hey how are you do you know anyone that flew for Star Mar

Oh ok so how was it there

It was fun. Met my wife out there and enjoyed the flying. Just had to watch my back with regards to maintenance. that was 2012-2013. I hope it's gotten better now. My best friend out there crashed in Nov 2012 due to a partial power loss which killed one of his passengers and sent them all to the hospital.

Das. Did you happen to have an engine fire on startup in a 172? Loose fuel line?

I never had anything major happen but I saw it happen to others. I also only flew the 172 a handful of times. 98% of my time was on the Cherokee 6

So who's the guy who landed on the golf course? :)

Got an offer w/ Star. Tickets bought, selling everything that won't fit in two suitcases and a backpack. I head out from Los Angeles next Saturday the 9th, start on the 12th. I'll be sure to keep y'all updated. Wish me luck!

One week update!
 

Greetings all!

One week in my gig w/ Star Marianas Air, after 40 plus hours of travel time, a huge time zone change, and sweating pounds off already I made it through my first week. And I love it! First off the islands are beautiful but very hot! The management is very friendly along w/ the fellow pilots! The planes are island planes, no GPS, usually only one radio, and they are old. However m/x is really on top of everything and stuff gets fixed quickly. 4 flying days in and I got 25 hours, so you'll be doing loads of flying. I stayed in the company apartment for the week, but the pilots recommended a lot of places to stay so it was easy finding an apartment. Finding a car is a little more difficult, will probably have to rent for a while. So far I really like the job, it's very different from the mainland but it's a really neat first gig. Good luck to all who are considering it. Let me know if you have any questions.

Star Marianas
 

Hey man...glad to hear you're liking it so far. Sounds fun and exciting. I had an interview this week and was told on day 2 I'd get checked-out in the 172 and PA-28. Can you tell me a bit about these checkouts? Are these like US checkrides, where you're being tested on maneuvers, traffic pattern work, etc.? Also, are these done in the right or left seat? Thanks in advance.

Sorry for the late reply! It's been pretty busy here. After you get settled in and do all of your new hire paperwork, you're off to training sit through a short presentation about how the discovery flights work and the routes. Then I sat in the backseat of a discovery flight to observe one or two flights. Then you hop in a Cessna or Piper and go do a checkout w/ one of the senior pilots. It's really basic stuff like stalls, steep turns, stalls. A few touch and goes and it comes to about .8 for the checkout. It's not so much a checkride, really basic if you've flown recently.

Next is your IOE. You will be flying paying passengers as PIC, but one of the senior pilots will be in the backseat observing you for just a few flights. After that you're cleared on that aircraft. Eventually you do a checkout in the other plane and then you're cut lose and cleared to fly either one. You can fly in either seat (but personally I fly in the right seat, much easier for me!)

Hope that helped!

Thanks a lot for the info! I hope you're enjoying the flying out there.

Definitely interesting! I have a Skype interview tomorrow with them. What was the interview like? Bit nervous considering this is my first interview in the field.

Cool, thanks a lot for the info!

Aloha from Hawaii
 

Hello all, newbie poster here. Have been keeping an eye on this place and following this thread for the last year or so and am now highly considering applying. Commercial pilot ASEL and AMEL w/ instrument rating and about 435 total time. Website says their hiring, anyone working there know for sure? Seems like a great option for someone like me who does not want to go the CFI route.

they're definitely hiring. I have 260 TT but will have 300 soonish and have an interview with them this week. still not sure if I should go with them or not though. any insight is always appreciated.

Good luck with the interview, let me know how it goes. I'm studying for the FOI exam and will submit my application immediately after. From what I've read the organization seems to be pretty legit, maybe some of the pilots that currently work there who have posted on this forum previously can share better.

No point to do your FOI before interview, they will hire you without it, just tell them you'll do it before you start.

Unless you intend on becoming a CFI of course, but then you wouldn't be going to Star Marianas...

Oh ok, well I wish I knew that before I took the exam lol. I passed it and app is submitted so just playing the waiting game now. Anyone got any advice on the interview process?

Skype interview with their HR lady. 10 minutes, nothing technical.
If you're not a complete psycho, they'll hire you.

Interview went fine. It seems they just want to know how fast you can make it down there. I don't meet their 100 hr xc and 25 hr night xc and am a bit torn between building the time over the next month and then heading down there, or just eating it and becoming a CFI. any advice is appreciated.

Yeah I’ve been told by others that they really need pilots, I had to fly quite a bit this month to make sure I met the night xc requirements but I’m good to go. I’m sure they’re are many that would say suck it up and get the CFI but as for me, I don’t want to drop $6000-$8000 if I don’t plan on doing it for more than a year and especially if I know my heart isn’t in it. I will do it eventually though.

Aloha, got offered the job and will be flying out in a week. Anyone have any recommendations on where to stay/rent a vehicle? Leaning more towards Saipan since I’ll be doing discovery flights but not opposed to Tinian.

Thanks for all of the great information. I am considering going there as well. I was told they are reviewing you paperwork. Any idea how long it will take







QUOTE=ndawg1234;2436514]Sorry for the late reply! It's been pretty busy here. After you get settled in and do all of your new hire paperwork, you're off to training sit through a short presentation about how the discovery flights work and the routes. Then I sat in the backseat of a discovery flight to observe one or two flights. Then you hop in a Cessna or Piper and go do a checkout w/ one of the senior pilots. It's really basic stuff like stalls, steep turns, stalls. A few touch and goes and it comes to about .8 for the checkout. It's not so much a checkride, really basic if you've flown recently.

Next is your IOE. You will be flying paying passengers as PIC, but one of the senior pilots will be in the backseat observing you for just a few flights. After that you're cleared on that aircraft. Eventually you do a checkout in the other plane and then you're cut lose and cleared to fly either one. You can fly in either seat (but personally I fly in the right seat, much easier for me!)

Hope that helped![/QUOTE]

It really depends, this place seems to hire in cycles. I’ve been here 8 days now, I like it. Good group of pilots, locals we work with are awesome. Seems that they have quite a few applications so they are taking there time to make sure they get good people. Otherwise I would say that if you meet the requirements it takes about a week to get an interview. Then another week for them to make a decision. If they ask you to send copies of your pilot cert, medical, and your FOI then they are definitely interested. They will follow up with drug testing. If you get that far then an offer is somewhere down the line. However, you will have to pay for your transportation out here, and it’s not cheap at all. Hope I’ve helped answer some of your questions.

Hi Dburg30,
thanks for the latest information!

I got a offer of employment from them...

How many hours are you at work when doing the discovery flights? I've heard something like 12 hour shifts, and when not flying, doing lots of office work in between flights? Any truth to that??

Do pilots get to calculate fuel, and weight & balance, or does dispatch/ground crews do that?

Thank you very much in advance for the reply!

Congratulations on the offer. As far as shifts go, it is supposed to be a 12 hour shift 7am-7pm but it’s more like 9am-5pm. We show up at 7 am and preflight the 6-7 airplanes then we sit around and wait for our people to show up (usually around 9ish) and then depending on how busy we are and how fast we get the flight done, we’re normally closing up shop around 5:30/6pm at the latest. You’ll have plenty of time during your shift to sit and relax for a few minutes because we always have at least 9-10 pilots working.

There is “No” office work at all, we are just there to fly and make the customers (Chinese, Japanese, S. Koreans) happy. We also don’t do w/b, there are plenty of ground crew/dispatchers that do that for you. Basically you wait for the crowds to come in, they fill out the paperwork, get weighed and then they cycle thru the pilots based on seniority and give them slips of paper with a letter on it. You take that to dispatch and they assign you and aircraft. Then you go into the lobby and call your letter and then go fly.

Some days are busier than others, so it’s hard to give you an average but my first week I flew 21.9 hours so you should have no problem hitting 60 for the month. You will have to go through a ground school, take a familiarization exam, and do checkouts on the Cessna and Piper, and then observations flights before they sign you off. Normally takes about three days before you’re done and flying on your own.

Thank you very much for taking the time and providing on how the day to day job is.

What’s the weather like? Is it pretty benign? Or is it challenging and unpredictable when flying?

Anyway, thanks Again! I’m seriously thinking about going out there late next month.

The weather is pretty much always VFR with clouds bases normally few/scattered between 2500-3000 with a constant 070 15-20kts headwind and gusts between 15-25kts. You’ll definitely hone your stick and rudder skills as you’ll have to approach on final and climb out much faster than you’re probably used to.

Hi Dburg 30,

Sorry to keep bothering you...but One last question...I just received a email from the company regarding the “IFA” ( In flight Assistant ) and it’s associated job duties and also the PA31 Najavo check list.

Is the “IFA” part of the job? Or is it not likely we’ll be flying in the Najavo at all?

Your info has been very helpful to me. Thanks!

Thanks! Also I just got a email from them regarding the IFA ( In flight Assistant) and it’s associated job duties and the PA 31 Najavo check list. Is it likely to get time in The Najavo for us new discovery pilots.

Anyway, sorry to keep asking so many questions to you, but you’ve been very helpful. Thanks !

Dburg30...What about the IFA position in the Navajo/pa31...is that something that most discovery pilots get to do? They sent me the PA31 check list recently so I guess it’s part of the job?

Anyway..thanks for the big help you’ve given me!

Some people only do Discovery flights until they reach 500 hours and then they are eligible for the Cherokee Six on the 135 side if they are chosen. The PA31 checklist is supposed to be part of an entire package that they send you with everything (Discovery, Cherokke Six, Navajo Checklist) but you will find out that you don’t have everything you’re supposed to have and you will get a lot of other stuff if/when you come here. They provide the checklist because there are people here with multi that are sometimes chosen to fly the Navajo if they are here enough and meet the time requirements. They ask you for your numbers to see if you meet their requirements but they barely remember what you gave them until you get here and have to show them again. As far as IFA is concerned, it’s not actually a position that is required. You’re only scheduled for an IFA if one of the Navajo Captains is flying cross country to Guam/Rota and the weather is marginal. Most of the time it’s only the guys that have multi time that are asked, and it’s good to ride in the Navajo for familiarization plus you get to go to the other islands on a passenger/cargo run.

I have a Multi engine instructor rating, but not current in mult engine aircraft and not IFR current. I have 800 total time. It seems I received more email info and packet from the company on the IFA position than I did for the C172 discovery pilot position. I also did not receive any info on the pa28 other than a check list, and I received no cessna 172check list, but just a POH for the 172. Also received a PTS standards pdf for single engine rating. But I rather just do the discovery flights for awhile to see how it all goes rather than p135 and IFA

I have a multi engine instructor rating, but haven’t flown a multi in a few years and I’m not current on instruments. They seemed to send me a ton of stuff regarding the IFA job, and less on the discovery pilot position. Haven’t received much on the C172 other than a quiz and even less information regarding the PA28. I told them I’m not interested in the part 135 side of things for the first contract period until I see how things are.

Well that would make you one of about three people here out of the 25 pilots that have an instructor rating. Makes since that they would send you what they did. I know they do need another Navajo pilot asap but I don’t know what the requirements are. Don’t worry about not getting anything for discovery pilot, most of that you will get in a ground school and checkout anyways. Questions 29-39 on the quiz will be explained when you get here...they don’t tell you that. IFA is something new they started right before I got here two weeks ago. Since they don’t use an SIC, it’s their way of trying to enhance safety and their way to check up on people they are thinking about promoting to the 135 side

Should I memorize the discovery routes before I show up? I haven’t really look at them all that much yet, same goes for the check points. What’s the ground school include? Thnx!

No. It’s a waste of time because you are going to go over it in detail during your ground school along with the check points. Then you will go out and fly the routes in the C172 and the Piper, then you will sit in the back and observe at least 5 flights then do 5 flights with a senior pilot in the back to observe you before they sign you off. You will be more than ready by the time they sign you off lol. Ground school is easy, basic VFR Regis, airspace, systems knowledge and company rules/policies. Nothing to worry about, really.

Again, thanks a lot for the information on whats to be expected. It’s very much appreciated!

Hey man, I just got an offer from Star Mariana as well! basically same exact situation you were in when you posted this. would you mind helping me out and telling me a how your experience has been so far?? how was the initial training? How are the aircrafts? Was it difficult getting used to the routes and everything? any help would be appreciated!

Sorry for the late reply, it’s been extremely busy here. So I’ll try to answer your questions as throughly as possible. So far my experience has been pretty pleasant, I came here to build flight hours and that’s exactly what I have done. I got here Feb 26th and as of now I’ve logged about 207 hours. They guarantee 60 hours per month but we are in our busy season so 60 is more like a bare minimum and probably means you’re screwing around and not flying like some people here do. The routes are not hard, it’s just circles around the island with VFR reporting points. Every so often you are asked to take a plane the 7 mile trip to Tinian for maintenance so that’s a route you will learn also. That’s basically initial training, they go over everything in ground school and then do a checkout in each plane (c172 and pa140) to see if you can fly. So far no one has failed. The aircraft are another story, they are old island planes that get flown pretty hard so there is always something minor not working like the landing light or a low nose strut or one of the two radios are not working but it’s nothing that will or should down the airplane since we are flying VFR 99.7% of the time. It’s a good group of pilots with different skills levels so that will take some getting used to. You have a mix of older pilots with more hours that are ok with flying in marginal Bfr and then younger pilots with “wet” commercial licenses that will freak out if the brakes are stiff or if they read the Metal and it’s 110@17kts gusting to 25 (which is actually pretty normal here lol). You will have a harder time adjusting to the island and laid back pace/lower quality of life then you will flying.

Hope this helps.