BlueSkies,
The answer can be complicated since Atlas is mostly non-sked work (even though we have many regular customers like Qantas, Emirates, Panalpina and DOD).
Current contract:
Work days 17 per month and company can take 4 at will but premium pay is good.
Guarantee is 50 hrs/month first year but jumps to 62 hrs after.
Work rules - FEW.
Travel - Paid travel (coach ticket) to and from your domicile airport (USA) to work. Because many trips do not start in my base, a lot of the time I travel to work on work day, sometimes I have to travel on my off day. All international travel is Business class or better.
Pilot group - Teamsters local 1224. Pilots are a good group of folks to work and spend time with. Very professional operation.
Typical work month - Some folks will fly 2 trips a month (9 day and 7 or 8 day) but most will be out for 14-17 days. Extensions happen, but many volunteer the extra time for the $$. Some people get tagged for a few extra days at the last minute but that is the breaks.
Company - Good upside potential and lots of hiring in summer/fall 2010 and with lots of hiring supposedly to continue in 2011 as well. New 747-8F coming soon with options for more. 747 Classic being phased out. Go to Atlas Air website to read the company news releases.
New contract - In final stages of a merged CBA that will combine the Atlas and Polar pilot groups. Possible chance for agreement by end of 2010. New contract should have vast improvements to Atlas work rules and pay increases as well since Atlas has been showing record profits for awhile.
Quality of life - That is an individual decision. Is being on the road 17 days or longer too much? Will it bother you that when you leave your house your planned overnights are 5 certain cites and you have 15 schedule changes in 10 days and end up on another continent completely never seeing those original 5 cities? Do you or does your wife insist that you be home after 4 days? Is she needy or will the kids cry every time you leave the house? Are you having marital problems now? - if so, this will put the nail in the coffin so to speak. If you answer yes to ANY of the above, then this is NOT the job for you. You WILL be miserable here.
Personally, this job works well for me. I chat with my family every day on Skype. When I am home I spend a minimum of 13/14 days per month devoted to my family. IMHO, flying around the world with good folks is much better then slogging up and down the east coast 3 times a day, doing red-eyes and dealing with grumpy passengers/flight attendants. This is one of the few jobs where you can literally go around the world each and every month and land on every continent except Antartica. And I get to do it in a well-maintained 747.
Questions?
ACP