Considering Ameriflight interview; could use some answers/input

They currently have around 30 fewer pilots than a year ago. Some are accounted for by fewer flights, but they are understaffed in several bases.

The one good instructor I encountered in BUR has left.
 
Hey congratulations to everyone/anyone who got the job. I can say that as an employee, there is some things that will drive you crazy but overall I really couldn't be happier with this company. A tiny bit of back ground on me is that I got hired towards the latter part of 2010. I spent time in PDX as a chieftain driver, outstationed to PDX as a 99 driver, and then got out on the east coast in a turbine. After 8 months with the company I finally got from the chieftain to the 99. After 7 months there I got upgraded to the next level (and no not management). I took an upgrade to Puerto Rico.

In my opinion, the Puerto Rico flying is the best that you can get with this company (in terms of international experience and flight time, approximately 4-6 hours per day, all turbine time.) For those of you wanting to upgrade quickly, you HAVE to be willing to move around. Not too many people want to come out to Puerto Rico which I really don't understand. PR is different for sure. It has its own unique challenges but there are advantages too. I am glad that I got here overall.

Like I said, EVERY company will have its issues, and AMF is no different. If you have a positive attitude and are willing to work with the company they will work with you. If you have a God complex then you may/will be in for a surprise.

I'm sorry that I may be vague on this post. Please feel free to PM me and I will be happy discuss your questions.

To the poster earlier about getting the SJU/BQN position, ask about that in the interview if you are willing to move here right away. Again as I said earlier, not too many people want to leave the U.S. to come to one of its territories and there is pretty much always some position they are looking to fill. And they are all turbine positions out here too.
 
mdspytko said:
Hey congratulations to everyone/anyone who got the job. I can say that as an employee, there is some things that will drive you crazy but overall I really couldn't be happier with this company. A tiny bit of back ground on me is that I got hired towards the latter part of 2010. I spent time in PDX as a chieftain driver, outstationed to PDX as a 99 driver, and then got out on the east coast in a turbine. After 8 months with the company I finally got from the chieftain to the 99. After 7 months there I got upgraded to the next level (and no not management). I took an upgrade to Puerto Rico.

In my opinion, the Puerto Rico flying is the best that you can get with this company (in terms of international experience and flight time, approximately 4-6 hours per day, all turbine time.) For those of you wanting to upgrade quickly, you HAVE to be willing to move around. Not too many people want to come out to Puerto Rico which I really don't understand. PR is different for sure. It has its own unique challenges but there are advantages too. I am glad that I got here overall.

Like I said, EVERY company will have its issues, and AMF is no different. If you have a positive attitude and are willing to work with the company they will work with you. If you have a God complex then you may/will be in for a surprise.

I'm sorry that I may be vague on this post. Please feel free to PM me and I will be happy discuss your questions.

To the poster earlier about getting the SJU/BQN position, ask about that in the interview if you are willing to move here right away. Again as I said earlier, not too many people want to leave the U.S. to come to one of its territories and there is pretty much always some position they are looking to fill. And they are all turbine positions out here too.
Click to expand...

Mdspytko has some really good points.

I think the problem most of our guys/gals have with PR is that it is almost impossible to JS out of there and back, instrument skills can go by the wayside, and it is difficult to get a "lower 48 base" with AMF after being in PR.

Now with that said, if you want to enjoy some of the most beautiful flying in the world, get a crap load of flight time quick, and get some good int'l experience them have at it.
 
SA227driver said:
Mdspytko has some really good points.

I think the problem most of our guys/gals have with PR is that it is almost impossible to JS out of there and back, instrument skills can go by the wayside, and it is difficult to get a "lower 48 base" with AMF after being in PR.

Now with that said, if you want to enjoy some of the most beautiful flying in the world, get a crap load of flight time quick, and get some good int'l experience them have at it.
Click to expand...


The JS part is correct though I honestly don't know about the part about basing after PR. I've heard it can be difficult but I've haven't tried to get out of here either. The industry is changing and there's always the "needs of the company" too.
 
SA227driver said:
Mdspytko has some really good points.

I think the problem most of our guys/gals have with PR is that it is almost impossible to JS out of there and back, instrument skills can go by the wayside, and it is difficult to get a "lower 48 base" with AMF after being in PR.

Now with that said, if you want to enjoy some of the most beautiful flying in the world, get a crap load of flight time quick, and get some good int'l experience them have at it.
Click to expand...


Also, when it comes to IFR skills going by the wayside, that is partly true. But I don't know about losing your IFR skills completely. You can still fly IFR (as long as you are honest with yourself) and not look outside and fly approaches to at least keep your skills at the level that you need them to be. Or you can let the autopilot fly it to the last second. It truly is your choice.
 
Meh, IFR skills only degrade if you let them. Holding yourself to ridiculous standards in VMC is a good exercise.

I like to pretend I'm in a Moony by lowering the seat all the way down. "Can't see %$#* cap'n" haha
 
mdspytko said:
Hey congratulations to everyone/anyone who got the job. I can say that as an employee, there is some things that will drive you crazy but overall I really couldn't be happier with this company. A tiny bit of back ground on me is that I got hired towards the latter part of 2010. I spent time in PDX as a chieftain driver, outstationed to PDX as a 99 driver, and then got out on the east coast in a turbine. After 8 months with the company I finally got from the chieftain to the 99. After 7 months there I got upgraded to the next level (and no not management). I took an upgrade to Puerto Rico.

In my opinion, the Puerto Rico flying is the best that you can get with this company (in terms of international experience and flight time, approximately 4-6 hours per day, all turbine time.) For those of you wanting to upgrade quickly, you HAVE to be willing to move around. Not too many people want to come out to Puerto Rico which I really don't understand. PR is different for sure. It has its own unique challenges but there are advantages too. I am glad that I got here overall.

Like I said, EVERY company will have its issues, and AMF is no different. If you have a positive attitude and are willing to work with the company they will work with you. If you have a God complex then you may/will be in for a surprise.

I'm sorry that I may be vague on this post. Please feel free to PM me and I will be happy discuss your questions.

To the poster earlier about getting the SJU/BQN position, ask about that in the interview if you are willing to move here right away. Again as I said earlier, not too many people want to leave the U.S. to come to one of its territories and there is pretty much always some position they are looking to fill. And they are all turbine positions out here too.
Click to expand...
mdspytko said:
Also, when it comes to IFR skills going by the wayside, that is partly true. But I don't know about losing your IFR skills completely. You can still fly IFR (as long as you are honest with yourself) and not look outside and fly approaches to at least keep your skills at the level that you need them to be. Or you can let the autopilot fly it to the last second. It truly is your choice.
Click to expand...

The thing that I've learned about the carribean flying is that although the ifr is not as much there are many other different and unique challenges. Minimum radar coverage, pop up thunderstorms, icing in the flight levels, language barriers with the controllers, customs and immigration, point of no return calculations, reporting points and etc....

There is so much you can't pick up flying in the 48. I've been fortunate enough to get a good mix of experience from just about everywhere in the system.
 
mdspytko said:
Also, when it comes to IFR skills going by the wayside, that is partly true. But I don't know about losing your IFR skills completely. You can still fly IFR (as long as you are honest with yourself) and not look outside and fly approaches to at least keep your skills at the level that you need them to be. Or you can let the autopilot fly it to the last second. It truly is your choice.
Click to expand...

All I know is when I've done Metro recurrent checkrides for the PR pilots, some of them haven't been up to par on their OpsSpecs/IFR procedures as well as they should be.
 
UAL747400 said:
Meh, IFR skills only degrade if you let them. Holding yourself to ridiculous standards in VMC is a good exercise.
Click to expand...

This.

When I line check pilots at AMF I can tell the ones that have become complacent after their checkrides and stop following SOP.
 
+/- 20 feet, 2 degrees, no tolerance on speed makes holding PTS standards a cake walk. Save some of your paper work for cruise and you can practice the multi-tasking part of setting up and shooting an approach in the terminal environment.

That being said, in a checkride setting, I suck at "sprinting". Multiple approaches in 15-20 minutes is pretty sloppy for me. :D
 
UAL747400 said:
+/- 20 feet, 2 degrees, no tolerance on speed makes holding PTS standards a cake walk. Save some of your paper work for cruise and you can practice the multi-tasking part of setting up and shooting an approach in the terminal environment.

That being said, in a checkride setting, I suck at "sprinting". Multiple approaches in 15-20 minutes is pretty sloppy for me. :D
Click to expand...
"Request delay vectors"
 
UAL747400 said:
+/- 20 feet, 2 degrees, no tolerance on speed makes holding PTS standards a cake walk. Save some of your paper work for cruise and you can practice the multi-tasking part of setting up and shooting an approach in the terminal environment.

That being said, in a checkride setting, I suck at "sprinting". Multiple approaches in 15-20 minutes is pretty sloppy for me. :D
Click to expand...
Paperwork? At cruise? Surely you jest!! ;)
 
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