Planesense/Alpha Flying

H

Hubbs

Well-Known Member
I was wonder's it anyone on here has any info on Alpha Flying.

My long term career ambition would be to fly for NetJets or perhaps a corporate flight department, and it seems to me that companies like NetJets would look favorably at the Alpha Flying type of experience.

I've seen the info on APC http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/fractional/planesense.html and was wondering how current the info is.

I have a load of questions, so please bare with me.


  • I am currently flying part 135 freight in a piston single, I have around 1500 hours and meet all the requirements for an ATP, but only have 35 hours of multi. What kind of experience do Alpha look for when hiring FOs? Are they hiring right now?
  • It seems that they run at 3 pilots per aircraft, and they have orders for another 25 PC12s. Are those orders entirely growth, or are they retiring some of the current fleet?
  • I know they had orders for the Grob SpN which I assume have been canceled. Do they have plans on replacing the Grob orders with any other VLJ?
  • They upgrade based on 'merit' not seniority. How does that work? Do they have FOs that have been trying to upgrade for years? On average how long does it take?
  • APC says there is a 'pay freeze in effect'. What does that mean? No upgrades? No progression from Year 1 pay to Year 2?
  • Is there a company policy regarding outside flying? Can you instruct on the side during your 7 off? How About contract flying?
  • I see the two domiciles are PSM and PDK, it hired do you have a choice in base or is it assigned? Can you move from one base to another, or are you 'stuck'?
  • At least initially I would look to getting a 'crashpad', and commuting in at the start of the 7 on.I realize this would be on my own dime, however, I was wondering how commutable the show times generally are. Is it likely that I would need to fly out the day before? Can you chose your start day? Generally it seems that Wednesdays ave the cheapest days to airline.
  • Finally, and perhaps most importantly, how do you like the company, the airplane, the flying etc? Do they generally take good care of you? Decent hotels on layovers etc?
I'm sure I have lots more, but that all I can task of right now.

Many, many thanks,

Chris
 
Hello Jimmy Norton, long time lurker on the forum, was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about the company as well.
 
Jimmy_Norton said:
I know EADS/Socota was looking at building the SPn, haven't heard anything from Pilatus.
Click to expand...

Nothing sure 100%, Pilatus was supposed to make part of the G180 from the beginning, but they pulled out, the G180 was designed by a Pilatus Engineer. The EU market G180 were planned to be finally assembled in Switzerland by a parent company of Pilatus. The new PC24, rumors say, will be based on the G180 project....I`m sure they will put a cargo door on it.
 
swisspilot said:
Nothing sure 100%, Pilatus was supposed to make part of the G180 from the beginning, but they pulled out, the G180 was designed by a Pilatus Engineer. The EU market G180 were planned to be finally assembled in Switzerland by a parent company of Pilatus. The new PC24, rumors say, will be based on the G180 project....I`m sure they will put a cargo door on it.
Click to expand...

I hope the -24 is something with more than one engine, that's about my only hope of flying a ME turbine at this employer.
 
I seriously doubt you will ever see an airplane with a Pilatus name on it, with more than one engine. The marketing guys at Pilatus have devoted way too much time and energy into selling an entire line of single-engine turboprops to start churning out something with two engines.
 
Hey, great thread...I am considering applying there too.

I have 70hrs PC-12 and looking for a new job in turboprops...ran into a captain at KFLL a few months ago but I never went ahead with the application (F/O pay didn't meet my minimum). Would you mind sharing the answers to those questions in public? Or PM me if you can't. If any of them are already answered in the threads I'm already reading, disregard; going to be doing some heavy reading tonight!

I had the chance to pilot one of these Part 91 and things didn't pan out but I'm dying to prove myself again. If anyone is in the S. Florida area and wouldn't mind becoming part of my network, I'd appreciate that too! 2500TT 900 MEL PIC ATP...and dying to move on from this Part 135 gig. I LOVE corporate flying, and want to get back into it.

Thanks.
 
I worked for Alpha a few years back, until the economy slid... I was based out of FXE. It was a good run while it lasted and the PC-12 will always have a soft spot in my heart since it was my first turbine.

I wouldn't count much on the Grob though, that thing was big news when I was there and they even had a mock-up at the airport for us to check out, and that was in 2008. If you want to get multi, then pick up your MEI and instruct on your days off. When I was there we only few about 550-750 hrs/yr so so they didn't care if you picked up any side flying. Good luck to the guys that go there, lots of great real world experience!
 
Plenty of threads on Alpha. All I'll say on that subject is that a lot of the guys who are there seem to be happy enough, whatever the pay. Different strokes for different folks.

The PC-12, though, is a pretty great little craft. Once you figure out the avionics and how they communicate (remember, it's not an FMS, but it's not exactly steam, either), it's a fantastically easy plane to fly, and it is hands down the best landing airplane I've ever flown. I inevitably pound anything else in to the pavement now because in a PC-12, it would have been a fine landing!
 
Pilatus are one of the best airplanes out there, great payload, good range and excellent short field capacity doing it on a single prop..............:smoke:
 
I know it's their competitor, but any intel on airsprint or whatever it's called? (Canadian company that has a base in Scottsdale, AZ)
I'm becoming more and more attracted to the PC-12 every time I see one and this type of corporate flying would be right up my alley.. and for personal reasons, the Phoenix area would be more desirable than Portsmouth or Atlanta ......
 
HVYMETALDRVR said:
I worked for Alpha a few years back, until the economy slid... I was based out of FXE. It was a good run while it lasted and the PC-12 will always have a soft spot in my heart since it was my first turbine.

I wouldn't count much on the Grob though, that thing was big news when I was there and they even had a mock-up at the airport for us to check out, and that was in 2008. If you want to get multi, then pick up your MEI and instruct on your days off. When I was there we only few about 550-750 hrs/yr so so they didn't care if you picked up any side flying. Good luck to the guys that go there, lots of great real world experience!
Click to expand...

I think they built like 4 or 5 of G180s
 
jafra98 said:
Pilatus are one of the best airplanes out there, great payload, good range and excellent short field capacity doing it on a single prop..............:smoke:
Click to expand...

That`s becasue it is single engine, add an engine (weight and drag) and in most csaes those benefits are gone.

too bad the PC12 really only works in the US...
 
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