Mali Air Express?!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 21
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From: Out of a bag.
DrCaptPhd...
Where did you work before MAE? How did they go about contacting you? I mean from what you are saying MAE doesn't at all sound like the same company that I spent a considerable amount of time trying to contact and deal with.... I saw that they recently posted for more pilots but didn't have the stomach to attempt to try them again if I was going to get the run-around again.
Thanks for your input btw.
Where did you work before MAE? How did they go about contacting you? I mean from what you are saying MAE doesn't at all sound like the same company that I spent a considerable amount of time trying to contact and deal with.... I saw that they recently posted for more pilots but didn't have the stomach to attempt to try them again if I was going to get the run-around again.
Thanks for your input btw.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Bamako
Belliot- I was working for a regional carrier in the northeast USA flying saabs before MAE. I dont know much about MAE from before I came here, but from what it sounds like, they weren't really running the company the way it should have been run. I can only speak from my own experience, and so far it has been a pretty good one. I know for a fact that pilots definetly are treated with much more respect here and the pay is much better than anything a SAAB pilot will make flying for the regionals in the states.
Maybe before when you were trying to apply, the old chief pilot was here, because the new one is a straight forward guy. When they contacted me, they asked me how much time I would need, I told them and they got me a roundtrip ticket to Mali for the time I told them. However, the owner is still the same guy and since I have been here has never given us any grief about delaying or canceling a flight due to maintenance or weather. He just wants to be kept in the loop. He has never tried to withhold pay from us or anything like that. However, they did tell us upfront that if we violate the contract and just leave then dont expect to get paid for that month.
It seems like it just took a little time to get their ducks in a row here but now they have a good system down and are making an honest effort to run a safe and efficiant airline. However, they are not perfect and still have a few bumps to smooth out here and there, but they are small bumps.
Also I think the way they run the show here has alot to do with the type of pilots they have at the moment. Like I said before, I dont know who was here before me so I cant make judgements but from what I understand they seem to be more satisfied now with the current staffing because we give our input regularly on what can be done to make it a better work environment and for the first time in my career, management actually take the pilots advice!
They seem to realize that happy pilots makes their lives much easier, and unhappy pilots, well just dont fly.
Overall I think if you are truely interested in working West Africa flying the SAAB, then MAE is not a bad company to work for and it would be safe for you to send your CV again. If they are interested then they will contact you and bring you over, if not then they just wont respond.
Maybe before when you were trying to apply, the old chief pilot was here, because the new one is a straight forward guy. When they contacted me, they asked me how much time I would need, I told them and they got me a roundtrip ticket to Mali for the time I told them. However, the owner is still the same guy and since I have been here has never given us any grief about delaying or canceling a flight due to maintenance or weather. He just wants to be kept in the loop. He has never tried to withhold pay from us or anything like that. However, they did tell us upfront that if we violate the contract and just leave then dont expect to get paid for that month.
It seems like it just took a little time to get their ducks in a row here but now they have a good system down and are making an honest effort to run a safe and efficiant airline. However, they are not perfect and still have a few bumps to smooth out here and there, but they are small bumps.
Also I think the way they run the show here has alot to do with the type of pilots they have at the moment. Like I said before, I dont know who was here before me so I cant make judgements but from what I understand they seem to be more satisfied now with the current staffing because we give our input regularly on what can be done to make it a better work environment and for the first time in my career, management actually take the pilots advice!
They seem to realize that happy pilots makes their lives much easier, and unhappy pilots, well just dont fly.
Overall I think if you are truely interested in working West Africa flying the SAAB, then MAE is not a bad company to work for and it would be safe for you to send your CV again. If they are interested then they will contact you and bring you over, if not then they just wont respond.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, MN
My only impression of MAE management has been negative. As a pilot with Sahel Aviation Service, there were numerous times that MAE management "turned us in" to douane... saying, falsely, that we were carrying contraband on trips from Ghana or Guinea... which we never did. The result was to delay our flights, and cause extra headaches with the local officials in Bamako... all of whom knew that we did NOT break the rules!
The pilots, on the other hand, were always great on the radio, helped us with relays and weather, etc., as we did for them. They seemed as professional as anyone else.
So, I'd say that any perceived negative impressions, or truly negative experiences with MAE come from management actions, and not aircrew.
The pilots, on the other hand, were always great on the radio, helped us with relays and weather, etc., as we did for them. They seemed as professional as anyone else.
So, I'd say that any perceived negative impressions, or truly negative experiences with MAE come from management actions, and not aircrew.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, MN
