Vonkluffen,
Sorry, can't answer your first two questions as everybody I know is a commuter. The agencies pay your salary and it's up to you to sort out the tax. If you're from the US of A then Crew/HACS (whatever you want to call them) have a good understanding of the American tax system and they tax the bits that need to be. Everybody else makes their own arrangements in accordance with the law of their lands. So that leads to the 'bringing family bit'; haven't a clue (useful aren't I
)
AJV (cargo boys) get 11 days off per month. AJX (pax boys) get 10. To those days you can add, if you wish, the 2 days of leave you get per month. You can, of course, save your leave and 'spend' it in bigger chunks.
At the moment, AJV are spending most of their time in KIX, or away on trips to and from KIX. The Company are offering to pay for all accommodation, rather than when you're only on company business, if you take a KIX base. This means you get to keep all of the money you get paid for accommodation each month ($550). The NRT based pilots have to pay for their accom whilst in NRT (and not on standby) and yo can reckon on 4/5 nights per month....ish...approximately....about. You can still retain NRT as your commuting base i.e. to fly to and from home but your base would not be NRT. All depends on your feelings about the environs of KIX and NRT.
There's a few heading the 60 way but I don't know about >60. The Company has a policy for those over 60 flying with other 'more experienced in life' chaps, so I assume it can be done; I just don't know if it is or not. I'm just far too polite to ask
Plans!! Crystal balls, rumours and wishful thinking abound, as in any airline. AJV now has 6 B767 freighters and is getting 5 more. The Company has set its business plan and seems just about as steady as any airline could ever be. Rumours talk of possible wet lease of 744s while they firm up the future of the 'stuff' going to the USA and sorting out a handling agent for the cargo. This would mean the loss of the ANC/ORD trip for a couple of years, as the Jumbo does the work. After that the smart money seems to be going on 777 freighters and the ANC/ORD (or, more likely, ORD) coming back 'in house' and flown again by AJV with 10 added to their aircraft. Time frame suggests 6ish years but luckily this is a rumour network, so you can't sue me if it all turns out to be complete garbage.
Everybody is on the new pay/remuneration package.
G'day Park n Shop,
Personal choice, obviously, but might I suggest Parc as the choice for those living in Godzone. There are those in Oz who use Crew and they're very happy with them, it's just that Crew seem a bit more US based, whereas Parc seem to deal with Europeans and Stralians pretty well. Overall, they are as good as each other (and their reps are just as friendly with the competition's clients as their own) but I think most Aussies would agree with me about Parc being the preffered choice for you......now you see how flamed I get
I would, however, suggest you stick to one of those two agencies!
Training: Air Law groundschool before sitting the JCAB Air Law exam (no, reallly, it's great). A spot of Radio groundschool before sitting the Radio theory and law exams (far more enjoyable than previous groundschool). A bit of CRM, Dangerous Goods etc and then 767 'Systems' groundschool (all computer-based training). If you're type rated you get a shorter course. After/during that you do some fixed-base sims, learning the ANA SOPs etc (again, type rated get a shorter course) and then it's into full flight sims. If you're not type rated you have 2 sim tests. The first is for your type rating, the second for your JCAB ATPL. If you're type rated you just get the ATPL check. The sims revolve around the JCAB tests. After another lovely flight physical you get to go home for a bit (10 days ish) before starting your OJT/route training, whatever you want to call it. Another month is then spent in groundschool (with an occasional sim thrown in), learning the vagaries of the various airfields into which you'll operate, before you finally get your hands on a real 767. Capts do about 20-30 legs, FOs do about 15-24legs. The capts then get another chance to do 'battle' with JCAB, when they have their route check, whereas the FOs have an 'internal' test. Then you get to go home again before returning and flying the line in your normal time on/time off arrangement.
No lip service, FOs get to upgrade after 3-3.5 years (in AJV, can't speak for AJX). AJV is very 'captain heavy' and it's normal for 2 captains to fly together, switching legs as PIC. The Company has no problems at all with having more capts, so FOs DO get to upgrade and they just accept the fact that they don't have very many FOs.
See above for time off. The Company are very understanding that people don't want to waste their time off commuting and are normally very good at scheduling, according to the time of arrival on your first day of work from Oz (or wherever) and, also, the day you want to go home (i.e. getting tou back in time for the evening flight etc).
Now, if this things doesn't post when I've typed all this drivvle I'm going to cry and stamp my feet
