Kalitta Air Info (K4)

jhugz

Guppy gear swinger
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 by the Airline Pilots Association
CBA: A new contract was signed in December of 2016 and becomes amendable in December 2020
Current Company/Union relationship: Productive

Current Fleet: 20 B747-400’s and is a mix of BCF’s (Boeing Converted Freighter) and F’s/ERF’s (Factory Freighter) and 6 B767-300ER’s – The general understanding of the short term fleet goals is 25-30 B747’s and 10 B767’s. There are currently 470 pilots on the seniority list. Interviewing and hiring into both fleets are ongoing – classes of 16 start every 3 to 4 weeks.

747 Flights: The 747 has multiple daily departures and arrivals out of Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Chicago, Honolulu, Anchorage, Leipzig, Brussels, New Delhi, New York, Hong Kong, Incheon and Istanbul - other common layover cities are Amsterdam, Landstuhl Germany, Tel Aviv, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dubai, Pattaya Thailand, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Narita, Shanghai, Santiago, Wuhan - and really anywhere in the world is possible.

767 Flights: The 767's operate only in the DHL network out of CVG and layover in Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis, Laredo, San Antonio and Seattle.

Schedules: The schedules are on a monthly basis and are 16 days on and 14 or 15 off. The schedule is largely planned to be a continuous 16 day rotation but scheduling is good about moving days around if you need it. Travel starts generally in the afternoon/evening of your last day off and you will be home on your last day on by 2359z.

Bases: We are home based, meaning the company buys a full fare ticket to get you to wherever your line starts and back home when it's done - domestic travel is in coach - International travel is business or first class. Generally, lines start in CVG, LAX, JFK, ANC, ORD and a few others during November and December.

Pay: First year FO pay is $106/hr - the guarantee is 64hrs however we are very busy and you will average above 85 hrs pay per month and much more if you work on some days off which are paid at 150% - per diem is about $1200/month - with no days off flying a new hire can expect to make more than 100k the first year.

Crew Composition: The B747’s generally operate as a Standard crew consisting of 1 Captain and 2 FO’s. For longer flights, a Double will be assigned consisting of 4 pilots (1 or 2 Captains, and 2 or 3 FOs). Very rarely you will operate as a Basic Crew consisting of 1 Captain and 1 FO. The B767’s are operated as a standard crew of 1 Captain and 1 FO.

Hiring Candidate Requirements:
· 2500+ hours of total time minimum.
· If Military: >1000 hrs. Total Time. Turbine and PIC are flexible.
· 1500 turbine (jet) flight time min.
· 500 PIC turbine (jet) flight time min.


Application and Interview
Apply at kalittaair.com and choose “Pilot Recruitment” from the “Pilot Training” drop down menu
To update your application send an email to hrdept@kalittaair.com
The first contact is a call from the Assistant Chief Pilot for a phone interview.
If invited for an interview the candidate will need to travel to Detroit at their expense for a one day interview consisting of 2 computer tests (cog/personality) and a panel interview. A Hotel room will be provided the night before the interview. The hotel van provides transportation to and from DTW the YIP training center and the Holiday Innlocated in Belleville.

Training
Training consists of Indoc, CBT (Computer Based Training), FTD (Flight Training Device), Simulator and IOE. Initial Training takes 5 weeks and then you will be in the queue for IOE. Training pay is $600/wk plus hotel and per diem. Flight pay starts on 1st day of IOE or familiarization flight (usually within a month of completing initial training) so about 2 months total on training pay.
It will be a challenge for just about everyone, but if you are willing to put in the work, the instructors will get you through it. Expect to be flying a plane you’ve never flown out of locations you’ve never seen, using procedures you’ve never used while being graded on it. Most of it is self-guided and will require you to study with your class.

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t have any jet/heavy time, can I apply?
Yes, you can still apply. We have quite a few pilots that came from a turboprop background.

Can they keep you out longer than your 16 days?
No, you are only required to work 16 days. They cannot force you to stay out. If for some reason beyond the companies’ control (weather) they cannot get you home by 2359Z they owe you 6 hours of pay per day or a comp day for keeping you out.

Can you be stuck on a back to back rotation?
It’s possible, but not likely. Most of the people that do back to back rotations are because they chose to, so they could change their schedule around to be home for a personal commitment. Very rarely will you get stuck with it because you did not have the seniority to hold the same schedule. If that happens, you can call scheduling, and they will usually try to help you out.

What’s a split line, and can I work less than 16 days in a row?
A split line is a line that does not have 16 days in a row during any calendar month. In general they would be 5-6 days at the beginning, and 10-11 days at the end. This does not mean you will be on the road any shorter, it just means that you will get the middle of the month off vs the beginning or end. If you work 10 at the end of March, and 6 at the beginning of April you are still on the road 16 days in a row. There are very few opportunities to work in small chunks, so if you don’t like the idea of being out for 16 in a row, you will not like Kalitta.

Will I be sitting reserve for a long time before getting a line?
Things don’t work like that at Kalitta. There aren’t many pure reserve lines. Being assigned a line doesn’t really mean you will actually fly those trips, so bid the time off that you want. You probably won’t fly the entire month with the crew you were assigned to either.

What type of flying will I be doing as a junior guy vs a senior guy?
The exact same thing. It doesn’t matter if you’re the number 1 guy, or the last, you most likely will not fly the line that you bid. You will however get the schedule you want based on seniority. There are also some lines that have a higher guarantee, so you will be paid what the line awards even if you don’t fly it.

How many hours do you fly per month?
Most people fly around 800 or so hours a year, but you will end up getting around 80-90 per month pay credit because of dead heads and reserve days.

How much Deadheading do you do, and in what class?
Lately there’s been a lot more of it, but in general you will deadhead about once or twice in addition to your initial positioning and going home. We get business class or better on international deadheads over 3 hours. Everything else is coach. Alaska and Hawaii are considered international.

What is the quality of the Hotels?
In general they are decent. In the US expect a lot of Holiday Inn, Double Tree, and Courtyards. In Asia and the Mideast they are outstanding with things like the Oakwood, Shangri-La, and the Millennium. In Europe they tend to be the Penta, and Radisson.

Do I have to sit around in the hotel on Reserve?
No. There are several types of Reserve, but the most common is R2. It means you have to check in with scheduling within an hour, and depart for duty in 2 hours. That basically means you have 2 hours to get into uniform and check out of the hotel. That leaves plenty of room to go out and enjoy the cities that you visit.

How long are you in each location?
You are required to have between 11-18 hours of rest depending on how long the day was, however min rest days are fairly rare. We are usually in any given location for about 24 hours, and there is a required day off each week.

Does Kalitta feed you on the flights?
Yes, the 747 is catered almost everywhere we go. There is a full galley, and ample time to eat. The 767 on the other hand is not catered due to the flight segments being short and the hub turn in CVG where food is available.

What is the Max Duty Day?
24 hours on a Double Crew – 17 hours on a Standard Crew and 14 hours on a Basic Crew.

Sick leave/Vacation
Vacation: 14 days per year until year 5 then 21 days per year.
Sick: 7 days immediately in the bank, and after the first year it accrues at .67 days/month

Uniforms?
The official uniform is from Crew Outfitters. You will be sized and purchase it at Initial training. On your anniversary you will get $250 from the company for “uniform maintenance”.

What bag should I buy, and how do you guys pack for 16+ days?
People use anything from Luggage Works to Costco bags, so it’s really up to you. You will not be jumpseating to work, so if you want to check a bag you can. Most of the people pack for 10 days, and do laundry once on each rotation. There are places to do laundry at 75%+ of our hotels.

Upgrade Times
The DOH for the most junior pilot holding a 747 Captain bid is September of 2016, and March of 2017 for 767 Captain. There will be another 747 Captain bid out early next year.

Is there a seat lock?
There is a 2 year equipment lock when you’re assigned a plane, but you can bid up to Captain before that 2 years is over. Once awarded a bid, you are seat locked for 2 years.

How does Overtime work?
You have to work 16 days per month. If you chose to work 1 extra day, you will be paid 1.5X your hours flown, and 4 hours minimum for not flying (whichever is greater). Example: I flew 10 hours on a day off, so I get paid 15 hours of pay. I then had a down day and flew another 10 hours on my time off. I get paid 4 hours for my down day, and 15 hours for the last flight. Total: 34 hours of pay for 3 days of overtime.

Miles for travel or Zed fares?
No Zed fares, or benefits for family travel. You will however get miles, and stays at most hotels.

Medical Benefits?
We enjoy one of the best Cadillac health care plans in the industry which is as good as or better than any major airline today. Medical benefits start after 90 days. Medical is currently $75 single and $150 family per pay period. Each year it goes up $25.

401K
You can sign up after 90 days, and it’s 5% matching up to $10,000 per year. The vesting is based on the number of years you’ve been at the company. <1 year 0%, 1 year 20%, 2 years 40%, 3 years 60%, 4 years 80%, and 5 years 100%

Is there a lot of attrition?
No, there is very little attrition. 1-2 FOs every couple months tend to leave for the legacies. Very few of the captains leave for anything other than retirement.

Do you fly for Amazon?
No.

Can I live outside of the US and fly for Kalitta?
Yes! We have quite a few crew members that live outside of the US. The catch is that the company will only buy you a ticket to the plane from an airport in the US, so you will have to find your own way to your chosen US airport. Scheduling will work with you though if you happen to live by a very common location that we fly to (Leipzig, Hong Kong, etc).

What does the 767 do?
For now, it does not have an ETOPS certification, so the 76 does domestic flying for DHL.

What are the bases at Kalitta?
YIP is the only base. The company will fly you to and from the plane wherever it is, but you will have to find your own way to YIP for training.

Who is Kalitta Charters, K2, K4 etc?
Kalitta Air (K4) is 747s and 767s. It’s run by Connie and is one you clicked on.
Kalitta Charters is a completely different company run by Doug Kalitta and is small stuff like learjets.
Kalitta Charters 2 (K2) is also run by Doug, but flies 737s and 727s.

I want to jumpseat on Kalitta. How do I do it?
Call Ops. The number is listed on the website, and they will be able to give you the schedule and list you on the flight.
 
Vacancy Bid for 30 747-400 CA, 10 777 CA, and 10 767 CA announced. Should drive upgrades for the 747 down to under the two year mark and 767 upgrades to possibly a year.

777 Upgrades as pointed out are a crap shoot. May go senior. We will see.
 
Would 3000 hours in a King Air and only a high school diploma be anywhere near considering?
 
Would 3000 hours in a King Air and only a high school diploma be anywhere near considering?

Probably not. The degree doesn’t matter that much but us turboprop guys are being hired few and far between. They also just hired about 100 ASA guys and planning to hire more expressjet guys as part of a deal our MECs worked out. Those getting the call besides the above are heavy military guys and those with a lot of jet time. Keep plugging away though. The growth may continue.
 
Probably not. The degree doesn’t matter that much but us turboprop guys are being hired few and far between. They also just hired about 100 ASA guys and planning to hire more expressjet guys as part of a deal our MECs worked out. Those getting the call besides the above are heavy military guys and those with a lot of jet time. Keep plugging away though. The growth may continue.
Thanks for the honest answer!
 
Vacancy Bid for 30 747-400 CA, 10 777 CA, and 10 767 CA announced. Should drive upgrades for the 747 down to under the two year mark and 767 upgrades to possibly a year.

777 Upgrades as pointed out are a crap shoot. May go senior. We will see.

Kalitta is getting 777's? That is cool.
 
Just as a curious outsider, what is the reason for all the recent expansion at k4? I never really heard much about them until the past 8 months or so
 
Just as a curious outsider, what is the reason for all the recent expansion at k4? I never really heard much about them until the past 8 months or so

Connie is making a ton of money flying 74’s and he continue to keep rolling that money into his airline. There’s a demand so he’s buying airplanes to fill that demand.
 
I don’t think it’s that, I think it’s a play for the 15 DHL just ordered.
Even if it's that I'm sure we have enough 777 cargo that we can't fly. Southern is actively shrinking and there won't be a change in anything to attract more people until 2020 at best. As we park them, you can just fly em for us.
 
is there any rhyme/reason to where trips typically start? Living in Anchorage would be a possibility? (Without causing long commutes to other places) Or is it better to live in the lower-48?
I know they positive-space you.. just don’t want to spend more time than necessary “commuting.” .. I’d love to live in Alaska but have lived and wouldn’t mind living again in some places down here such as Seattle or Phoenix or Tampa or the northeast...
 
is there any rhyme/reason to where trips typically start? Living in Anchorage would be a possibility? (Without causing long commutes to other places) Or is it better to live in the lower-48?
I know they positive-space you.. just don’t want to spend more time than necessary “commuting.” .. I’d love to live in Alaska but have lived and wouldn’t mind living again in some places down here such as Seattle or Phoenix or Tampa or the northeast...
I'm still new here, but from what I've seen, there is no rhyme or reason to where we start a trip. I'm hoping this eventually gets resolved, but for now, we bid lines, but pretty much never fly them. I was supposed to start in Istanbul last rotation, and ended up starting in Anchorage.

Having said that, if you lived in Anchorage, I could see them starting you there more than other places. If you're on the 747, at least, it seems we start in CVG or ANC, for the most part. This next rotation I'm supposed to start in ORD...we'll see where I actually start. :) This really is one of those jobs that it's better to just live where you want and they'll figure it out, it seems to me.
 
I just flew my line for the first time. And it was the first time I did 16 straight days, without a split or backup to another month, or overtime. The 2 months previous, I saw an open flight out of ORD a couple days before I started and picked it up. Before the Fall, I had numerous split lines and trips back to back. It seems if you are out of place when your month starts, they don’t move you across the World to get to it. The regularly scheduled flights that start lines are really the only way to start and stay on a line consistently and a lot of those are longer flights. The company likes to open those when staffing is short, and shifting the awarded pilots to shorter flights. If trips started with short flights, the off-line pulling would go down a lot.


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K4 question; how much back side of the clock flying do you do?
Maybe "back side of the clock" isn't the best way to phrase what I am asking. I understand that the 16 day schedule isn't as bad as it sounds because you are not flying grueling 6 leg days and that you often have longer overnights (that is correct right?).

But how much of the schedule follows the same Circadian rhythm? When you get back home 16 days later are you all whacked out on timezones, or is it pretty much normal because you have been flying all night overseas which is basically all day here?
 
K4 question; how much back side of the clock flying do you do?
Maybe "back side of the clock" isn't the best way to phrase what I am asking. I understand that the 16 day schedule isn't as bad as it sounds because you are not flying grueling 6 leg days and that you often have longer overnights (that is correct right?).

But how much of the schedule follows the same Circadian rhythm? When you get back home 16 days later are you all whacked out on timezones, or is it pretty much normal because you have been flying all night overseas which is basically all day here?

I’m not at Kalitta, but do similar flying. The answer is that it depends on the schedule. Trips where I go out to Asia and bounce around doing night cargo for most the trip are easier to recover from. Even going back and forth between Asia and Anchorage isn’t too bad. There are two kinds of trips that tend to wreck me. One is where I get in a bit of a routine (for example bouncing between Asia and Anchorage) and then they send me to CVG and then back to my routine. The second is what I did last trip, an around the world trip where you take two steps forward and then one step back. Basically went east to Europe back to the east coast, to the Rocky Mountains, back to Europe. From there to Asia, back to Europe, then through Asia to finish the RTW.

That said, I do feel like I’m better rested doing this kind of work than I was at the regionals. Timezone changes are obviously hard and there are definitely some long days. But most days (at Air beachball) are less than 16 hours of duty and you get to nap for 1/3-1/2.
 
I think another good way to ask the question is how long are the layovers. 24 hour layovers are always brutal. 30 plus is much better and you can manage your rest. Even 14 to 16 hour layover are okay from a rest standpoint but not much fun time. When I used to do international I got so where it didn't really matter if it was day or night but if I had either 14 or 30 plus hours off it was better.
 
I flew 135 scumbag cargo before K4 and have never been anywhere near that fatigue level here at Kalitta even back when we had 30 hour duty days, which we no longer have btw.

76 is night hub flying, 74 is a mixed bag. If you’re looking for frontside of the click flying this job isn’t for you though.

Just hit my two year anniversary, in the left seat of a wide body at 30, loving the company and the job. Could it be better sure. But I’m hanging my hat here until purple or brown call if they ever do. And if they don’t, that’s fine also.
 
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