Focus Air

[Sonic Zepplin]

Would anyone have any info on this operation?

Contact number, namees, working conditions etc etc

Thanks

[WhaleDriver]

I have a friend over there and he said guys are quitting as fast as they can train them. There are serious pay issues. An example, you fly 78 hours, they move the overtime to the next month. So if you fly 30 hours the next month, no overtime.

Their website is: http://focusaircargo.com/

[blackbaron]

Total BS. Focus is a startup carrier operating less than 90 days and of course in its short life there will be issues especially in regards to sked but I can assure you that anyone who is flying there is flying heavy and not being "short scheduled" as pointed in the previous post, Focus has a two month 120hr guarantee. As far as guys and girls leaving as fast as they can train, Focus lost some Atlas/Polar furloughee's/firees during the strike fiasco and it was questionable whether they should have been hired until that debacle was over. Focus showed those guys and girls something that their former carrier didnt as they were shown the door, a committment to them and their families, and Focus did not ask them to resign their seniority numbers which bit them, some went back (NOT ALL) when the catfight was over. Focus will evolve from a paper concept to an operational mindset as things become either practical or impractical from their business plan as they build an operational learning curve, thus things will change and hopefully become better. For those applying remember Focus is a startup carrier not FEDEX nor are any of the other NON SKED's but its an airline without ego like some of the others and they are trying to put together a good product with good people which will take experience and time. I am not here trying to sell Focus but merely give the true insight into working for a startup and disparge the untruths which I am sure that anyone who has been there know's how it can be, (lots of hard work and little reward) but the future is bright, lots of growth and they have a fat checkbook.

THE TRUTH

[FearlessFreep]

Somewhere between these last two post lies the "real" truth.

Startup or Non-Sked, it's all the same world.

The dizzying manner in which money is being spent at Focus (from what I hear) gives me pause. Bounces in a 74 that is just sitting on the ramp in KMIA sounds pretty expensive to me. I heard that everyone there gets a laptop computer and they just went and issued larger ones because the first ones were too small. Something to do with the EFB requirements or was it just convenience?

Maybe Focus does have the rumoured $2.5+ B CASH available. That's a lot of green to run some ex-Atlas -200/-300's, (yes I know, those pax -400's are just around the corner!) Sounds implausable to me, but I might be wrong. We'll see. Time will tell.

I wish the best of luck to us all!

[joetommy]

I never heard of a two month guarantee. What is the purpose of it?

[CargoMatatu]

From the little seen of their operation over here in Europe (their first), certainly not impressed:yuk:

[WhaleDriver]

Hey baron,

Heard another Captain quit yesterday and there is a plan for a mass walk out in the works. Thirty five or so resigning over the pay issue.

Get this. They are ONLY PAID FLYING TIME. All that engine startup and taxing time is donated to the company. Why? They say they are only paid flying time by the customer, so that's all they'll pay. New concept. Most the ACMI contracts out there are block times. When you sign up, read the fine print.

[Clarence Oveur]

Suppose it's refusing directs and praying for headwind then!

Sad really.

[CR2]

Just had the mis-fortune of dealing with N535FC. What a piece of junk, never seen a so-called freighter with so many loading restrictions.
:hmm:

[CargoMatatu]

CR2

Atlas were happy to get rid of it:hmm:

[Captain Mercurius]

Good Lord!

Do not let the Icelandic’s learn about this thing in only paying for the flight time, and the remaining “ is a donation to the company “ . ;)

They have two or more aircraft based at Luxembourg, and I was told that they only contract A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N citizens. :hmm:

Ultimately, they have already “moved” several of their pilots to Luxembourg. :eek:

And they call this thing European Community… working rights for European Citizens, etc, etc, etc. :}

Mercurius

[Munkeh]

A colleague of mine has just received an offer from them through one of the agencies. $7500US per month for a Captain and $5500US for an FO. Unlike AAI you are responsible for providing your own accomodation as well. Also, I would expect you will be liable for Italian tax too (I know you can probably get round it but that's not really the point). Can't see many serious takers at those rates.

[CargoMatatu]

Munkeh

Italian Tax? Are you not confusing this with Ocean Air?

[Munkeh]

Sorry, yes I was confusing it with Ocean.

I'll shut up now....

[fr8box]

:ok: Focus will bring two more 747-200 aircraft into service prior to the end of the year. Word has it that the aircraft are already spoken for although the customers haven't been named yet.

As far as all of the negative posts on this web about Focus, I remember when Atlas was in exactly the same position with the same complaints. Folks, you have to remember, they have only been operating for three months...and their current customers are pleased with their operation. Yes they do have growing pains but I think they will be a viable airline in the near future.

[411A]

..............or maybe not.

Suspect the latter.:yuk:

[mayday911]

Who are the current customers? I had heard something about CargoLux...

Mayday.

[CR2]

Cargolux have a deal with them, using N535FC. Appears to be running fine. Europe-HKG and back.
N354FC is flying for China (Eastern?), also seemingly from LUX.

[fr8box]

:O Just talked to a friend of mine in Luxembourg and both aircraft are indeed running out of LUX. One for CargoLux and the other for China Eastern. It seems Focus is doing much better than expected with their CLX contract and that CargoLux is very happy with them. The China Eastern is having a little problem with weather diverts at some of the destinations but the Chinese are presumably happy with their performance and may also add a second aircraft in the near future. A third aircraft is going to another, as yet unannounced European carrier, possibly next month. Supposedly operating out of Chicago to a European destination and possibly also to Asia. The fourth or fifth aircraft will be delivered prior to the end of the year....and it too is already spoken for by an unnamed carrier.....

Three more aircraft in 2006.

411A.....wanna' bet a beer?;)

[CR2]

From what I hear they'd better sort out the L/M issue pdq. LUX-GYD-HKG-ALA-GYD-LUX is around 30-35 hours... turn around and do it all again?

Hmm, not good. Mistakes get made that way. Tragic ones.

[motojet]

Fr8box, I sent a pm to you, I don't know if you got it. If you have a minute can you pm me back.

Thanks

[cargo747]

ONLOAD in LUX sleep to GYD (Tech stop)- sleep to HKG OFF/On Load -sleep to ALA (Tech Stop) -sleep to GYD (Tech Stop) -sleep to LUX Offload. How hard can it be?

[CargoMatatu]

What, no after take-off walkaround? No hourly in-flight walkaround? And no Flight Crew bashing and crashing around in the galley?:confused: No pre-planning for the next turn?:confused:

In-flight sleep is not restfull sleep:ugh:

[WhaleDriver]

I find it interesting that everytime I do get the load or mx guy to the hotel, they shower and hit the streets. Then they show up tired so they can sleep during the flight??

[motojet]

Anyone know what captains top out at? I read they start at 98$ first year. What about after that?

[CR2]

Don't you all think it is a tad excessive to be scheduled for that amount of time?

[fr8box]

The pay rates only go through the first five years right now. they are:

first year.........$98.00
second year....$104.00
third year........$113.00
fourth year......$120.00
fifth year.........$127.00

add $10.00 per hour to the above for any time flown above 70 hours per month which is pretty easy to do with the present contracts and certain pairings. Not so easy to do on other pairings.

[cargo747]

Sure it would be nice to have shorter legs but it would depend on what’s available at enroute stops and schedule (destination) changes.

To reference CargoMatatu's post: Of course pre-planning for the next turn can be done. On a long leg It doesn’t take much time to get that done, and for the 1 hour walk around I don't recall seeing that in any loadmasters duties for any company although I'm may not be familiar with the company he works for.

Let's face it every loadmaster would like shorter legs or ground station duty but it may not be financially prudent for the company. If the costs are cheaper for hiring people at stations or the need to have additional loadmasters due to crew duty time llimitations then loadmasters may become to expensive. I agree there must be a line between excessive time/fatigue issues and performing loadmaster job functions. In my opinion the schedule referenced above does not cross the excessive time/fatigue issue line. Safety is of course the top issue and should never be compromised.

and WhaleDriver is correct alot of loadmasters do get tons of sleep inflight...It may not be undistirbed sleep like in your hotel but after each trip if the loadmaster gets off the aircraft and goes to the hotel then he would have off the time it takes the next fligth to run. I don't think thats a bad work schedule.

Fly Safe

[JamesA]

CargoMatatu,
Walkarounds are only necessary if you are a smoker and have to leave the upper deck for health reasons. like the non-smokers will beat the hell out of you

[CargoMatatu]

I, for one, am a non-smoker.

It is not written in any operator's SOPs. It is something I was trained to do, some thirty years ago, as taking a professional attitude to the job and responsibilities. Safety first!

Of course, that was in the days when a Loadmaster was regarded as a professional crewmember and got rest periods like a human being:D , unlike today when they are regarded as being a piece of the cargo equipment and only replaced when it breaks:sad:

[CR2]

With a miserable 16 years 74F experience, some of you may consider me junior. Nevertheless, 50 hours DUTY (some can sleep for a few hours, some not) is outrageous. Would YOU want ME to prepare a complicated extended ZFW W&B in some nice place like Lome when my eyes are seing double? Those are the situations where 1+1=3. You'll moan 'coz stab trim is a 1/4 out.

CargoMatatu has double my time. (Just for info. Fact).

[fac747fe]

Just got signed here for PPrune. I just couldn't sit here and read things about Focus that aren't always true. As much as I tried to stay off here, I just couldn't.

For you that think our Loadmasters are abused... from all that I see, they get treated pretty good. We have been keeping one Loadmaster in Shenzhen for the majority of the time, he does have to have days off at home sometime. Because we keep one there, Loadmasters are not flying on the CES routes. Half the time we don't have a mechanic either. We keep one in Shenzhen also. We have basic maintenence in Almaty for the tech stop. Its kind of like... sometimes we carry one, sometimes we don't. I know on the Hong Kong run, the Loadmastes fly the round trip and then usually swap out in Luxembourg. Seems they fly every other flight. Our Loads have a nice queen size air mattress to sleep on, all the food they can stick down their neck.

It's not like nobody told them what the job was about when they hired on. When I worked for Kalitta, they abused their Loads and Mechanics a lot worse than Focus ever thought to. At Kalitta I watched those poor guys having to search out showers in cargo buildings after being on the plane for 7 and 8 days in a row.

If you sign up for a job, if you know the details before you come to work as to how long your time on the plane is going to be... then you can't really complain about it. Everyone hired here knew the rules, I sat in on the Load and Mechanics briefing... they knew what they signed up for.

Oh, and hey, Focus buying Polar... yea, right. :ok:

FACFE

[JamesA]

Hi Facfe,
I am guessing from your handle you are an engineer. I quite agree with yiu and how Kallys boys are treated, e.g the flying spanners spend 21 days on board, using contacts at airports to get a shower. A story I heard recently one of the flights had to lay over and everybody went to the hotel - the mechanic claimed he couldn't sleep as there was insufficient motion.
I find it quite normal for all start-ups to get sniped at - usually by those who had the opportunity but refused, then see how well the guys who took the chance are doing. If you are one who moved - I say good luck to you and your buddies. If you are with Focus, do you need loadmasters? I have a couple of pals who would like to move where they might just be appreciated.

[CR2]

What happened to 361FC this weekend? Was supposed to fly for CLX on Saturday - we cancelled the flight today. Some cargo distributed onto other flights, and re-routed one of ours this evening. Called Ocean in too. We've been kept in the dark, hearing that the a/c has been in/out/in/out etc of a hangar in SPL. Latest I heard was rudder control probs. We gave up today, couldn't wait any longer.

[trashhauler]

One of my very good friends is leaving Focus after less than a year. He told me it was over pay (low)and scheduling issues.

[ALLDAYDELI]

who are they flying for out of South America? I hear they are doing one upto Europe (AMS) this weekend... it must be ACMI??

[captjns]

One of my very good friends is leaving Focus after less than a year. He told me it was over pay (low)and scheduling issues.

A Friend of mine was a Flight Engineer for Focus... merely a stepping stone until he go on with another carrier. The pay is based on flight time and not block time as is the tradition with other carriers. Do the math Total block, less taxi time = flight time. Not withstanding push back engine start times alone, taxi times can be quite considerable at the larger aircraft. That can add up to a considerable amount of pay.

[fr8box]

Hey Guys...you seem quite critical of an airline that's just getting it's feet wet and has only been flying revenue trips for seven months. I remember the early days of Atlas and it's like dejavu all over again. Same conditions, same complaints. And remember, a bad day flying beats the hell out of a good day flipping burgers!
Are there problems at Focus? Sure there are! It's a start up for crying out loud! It's not going to be a perfect airline! Could the pay be better? Sure it could! Are the problems and pay going to be addressed? I believe they will! There is already talk of revisiting the pay scale. As a matter of fact, with the installation of a new Chief Pilot, several new schedulers and licensed dispatchers there have been some immediate improvements and what I believe will be a lot more long term fixes and solutions.
Just remember, when there was talk of Polar going on strike and possibly shutting the doors, there were a heck of a lot of resumes and telephone calls going Focus' way, problems or not!
All I'm saying is give them a chance...we all had to start somewhere and that's what Focus management is asking.."Just let them get the airline up and running." Which by the way, seems to be progressing very well. The company is operating in the black so far and rumors aside, their customers have indicated they are happy with their performance.

[captjns]

Hey Guys...you seem quite critical of an airline that's just getting it's feet wet and has only been flying revenue trips for seven months. I remember the early days of Atlas and it's like dejavu all over again. Same conditions, same complaints. And remember, a bad day flying beats the hell out of a good day flipping burgers!
Are there problems at Focus? Sure there are! It's a start up for crying out loud! It's not going to be a perfect airline! Could the pay be better? Sure it could! Are the problems and pay going to be addressed? I believe they will! There is already talk of revisiting the pay scale. As a matter of fact, with the installation of a new Chief Pilot, several new schedulers and licensed dispatchers there have been some immediate improvements and what I believe will be a lot more long term fixes and solutions.
Just remember, when there was talk of Polar going on strike and possibly shutting the doors, there were a heck of a lot of resumes and telephone calls going Focus' way, problems or not!
All I'm saying is give them a chance...we all had to start somewhere and that's what Focus management is asking.."Just let them get the airline up and running." Which by the way, seems to be progressing very well. The company is operating in the black so far and rumors aside, their customers have indicated they are happy with their performance.

How do you feel about spending 120 block hours in 30 day period but only get paid for flight hours? An F/E friend of mine, who is with Focus, who I spoke with last week said there is no change in the near future concerning the pay structure.

[Heilhaavir]

From what I understand they don't hide these facts at the interview. So why complain once you get there. Maybe your friend should simply not have gone since he knew what he was getting into :)

[fr8box]

The pay scales, working conditions, etc. are fully disclosed and discussed at each interview period. Nothing comes as a surprise. If one knows the score prior to going to work there, why complain after accepting employment?

I don't know that the pay scale will change in the "near" future, but I do know that it is being discussed and will probably undergo some modification as the company continues to grow.

Again, it's a start up and start ups have problems....it's not perfect. As far as doing 120 block hours, I haven't done that yet, however I have been paid overtime each pay period and received my days off too! Imagine that!

Once again, it's not as bad as the rumors say. I have friends at other airlines and the things they tell me they've heard about Focus always give me a little laugh...

All of that being said, I don't drink the Kool-Aid. I know there is room for a lot of improvement there. I do see some and hope it continues as the company grows.

[blackbaron]

:hmm: I see the hatorade is still flowing against Focus

[747loadie]

re focus air;;;Ratty - If you think back AFX rostered their Loadmasters LUX/ABU DHABI/SIN/HKG/BOM/ABU DHABI/LUX on the eastbound sectors and LUX/JFK/MEX/IAH/YMX/PIK/LUX on the westbound sectors. They were pretty shattered but did the work!!!:

[fac747fe]

Nothing gives me greater pleasure (its only a phrase) to come on here and see all the people who more than likely don't work for Focus... but who have friends at Focus... and they seem to know all the ins and outs of this airline. I guess if we can't complain about our own airline, we can complain about someone elses.

That said... when I interviewed and WAS HIRED at Focus... all the pay issues were fully disclosed. There was no hidden information about how we would be paid. Everyone was told the bid period for each month was 19 days, 38 days for the two month bid period. 60 hours a month for a total of 120 hours for the two month bid period. Anything over 38 days in two months or 120 hours in two months was considered overtime. Now here is the funny part... very few crew members here get over 60 hours a month or 120 hours in the two month bid period. Very few. I know for a fact I haven't come close to 120 hours in two months. Instructors, well, they may or may not. In the very beginning, there were hours to be had by those FEW that were qualified to fly the planes. As we got more crew members out there qualified, the hours per month came down. Now, getting over 120 hours in two months is almost unheard of. Even if we did use actual "block to block" time, we aren't getting close to the 120 hour mark. We do much better by being out over 38 days if we want overtime. And that sometimes happens because we don't really have the best in crew sheduling.

I can't say I blame anyone that wants to leave over the pay issues here. The pay here is better than a lot of airlines out there. We almost mirror what Atlas crews are paid. I started here at $2.00 more an hour that I would have made after 7 years at Omni, had I stayed there... what does that say? And I'll get a $9.00 a hour raise soon. At most, from what I understand about our new Chief Pilot, he doesn't care for the two month bid period and would like to see it go to a monthly program. Will that happen, depends, on whether he can convience Mr. McElroy who likes the two month program.

I got friends here who also aren't happy and they are looking for jobs elsewhere. That's their business. All of them are doing it for different reasons... pay isn't always the issue here. Sometimes it's an equipment issue. Anytime someone can get hired by a "major" airline they should go for it. I would if "major" airlines hired FEs. The quality of life isn't that bad here. We stay in pretty nice hotels... we get things paid for by the company that other airline crews wish they could get... we have good equipment considering its older stuff... things are slowly (sometimes too slow though) coming together and within a few years, this may be a pretty darn good place to work. We even hired five Polar guys during their strike... they didn't stay after the strike, but we must have looked pretty good to some people out there.

So give Focus a break. Like it has been said here several times, this is new airline with only 6 or so months under their belt. It takes time to get the bugs worked out but no matter how much time it takes, not everyone will be happy here. For some, they won't be happy anywhere they go, they just want to work someplace and talk about how great it would be to work someplace else. We all have met that person sometime in our flying career.

I'm here for the long haul, as most Flight Engineers are. I'm making the best of what this company has to offer and hopefully will offer in the future.

Keep the dirty side facing the ground... FACFE

Oh, I talked to some Polar guys in Almaty, they said they are looking forward to becoming the newest airline purchased by Focus Air :D (for those of you that didn't get it... that was a joke).

[Roadtrip]

I might be interested in Focus. A few questions:

1. Does Focus have jumpseat agreements with the pax airlines?
2. What is Captain's pay?
3. What's the guarantee?
3. What is the normal schedule . . . 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
4. Are they going to be expanding soon?

[trashhauler]

I interviewed and was offered a job. Didn't like the pay, didn't like the working conditions, stayed where I am. Nothing against Focus, just my requirements were a bit higher than what was offered. If you like Focus, great. If you don't know anything about it, let those who are there do the talking and shut up. I am sure the Focusites know more than you do.

[Po Boy]

I interviewed and was offered a job. Didn't like the pay, didn't like the working conditions, stayed where I am. Nothing against Focus, just my requirements were a bit higher than what was offered. If you like Focus, great. If you don't know anything about it, let those who are there do the talking and shut up. I am sure the Focusites know more than you do.

trashhauler,

Would you mind answering the questions Roadtrip asked in the post above yours?

This might help those considering going to a Focus interview, make an informed decision, as to whether they should go on the interview or not!

[fr8box]

The following is from an earlier post regarding captain's pay:
The pay rates only go through the first five years right now. they are:
first year.........$98.00
second year....$104.00
third year........$113.00
fourth year......$120.00
fifth year.........$127.00
add $10.00 per hour to the above for any time flown above 70 hours per month which is pretty easy to do with the present contracts and certain pairings. Not so easy to do on other pairings.
I might be interested in Focus. A few questions:
1. Does Focus have jumpseat agreements with the pax airlines?
2. What is Captain's pay?
3. What's the guarantee?
3. What is the normal schedule . . . 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
4. Are they going to be expanding soon?
Focus does have a jumpseat coordinator who is continually working to secure agreements with all the major airlines. We have jumpseats with other cargo carriers and are working, although it's slow, to secure seats with the major carriers.
The guarantee is 60 hours per month for a two month bid period. That's 120 hours in within the two months. Anything over the 120 is paid at normal rate plus anything over 140 is paid at what's being called an aux rate. Basically at a $10.00 override. (round numbers) There is a 3.16 hour daily trip pay and 3.5 hour trip pay for days on reserve or days off. Pay is at the highest number of hours....flight pay or trip pay. Flight time is paid at the scheduled (flight plan scheduled time) flight time. It's not the best system and there has been talk of revisiting the pay scale...nothing as of yet.
Days on duty are 19 on ( which includes travel) and 12 off...supposedly guaranteed. As of now that can be give or take a few days either way (mostly give). Depending upon which schedule or pairing you are on. Those extra days are paid at the 3.5 hour daily rate.
Focus is expanding. The plan is to secure up to 4 more aircraft in the year 2006. Aircraft number 4 is due to be delivered withing the next two months. Resumes continue to flow in and a hiring pool has been established. Classes are slated to be started every two months for the remainder of 2006. It was to be every month but due to a slowdown of aircraft delivery, the classes will be doubled up and only start every two months....
Hope this helps. It's not perfect, but not terrible...hopefully it will get better. I do see some signs of improvement in all areas.

[Po Boy]

fr8box ......................... Thanks!

[turrbntrip]

Good luck, Focus people...!

TT