were made are not delivered. If the pilots are not happy, the share owners are not happy and therefore management is not happy. Good luck with that at the airlines where the only factor on loyalty seems to be price.

Hey Glasss.... throw a few random posts out there so I can PM you. I've got a few questions about Avantair.

I would try searching for him first using the search function. That has worked for me in the past.

Ah, I see you're thinking about going to VNR also. Get that resume in now!

Umm...random post?

Okay,

The Internet has proven, beyond a doubt, that in fact a million monkeys at a million keyboards cannot reproduce the works of William Shakespeare.

Look at that! I just went from "New Hire" to "On Reserve".


wait...reserve sux...

Maybe you'll get enough posts soon to be a "line holder"! That does not suck!