Ameriflight questions?

[Low & Slow]

I am working on getting an interview. I am interested because my current employer does not offer turbine upgrades. Here goes. Thanks in advance.
Does AMF take jumpseaters and can you jumpseat on Southwest, Delta, Skywest and others?
Are most pilots based at the hubs or outlying airports(feeders) or does it depend on type route. I am most interested in Navajo routes and up .
What aircraft fly out of each base(Navajos, 99s, Metros, 1900s, Brasilias)?
Is it fairly easy to get your route covered if you want to take a day or two off with plenty of advance notice?
Benefits? Insurance? Paid vacation after one year?
How much do you fly a month?
Is a 6 to 12 month upgrade to turbine reasonable if I start in a Navajo?
How is mx?
Any other input is welcome to help me make an informed decision.
It sounds like a descent place to get some great experience from what I've read.

 

[qwerty]

alot of questions, its a good place to work!

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Our jumpseat agreement with Southwest is in limbo last I heard. We can no longer take them so they are no longer taking us. But I have heard there are still people jumpseating. I think there are others that occasionally take 135 guys. But don't think you are going to be able to commute.

Most pilots are based at bases but there are outstation runs. Some just seem like outstation runs because you spend as much time or more there than at you home base.

The only way you are hired into the Navajo is if you are hired into a base which does not have the PA32. IE Seattle, Portland, Dallas. Salt lake, Montana, CVG are the all turbine equipment bases but there is a long list of guys waiting to get into those.

It all depends on current staffing and where you are based. Sometimes a base is fat and it is easy to get coverage sometimes they are lean and are borrowing guys from other bases. Our contract allows for two personal unpaid days off a month. This is important because you do not get vacation until after your first year.

I think they are currently hiring into Oakland and we are getting rid of a lot of our Lances. It seems like most guys start flying the Navajo at least part time after a couple of months.

You are not an employee until you pass you PIC check ride. I think you get Per DIEM ($25 day) in training with hotel taken care of. Possibly more when line training but I can't remember, the checks looked so small either way. Benefits and insurance do not start until after three months and they are OK. Nothing special. Medical seems pretty expensive if you have a family.

It is possible that after being with the company for a year you could get turbine if you are flexible and willing to move.

You will definately get great experience. Planes are ugly and avionics are basic (Oh but we will be getting GPS's next week I think) but I am pretty happy with MX. Training is intense but if you are flying twins currently that will make it easier. Ameriflight uses lots of checklists you will have to get use to. No matter what your experience you will make or break getting the job in the interview/sim ride. Make sure you are IFR current( I mean have a solid scan) and good with charts.

SS

 

[CaptBuzzard]

I will definitely agree with the last post. I am going on two months with the company now and have had a wonderful experience so far. I was hired in to a PA-31 right away. Of course my base only has twins. We only have chieftains at my base as the rest of the (only 9 in company) navajos are in BUR, PHX I think. You will fly one during training at least once. I actually had more navajo time when I passed my checkride. The training is intense. My roommate during training washed out. A guy a week or two earlier washed out of Chieftain training. The flows and checklists were hard to get used to and that I think is what catches some off guard. With your time and other 135 experience it shouldn't be problem. At my base we are staffed full right now, but it seems like every two to three months there is an opening or two. I was watching the openings before I got called. Upgrade to turbines where I work are probably not going to happen for a long, long time. Now anything could change, who knows, but BIL is going more junior with people in the company I hear. I was told that 6-12 months is not unreasonable for BIL.


Jumpseating is what was said in the previous post, but i know people who were using Southwest when I was in training all the time. I don't think the word has spread to far around Southwest. I was told in training that they were working on getting it officially back, but when the anouncement comes around, then people will really believe it.

MX is pretty darn good. I had a problem that grounded my plane at an intermediate stop and they dispatched a plane and got one to me within an hour. I was only an hour late to my layover city. Any squawk I have had that wasn't too serious was fixed by the next morning, otherwise I had a new plane to take. At my base, for each type flown, there is atleast two standby planes for those reasons. Pretty nice having extra planes.

Benefits come in after your 90 introductory period. Also pay goes up 181/ month after also. medical insurance which includes dental and vision is $24/ paycheck pre-tax. Supplemental life insurance is available too. 401K after 6 months if you, but there are only two enrollment periods per year. Jan, and June or July. I should be able to start mine in Jan. The two unpaid days per month are good if you need a day off. I think at my base if you let them know a few days in advance, you'd have a good chance of getting one off. Vacation is a week after one year of full-time status I believe.

Anyway, AMF is a good place to work. Nice people, good MX, good benefits, good equipment.

 

[AZaviator]

AMF jumpseating

Does anyone know why Amerifilght doesn't take SWA jumpseaters anymore? I jumpseated on Southwest 2 weeks ago in and out of Las Veas without any problem. I did talk to a SWA pilot at the airport and he joking came up to me and said "GIVE US OUR JUMPSEAT BACK!" Apparently he had heard that AMF dropped SWA from their jumpseat list. He was a very nice guy and said Ameriflight pilots are always welcomed on any SWA jumpseat.

I know Ameriflight pilots can also jumpseat on Horizon, and I believe ATA takes all 135 jumpseaters as long as you have your credentials with you. I think there are other companies we can jumpseat on, but nobody seems to have or know of an official jumpseat list!

 

[Low & Slow]

Thanks for all the input and the heads up about checklists/flows for training and the sim for the interview. Those who washed out. Any idea on what the problem was? Could AMF have done more? The jumpseaters might be a security issue. UPS can't take non-company jumpseaters anymore. Take care all.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

From what training captains have told me it is usually people who have the knowledge but have not done a lot of flying. It seems like if you have to learn the flows and then have to also struggle with the approaches you will not make it. Decision making skills are also important. AMF is giving you an airplane and pointing you in the right direction and expecting you to make decisions on safety of flight, WX, Regs, etc. No captain sitting next to you to hold your hand.

And it is true. We have more of a set of guidelines. To be used at the descetion of management.

SS

 

[Bill Nelson]

And it is true. We have more of a set of guidelines. To be used at the descetion of management.

SS

you mean indescretion, right?

 

[CaptBuzzard]

I heard that the guy I knew who washed out messed up on some little things that were turning in to bigger problems. After that, he psyched himself out and struggled until they wouldn't work with him anymore. That is all I know. Secret Squirrel is right on the money about learning flows and then struggling with approaches. I studied and studied the approaches in the L.A. area that were most commonly used during training until I knew them almost without looking at the plates. I was unfamiliar with the layout and procedures for some things in the BUR area. I studied and it helped. If you get on here, just study and stay relaxed.

 

[amfteamster]

More than likely most of the washouts had the same sim instructor. I have heard of a few that washed out that probably didnt deserve it.

This guy is ridiculous. His initial ground school is an embarassment to the company.