When were you there? Things were much more "starry-eyed" when I was there (2008-2011). I even know a guy there who refuses to leave because he is so convinced SWA wants him.
What made you choose freight?
- Thread starter chrisreedrules
- Start date
Regarding the blue, any of your flight time that you dismiss definitely isn't going to help you. Seems to me that we're both posting at 2:30 in the morning eh?
I don't dismiss anything. I value the time I got there. But I would not do it again. Maybe my 2:30 post was a little too emotionally charged?
And yes, I had just finished studying all hours of the night for a final.
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Everyone in this thread LOVES Ameriflight!
Hey I enjoyed it. 99% of the people I met were freaking awesome and I enjoy keeping their friendships even today. I have a soft spot every time I see the paint scheme on the ramp or hear Amflight on the radio. But there was a bunch of fluff there.
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There are several. I know at least 10. They are convinced beyond any doubt that SWA will hire them no questions asked.
The frightening thing to me is my friend has several kids. He has been there 5.5 years and before he knows it, he'll be 10 years behind in his career. This industry is not merciful to people who delay getting a "career job."
Very true. I feel the same.
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It is tough, most come to AMF to get some time and move on, others kinda rot away there.
z987k
Well-Known Member
That is sad. I don't know any, or at least I never heard any talk about it. I knew a couple that were too weird or something to go anywhere else though.
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I know a few of those too. They will be surprised when they don't get hired anywhere lol.
Tommay85
Well-Known Member
This is by no means a nod towards 'muriflight, but I've seen many on his forum "make it" and get furloughed. Even our grand poo-bah has expressed doubts at times that Delta will have the longevity to employ him until retirement. There are no guarantees in aviation and no one knows if they made the right moves until the day they retire.
I think I know who you're talking about, and they are in a "golden handcuffs" situation.
z987k
Well-Known Member
Nowhere on the payscale of any aircraft at AMF will you ever get golden handcuffs.This is by no means a nod towards 'muriflight, but I've seen many on his forum "make it" and get furloughed. Even our grand poo-bah has expressed doubts at times that Delta will have the longevity to employ him until retirement. There are no guarantees in aviation and no one knows if they made the right moves until the day they retire.
Tommay85
Well-Known Member
Training captain/check airman on the Metro/1900 where they use you all the time is 70k gross. I could see it. At any rate, the usual argument of "go to a regional", going from 45k to 20k is no bueno if you can't afford that. When you consider that you can make 30-50 on second year pay as an FO at a regional, I'd consider it, but there are some guys out there that can't afford a pay cut for a year, or have the flexibility. If 99driver and I are talking about the same person, he's not in a great situation.
To do 70K you would need to be training 100% of the time. Rarely happens. And I made 55K my second year at a regional. But it is tough the first year... 26K. But that is essentially the same as first year at amf... 28K.
And my buddy will not go to a regional because he is upside down on his house.
Polar742
All the responsibility none of the authority
70k is not golden handcuffs.
Dugie8
Well-Known Member
You would be surprised how little money it takes to lock you in.
Polar742
All the responsibility none of the authority
Trust me, I thought I was there at the last shop.
I was over 50% higher than the stated golden handcuff level for awhile.
Now I work with an, ahem, aging pilot population. I see on average one new long term medical a month. Things straight serious like cancer to guys slipping walking off a deck in the winter and needing shoulder reconstruction.
I've met guys with 20+ at ABX now furloughed and new hires here at the sunset of their careers.
It's not about the monthly nut to spend on toys, it's about the marathon of long term financial planning and not living totally on ramen scraps for the rest of my career.
Technically, I have 27.5 years, but want to be able to bounce in 18. I'm about 1/2 way through the career and looking at hedging my bets going forward. I'll take working to 55 as a granted, after that, it's a matter of odds that decrease rapidly from what I've seen here.
$5 of my $.02
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Hell no it ain't. Not by a longshot.
Tommay85
Well-Known Member
My point was, the most realistic next step for us little plane freight guys is a regional. Some can't afford the pay cut. At least not without spending an inordinate amount of time to save for it. Given the regional CF these days as well, I could see guys wanting the stability as well
Polar742
All the responsibility none of the authority
5+ years into the new shop before I broke my regional pay.
The landscape is very different than the late 70's to the late 90's, or the 00's.
It's under a change now.
You can hedge that your current job will qualify you for the upcoming pilot shortage due to the ATP rule, or you can align your skill set with what you think will be required.
I've met enough guys that did all the right things, and were career FOs due to no other factor than timing. Which can be fine at a UPS, FedEx, DAL. Not so fine at other shops.
All the industry rags are now reporting "capacity discipline" at the Majors. Smisek just spoke and kept repeating the mantra of we're in this to make money, not flood the market to own market share or appease short term investors.
You'll know in 20+ if you guessed right.
I'm not saying there is a right way, as I have a friend who's been at AMF for damn near 6 years. Now, there was a 5 year hiatus on normalcy, but life moves on if the industry doesn't.