schone

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out what are the differences or why would someone choose one over the other when it comes to Ameriflight (135 cargo/pax etc) to any Regional for instance...?

We all know that we're out , hunting for those turbine PIC golden eggs as fast as.... but the question is, what makes 121 or 135 more appealing over it's counterpart?

I am trying to solve a crossroads situation I find myself in, while trying to apply to everybody. Trying to figure out what it is that i'm really after when all is said and done.

For me personally, what i'm looking for, ideally - get those PIC turb hours fast while maybe also trying to incorporate a situation where I am able to tear myself apart for three weeks at a time and maybe manage to squeeze a week off every month to spend at home, which unfortunately, is overseas.
Any suggestions of how that can be achieved will be greatly appriciated as I do not fully understand how bidding and holding a line works in niether the 135 nor the 121 world.

Thanks much!
-schone

SkyHigh

Go to Ameriflight. Old planes night cargo. Fast upgrade. Last spring one of my brothers high school friends was killed in an Ameriflight crash. It also can be dangerous; old planes, no crew, dark remote locations, low time pilots.

Skyhigh

hatetobreakit2u

i dont know too many places with a schedule like that

schone

Hey guys (and girls ofcourse!)

Maybe I was a little overzealous trying to incorporate all my wishes. Let's take it a step at a time...

Turbine PIC.... great - can wait though.

Does anybody know of an airline / job setting (?) that incorporates a schedule like the one I have outlined above? Start with that..... any ideas/comments will be greatly appreceiated

Thx
-schone

SkyHigh

Go to Alaska and fly for Grant Air.

Skyhigh

freightdog

I currently fly for AMF and enjoy every minute of it. I currently fly the Piper Chieftain and in about 5 months I should get a BE-99 upgrade. This has been the trend for the piston pilots for the past year or so. About 6 months in the Chieftain and then onto the turbine. Most stay in the 99 for about one year and most have enough time to upgrade to either the Metro III or the Beech 1900. It's all single pilot, Part 135, in the IFR environment. Some people on this thread say that we have bad equipment, well the planes are old, that is for sure, but the planes are structurally sound and we are in the process of getting GNS Garmin 480's in all turbine equipment.
When it comes to the schedule it is hard to beat. Most runs are Monday through Friday with weekends and federal holidays off. You get two days off a month that you can take unpaid and no questions asked. After a year you start accuring vacation time. If you want a place that will challenge you as a pilot and sharpen your skills and you might want to check out AMF, www.ameriflight.com
Ameriflight has a very good safety record, only one accident can I think of was due to a mechanical failure. All the rest have been pilot error.

schone

freightdog:

When you say, upgrade in 5 months to the 99..... do you mean upgrade to the 99 as CA or FO? Are the 99 and the rest of the turbine all flown single pilot IFR as well?

What are the chances of getting a BUR base? (currently residing in LA)

After the year in the 99 you said most people opt to upgrade to the Metro or the 1900s... why? Isn't the 1000 PIC Turb good enough for majors/cargo (of that size of airplanes)?

-schone

freightdog

Schone,

If you have close to 1200 hours TT and around 100 hours multi and you qualify for the Part 135 mins then you are eligible for a captain position on the Chieftain. In about 6 months you will have acquired enough time to upgrade to the BE99. As a captain on the PA31 you will upgrade as CAPTAIN on the BE99. You don't have to deal with sitting in the right seat (only during trasition and IOE training do you sit in the right seat). AMF does have a commercial FO program where pilots come and "pay to play" and they pay for right seat time in the 99, but for the the most part you are
single pilot. The 99, Metro, and 1900 are all flown single pilot IFR. Except when you have a commercial FO in the 99.
Getting an BUR base is not that hard, AMF always needs pilots. Plus if you don't already live in LA then most people don't want to move due to cost of living.
If you upgrade to the 99 there is a 6 month commitment, and if you upgrade to the Metro, 1900, or as an FO or CA on the Brasilia then it is a 1 year comitment. Most pilots sort of make the decision after the commitment in the 99 whether or not to stay. The pilots that I know have stayed and upgraded to the Metro or the 1900 because those are over 12,500 lb aircraft. The 99 is not. So some pilots want that 12,500 experience. However, you are right in about 1 year in the 99 you can get 1000 PIC TURBINE, it may take longer than a year, but it is better than sitting right seat at a regional for 5-7 years before even getting a taste of the left seat.

waflyboy

1000 Turbine PIC meets the minimum for many majors, but I'm willing to bet it's not a competitive figure.

I don't work for AMF (yet), but I believe there is a significant pay increase when upgrading to the B1900 or Metro.

dckozak

No doubt, getting turbine PIC right away is a huge advantage if the airlines you (in the future) look to don't discount your lack of crew (CRM) experience. All things considered, it would be better to fly a 121 jet as an SIC (upgrading in a reasonable time) than get your 1000 hrs of PIC in a commuter jet in a crew environment. I would also concur, it has to be safer. That said, if you can fly single pilot in an multi engine airplane (turbine or otherwise), without an autopilot, at night in IFR; you are doing the hardest civilian flying out there. bar none.
Good luck, and (quickly) learn to multi task, you'll need the skill.