FreightDogs

Hoping to help on this one.
Our schedule doesn't leave room for commuting. Our pilots must live within 1.5 hours from the base they agree upon in their offer letter.
Of course, you can skirt around that by renting a place close to the base and then trying to fly home as often as possible, but it won't give you a great QOL that way.

The majority of our pilots either already lived near a base or relocated. So with our schedule (Mon-Fri, morning to evening, regional flights), they are getting nights and weekends at home. That's the goal!
Without relocating, for you to get home it would be flying home on the weekends or putting in for vacation.
As a Captain, the schedules are the same and the situation would be similar.

This does not sound like an ideal situation for you.

ZippyNH

when I was flying a USPS run, would go to the Grove airport (from Joplin) for MX....flew over that lake many times.
Ask around... remember CFI trucking had a flight department and remember them looking for locals in Springfield and Joplin. Ask around....you might be surprised.
If you happen to live in an location where a freight pilot is NEEDED, or are willing to relocate, flying cargo can be pretty good, with lots of time at home. If you try to commute....there might be better options unless you are young and willing to mover every few months. Good luck!
Freight is definitely an option, but it might be more about finding the right route, since most companies try to find a local or a person who is willing to move due to QOL and fatigue issue....have done runs 5 hrs away from home, driving home for the weekend Saturday afternoon, leaving Monday am...it's doable, but honestly, it wears you out after a few months.

Mellokeith

This is really disappointing... I've been thinking about joining Ameriflight for over a year now after seeing a recruitment video on YouTube. The recruiter said you could work for Ameriflight if you lived within an hour of an airport w/ at least 2 airlines and that once you were a captain you were typically on 18 and off 12 (with some variation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXE4pPLg1Do ; but you're saying that captains do Monday - Friday (or Sat) like the FOs?

I figured we could live with me being away a lot for that first year or so while building up to captain, but figured as captain I could commute with an 18-12 kind of schedule . Did it change or did I misunderstand someone?

Mellokeith

Thanks Zippy. I'll start checking it out. My problem is needing to be Part 135 as I only have a little over 500 hrs. and it's hard to build hours around here without my own plane... nobody rents out planes around here unless I go up to Joplin (which is what I am currently doing).

I thought AMF was the way to go.

MinRest

Go fly survey.

frmrbuffdrvr

I'm afraid that video is from a few years ago when we were hiring "Home Based Captains." It turned out it just wasn't economically feasible for the type of flying we do.

Meep

Flying for a major airline (or even a regional) is way different than AMF. Commuting for AMF really isn’t sustainable.

Rcordeiro122592

Is Ameriflight still hiring? Any homebased positions?

FreightDogs

Yes, still hiring. Next class is April 13th. Then May 11th after that.
Unfortunately, we don't hire homebased anymore. Must live within 1.5 hours (driving distance) of a base.

Prop LT

Freight dogs. I have a friend interested in BE-99 captain positions in Omaha. It seems all positions are filled there currently, but would there be a way for him to get on a “list” for future openings?

Thanks