Yo 411a,
We had an outfit such as you speak of up to the end of summer 99, we both worked for it! Due to the boss hacking so many people off over the years with bad promises and things, he couldn't raise enough cash to complete some unexpected 'C' check work at AUH. How anyone could expect to send an ageing 1011 on a 'C' check and just budget enough for the main check beats me. Not surprising it folded given this kind of decision making.
It worked well and was a fairly happy bunch, give or take a couple of "growlers" (and we both know who so no names here!!) and it made a lot of loot over the summer but failed due to bad management practices at the very top. If you do not have a sharp management team with innovative ideas (I don't count planning to base an aircraft in Algeria for several months with the UK foreign office saying not to go there unless you ABSOLUTELY have to as innovative) winter is a VERY hard time for ACMI and the suchlike. I remember the first winter I was there, wondering on a weekly basis if I was going to be paid this month.
All the above may be a little off the point, but it only goes to illustrate how you need more than a good Operational team to make something like this work, top management need to be THE BEST.
There is plenty of room for an Excel/Atlanta type operation in the UK. Ours used mostly North American pilots with the odd (apt in some cases!) European thrown in. The Brits didn't like it but it cost a lot of money to type rate a 1011 pilot from scratch and North America has plenty so it made financial sense, as I suspect does the Excel idea.
I wish all in these ventures well. If they can make it work, good on them. It's not only pilots who need jobs and these operations provide employment for many. Some of my happiest work times were when involved with that operation. ACMI can be fun.
Best to all involved and sincere best wishes to all looking for work within the industry.
Doc C.
[ 23 January 2002: Message edited by: Doctor Cruces ]</p>