Air Associates of Kansas Hiring C206 Aerial Imagery Pilots

JJ429PA

JJ429PA

Well-Known Member
Air Associates of Kansas operates a fleet of 12 Cessna 206 Stationair's for aerial imagery operations throughout the contiguous 48 states, as well as (seasonally) Canada and the Caribbean.

We are looking for motivated, team-oriented pilots with excellent safety records to join our team!

Schedule is 8 days on, 6 days off. Pay starts at $24,000/year plus per diem. Opportunity for salary increases at your anniversary date. Company credit card is provided for all work-related travel, lodging and aircraft expenses.
Pilots retain all airline and hotel points associated with their travel.

Company headquarters is Olathe, KS (KOJC). Commuting is acceptable; company will airline from your home town to assignment within certain budgetary limits (can be discussed individually).

Minimum Requirements:
FAA Commercial/Instrument Pilot ASEL
500 Hours Fixed-Wing Total Time
Instrument current and proficient
FAA First Class Medical (or ability to obtain prior to start of training)

Preferred:
120 Hours in preceding 12 months
50 Hours of Instrument time with 25 actual.
CFI/CFII with instructing experience
G1000 or other glass cockpit experience

Please submit your application here, and send resumes to: apply@aakmapping.com

Feel free to PM me with any individual questions.
 
Fun job, Good schedule, but horrible management. Will only average about 100-150 hours a year, and that's on the high side....
 
And considering they laid off quite a few of their pilots 6 months ago this makes me raise an eyebrow
 
trafficinsight said:
If its a fun job and a good schedule then management can't be that bad.
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I've heard really bad things about management there from numerous posters on this forum. I thought the guys were fun and pretty nice, but they invited me to interview when I only had around 480 hours and only noticed it despite my email and resume clearly stating my total time and then basically disqualified me during the interview when they actually bothered to read my resume. That said it was over year 3 years ago and the pay for the job is still the same as when I interviewed. It could be a lot of fun if you're young and not in a hurry to build flight time.
 
UDaviator said:
Fun job, Good schedule, but horrible management. Will only average about 100-150 hours a year, and that's on the high side....
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UDaviator said:
Fun job, Good schedule, but horrible management. Will only average about 100-150 hours a year, and that's on the high side....
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I worked for the sister company, and had a relatively good experience with management. You're spot on with the flight time though. You don't build much at all.
 
trafficinsight said:
The inside story is not all that sinister.
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"Inside story" already indicates that there is an issue internally and that it had not been addressed appropriately with the pilot group.

EOD Nomad said:
And considering they laid off quite a few of their pilots 6 months ago this makes me raise an eyebrow
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Didn't know that, that is a huge indication there in itself....makes you wonder. o_O Let go people, then hire new ones who make less. :eek2: :bang:
 
UDaviator said:
"Inside story" already indicates that there is an issue internally and that it had not been addressed appropriately with the pilot group.



Didn't know that, that is a huge indication there in itself....makes you wonder. o_O Let go people, then hire new ones who make less. :eek2: :bang:
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I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience UD. However, I can assure everyone the situation is not the way you're characterizing it. Simply a result of attrition requiring new pilots. Anyone who has involuntarily parted ways with us knows why it happened. If you have any specific issues or questions that I can clarify for you, feel free to PM me.
 
If the schedule is 8 on 6 off, what is a typical days schedule if reported times are ~150 hours a year? I am doing that in 4 months of instructing currently.
I have the required time and am "close" to be able to commute to OJC, so I am interested.
 
iceman21 said:
If the schedule is 8 on 6 off, what is a typical days schedule if reported times are ~150 hours a year? I am doing that in 4 months of instructing currently.
I have the required time and am "close" to be able to commute to OJC, so I am interested.
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As I understand it you split the flying with another pilot and are acting as an observer or camera operator half of the time. I imagine that they're only mapping on near perfect days and only flying during windows where the sun is at its highest then I can see the 150ish hours being accurate.a

Have you looked into any of the Pictometry vendors at all?
 
iceman21 said:
If the schedule is 8 on 6 off, what is a typical days schedule if reported times are ~150 hours a year? I am doing that in 4 months of instructing currently.
I have the required time and am "close" to be able to commute to OJC, so I am interested.
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@srn121 is correct. One pilot is flying, the other acting as a safety pilot/observer. Not technically a safety pilot, hence why you are 'legally' unable to log right seat time. We can only fly during certain hours of the day in certain weather conditions. I've been hear for a number years and have averaged ~200/yr. OBVIOUSLY, not a time builder. A Pictometry vendor would definitely give you plenty of hours.. many threads on here about them.

However, we operate yearly (Southern states in the winter, Northern states in the summer), salary, company takes care of all expenses (hotels, rental cars, per diem, etc.), and you are home every other week. I've enjoyed the quality of life and my family has as well. If you're interested, just shoot them an application and ask the important questions over the phone. Feel free to PM me as I am a current line pilot and can answer anything else.
 
JJ429PA said:
I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience UD. However, I can assure everyone the situation is not the way you're characterizing it. Simply a result of attrition requiring new pilots. Anyone who has involuntarily parted ways with us knows why it happened. If you have any specific issues or questions that I can clarify for you, feel free to PM me.
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No need for any clarification. My stance on AAK, which has been bolstered due to your attitude toward how "expendable" the pilot group has now become, doesn't need clarifying. Thanks for taking the time to address me individually. I think it really shows that your company isn't a place a pilot would want to work, and you are trying to nip it so word does not spread. I'm guessing they are hiring now because there isn't any trust from the pilot group after laying off pilots, and there was a mass exodus.

To those of you looking, there are many other vendors that you would gain better experience and not have to deal with the day to day bureaucratic issues this company has. Granted, it's a job, but this one should be avoided. Just my two cents!
 
UDaviator said:
No need for any clarification. My stance on AAK, which has been bolstered due to your attitude toward how "expendable" the pilot group has now become, doesn't need clarifying. Thanks for taking the time to address me individually. I think it really shows that your company isn't a place a pilot would want to work, and you are trying to nip it so word does not spread. I'm guessing they are hiring now because there isn't any trust from the pilot group after laying off pilots, and there was a mass exodus.

To those of you looking, there are many other vendors that you would gain better experience and not have to deal with the day to day bureaucratic issues this company has. Granted, it's a job, but this one should be avoided. Just my two cents!
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There's always one, folks! Just because you threw away what appears to have been a good opportunity since you've upgraded to a King Air now does not give you the right to slander an entire group of people who find it satisfying. I have heard good things about this operator and every business is going to have its tough times. Maybe this was a stepping stone for you to move on to bigger and better things (God help those future employers), but leave your hurt feelings out of the forum.

Also may I point out, Mr. Colgan, that employers look at these boards and can see your post history - I would hate for them to find out that you will slander them from the safety of a computer screen if you don't get your way...
 
I digress, I worked there almost two years and had a great experience. Good travel, good mgmt, nobody breathing down your neck on the road. Just doing your job and go home.
As far as the 'not a time builder' it is what you make of it. While yes there are pilots there who are on their second career or somehow lack motivation to move into anything bigger than a single engine Cessna I managed to fly almost 900 hrs my first yr there and logged over 500. That being said I do not recommend having the desire to mow the sky for that many hours in a single year. monotony doesnt even begin to describe the level of boredom that insued from flying that much. I wanted to move on in my aviation career and now im another suit an tie in the regional suckage. AAK awarded me the oportunity to move on so I cant say anything bad about my life there. Had a good time, met some great people, went to some great places and enjoyed it. The job is wat you make of it and despite that everyone says its not a time builder you can fly your butt of if you so desire, even if it isnt the best of meteorological conditions.

You just gotta find the other guys that want to fly just as much as you to go on rotation with is all.

Any questions feel free to pm me, im not on here much so it may take a while to get a response.

Good luck to all those who apply!
 
No slander here. Just the facts that I had during my time! We could all create a new and fake names like @donth8 or we can step up and give our honest opinion. I choose to give honest opinion, can't take negative criticism about your job or company? You realize you have posted on a forum where people list opinions and experiences? Sorry you are thin-skinned. Once again, a great showing of this company, hiding behind what is obvious and passing the blame along. Very characteristic. I've wasted enough time on this, Cheers all...happy flying!
 
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I was there for 2 years and had a great time, saw some places I would never had visited, learned some great skills that put me on a career path that I never knew existed. Most importantly, I made some REALLY great friends that are true today such as the CP, ACP (who were line pilots then) and our late friend Stomp16, Zach. Many others have successfully moved on to the airlines, cargo, corporate. Either way, my time there was/is invaluable and I wouldn't change a thing.

Your 8 on / 6 off schedule is/was a no pressure rotation. If the weather wasn't good enough, so be it. Time too be a tourist. Never was I pushed to accomplish any mission at the risk of anything else. No questions were asked. The only issue anybody ever had was with a former admin girl who is no longer there. MX was always on point. If something broke whether it was the camera or plane, it was handled immediately at the airport or we packed our bags and chugged out to California for camera repairs and had awesome Mexican food.
 
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