Question;

On a three crewmember aircraft, why do carriers like Focus and Kalitta have an SO? What exactly is that?

SO's
 

The idea at Focus is to take young kids who barely have a CFI and throw them in the FE seat for a couple of years paying next to nothing and then upgrade them to the right seat. The difference between an SO and a PFE is an A&P license that PFE's have and SO's do not have and that the SO is sooner or later going to transition to the right seat. They have I believe 12 "cadets" at Focus for this type of training. But they are having a real problem with the FAA because the Fed's don't believe the 747 is a good platform to start an aviation carreer on.
I agree with the Fed's however I know in Japan they have been training pilots from CFI with 250 hours to right seat 747 for over 20 years. But in Japan they always used PFE's. And training is much more intense.
Major carriers have used the "SO" for years on three men acft.

Cargo 360's has 12 PFE's. Eight from Korean Air. Four over 60 guys with lots of experience. Everyone hired into the company now is as a SO. There are no "Cadet Pilots" at Cargo 360. To answer the question a Second Officer is just an FE who will upgrade to First Officer and then Captain.

Two questions:

A. Is the min guarantee based on a 28 day bid period for a total of 13 bid pds. or a calendar month?

B. Are they doing any hiring to the right seat or only engineer?

Thanks

An FE is much more desireable in a classic 74.

Here's another....

When they deadhead you for flights, is it in business or coach? Inchon's a long way in coach.

Thanks

More info and answers
 

Hopefully this will cover the questions from what I know...

1. According to my offer, bid is by month, 60hrs guaranteed with a target of 80 hours. During my interview they had said at the moment anyone who wanted to could easily get scheduled for 100 hrs/month

2. I was hired as a SO but I'm coming straight out of the military. SO/FO pay is the same, so read into that what you will.

3. Deadheading...I don't remember specifically, but I think it's business. Nevertheless, since it is a purchased ticked I think you'll be maxed out on miles and able to upgrade soon.

4. "Appropriate Military Time". My impression is with their military background, they know roughly how many hours you should be flying in a tour and are looking for solid experience and progression rather than a hard number. Here's what I brought to the game (and I got hired), done over 12 years of flying in the Navy:
3300 total
1700 ME
1300 RW
1300 PIC (475 RW)
700 Actual Instrument
All turbine... at the moment I'm a Hawkeye (56k turboprop) aircraft commander, with 3 deployments in E-2's and 3 in SH-60B's - so I've flown overseas a bunch, and I have quite a bit of "blue water" time (no divert available other than the ship). I have not had a non-flying job (probably why my career has stalled), and I've qualified on 7 different aircraft, so I'm trainable and I think my flight experience is relevent to long-haul flying.
Like I said, I think they are just looking for the relevence of you experience and the your hours/time in match up. Unlike Fed Ex/SWA, they don't seem to mind the rotary wing time, but I've shown I can handle a hummer around the boat...

HTH
Spongebob

Forgot to add...
 

BTW, I'm also an ATP w/737 type rating.

HTH
Spongebob

Good thing they also let women deploy these days I guess! :eek:

ZING!!

lol