Air America Phone Interview

[chrisreedrules]

I'm right there with you USN88... my CFI training is more for personal gratification than anything else. I'm not too thrilled on the prospect of teaching private students. Flying came really naturally to me and I feel I would get frustrated with students who didn't pick it up quickly. That may be a fault of mine but it is what it is. I know that "Instruction Given" time is looked upon favorably compared to other times, but I know several pilots who never went the CFI route and now work for 121 and 135 ops. So I know it isn't the only way, just one of the ways.

 

[Stone Cold]

... I flew a bunch into NC06 (Elk River Airport) and KAVL on Part91 Charter stuff. He asked me about an emergency situation I've dealt with and I told him about the time I experienced hydraulic failure/ gear extension issues in the Tecnam I used to fly. I've also experienced an engine failure in-flight and had to dead-stick the airplane in but I didn't mention that one haha. He asked me about the way I would handle certain emergency scenarios and we talked a little about airspace. Nothing too crazy. My flight times are 325TT, 185ME, 197Complex, 15Turbine, 90IFR, 95CxC, 20Night, and I have a Tailwheel endorsement. Not so up there with the total time, but I have a lot of "useful" time and real-world commercial experience diver-driving, traffic watch, and some 91 KA200 flights. Best of luck to us all. Hopefully someone gets a call-back for the in-person interview.

Does anyone know if the "flight" portion of the interview is an actual flight or in a sim?

You sure have had a lot happen in 325 hours. I was just curious about your terminology though. Be careful saying things like "part 91 charter stuff". That is also known as illegal. I'm not saying you did anything illegal, but just be careful on what you say.

Good luck to all. I did a season of Pictometry work a long time ago and enjoyed it.

 

[chrisreedrules]

I guess I refer to it as such because the aircraft belongs to a 135 charter company but I only fly 91 legs occasionally when its the owner of the aircraft flying to and from his vacation spots. I certainly didn't mean for any confusion. Most of those flights account for my mountain-flying experience because of all the flying in the smokies up to NC06 and KAVL.

And as far as my times, I've just been fortunate and I've had good opportunities. I also come from an "aviation family" and I know a lot of people around the area. Makes it easier to find jobs or random work from time to time. I'm also good at getting jobs. I'm persistent but not annoying. Its a fine balance, trust me. And a lot of my times were just being smart about how I used my training money as well. I had a good idea of how/why I wanted to do everything certain ways before I even started training. I'm a bit of an obsessive pre-planner. I like to figure things out 10 different ways, and then figure them out again.

 

[Stone Cold]

No problem, and I figured as such when you said 91 charter that is was owner legs or something similar, but then it's not charter...it's 91. As SteveC would say..."words mean things", so just some friendly advice to make sure there are no misunderstandings on what you said, especially when the way it is phrased makes it an illegal operation. Best of luck to all of you trying for these positions.

 

[USN88]

Any phone calls yet post-phone interview?

 

[chrisreedrules]

I heard first week of September

 

[sp238882]

Thats what i heard as well

 

[Parafiddle]

What was the base pay and hourly pay? I did the phone interview as well and was told the per diem rate, but then we got sidetracked and I forgot to ask about the pay.

 

[chrisreedrules]

I believe it was:

*20 per hour with a guaranteed 2.5 hours a day pay whether you fly or not... plus an extra hours pay on each day you do fly
*120 per day per diem whether you fly or not
*2 paid 1 week vacations (this can vary from my understanding) with a $500 bonus in your pocket for the week and paid air fare.

Not too shabby.

 

[USN88]

I believe it was:

*20 per hour with a guaranteed 2.5 hours a day pay whether you fly or not... plus an extra hours pay on each day you do fly
*120 per day per diem whether you fly or not
*2 paid 1 week vacations (this can vary from my understanding) with a $500 bonus in your pocket for the week and paid air fare.

Not too shabby.

Yup, not too bad.

I just need to the time. Bad! Sitting at just shy of 500/100 wondering how the hell I'll ever get the time.

 

[proxima3003]

If you're not comfortable with an approach to mins at 1500 hours as a professional pilot, you need to just stop and find a new career.

The reason he asked is because there's a good chance it will actually happen.

How does one dwindle down from 300 to just 5-10 with just basic questions over the phone? I wonder if they are looking for certain answers...

Of course. I think he's looking for people that utilize good judgement in these situations. As in any flying interview.

This makes me wonder. The question about going down to the mins in an unfamiliar airport has two sides to it. The person doing the interview can either look for a confident "yes of course" or for a conservative "depends". Either way, I think its a bit dry to throw guys out of the "pool", so to speak, just by looking for specific answers to questions like these. Yes a solo IMC approach w/o an autopilot is high workload situation but remember, most, if not all of the guys applying are instrument rated (a rating that allows us to go down to the mins), and some are CFIIs. But in the end they are the employers, so they choose their guys, and choose how to pick them. Just my two cents worth...

 

[z987k]

Instrument approach at an unfamiliar airport. Give me a break. The needles moves the same, and you're probably not going to see it until the end anyways. I'll stand by what I said. With 1500 hours (probably ATP mins or close) you should be able to pick a random approach out of the binder and fly it to at least commercial standards every time, right down to DA/MDA. It's why you're paid as a professional pilot rather than running around day vfr as weekend warrior.
In my year at picto I think I shot 3 approaches close to mins. All three times it wasn't expected when I took off, but because you go fly for so long at a time, and can potentially cover some really long distances in a day, the weather can change a lot, and we know how accurate forcasts are.

 

[chrisreedrules]

Well... to each their own. I don't have a problem shooting an approach at unfamiliar airport down to minimums but I'm not going to knock the guy who isn't as comfortable with it. People get into aviation for different reasons and different things make them uncomfortable. I know pilots with 5,000 + hours who are terrified with aerobatics but can shoot some of the most difficult approaches I've seen with ease. Different strokes for different folks.

And as some have alluded to... I think that those of us with less than 500TT are near the bottom of the pile as far as experience. Especially without a CFI etc. But I do think however that a lot of this job will come down to being able to handle the work load/schedule and level of experience with the traveling. My fingers are crossed because while I will have my CFI done by the time this job would start, I'd still prefer to build my time elsewhere.

Good luck to all of us. I'm sure we'll need it

 

[z987k]

Well... to each their own. I don't have a problem shooting an approach at unfamiliar airport down to minimums but I'm not going to knock the guy who isn't as comfortable with it. People get into aviation for different reasons and different things make them uncomfortable. I know pilots with 5,000 + hours who are terrified with aerobatics but can shoot some of the most difficult approaches I've seen with ease. Different strokes for different folks.

And as some have alluded to... I think that those of us with less than 500TT are near the bottom of the pile as far as experience. Especially without a CFI etc. But I do think however that a lot of this job will come down to being able to handle the work load/schedule and level of experience with the traveling. My fingers are crossed because while I will have my CFI done by the time this job would start, I'd still prefer to build my time elsewhere.

Good luck to all of us. I'm sure we'll need it

Well it really comes down to your personality. People hang up on their logbooks too much and it doesn't have near as much with getting hired at places as people think. You logbook times are for - ok so he can probably fly the airplane and is insurable(which in this case is 250TT). Not much more than a checkbox. You could have 15,000 hours in the 73, but that doesn't even mean your getting an interview at SWA next time around. People preach you need this and that, and the truth of it all is you don't. Not that many people care if you have a CFI if you don't need it for the job, in fact no one does. The first thing I care about is can I stand to get along with this guy? And for 8+ months at a time?

 

[proxima3003]

Instrument approach at an unfamiliar airport. Give me a break. The needles moves the same, and you're probably not going to see it until the end anyways. I'll stand by what I said.

I agree with you. Before any flight, a pilot should study all of the diagrams, charts, plates, etc. for the destination and alternate airport. By the time you arrive, the only thing unfamiliar about that airport is what the ladies look like at the FBO...

 

[greaper007]

Wow, really decent pay. I think that's twice what I made my first year at Colgan.

 

[sp238882]

I'dk about less than 500tt being at the bottom. Although as a >500 guy with his name in the pot I sure hope it's the case ;-)

 

[TallFlyer]

I believe it was:

*20 per hour with a guaranteed 2.5 hours a day pay whether you fly or not... plus an extra hours pay on each day you do fly
*120 per day per diem whether you fly or not
*2 paid 1 week vacations (this can vary from my understanding) with a $500 bonus in your pocket for the week and paid air fare.

Not too shabby.

Wow. If Picto pays the contractors all the same then the powers that be at LandCare are making bank.

And to back up z987k, if you're calling yourself a professional pilot, regardless of your TT, your "personal mins" are the mins on the chart.

 

[z987k]

Wow. If Picto pays the contractors all the same then the powers that be at LandCare are making bank.

And to back up z987k, if you're calling yourself a professional pilot, regardless of your TT, your "personal mins" are the mins on the chart.

Ya, I never could find out if the contractors all get paid the same... from my talks with the dwas guys... I don't think so. And yes, anything other than the mins on the chart is unacceptable for a professional pilot. Unless the job you'r doing is strictly VFR(135 VFR, ag, towing, etc.)

I'dk about less than 500tt being at the bottom. Although as a >500 guy with his name in the pot I sure hope it's the case ;-)

I promise they have hired less than 500TT.

 

[chrisreedrules]

Well, I'm sure we'll know something by next week or so. If I don't get it... I'm just going to keep plugging away and doing what I'm doing now. Traffic flights a couple times per week, the occasional 91 flight on the KA, and hopefully picking up some work as a CFI while working on my CFII/MEI. No sweat.