AMF, RAM, FLX, AIRNET....training contracts?
 

Does AMF, RAM, FLX, AIRNET require some sort of training contract? Are their any 135 outfits that do not require you to stay for a certain period of time?

Flight Express does not have a training contract. They have a 1000 dollar bonus if you pass training (after taxes its like 780). If you leave before six months you pay back that bonus (the 780).

Airnet last year had a 1 year 8000 dollar contract. Not sure if they still have that or not.

I dont know about AMF or RAM has any or not.

AMF has a gentleman's agreement as does redding jet. Not sure about the rest. They just will put you on the "not rehireable" on your personal file. From what I hear this isn't the best thing to have, because if your future employer contacts them and sees it that may give them a heads up about your commitments...

Pretty sure RAM doesn't have one anymore either. They've gone to the FLX model, more or less. I think there's a training bonus, a multi upgrade bonus, and a yearly bonus. Might be worth remembering that FLX still pays considerably better for most runs, however.

RAM does have a 6 month contract you sign after initial...then another once you upgrade in the twin.

I just don't get why people can't honor most of these contracts. If you sign one, you honor it with your time, or your money. If a job is "so" great that you can bail on the first one, then it should pay the difference of leaving the first job.

I don't know, maybe I'm old school, but not everything is easy in this world.

At airnet they have a 3K bonus after taxes. You need to have your 1200hrs though. Upgrade to the jet is another 5K and upgrade to left seat is another 5K if you sign the contracts for them. That is a potential 13K in 2 years if you're lucky enough to get left seat in 2 years. Something you could factor in ontop of base pay.

If I sign a contract, I intend to honor it.....just doing as much research before I put pen to paper.

Right, you sign the "gentlman's agreement" in ground school. Then each time you transition to a new postion in a turbine aircraft, there's a financial training contract attached. The BE99 Captains, for instance sign a contract for 6 months with a $6000 penalty (pro rated with time).

Larger aircraft require 1 year training contracts with bigger price tags.

AMF particularly hates to see their captains make "lateral" moves to regionals, especially if you break your contract. Unlike most regionals, an Ameriflight base is a fairly small community, they know you well, and if you break your contract, they will take it personal. They will have little or no mercy on your PRIA report.

AMF would much rather have you "stick with the program" and leave with an ATP/Type Rating, and a couple years worth of turbine PIC, then leave for a Major or Fractional.

So as a new hire, in the PA31, you sign a 6 month contract, then another when upgrading to the BE99?

I agree, they are a great gig if you plan to stay and accumulate some turbine time.

There's no financial contract for the Chieftain. Everyone signs the "integrity" contract for their first year, regardless of what they're flying.

Then, when you get a BE99 slot, you sign a six month training contract. When you get into a Metro, its another year with the company. Again, there's financial penalties for breaking the turboprop/jet training contracts.

Thanks!!!!

are you talking about AMF?

Yes.

Let me give you a couple scenarios. Go for a chieftain on the west coast, you'll likely get the BE99 within six months. If that's the case, the BE99 six month contract will likely expire at the same time your one year contract does.

You could also go to an all turbine base like SLC, or take an outstation to get hired right into the BE99. The six month contract will expire within the one year contract, but then again, most people in SLC get a shot at a Metro within 9 months of their date of hire, in which case, your new contract will expire one year from the day you pass your Metro ride.

Good scenario. I would've liked to work there, but I was asked to get 50 hours actual (while meeting 135 mins).... thats expensive! :-)

50 hours of actual???? WOW!!!

heh... thats what I thought too... I wonder if it was a combo of actual and sim

I think that is a bit high and thought they were desperate for pilots.

They also have Training Captain slots in OAK and BUR from time to time, if you don't quite meet 135 mins.

I don't have a CFI or II :-(

If I'm not mistaken, they're refering to instrument time in airplanes (ie hood or IMC) when they say "actual." Sim time obviously does not count for "actual."

I should double check in on that, because I do have hood, but not "actual"... yeh, sim is just sim.

I think you are correct....mins are 50 "actual airplane" which is also known as hood. Simulator or actual (IMC) can probably make up the rest of the 100 hours of total instrument.

This is bandied about frequently at BUR, but it doesn't reflect the reality of bases further north- at some, there has been no turbine upgrades for months (except for the filling of outstations), and none can be expected in the forseeable future. At some the turbine runs are locked in by very senior pilots, some of whom have been flying the same run for several years. However, I would agree that seeking an outstation is one way to speed up the process- if you don't mind moving to a small town for at least six months.

Definitely double check- own nav and cfii2007 are correct. When I applied with AMF, I had 11 hours or so of actual IMC, and the rest of my 80 or so were under the hood. I had no sim time. 135.243c(2) is the relevant reg: "...and 75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time at least 50 hours of which were in actual flight;" (emphasis mine), meaning 50 of the instrument hours must have been logged in an aircraft.

What planes do they fly out of BFI and PDX? Is it mostly piston or turbine?

BFI had gone all turbine, so it's only 99, 1900, and Metro, now with 1 embraer there too.

PDX flies about a dozen each of piston and turbine runs (all types) every day. If you want to fly out of PDX, ask about it specifically when you talk to HR in BUR. Try to get a promise in writing that you'll be assigned to the base.

PM me if you have other questions.