Saudi National Air Service Info

[Auroradude]

I noticed that Aeropersonnel.com has an ad for Direct Entry Capts on the EMJ 190 at National Air Service, based out of Riyadh or Jeddah. The ad covers all of the benefits, but is a little vague on living arrangements. Can anyone shed some light on:

1. Where do expats live - compound or own arrangements?
2. Where do expat children go to school?
3. What is it like working for the company - pairings, crew rest etc.?
4. Do they cover pairing expenses such as hotels and per diems?
5. What location is better Riyadh or Jeddah?

Any other info would be appreciated...., thanks.

[Bukkake]

1) It depends on a lot of factors. Some live in hotels, some in compounds, and others have rented apartments. It's hard to get into a compound.

2) I have no idea.

3)On the Embraer, mostly flying within KSA. Almost no overnights anywhere yet.

4)They pay for your hotel for the entire time you are on your ON rotation. Perdiem is based on which contract you are on. A direct contract pays 200SAR per day away from Riyadh and 400SAR per day outside of KSA.

5)Jeddah is much nicer, but you WILL be based in Riyadh. There is no Jeddah base for the Embraer.

Training is extremely screwed up right now and it seems no one has a clue how to run the airline. They need Embraer guys really bad now (there are 4 190's sitting in Riyadh on the mx ramp rotting away).

Good Luck

[cf680c2b]

Does anyone know how many planes of each type are coming in the foreseeable future.

[jungledrvr]

While we're asking questions I have one about the GACA written. The FAA just went to a new test bank as of Jan 1, is GACA using the old bank or the new 2009 one?

[TwotterGuy]

Still using the old test bank. Can get it from Gleim and it is allmost 100% the same. Tommy is still running the show in JED, so call him up and ask him.

NAS has dropped all euro-western management and day to day operations are indicative of this. Saudi law dictates the Nationals be in a managerial job, so you figure out what the problem is. You have a banker running the show and , oh yeah, he likes airplanes. You have one of the ME's most notorious DFO's and his two new CPL son's working there. Airbus should ask Sameer what the Bus can really do, cause he's probably taken it further than any of the OEM test pilots have. Only diff is they know what they are doing, smeer man doesn't. However, that doesn't make it wrong in his mind.

Load factor runs about 25-45% percent on a really good day. Seat cost around 10 centsper seat mile and i'll bet that is a little low.

Money is not a problem a NAS because the TWO BIG GUYS won't accept a loss of face and keep the SR flowing.

Lot of really good guys flying there trying to make a go of it and it could work. The business is there, the pilots are there, the planes are there. Everything but competent management.