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-   -   Ameriflight (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/part-135/17324-ameriflight.html)

Hawaii808 08-22-2020 06:16 PM


Originally Posted by USMCFLYR (Post 3114205)
You may THINK that is the rule because you have probably surrounded yourself with airline wanna-bes, but aviation is a big world and there are plenty who have other ideas of flying than your “big three”. Where this particular pilot would head right back to their regional when (and if) the recall comes, well....that is a choice the company will have to make based on what they think this pilot could provide the company based on either a short term plan or longer.


1. going from a regional to part 135 single pilot cargo operation isn’t as easy as he may think.
2. Never say you would be in for the long haul if you have never worked at said operator. Sure, say it in an interview in a much more professional way, but to proclaim it when facing a furlough or complete job loss is short sighted.
3. Ameriflight is a job for the young time builders, not for the middle aged regional captain. I did it for 3 years over a decade ago. Got a lot of great experience from it, but I’m not gonna go back to it ever again.

Meep 08-23-2020 07:03 PM


Originally Posted by Hawaii808 (Post 3114257)
1. going from a regional to part 135 single pilot cargo operation isn’t as easy as he may think.
2. Never say you would be in for the long haul if you have never worked at said operator. Sure, say it in an interview in a much more professional way, but to proclaim it when facing a furlough or complete job loss is short sighted.
3. Ameriflight is a job for the young time builders, not for the middle aged regional captain. I did it for 3 years over a decade ago. Got a lot of great experience from it, but I’m not gonna go back to it ever again.

Same, that’s by far the most difficult flying I’ve done.

ZippyNH 08-24-2020 10:01 AM


Originally Posted by Hawaii808 (Post 3114257)
1. going from a regional to part 135 single pilot cargo operation isn’t as easy as he may think.
2. Never say you would be in for the long haul if you have never worked at said operator. Sure, say it in an interview in a much more professional way, but to proclaim it when facing a furlough or complete job loss is short sighted.
3. Ameriflight is a job for the young time builders, not for the middle aged regional captain. I did it for 3 years over a decade ago. Got a lot of great experience from it, but I’m not gonna go back to it ever again.

Some very good points.
The fact that the VAST MAJORITY of the cargo at AMF is now "no touch" makes it easier for an older pilot to do feeder cargo. Not saying it's much easier than it was 20 years ago, but not having to push you own cargo to the door at outstations for a driver is a big help.
Yes, it's a different kind of flying, oddly rewarding for some, with lots of hand flying, down in the weather. Intense at times, typically with older, less well equipped equipment.
Honestly it's the type of job that suits some people well...but is a nightmare for others. Much more of a blue-collar type of flying job, and if it's in a location you want to be in, it can honestly be a good job (perhaps a spouse who loves their job and you hate commuting, or like small town rural life on an "outbased" route).
Will you ever make HUGE money? No, but for many people finding the right mix of QOL, location, money and time is more important.
Would I suggest a typical RJ pilot move a family half way across the country for a job like this? Not likely unless they really disliked the regional lifestyle, and REALLY want something totally different.
Yes, you will get you shirt dirty, get soaked in the rain, freeze you butt off in winter, work some odd hours, often on minimum rest. What you get is typically a schedule you know months in advance, and typically all day or all night at home with the weekends off...not having to deal with terminals, etc is a plus IMHO.
​​​​​​EVERY job has BS, it's just a matter of finding the flavor of BS that you can tolerate.
Honestly, after years of corporate flying, I ended up going back to cargo for the stability. Cargo tends to change much more slowly than passangers when the eccnomy goes up or down....
​​​

Hawaii808 08-24-2020 12:14 PM


Originally Posted by ZippyNH (Post 3115026)
Some very good points.
The fact that the VAST MAJORITY of the cargo at AMF is now "no touch" makes it easier for an older pilot to do feeder cargo.
​​​

Honestly, that’s pretty awesome!
Cargo is definitely a more stable job, but I would aim a little higher than AMF. Runs get cut and changed all the time on the part 135 side and commuting at AMF is almost impossible. To each his own though. Being home every night is awesome and I’ve pretty much been able to do that my entire career (minus the night cargo I did, but I was home during the day).

fulldeflection 09-02-2020 04:13 PM

How so?
 

Originally Posted by Meep (Post 3114746)
Same, that’s by far the most difficult flying I’ve done.

What made the flying so difficult? The equipment? I've heard Ameriflight's birds are old with old avionics.

As Briefed 09-02-2020 05:09 PM

Avionics? Radios? The pipers use smoke signals from the engines. HSIs? Some planes didn’t have a heading bug. After decades the planes didn’t exactly demonstrate positive flight characteristics. You are single pilot in all the weather of the local area 5 days a week on terrible sleep. This will be the most challenging flying most will ever do who do it.

+1 Your seat is sopping wet and so is your ass for your whole “day” If it rained.

ZippyNH 09-02-2020 07:06 PM


Originally Posted by As Briefed (Post 3121341)
Avionics? Radios? The pipers use smoke signals from the engines. HSIs? Some planes didn’t have a heading bug. After decades the planes didn’t exactly demonstrate positive flight characteristics. You are single pilot in all the weather of the local area 5 days a week on terrible sleep. This will be the most challenging flying most will ever do who do it.

+1 Your seat is sopping wet and so is your ass for your whole “day” If it rained.

All things change with time...cargo has changed lots in the last 10-20 years....
As is typical in cargo, if you have "shiney jet syndrome" you need not apply...you won't be flying new stuff, and rarely will you have a plane with a "pretty" paint job...but work is steady, and we were and are still doing limited hiring, no furloughs as of yet...we still have pilots flowing up to companies like UPS, Omni, etc....
All of the Piper's are in the boneyard....never flown a be-99, so I can't vouch for the door seals on the crew doors, but haven't heard of anyone complaining about wet seats....
Most of the fleet, guessing 65-75% are gps equipped, all received ADS-b upgrades as required.....
Yes... cargo can be a bit of a lifestyle, and some enjoy the free time, others like the time building routes that often are minimum rest....
Challenging weather into some second rate airports where you might be the one of the biggest planes to land all day? Perhaps.
Weather.... depends...Miami FL, Lansing MI, Burbank/Ontario CA, Salt lake City Utah, Portland OR, or Puerto Rico (lots more, but you get the idea) all have their different challenges.....but isn't that true of any nationwide/global company?! Most newbies are in ONE base for several months, helping them learn, so the weather if you are confident isn't as bad as it sounds.
Seriously, some people, me for one, enjoy the flying, but honestly part of that is the intensity of single pilot IFR with a 6 pack with lots of hand flying.
Honestly not for everyone, but weekends off, and working around sunrise AM half a day off and the the evening PM with a typical night off, with one of the periods at home isn't bad for a full time job....some runs fly 100 hrs a month....some barely 30, just depends on what you bid for assignment.

970pilot 09-03-2020 02:10 PM

Miami Base?
 
Whats the status of the Miami base for pilots? I saw an A&P job listing for Miami so I was curious

frmrbuffdrvr 09-03-2020 07:20 PM


Originally Posted by 970pilot (Post 3121842)
Whats the status of the Miami base for pilots? I saw an A&P job listing for Miami so I was curious

We are currently staffed in MIA. But that could change as the base hopefully grows. Keep an eye on the job boards. If openings become available...

own nav 09-06-2020 03:27 PM


Originally Posted by fulldeflection (Post 3121309)
What made the flying so difficult? The equipment? I've heard Ameriflight's birds are old with old avionics.

Ever fly a Metro with deferred nose wheel steering? Not only are they old, but a lot of the parts aren't made any more, so you keep getting refurbs (which often don't work any better than the part they replaced). All part of the adventure, right?


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