I got a call from them today wanting to talk! So how is QOL over there now? Wonder if there is any chance to get SDF or something east bound.

Unless you're already typed in a Metro or 1900 not very good. If you're able to go direct into the 99 then the east coast is an option. Nothing on the east coast in the chieftain if that's where you have to start.

You could probably get right into BUF or PBG in the 99 if you consider that East coast. If you have enough time and prior turbine/135 time they just might put you right into a 1900 at SDF or CVG. They have been doing stuff like that a lot lately without even putting out a system bid for it.

What are the chances of getting a E-120 CA position as a new hire? I have a pic type with about 2500 TT in it 1600 of which is PIC.

About zero percent.

When AMF gets 747s and pays well...

Keep on dreaming....

It has happened before, but it really just depends on how bad we need a 120 pilot. We only have 8 and they don't all fly everyday. My guess would be maybe 20 120 CAs, plenty of people on property who probably want it.

Open House takeaways
 

I attended the Ameriflight Open House in DFW this past weekend. Started with a basic presentation about the company from the pilot recruiter, followed by some good open discussion among all those present. The discussion wasn’t really a formal Q&A, it was more casual/social conversation as people filtered in and out, got a cup of coffee, etc. Around mid-morning the Dallas ACP showed up and contributed to the informative side conversations.

The CP held one-on-one discussions in a separate room for those who wanted to interview. During my meeting, I kind of felt like it wasn’t so much him interviewing me, as it was me asking him more details about the company and what it’s like to work there. He didn’t ask me much because he felt I was well-qualified based on my background & experience.

Not to re-ignite the debate about “whether Ameriflight is a good company to work for”, I’ll give some thoughts below. Personally, I feel that just about any company or organization has its ups and downs, its good and bad points, good people and not-so-good people to work with and work for. One person’s idea of “a good company” may be completely different than another’s, and it’s primarily based on your expectations and personal goals, and the attitude you bring to the job.

That said, here’s my take-aways from the Open House – from the perspective of an experienced AF guy getting ready to transition out of the military:

The company prides itself on their niche in the industry... both in the service they provide, and the career opportunities they offer to the pilots they hire. On the first point, they like to boast that they’re the largest FAR 135 cargo operation in the country, and that they have a 97% dispatch reliability rate. One side discussion was about how Ameriflight won a contract after having orignally lost the bid to another carrier... the other carrier didn’t meet the customer’s expectations of delivering the goods on time, so the company came back to Ameriflight and awarded them the contract after all – because of the value of the service they provide.

As for the second point above, the career opportunities, they recognize that they are a step in the career ladder – in fact they advertise themselves that way, as a place to build PIC turbine time before you move on to another company, bigger equipment, etc... whatever your personal goals happen to be. They’re happy to help you get there, and they tout the fact that your single-pilot PIC experience will be valuable to you as an aviator because of the seasoning and decision-making experience you’ll get...compared to someone who starts out as a regional FO at the 500 hour mark then spends years as SIC with little decision-making authority.

And from a different angle, an experienced guy like me transitioning out of the military, I also like the opportunity to jump right in to a PIC position. Most jobs out there, part 121 or corporate/fractional, would require starting out as an FO. Even with the pay and benefits of a legacy (if I’m lucky enough to even get called out of the 8-10 thousand applications they have on file), I’m not sure I want to be stuck as an FO for the forseeable future. So I see Ameriflight as an opportunity to break into the civilian/FAR 135 world as PIC, and see where life leads me next... perhaps into a 135 corporate or fractional job, or perhaps other possibilities I don’t even know about yet. I’m sure there will be good networking opportunities, and in general I think it will be good exposure to the civilian world after all my military experience. I’ve told a few AF co-workers that there’s opportunities out there that most of us don’t even know about because we’re not exposed to it during our military experience. The mind-set seems to be “do your AF time then go to the majors... or the regionals while you’re waiting for the majors to call”. So here’s a different path to explore to see what else might be out there.

Mix nix

It is not easy to build a good civilian career unless you put in a few years RHS. The good jobs go to people who have shown that they can play as part of a civilian team