Boutique Air
11-01-2016, 04:59 PM
#1021
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Posts: 235
Originally Posted by GreenWater
I got an email asking for availability. They said they will confirm a date and time once I submit the form.
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Good luck on the interview!
11-02-2016, 08:18 AM
#1023
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2014
Position: And hold
Posts: 311
Originally Posted by thenewguyhere
A few notes if you're trying to come to BTQ, especially DEN based:
Lately moral has taken a serious downward spiral in DEN, with even some of the brand new crews wanting out. As these things always are, it's 50% actual legitimate complaints, and 50% flight crews *****ing to each other and hyping the issues. Knowing what to expect will solve the latter part.
The schedule sucks in DEN, and will for the foreseeable future. Promises of imminent improvement by management only serve to make it seem even worse when they're not lived up to. Best policy is to come in knowing that you'll probably fly 12-17 constant duty overnight shifts per month. A lot of your days off come one at a time, and the 4 on / 3 off thing is fantasy. That way, you could only be pleasantly surprised. Some CDOs involve 12-15 hours of duty for 2-4 hours of flight time. You only get paid for flight time. BTW, they cut pay for day off flying in half if you exceed min guarantee (most crew in DEN do). No biggie, just don't fly on days off.
Seniority has no affect on scheduling, only on bidding a new base. This month, 3 senior FOs work on Thanksgiving, 3 of the most junior have it off.
There's not a lot of support for the pilot group from management, dispatch, or anyone else. Just make sure you're the type that can deal with that. Be flexible, take each day as it comes, and focus on why you're here and you'll have a great time. The routes are fun, PC12 is amazingly capable and easy. Our GOM relies heavily on crews that can make critical decisions every day. The safety, quality of life, etc is mostly a matter of attitude and expectations. I still like it here because I can manage expectations and stand my ground.
Hope that helps.
Lately moral has taken a serious downward spiral in DEN, with even some of the brand new crews wanting out. As these things always are, it's 50% actual legitimate complaints, and 50% flight crews *****ing to each other and hyping the issues. Knowing what to expect will solve the latter part.
The schedule sucks in DEN, and will for the foreseeable future. Promises of imminent improvement by management only serve to make it seem even worse when they're not lived up to. Best policy is to come in knowing that you'll probably fly 12-17 constant duty overnight shifts per month. A lot of your days off come one at a time, and the 4 on / 3 off thing is fantasy. That way, you could only be pleasantly surprised. Some CDOs involve 12-15 hours of duty for 2-4 hours of flight time. You only get paid for flight time. BTW, they cut pay for day off flying in half if you exceed min guarantee (most crew in DEN do). No biggie, just don't fly on days off.
Seniority has no affect on scheduling, only on bidding a new base. This month, 3 senior FOs work on Thanksgiving, 3 of the most junior have it off.
There's not a lot of support for the pilot group from management, dispatch, or anyone else. Just make sure you're the type that can deal with that. Be flexible, take each day as it comes, and focus on why you're here and you'll have a great time. The routes are fun, PC12 is amazingly capable and easy. Our GOM relies heavily on crews that can make critical decisions every day. The safety, quality of life, etc is mostly a matter of attitude and expectations. I still like it here because I can manage expectations and stand my ground.
Hope that helps.
11-02-2016, 09:41 AM
#1024
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,111
Originally Posted by Av8tr1
Hummmmm......sounds a lot like what Seaport was experiencing before the downfall.
11-02-2016, 01:14 PM
#1025
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jun 2016
Posts: 65
Originally Posted by hawk21
Yup. That 4 on 3 off thing they tell you when you interview is complete BS. There were several times I would fly 6 on, 1 off, 4 on and then MAYBE have 2 days off. It was crap.
11-02-2016, 05:49 PM
#1026
New Hire
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by RBZL
My schedule about works out to 4/3. Add in CDOs and it's like having a bunch of extra days off in addition. Not sure what the hate is for them (aside from being stuck out in the boonies, but you're sleeping, so who cares).
Yeah... I've gotta back this up to contrast with some of the last few posts. Maybe its because I'm a new-ish street captain here and I remember how I would have killed for a job like this when I had 600 hours... It's a different industry now than when I instructed six days a week for three years but I'm not sure what you could have expected. You don't go from 600 to 1500 hours in a year by sitting on your couch.
Even so, looking at the DEN FO schedule it's pretty close to 4on/3off for most of the guys for most of this month. There's two guys with 5/1 for half their schedule. One of those days is a two hour shift as half of an overnight with 12 hours off duty before the next shift. There's also one guy out half the month, two upgrading to PIC, and one in training for the King Air.
My schedule isn't 4/3 yet either, and I'd say its about 1/3 CDOs rather than just one every fourth day as advertised, but it has improved progressively since the end September. It's been pretty fun though as far as an aviation job goes. And one of the DEN CDO's is being turned into a respectable duty off overnight.
I've peeked at the other bases schedules...The DFW and ATL bases are pretty consistent 4/3. PHX and MSP are cush if you're not looking to build hours.
DEN just had two new routes start up, three if you count MCK before the recent hiring rush. When it takes 3 weeks to get 12 guys through initial and spread across all the bases, the schedule isn't going magically perfect for everyone in just one month.
Maybe I'm wearing rosy shades still, but I'm not seeing any downward morale spiral. I have met one or two whinier SICs, and one captain who kinda got shafted long term due to a communication fail with management. From my short experience here almost everyone is good people and is trying hard to build this place up right.
11-02-2016, 06:22 PM
#1027
Contract
Joined APC: Aug 2014
Position: SR22
Posts: 162
Originally Posted by AlrightyDEN
Yeah... I've gotta back this up to contrast with some of the last few posts. Maybe its because I'm a new-ish street captain here and I remember how I would have killed for a job like this when I had 600 hours... It's a different industry now than when I instructed six days a week for three years but I'm not sure what you could have expected. You don't go from 600 to 1500 hours in a year by sitting on your couch.
Even so, looking at the DEN FO schedule it's pretty close to 4on/3off for most of the guys for most of this month. There's two guys with 5/1 for half their schedule. One of those days is a two hour shift as half of an overnight with 12 hours off duty before the next shift. There's also one guy out half the month, two upgrading to PIC, and one in training for the King Air.
My schedule isn't 4/3 yet either, and I'd say its about 1/3 CDOs rather than just one every fourth day as advertised, but it has improved progressively since the end September. It's been pretty fun though as far as an aviation job goes. And one of the DEN CDO's is being turned into a respectable duty off overnight.
I've peeked at the other bases schedules...The DFW and ATL bases are pretty consistent 4/3. PHX and MSP are cush if you're not looking to build hours.
DEN just had two new routes start up, three if you count MCK before the recent hiring rush. When it takes 3 weeks to get 12 guys through initial and spread across all the bases, the schedule isn't going magically perfect for everyone in just one month.
Maybe I'm wearing rosy shades still, but I'm not seeing any downward morale spiral. I have met one or two whinier SICs, and one captain who kinda got shafted long term due to a communication fail with management. From my short experience here almost everyone is good people and is trying hard to build this place up right.
Even so, looking at the DEN FO schedule it's pretty close to 4on/3off for most of the guys for most of this month. There's two guys with 5/1 for half their schedule. One of those days is a two hour shift as half of an overnight with 12 hours off duty before the next shift. There's also one guy out half the month, two upgrading to PIC, and one in training for the King Air.
My schedule isn't 4/3 yet either, and I'd say its about 1/3 CDOs rather than just one every fourth day as advertised, but it has improved progressively since the end September. It's been pretty fun though as far as an aviation job goes. And one of the DEN CDO's is being turned into a respectable duty off overnight.
I've peeked at the other bases schedules...The DFW and ATL bases are pretty consistent 4/3. PHX and MSP are cush if you're not looking to build hours.
DEN just had two new routes start up, three if you count MCK before the recent hiring rush. When it takes 3 weeks to get 12 guys through initial and spread across all the bases, the schedule isn't going magically perfect for everyone in just one month.
Maybe I'm wearing rosy shades still, but I'm not seeing any downward morale spiral. I have met one or two whinier SICs, and one captain who kinda got shafted long term due to a communication fail with management. From my short experience here almost everyone is good people and is trying hard to build this place up right.
Well said.
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11-02-2016, 09:58 PM
#1028
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2015
Posts: 227
DFW isn't consistently 4/3 off. We've got the best schedule company wide (IMO), but its not 4/3. Some captains get something resembling that. FO's can expect kind of a random schedule, but there are no CDO's and if you req. days off you'll probably get them. Thats at least the current schedule..things change.
11-02-2016, 10:29 PM
#1029
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2015
Posts: 226
My gf just left a CSA job in DEN, and she definitely expressed some frustration to me about the relationship with mangement. How badly does this affect the day to day work of the pilots? I'm interested in going to BTQ to build some 135 PIC time, hopefully in the PC-12 and the KA, but the training contract and EAS reliance are somewhat off putting. How many folks stay past their contract date?
11-03-2016, 07:37 AM
#1030
Contract
Joined APC: Aug 2014
Position: SR22
Posts: 162
Originally Posted by MaxMar
I'm interested in going to BTQ to build some 135 PIC time, hopefully in the PC-12 and the KA, but the training contract and EAS reliance are somewhat off putting. How many folks stay past their contract date?
You'll have a hard time finding a company that doesn't want to protect their investment.
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