dvhighdrive88

Saw the Ameriflight add on APC and just curious tapped on it. Said 79 openings in Flights Ops. I'm thinking one or two might be pilot, turns out I think all were pilots?

I'm here at UAL and don't have an interest in Ameriflight ( at least not at this time lol) ...but my question is this. We hear rumors that places like Ameriflight are having no problem finding people as time builders coming out of school are looking to build to 1500 hours. However all those job openings paints a different picture. Just wondering what the real story is.

Flyingthomas

From what I hear, we can't get anyone to fly chieftains since they're offering everyone 99s. And the people they do have they won't upgrade because they don't have replacements, so people leave. It's a negative cycle. Just what I'm hearing through the grapevine.

y0umadd0g

Flew for AMF for almost two years. Towards the last couple months, there was HUGE pilot shortage system wide. Endless TDYs and cancelled routes. With the market like it is today, (pilots in demand) up and coming pilots have the choices of either flying an old be99 single pilot to the same remote outstation or a new e175 two crew with a better chance of making it to a major. Both options are close to the same pay now as well. If given the choice, I'd say most would go to the later.

I enjoyed my time there for what it's worth. Gained a wealth of experience and PIC decision making that i believe is invaluable, for any pilot. It's sad that the former model of flying for a cargo feeder before jumping to a regional isn't necessary anymore, the pilots molded from that kind of flying are the best in th industry IMHO. But the industry has changed, and there are simply better options for those approaching their minimums and have the choice of where they want to go.

Hope that helped.

dvhighdrive88

Wasn't Ameriflight always a time builder to get to the regionals in the past and certainly now to get to 1500 hours? Seems to me they would have a flood of people who needed to do this. I could see people choosing regionals over them if they already had ATP mins, that makes sense.

KSCessnaDriver

Why leave a CFI gig for AMF at 1200 hours, when you can wait a little longer and go straight to a regional at 1500?

Hand Commander

Still a revolving door. "Senior" guys (1 to 2 years is pretty senior now) with plenty of turbine PIC are leaving for regionals very regularly. They have thrown money at it but its not working. Doesn't help that some of the new hires can't pass the indoc test before they even start training. They are trying "home basing" for the new guys where you can live where you want but you will be tdy for 3 weeks at a time.

dvhighdrive88

I see that makes sense also. My how things have changed. In my day guys were lining up for a job on a Chieftain but let's not bore ourselves with outdated tales.

The point is there is finally a lot of opportunity out there for a young pilot.

For those of us who lived the dog treatment era we aren't feeling the least bit sorry for these operators who are struggling to find crew because of their reputations.

What I can say about the majors is come on in the waters warm. Beers on us when you get here!

own nav

To say that comes with the assumption that you are either building time very fast as an instructor, and or are very well compensated. I liked being a be99 captain 10 times better than instructing, but that's just my opinion.

own nav

The answer to the op's question is here. Do we really have all those positions available at the moment, no, but the point is that if amf has a position in a location you are interested in, they can make a temporary solution (system reserve/tdy) and you will be first in line when that position does become available. Movement is a 2 edged sword, there is some give and take, but it is times like this where you gain seniority quickly.

Jetlife

AMF is a good stepping stone to a regional. Gives you some professional experience flying complex airplanes. It is certainly not in the running to be as good as a regional, not even close. And now that regionals are desperate for fresh ATP min pilots, there isn't much of a reason to go to AMF or other freight companies. You can go fly a brand new E175 and upgrade in a couple of years, have a nice schedule and make comparable money. Or you can fly a ratty 99 that is held together with bubblegum, never have the ability to use your PTO and work 26 days a month.