My gig just ended.

Oxman said:
I'll take a look. Thanks.
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You're welcome. Here is some updated info on Kalitta. Not sure Atlas is hiring at the moment. But we might be soon.
jhugz

Thread 'Kalitta Air Info (K4)'

I get a lot of questions about K4 and this FAQ does a really good jump of answering those questions. I did not write this FAQ I'm just posting it with permission from the author. Hope this helps any K4 hopefuls trying to get hired here.

The following is the latest information about current working conditions and employment potential at Kalitta Air – aka “K4” and although not from is approved by the CKS 140 Master Executive Council. This message will be updated and re-posted to this thread on or about the first of each month.



About Kalitta Air

Kalitta Air Pilots are represented...
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Oxman said:
This is so true. I've been OCONUS Contracting for the last seven years and Gov't 135 is the Schnizzle. My schedules (CONUS and OCUNS) CONUS: have ranged from 8/6, 14/14. OCONUS: 60/60, 90/90, 45/45. So any schedule works. And I've slept in tents sectioned off in plywood for 6 of us to having my own room and walking in the rain at 2am to the port-a-potty. And I miss it. Flying military special operators who move like a school of fish when I point in a direction is a pleasure when compared to people who wander up and down an aisle wondering what 34B on their ticket means or dealing with "I'm better than you" ass hats.
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Between the big contracting companies (L3, MAG, Leidos, Amentum, Berry, TSC, Dynamic, etc.) I always see one or two postings for turboprop PICs doing OCONUS work, and some of them are using jets now too. I used to work at Phoenix Air and it was the coolest job I ever had, flying Gulfstreams around the world for the government. They have Lear 35s too if you're more into the tactical flying and participating in military exercises. I never liked that stuff so I never flew it, but many there love it and fly both. The schedule was rough though. It was 3 week OCONUS deployments but then no hard days off back home, and pop up trips happened. On the road though it was Club Med: bases in beautiful parts of the world, really nice hotels and generous per-diem. I believe the schedules have gotten better since they had a big attrition wave during the airline hiring boom, being closer to rotational now. The only problem is they want you to be drivable to North Georgia. Lots of people there were from the Chattanooga area and a couple from Knoxville, but the drive from Nashville can get old pretty fast. Although it's a smaller company, everything is negotiable. One of the lifers lives in Florida and was able to negotiate 30 on - 30 off deal, so it doesn't hurt to ask. They're currently not showing any openings but at some point they always are, either for attrition, new contracts, or the government picking up the pace of things.
 
luke3 said:
Between the big contracting companies (L3, MAG, Leidos, Amentum, Berry, TSC, Dynamic, etc.) I always see one or two postings for turboprop PICs doing OCONUS work, and some of them are using jets now too. I used to work at Phoenix Air and it was the coolest job I ever had, flying Gulfstreams around the world for the government. They have Lear 35s too if you're more into the tactical flying and participating in military exercises. I never liked that stuff so I never flew it, but many there love it and fly both. The schedule was rough though. It was 3 week OCONUS deployments but then no hard days off back home, and pop up trips happened. On the road though it was Club Med: bases in beautiful parts of the world, really nice hotels and generous per-diem. I believe the schedules have gotten better since they had a big attrition wave during the airline hiring boom, being closer to rotational now. The only problem is they want you to be drivable to North Georgia. Lots of people there were from the Chattanooga area and a couple from Knoxville, but the drive from Nashville can get old pretty fast. Although it's a smaller company, everything is negotiable. One of the lifers lives in Florida and was able to negotiate 30 on - 30 off deal, so it doesn't hurt to ask. They're currently not showing any openings but at some point they always are, either for attrition, new contracts, or the government picking up the pace of things.
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Funny you mention them, TSC. Years ago I interviewed with them by phone and was offered the South Pacific (flying over shark infested waters) King Air job on a rotational basis. They wanted 6 months on/ 3 months off. Or something like that. As a married guy I asked if that could be adjusted. They agreed. Cool. Then when I asked about pay I was told $270 a day. I'm sorry what? I said that has to be at least tripled to compete with rotational OCONUS work. I heard his frustration in his voice when he replied "I know, that's what I keep hearing".

Well, since then I've seen the position open several times on their jobs page. I applied, hoping they raised the pay. But's It's interesting when I now apply and get the "Not Selected" notice compared from when I was once offered the position. Go figure.
 
Oxman said:
I did 135 in two different Citations and it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. Both times I had customers treat me like I was beneath them. A customer started throwing grapes because they weren't washed! I had one lady who I flew regularly flippantly flip her wet umbrella at me while she was walking up the stairs. The "Oh crap" look the captain had on his face when he saw my eyes dilate in anger. But I think that is rich-rich people. I think a PC-12 spot (considering I have time in one OCONUS) would be fun.
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If it was citations they weren’t rich. I always found the ones who could barely afford to do it to be the worst. The ones with buy a new Gulfstream money I have always found to be good. There will be exceptions of course
 
Inverted25 said:
If it was citations they weren’t rich. I always found the ones who could barely afford to do it to be the worst. The ones with buy a new Gulfstream money I have always found to be good. There will be exceptions of course
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It takes all kinds. Needless to say I’m very happy to be at the airlines, customer service wise. Financially there is no comparison. QOL is debatable. TSA, employee buses etc all make it a trade off. I’ll probably be financially able to retire at 55. This never would have happened 91/135. When I see pilots dead set against the airlines it reminds me of myself from 2004-2016 and it makes me sad, for them. You can’t change people in general and doubly so pilots. They have to sort it out for themselves. Every day you wait the change is harder.
 
BEEF SUPREME said:
It takes all kinds. Needless to say I’m very happy to be at the airlines, customer service wise. Financially there is no comparison. QOL is debatable. TSA, employee buses etc all make it a trade off. I’ll probably be financially able to retire at 55. This never would have happened 91/135. When I see pilots dead set against the airlines it reminds me of myself from 2004-2016 and it makes me sad, for them. You can’t change people in general and doubly so pilots. They have to sort it out for themselves. Every day you wait the change is harder.
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I hear you. I have always enjoyed corporate flying and have found one the unicorn jobs as far as pay (300+) and QOL(less than ten days a month). But lately even I have been thinking about the long term benefits the airlines offers that corporate doesn’t. I have my applications in. Can’t say no to a job offer I don’t have.
 
Inverted25 said:
I hear you. I have always enjoyed corporate flying and have found one the unicorn jobs as far as pay (300+) and QOL(less than ten days a month). But lately even I have been thinking about the long term benefits the airlines offers that corporate doesn’t. I have my applications in. Can’t say no to a job offer I don’t have.
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I had to bite the bullet and check the 121 training box at a regional. Then it was a full time job to get to a major. Highly suggest interview prep with a resume redo via Ravn careers or similar. That’s what got me an interview.

Looking back I only wish I’d leveraged current major for a better one. Even if I’d left in 2021 I’d be holding a line on the 75 at SFO and my coworkers would be a lot less weird.
 
Inverted25 said:
If it was citations they weren’t rich. I always found the ones who could barely afford to do it to be the worst. The ones with buy a new Gulfstream money I have always found to be good. There will be exceptions of course
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HA! Sounds just like dealing with middle management.
 
Inverted25 said:
I hear you. I have always enjoyed corporate flying and have found one the unicorn jobs as far as pay (300+) and QOL(less than ten days a month). But lately even I have been thinking about the long term benefits the airlines offers that corporate doesn’t. I have my applications in. Can’t say no to a job offer I don’t have.
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I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but if you truly want to come to the airlines, give me a call and I’ll help where I can.

I miss doing freight dawg •, but I don’t miss the other nonsense involved with it. This is way more civilized in every way shape and form. The airlines isn’t the most fun I’ve had in aviation, but it’s by far the best job I’ve ever had and it’s not even close. At this point in my life, I’m cool with that.
 
Inverted25 said:
If it was citations they weren’t rich. I always found the ones who could barely afford to do it to be the worst. The ones with buy a new Gulfstream money I have always found to be good. There will be exceptions of course
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I've dealt with a lot of private jet owners, from a Citation to a G650, and I've always found that if someone came from nothing and built their wealth they're normally very cool, as in being respectful and appreciative. The folks that were handed a fortune and decided to buy a jet to impress others are more likely to be significantly more difficult. Never ignore the dude in jeans and dirty boots that pulls up in an old Toyota truck and walks into the hangar, you never who that person is.
 
jhugz said:
I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but if you truly want to come to the airlines, give me a call and I’ll help where I can.

I miss doing freight dawg •, but I don’t miss the other nonsense involved with it. This is way more civilized in every way shape and form. The airlines isn’t the most fun I’ve had in aviation, but it’s by far the best job I’ve ever had and it’s not even close. At this point in my life, I’m cool with that.
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I appreciate that. I’ll reach out when I am back off this trip. I have a couple cleveland based guys from your shop trying to help me as well.
 
Oxman said:
OK, unfortunately my gig for Saudi Arabia ended and I'm back to looking. UGH. I can't move so it has to be commutable/home based from Nashville. If anyone knows of a "Mission" based opening let me know. When I say "mission" based it just means, Aerial mapping, industrial flying, cloud seeding etc. I've never been an airline person which is why I've stayed away and enjoyed mission/product flying. Flying out of an FBO beats out of a terminal (for me). Luckily, to get me out of the house I have my Armed Private Security gig to hold me over until.
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Take a gander over at some of the Fire bombing services. Neptune, Tanker 9, etc. in my opinion it doesn’t get any more mission than that. High wash out rate too so when you make it, you’ve made it.
 
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