At BUR the sim usually used for pre-hires is a Chieftain box custom built by ATC Flight Simulator years ago. One of the easiest sims to fly there is. So stable they usually keep a little turbulence cranked in so you can't just point it and sit there. At other stations they use what's available -- Frasca, AST, etc.

Being current and sharp on the gages is A LOT more important than experience in a specific kind of simulator. If you don't have recent, hands-on instrument flying experience you'll have a tough time. Unless you're flying in the goo on a daily basis, a couple of hours of line-oriented flying with plenty of terminal procedures in almost any kind of reasonably sophisticated FTD (has to be above the PC-based desktop ones) will do the trick.

Good advice oldog, also anyone who's looking at the gouges for AMF the BUR ILS 8 has recently changed. Those changes might show up as questions in future interviews.

Has something changed? I read that amflight stopped a new-hire class a month or so ago and suspended hiring for the time being. No open positions listed on the website either... though they are accepting resumes. I'd be interested in OAK if they were to hire. Anyone know if the ice is breaking up on the hiring front? Thanks!

Ice?.....Definitely not. We hired to many people in anticipation of work that never came. I would be surprised if there isn't another new hire class in a couple months.

I say again -- it's a lot more important to be generally sharp than to try to sandbag the interview by boning up on info in "gouges" that may or may not be correct or current.

The specific questions you'll get asked, and the things you'll get to do in the sim, vary from time to time and from interviewer to interviewer. In my opinion the gouge approach is the wrong way to go.

What effect will the UPS furloughs have on you guys? Will this lead to a reduction in flying for AMF?

Really? You think there might be a class in a couple of months! My good friend just got furloughed there, good to here that it might come back up. Where did you here this so I can tell him.

It won't affect AMF at all. The UPS furloughs are coming at a time when that company is actually increasing its flying. On the AMF side a couple runs have moved to larger equipment, this is a reversal from a year ago when a few runs were downgraded.

By the time UPS furloughs all those pilots they are going to have to bring them back with the increase in flying that's happening. Our international flying seems to be picking up as well.

I think you mean eyes!

I think Oldog knows what he's talking about.

Any news?
 

Anything happening in the new-hire dept. over at amflight lately? Website still says last new-hire class suspended etc. Last rumors I heard were the guys who were in the class will get called back late summer... This accurate (as best your crystal ball can discern)? I was talking with a former amflight pilot and he suggested i give the asst. Chief a call via dispatch (which he gave me the number) and chat with him. I've considered it but opted not to thinking "why pester the guy". Now reconsidering. Could this be a constructive way to getting an edge? Is this common practice (been out of the job hunting market for awhile)? Thanks...

Ameriflight
 

I worked for Ameriflight for 9 years. I look back on my time there fondly. They do not have a seniority list and at the time I worked there, brown-nosers and good looking women jumped ahead of the very informal seniority system. Their equipment is maintained, in my opinion, in acceptable condition and you will build time fast. Most of the equipment is Single-Pilot crewed and as the Director of Training used to say: "Ameriflight is like a self-cleaning oven". In other words, You make a bad decision and you die - which happened 3 times while I was there. There were some deaths after I left- one mechanical and one ATC mistake and one guy fell asleep.
If you are reliable and don't damage the airplane, you will get along well at Ameriflight.

Calling the ACP or CP about hiring or potential hiring while there's guys on the street, isn't exactly the best practice. Especially since you don't know the guy. I'd wait until the pilots sent hom from class are recalled. Once that happens send in your resume wait a few weeks then start making phone calls.
Just my .02

recalls
 

Good News! There is movement! The first recall has taken place and it looks like they expect others to slowly get called back. If anyone has any info as to what bases are running short on pilots or where there are pilots upgrading from and leaving open chieftain spots let us know!

A new hire will VERY likely get Oakland or Portland...

We finally had a BE99 bid open up in upstate NY for an outstation. It's been the first bid since March, and let me tell you that people were starting to get restless. We've had 2 pilots leave within the past week in PDX. So as of right now, PDX is short one pilot before the recalled pilot arrives. Besides that I'm not sure what's going on at the other bases. We just have a lot of senior frustrated pilots that can't upgrade to turbine because there's no new business.

I'm wondering how long had those two pilots (that recently left PDX) been waiting for their upgrades? How many pilots does Ameriflight have based in PDX, and OAK and what is the average length of tenure in those junior bases at the present?

The two pilots who left PDX have left the company. The last round of bids for BE99 upgrades took two pilots from PDX to the BE99 (one in Omaha, NE, and the other, an outstation of PDX in Redmond, OR) back in March. They actually won the bid in Feb but finally went to BE99 School in March. Both had been with the company for less than 6 months.

Another pilot left PDX about 8 months ago for for a dual qual BE99/PA31 in Seattle after about 6 months with the company. Other than that, the rest are either here to stay or are too junior to move on yet.

Why would anyone want to leave AMF for the regionals??? AMF is a place to stay to transistion into Majors, Corporate, AirMed and others but not the regionals...:cool:

I agree. But the two guys that left didn't go to the regionals. One moved back home and the other moved on to a better opportunity. Just bc someone leaves AMF doesn't mean they automatically go to a regional..;)

Yeah, that is probably the LAST place you should assume AMF alumni pilots would leave AMF for.

Although I don't know about getting into a major directly without any 121 time however, if I have 2,000 Turbine PIC and an ATP with a Metroliner PIC Type rating, I think I will look pretty good to any major airline!

Can't go to a major without 121 time? There have been pilots that get on with the "majors" without 121 time. Time is time, anyone can learn a new set of rules. In an airline interview, the pilot who is interviewing you from across the table wants to know that you're going to be a good fit into the overall workings of the company culture and if he/she can or cannot stand to be around you on a 3-4 day trip.

Continental, JetBlue, Frontier, SWA, United, Allegiant, Delta

Not all majors, but certainly some big players in there where AMF pilots have been hired directly to.

Just hope that a lot more turbine bids come out in the future so people can have the opportunity to go to those places.

Yep, we need lots of movement, then maybe CFI's like me that have been patiently waiting in the wings can get onboard as well. :)

Recalling Furloughs
 

Good news coming out of BUR, sounds like that the Flt Dept has started recalling those on furlough. I think these are ones that were destined for OAK and PDX. Good luck to everyone!!!


Also, we'll be running an August 8th class of 8 PA31 candidates. Best of luck to those going through indoc.

Hopefully this is a good sign of things turning around.

That is really good news. Expected growth? Attrition?

Could very well possibly be both.

Some good news for everyone. In addition to the BE99 bid that closed last friday, 4 additional bids came out yesterday;1 in LAX and 3 in SDF, all turbine. SDF could possibly turn into a descent size base in the future. It looks like that there might very well be some growth at AMF again. There's a rumor for additional flying in the Northeast for early fall.

I can also vouch for Freightdog about the furloughs. All have been recalled and there will be a class of 8 soon. Hang in there everyone.

Out of curiosity. I know that 135 is mostly weekends major holidays off. What does the schedule consist of during the week? In other words, how many nights a week are you in a hotel?

You're home just about every night. You fly a few legs in the morning. Get to an out station sit and relax for a while or you're put up in a hotel. Late afternoon you go back fly a few more legs then done for the day. Block anywhere from 4-6hrs flight time.

That is pretty accurate. I believe that the only time you stay in hotels overnight is when/if you can't leave due to weather or mx reasons. The days are long, but the good thing is that you are home every night and off weekends.

Just out of curiosity, for all the people that weren't all the way through training when the furlough happened, are they putting you back at your original base assignment? Im curious to see where they are expecting more openings at, PDX or OAK.

Depends upon the trip, but in most cases you're home every night -- or if outstation based, home during the day and on the weekend at the outstation. Package express trips typically depart a hub or domicile base in the early morning, sit at an outstation all day, and return to the hub late evening. Except for relatively short layovers, a hotel or apartment is provided for the layover. Legal rest may occur at the hub or the outstation. Some trips operate Mon PM to Sat AM. There are also other variations depending upon customer needs. Most trips don't involve multiple nights away from the domicile.

I admit that this is a pretty chicken$#!+ detail, but technically UPGRADE means to move up in cockpit assignment -- SO to FO, FO to Captain. TRANSITION means to move from one aircraft type to another.

Whatta relief to get that outta my system!

My mistake. I was gitty with excitment.

So, has anyone gotten there fingerprints back yet and started working again?

Good Boy!! You want a cookie for your accomplishment?

gitty (plural gitties)

1. A narrow, pedestrian, passageway in a residential area, between high brick walls, wooden fences, hedges, etc.

My mistake Face. I meant giddy.

Naw. . . .