CaptainTeezy

Hey all...I am looking pretty seriously at living in Denver because my wife is looking at a grad school there. I was just wondering what would look better to a major...1500 turbine PIC from Great Lakes on the Beech 1900 OR 1500 turbine PIC from Key Lime Air on the metroliner?

Also, I have heard bad things about Key Lime but I have also heard it is no longer that bad. Please give me your thoughts...thanks all!

JPilot23

Capt Teezy,
I can't give you any insight about what the airlines prefer, but I fly out of a flying club near Key Lime and I too have heard many bad things about the airline. I'm not sure if everything I hear is true but I do hear it a lot form many people. From what I know, the pay is low (not that Great Lakes is much better...) and you get a lot of night time and are away a lot. I also hear the time to upgrade is pretty long. I'm not sure how much of this is really true, but I hope it helps. Good luck.
PS-I have nothing against Key Lime and I am also considering flying for them one day this is just what I ahve heard.

Part135 Guy

Key Lime has had a bad reputation in DEN for quite some time. I would have to verify but I believe they killed a couple pilots back in the mid-90's (freight flying CE-414 or 404's) and that's when it all started. I've personally seen some of the piston equipment they fly and it's a little scary. I also work with a former Key Lime Metro driver and he has nothing but bad things to say about them. I've met one of their upper mgmt. guys a few times and get the aura of "scum-bag" whenever I talk to him, but that's just my feeling. My opinion, if you want to be in DEN and get to an airline.... go 121. I'm not necessarily advocating going to "Great Mistakes" - know a lot of guys there and it does get the job of time building and initial turbine experience done, but I would look hard at some of the other regionals too (e.g. Skywest)

Part135 Guy

PS... you'll be at a 121 operator less time than at Key lime to get to that 1500 turbine PIC

bertramcheeks22

dont you have to pay for training at keylime?

Dan1144

There is good and bad about key lime. IT is better than what it use to be but there are also some things that are still not that great. It is a work in progress. I personally think the time coming from a 121 operator would be more favorable to a major just because it is 121 experience and also CRM experience. It will also take you less time to build 1500 hours turbine pic at Lakes than it will at Key lime. As for pay. Metro captain isn’t bad. It is better than you will get at most regional for a couple of years and better than you will probably ever get a Lakes. Navajo and c-404 pay isn’t great. Better than Lakes and slightly better than many other regional first year pay. My upgrade From a Navajo to a metro was about 7 months so that is not too bad. The schedule is not very good. Expect to work six days a week. Tuesday through Friday you will leave Kden early and get back late. you usually get your required rest time at an outstation during the day. Saturday you will end at an outstation and have to be out there on Monday evening to do the inbound. There are crew cars you can drive back to Denver for the weekend. This schedule becomes a lot more bearable if you choose to live at an outstation. Then you are gone from home weekday nights and at home during the day and on the weekends.

The equipment they fly is not the worse you will find at a freight company. The planes are older so there will be problems but they do a pretty good job keeping them at a minimum. I never feel unsafe in the planes I fly.

The flying is good experience. It will challenge you at times and make you a better pilot.

If you have any other questions just let me know

Dudeguy

Good luck, and have fun paying for the first 100 hours of your Metro PIC!