AmeriFlight BE99 Training Captain and more

S

Swedican

Well-Known Member
Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, but I like to think i make friends easily like a benjamin at a strip joint. That being said, I'll cut to it - I'm hoping someone on here can enlighten me on a few career paths/lifestyles with AmeriFlight positions.

The two I'm interested in hearing about would be: as a line holder in the BE99 in SLC, vs a BE99 training captain in Burbank.

What kind of flight time/down time can be expected for either position. Which one would you take and why? I've heard the QOL is better in SLC, but I haven't found any info on the lifestyle of being a training captain in Burbank.

Any info you guys could share would be greatly appreciated!
 
How about training captain in SLC?

They have training captains all over the US for the 99. You shouldn't have any issues getting training captain in SLC unless you piss someone off on the way.

BUR stuff sucks since you are also forced to work out of ONT. Not to mention the constant threat of management watching when in BUR.
 
It is a job, not a career. 14 hours of duty per day pretty much guarantees you won't have a lifestyle either.
If you are 121 minded, go to AMF only if absolutely no airline will hire you.
 
Hmmm - I'm not entirely sure I'd like to go the 121 route at this point. Maybe at some point in the future, but for now I'm a freight dog and my tail wags.

Without saying too much, I'm deciding between those two options because those may or may not be on the table for me. So far, I think I may be leaning towards an SLC line if it's available.

How about any insight into what a weekly schedule looks like for a 99 training captain - is there a decent amount of flying time (for what it's worth), or is the line just an overall better way of going? I like the thought of not having to spend a whole lot of time at an out station, and using my time to instruct instead (possibly flying a leg at night or something).... but if there's not a lot of flying time involved, then I'd just assume opt for the line.
 
Training captains still fly the line, they still go to outstaions and drop of the freight. Instead of going home or to the apartment, you go flying again for an hour, then go to the apartment.

More hours, more pay.

The merger pay bump isn't worth the loss in actual free time/sleep time IMO.
 
Good resume builder and good experience instructing in a structured 135 environment. I did for 6.5 years in the PA31, Be99, and Metro and don't regret it. It's nice to be able to check off the "Training Captain"/"Check Airman" boxes when applying someplace.
 
OP, they offered you training captain in Burbank only? That seems odd. Normally, VCCs are the only training events that go on there in the 99. I did see one guy train there when I TDYed for a bit I guess.

As said before, the base normally has nothing to do with it, and normally they need them out in the different regions instead of Burbank. More hours for the trainee for starters. I was a 99 TC in Lubbock, TX. Was offered check airman as well, but decided to go for the Metro in PR. Might have been a bad move... Oh well, I can't help it I'm a Metro-sexual. :)

Regardless, I'd do it if I were you. It is indeed good for the resume. HOW it's good for the resume, no idea, but it does break up the some of the monotony and it's nice to have someone to talk to for a change. :)

My guess is that you'd do the Santa Barbara run. It WOULD be an awesome run if you didn't have to do 5:30A.M. reserve everyday. That run IIRC, is a show time of 3:30, do whatever you want as long as the plane was in position in Santa Barbra by 5 and home by 7pm. You'd probably train on that run as well. Which would be low flight time. I'd have to dig into my logbook, but I think it was 1.5 hours a day by myself and I'm guessing with an approach into oxnard, 2-2.5 a day with a trainee.
 
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Wow, thanks for all of the great info everyone!

Yes, lets just say I may be groomed for the TC spot in Burbank - the way it seems though, if I work a line in SLC, I may have the opportunity to be a TC in SLC correct? Just seems like it may be better to try and hold out for that, although I'm getting a vibe that they stick the training captains where they please (regionally?) regardless of their base assignment

I was hoping for at least 2.5 to 3 hrs a day of flight time if I could grab it. Who knows though, maybe I don't know what I really want... alls I know is that I'll be a the company's Beech so long as I'm getting twin turbine time :).

UAL, through my forum stalking I see you and I are 210 eskimo brethren, yippee for that!
 
Maurus said:
Trust me. Not worth it unless you are at a good base.


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Also, if you're in BUR and not a regular line pilot, you can get roped into working on training material and presentations and not see flying for weeks. Hope you're good at PowerPoint.
 
Maurus said:
Trust me. Not worth it unless you are at a good base.


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...

Agreed- and even though I was at a good base, I often wondered what I had gotten myself into. It made for some very long days, for sure.

It was very decent for the resume though- has come up in every interview since. I would say that it would help your experience immensely if you actually enjoy instructing. I kind of had a "meh" attitude towards it and was mostly doing it as a favor to my ACP at the time who was/is a friend. Not that I was bad (or perhaps I was- any of my former trainees feel free to say so if you read this, lol)- just wasn't very highly motivated and didn't really like the airplane.
 
EatSleepFly said:
Agreed- and even though I was at a good base, I often wondered what I had gotten myself into. It made for some very long days, for sure.

It was very decent for the resume though- has come up in every interview since. I would say that it would help your experience immensely if you actually enjoy instructing. I kind of had a "meh" attitude towards it and was mostly doing it as a favor to my ACP at the time who was/is a friend. Not that I was bad (or perhaps I was- any of my former trainees feel free to say so if you read this, lol)- just wasn't very highly motivated and didn't really like the airplane.
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One of the best TC I was with. Other was in the 1900.
 
Swedican said:
Wow, thanks for all of the great info everyone!

Yes, lets just say I may be groomed for the TC spot in Burbank - the way it seems though, if I work a line in SLC, I may have the opportunity to be a TC in SLC correct? Just seems like it may be better to try and hold out for that, although I'm getting a vibe that they stick the training captains where they please (regionally?) regardless of their base assignment

I was hoping for at least 2.5 to 3 hrs a day of flight time if I could grab it. Who knows though, maybe I don't know what I really want... alls I know is that I'll be a the company's Beech so long as I'm getting twin turbine time :).

UAL, through my forum stalking I see you and I are 210 eskimo brethren, yippee for that!
Click to expand...
Hmmm, can't figure out who you are and I'm GREAT at creeping! :)
 
Probably, I'm just thinking of who's there now and can't imagine they'd need one there, but there's no check airman at the moment, which means traveling for those guys. So I suppose that makes sense.
 
I enjoyed being a TC. I was in OAK which was not a fun base other than the people I was surrounded by. It is true that it totally gets in the way of your off time between flights. Also, if they are desperate for newbs, kiss your weekends goodbye as well. It can't hurt the resume although I have never seen the training captain/check airmen box on an online application. If you want to be a check airmen, you cannot be one without being a TC for obvious reasons. It is fun to watch a trainee go from peeing their pants, to an OOTSK machine, then nail a checkride. It is the same thing I used to love as a CFI. Just know that it will probably hurt you more than fill your pockets with cash.
 
UAL747400 said:
Probably, I'm just thinking of who's there now and can't imagine they'd need one there, but there's no check airman at the moment, which means traveling for those guys. So I suppose that makes sense.
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Is DC not a check airmen? Where is GF?
 
Inverted said:
Is DC not a check airmen? Where is GF?
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They're still there. There just isn't many out in the rest of the system. Many of the part timers that only did checkrides mainly, were let go. CD in PHX is only one I can think of that's not part of the BUR training department. DC is the BUR ACP now. Heh, all these initials, like any of the lurkers wouldn't be able to figure out who we're talking about... :)
 
I keep forgetting he took over ACP when JDL left. I keep waiting to run into him and MZ somewhere. How is that for initials lol...
 
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