LOGS
Well-Known Member
I worked there for 10 months back in 08 and then jumped ship over to India. I did not have to pay anything on the contract but it was right during the industry crash and I knew I was going to be the next pilot laid off. I have heard that their contract is illegal and while they may try to threaten and intimidated you, there's really nothing they can do about it if you still to your guns. Bottom line is, especially in this market today where many companies are hiring, there are much much much better opportunitys out there.
These are the type of pilots that work for Sierra West - old guys that have geared up or screwed up somehow and can only only get a job at SW, or new guys that jump on the TPIC(which was me, I was offered a street captain position at 1300 TT). To that extent, they know that they can then manipulate their pilots to do things and fly equipment that you normally would say no at. Their schedule is horrible, minimum 135 time off with a 45 minute call out. Expect long days, and if you don't go 91 back, expect to be out on the road a LONG time until you're sold out of there. Mind you right now, the cargo side is blowing up and you'll be flying your ass off (I did 80 hours the first two weeks of Nov). I don't know what the per diem is anymore, but I would wager its pretty pathetic, and when I was there they made you share rooms if it was over $50 bucks. The pay is terrible. I'm hearing they're still paying 30k/yr (compared to McNeely which is their competition and who I worked for until very recently. They start you out at 65k/yr plus a 2 week/1week off schedule). Pay at SW is negotiable, but unless you aready have SA227 expeirence don't count on getting much at the best I've heard is 45k/yr even with experience.
The aircraft are horrible, no autopilot. Yea they now have one metro with glass(no reason why the hell they would do that) but again no autopilot. In my 10 months with them, I had to shut an engine down, had gear, pressurization, smoke in cockpit, and a lot of engine problems. And remember you'll be flying into smaller usually not well plowed fields into the winter in the middle of the night exhausted. It is very challenging work.
If you want to get into this line of work, I highly recommend checking out McNeely Charter, it is night and day how different you are treated over there and usually the FO's make as much in McNeely as the Captains do at SW. My old FO was just upgraded which took about 14 months and is now making 65k with a two week on/one week off schedule.
Also a huge pet peeve of mine is that SW made you wear the monkey suit which is ridiculousness in the summer in ELP to the point of dangerous. At McNeely, flips, shorts, and a wifebeater was my uniform of choice.
Any more info you can ask on here, Last time I heard Sierra West was in a lot of trouble with the Feds again about not giving their pilots proper rests and could not do 91 legs back anymore. Seemed like a sinking shipping and a lot of people were bailing. There is a good reason why they are always hiring so be warned.
=Jason-
These are the type of pilots that work for Sierra West - old guys that have geared up or screwed up somehow and can only only get a job at SW, or new guys that jump on the TPIC(which was me, I was offered a street captain position at 1300 TT). To that extent, they know that they can then manipulate their pilots to do things and fly equipment that you normally would say no at. Their schedule is horrible, minimum 135 time off with a 45 minute call out. Expect long days, and if you don't go 91 back, expect to be out on the road a LONG time until you're sold out of there. Mind you right now, the cargo side is blowing up and you'll be flying your ass off (I did 80 hours the first two weeks of Nov). I don't know what the per diem is anymore, but I would wager its pretty pathetic, and when I was there they made you share rooms if it was over $50 bucks. The pay is terrible. I'm hearing they're still paying 30k/yr (compared to McNeely which is their competition and who I worked for until very recently. They start you out at 65k/yr plus a 2 week/1week off schedule). Pay at SW is negotiable, but unless you aready have SA227 expeirence don't count on getting much at the best I've heard is 45k/yr even with experience.
The aircraft are horrible, no autopilot. Yea they now have one metro with glass(no reason why the hell they would do that) but again no autopilot. In my 10 months with them, I had to shut an engine down, had gear, pressurization, smoke in cockpit, and a lot of engine problems. And remember you'll be flying into smaller usually not well plowed fields into the winter in the middle of the night exhausted. It is very challenging work.
If you want to get into this line of work, I highly recommend checking out McNeely Charter, it is night and day how different you are treated over there and usually the FO's make as much in McNeely as the Captains do at SW. My old FO was just upgraded which took about 14 months and is now making 65k with a two week on/one week off schedule.
Also a huge pet peeve of mine is that SW made you wear the monkey suit which is ridiculousness in the summer in ELP to the point of dangerous. At McNeely, flips, shorts, and a wifebeater was my uniform of choice.
Any more info you can ask on here, Last time I heard Sierra West was in a lot of trouble with the Feds again about not giving their pilots proper rests and could not do 91 legs back anymore. Seemed like a sinking shipping and a lot of people were bailing. There is a good reason why they are always hiring so be warned.
=Jason-
