Why such criticism of AAI - Nobody has valid points.
I have many good points for them...
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(1) I was hired as captain in the first group of AAI 747 crews and arrived in JED with the two 747-257Bs they operated from APR 1993. We all were current 747 and most of us had flown previously for Saudia ACMI contracts. AAI never had operated 747s, so far they had operated L-1011s and 737s... I stayed with them until JUN 1994, at that time I got a furlough notice, but they were fast to recommend me for a captain position with Cargolux for a 6 month captain contract on their 747-271Cs. A good point for AAI.
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(2) The salary, during the contract in JED 1993/1994, for captains was, give or take a few dollars, exactly the same as the pay for a new contract when I got rehired by AAI in Crawley (by Airborne) in JUN 2004. AAI did not reduce the pay for 747 crews despite the increase charges and reduced revenues. Indeed another good point for AAI.
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(3) To my surprise, AAI date of hire on my new ID card was still showing APR 1993, and even gave me my original "very senior" ID number (not that it matter at all to be senior or not with AAI). Good point, AAI, thank you.
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(4) I had passed my 60th birthday a few months prior to rehire, and did appreciate to be told that they valued my experience, and that the age limit did not apply on some contracts, and that anyway, a limit of age 65 was soon to be observed by ICAO. Thank you again, AAI...
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(5) I have to admit that the recurrent and base training was outstanding and well done by AAI instructors, yet only one other captain was current and qualified on 747 as I was, in the class of some 20 hew hires. Since I was current, I was selected to be the first to take the base simulator check, after a brief training, all completed early JUL 2004. Well done, AAI...
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Well, the storm was coming. Little of the above had anything to do with Airborne, and Airborne's coordination with AAI offices in Iceland...
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We had wet ditching training in a swimming pool near Gatwick, and I helped a flight engineer who could not swim, to board a raft, and hurt myself. I was not aware I had sustained a hernia. The hernia was diagnosed at the JAR medical and my JAR first class was denied until hernia surgery completed.
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The end/JUL early/AUG period was spent to try to obtain Airborne and AAI authorization for surgery. But everyone was vacationing, nobody could be reached. Finally, authorization was obtained from Iceland in late AUG and was performed in Brussels hospital. Again, good point nš 6 for AAI, they recognized their responsibility for my injury in wet ditching training, and advised the hospital that they would pay for surgery. Good point AAI...
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After surgery (3 days in hospital) I waited in a Brussels hotel, my surgeon had cleared me to report for work by mid/SEP. Also got same OK by the FAA medical examiner, and new FAA 1st class medical. I waited in the Brussels hotel until mid/NOV to be called for line training. There was a total break of coordination between Airborne and AAI, and who is to pay what and how much, as I was running out of funds in Brussels. At the end, as per contract, I was owed US$24,400 for medical incapacity.
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My line training got awful, no briefings whatsoever, the check captain telling me "big airplane, do you know" - "No, this is not the way to taxi" - For God sake, I had nearly 5,000 PIC hrs in 747s and numerous Atlantic crossings - He informed me "how great BA is" - Should I have mentioned that ex-PanAm pilots did not always agree to BA's opinion or procedural styles...? I recall some 20 negative remarks by that pedantic clown, from push-back to line-up on the LGW runway on the very first sector. There were 6 sectors performed in these conditions... I should have demanded another check-captain upon return after the second sector.
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Sure, FAA and JAR/CAA standards might be slightly different at times, but through my career, I always refered to FAA rules and procedures, and never failed to satify check captains, no matter what airline or country, FAA or not.
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By mid/DEC 2004, Airborne notified me of suspension of my training. There is no doubt that the US$24,400 owed was one of the grounds, which they never paid. Their official excuse was, that during my medical incapacity, I did not hold a JAR licence/medical as required for the contract to be valid...
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The outcome would have been completely different, if all had been under direct control of Iceland, and not being pointed to another person or office in charge of my case, from my injury time, until training completion. I had suffered nearly 6 months of inactivity, hotel rooms, numerous phone calls, and email messages (150 pages) during that period of time...
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So AAI/Airborne or whoever, thank you for wasting 8 months of my life.
One day it was "no, Iceland has to take care of this"...
The next day, it was "no, you are Airborne employee, deal with them"...
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Besides all that, AAI has excellent points, I recommend them to all of you, and problems equal to the ones I had...
And I did prefer the Kandahar, Rose Village or Al Bilad, to Crawley...
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Happy contrails