cr7
Forgive my Polar colleague I am sure he meant to be more polite. I know it is hard to make a decision based on what you hear. There are many Atlas pilots who watch these boards who can be of much more help than I am.
What is the average cost of medical insurance for employee+1?HMO or PPO? and who is the provider?
The provider is Cigna and there are four types of plans. I am sure that Atlas HR would turn loose of the info. I am not sure of the costs/co-pays/deductibles etc as I use my wifes plan. I think it is fairly reasonable though.
Gateway basing: I see that DFW is a gateway airport Atlas. It is my understanding that Atlas pays for the ticket to STN, but do they pay for the hotel there whilst sitting on reserve? Or does the employee pay for that?
You get a ticket (albeit coach class) and the hotel.
Does Atlas type rate FO's on the 400? I f so, is it a PIC type or a SIC type?
Yes you are type rated as a PIC provided you have the turbo-jet min time that the FAA currently requires for the Atlas level of sim.
Does the classic fleet at Atlas fly to Afghanistan or Iraq? If so, is there any hazzard pay or specialized training?
Currently neither.
And lastly, would you leave Evergreen to come work at Atlas? At this point I am 12 from the left seat on the classic been there 2.5 years? How long is the upgrade at Atlas?200 or 400?
I can't answer that as I have never been at Evergreen. Currently the biggest issues at Atlas are involved with the merger with Polar. I am sure you are aware of the problems. The Atlas maintenance is good when there are no ex-Polar mechanics or maintenance managers involved. Generally the aircraft are in good shape compared to some other freighters I have flown. Expect an all -400/-8F fleet by the end of 2010 or possibly a few classics in the phase out mode. Time to upgrade is about 10 years and that will change after the age 65 debacle and the Polar integration so it is hard to say what to recommend.