Caribbean Airlines
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Originally Posted by damos
F/O on the ATR. I know that you were on the 737, did you enjoy your time there?
Thanks
Thanks
Overall, yes, but it's not a long-term position by any means - at least for an expat.
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CAL conditions on the B737-800
Guys,
Not sure if anyone can assist but I have been offered a contract as a B737-8 Captain with CAL. Some valuable info on this thread, but some is now probably out of date. I am an expat so it is a 12 month rolling contract based in POS.
Can anybody please post (or PM if prefer) details of what to expect in terms of:
Roster, Days of per month in POS, Flying hours, reserves/stand-by's in POS
Accom that CAL provide contractors - I believe it is appartments in Trincity, what are the appartments like, is it a safe area. Is there much to do etc..
Any other details..
Also..Are the B767's that will be operating to London LGW wet leased or are CAL taking the aircraft and crews themselves?
I am European (JAA Licence - assume I would be operating on TT CAA Vlaidation), maried with a baby daughter.. trying to ascertain if the family could come and stay/live wiith me.. (visa's etc)
Any info would be very greatfully recieved.
Regards, Lookoutbelow..
Not sure if anyone can assist but I have been offered a contract as a B737-8 Captain with CAL. Some valuable info on this thread, but some is now probably out of date. I am an expat so it is a 12 month rolling contract based in POS.
Can anybody please post (or PM if prefer) details of what to expect in terms of:
Roster, Days of per month in POS, Flying hours, reserves/stand-by's in POS
Accom that CAL provide contractors - I believe it is appartments in Trincity, what are the appartments like, is it a safe area. Is there much to do etc..
Any other details..
Also..Are the B767's that will be operating to London LGW wet leased or are CAL taking the aircraft and crews themselves?
I am European (JAA Licence - assume I would be operating on TT CAA Vlaidation), maried with a baby daughter.. trying to ascertain if the family could come and stay/live wiith me.. (visa's etc)
Any info would be very greatfully recieved.
Regards, Lookoutbelow..
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Are you working through an agency? If you're paid offshore you'll not have to pay Trinidad taxes; otherwise, look out.
Our apartments never materialized, especially since the company wanted double occupancy. Looks like they've gotten used to the idea. Trincity is close to the airport.
We flew about 60 hours per month, but this took 18 - 20 days, IIRC. There was a lot of back side of the clock stuff. (YYZ-POS, for example).
You'll get a monthly roster a few days in advance, but it gets butchered as the month rolls along. There wasn't much reserve, and you'l probably get assigned a trip the day before anyway. They were quite short of pilots last year.
The plan last year was for CAL to fly the 767's. That was last year, though.
They were wet leasing some North American 757's for other things, though, so who knows?
Our apartments never materialized, especially since the company wanted double occupancy. Looks like they've gotten used to the idea. Trincity is close to the airport.
We flew about 60 hours per month, but this took 18 - 20 days, IIRC. There was a lot of back side of the clock stuff. (YYZ-POS, for example).
You'll get a monthly roster a few days in advance, but it gets butchered as the month rolls along. There wasn't much reserve, and you'l probably get assigned a trip the day before anyway. They were quite short of pilots last year.
The plan last year was for CAL to fly the 767's. That was last year, though.
They were wet leasing some North American 757's for other things, though, so who knows?
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Lookoutbelow,
You can expect 28 day rosters with a minimum of 9 days OFF, most lines run between 50 and 70 hours and are a pretty mixed bag of flying. Miami and Ft. Lauderdale flights are turnarounds (3:30 each way), New York and Toronto's are overnights, hotels are decent, lots of shopping in NYC really close if that's your thing. There are 3 sometimes 4 NYC's a day, one departs at midnight 50, another at around 9 AM and another at 5:30 PM.
Jamaica is also an overnight, decent hotel but Kingston can be dangerous, most crews don't venture too far.
There are quite a few flights throughout the day down to Guyana, 50 minutes south. Some of them overnight and come back to POS in the morning.
You tend to get a 5 day block of reserves somewhere on each roster.
The apartments in Trincity are nice, they're on a golf course with a pool and really close to the airport (5 mins. No airplane noise though).
It's a safe area with a pretty big mall very close, cinemas, lots of food, big supermarket. If you really want to get into some trouble, the capital of Port of Spain is about a 40 minute drive depending on traffic. Lots to do there in terms of socializing and bar hopping. POS can be dangerous if you stumble into the wrong area so best to go with some locals first.
The 767's will be crewed by CAL to start LGW in June. That's actually the reason you'll be here, we need to release about 15 crews off the 737 to crew the 767.
As far as your family staying with you, I don't see a problem. Guys have brought their families to live with them before but I'm not really sure to be honest.
They won't need a visa if they're from the UK but I'm not sure about the length of stay allowed. Ask whoever you're talking to in CAL, they should know.
Even if they'll need to pop back home after 6 months they'll be 4 or 5 flights to LGW weekly.
From all the contract guys I've talked to over the years, it's a pretty good gig. The airplanes are well maintained, the flying's not that tough. Fantastic weather 99% of the time. There are a couple flights that'll wipe you out and have you feeling like a zombie for half a day but you'll find that anywhere you work.
Some people really like Trinidad, some don't. Things work a little different in the islands, that's just a fact of life. CAL is a state run airline and that comes with all the drawbacks as well as all the benefits. But the politics won't really affect you flying the line.
Hope this helps.
Zig
You can expect 28 day rosters with a minimum of 9 days OFF, most lines run between 50 and 70 hours and are a pretty mixed bag of flying. Miami and Ft. Lauderdale flights are turnarounds (3:30 each way), New York and Toronto's are overnights, hotels are decent, lots of shopping in NYC really close if that's your thing. There are 3 sometimes 4 NYC's a day, one departs at midnight 50, another at around 9 AM and another at 5:30 PM.
Jamaica is also an overnight, decent hotel but Kingston can be dangerous, most crews don't venture too far.
There are quite a few flights throughout the day down to Guyana, 50 minutes south. Some of them overnight and come back to POS in the morning.
You tend to get a 5 day block of reserves somewhere on each roster.
The apartments in Trincity are nice, they're on a golf course with a pool and really close to the airport (5 mins. No airplane noise though).
It's a safe area with a pretty big mall very close, cinemas, lots of food, big supermarket. If you really want to get into some trouble, the capital of Port of Spain is about a 40 minute drive depending on traffic. Lots to do there in terms of socializing and bar hopping. POS can be dangerous if you stumble into the wrong area so best to go with some locals first.
The 767's will be crewed by CAL to start LGW in June. That's actually the reason you'll be here, we need to release about 15 crews off the 737 to crew the 767.
As far as your family staying with you, I don't see a problem. Guys have brought their families to live with them before but I'm not really sure to be honest.
They won't need a visa if they're from the UK but I'm not sure about the length of stay allowed. Ask whoever you're talking to in CAL, they should know.
Even if they'll need to pop back home after 6 months they'll be 4 or 5 flights to LGW weekly.
From all the contract guys I've talked to over the years, it's a pretty good gig. The airplanes are well maintained, the flying's not that tough. Fantastic weather 99% of the time. There are a couple flights that'll wipe you out and have you feeling like a zombie for half a day but you'll find that anywhere you work.
Some people really like Trinidad, some don't. Things work a little different in the islands, that's just a fact of life. CAL is a state run airline and that comes with all the drawbacks as well as all the benefits. But the politics won't really affect you flying the line.
Hope this helps.
Zig
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Thanks Zig,
That is excellent infomation..
It sounds OK from what you say..
Not worried about the tiring flights, I am well used to those. Good to hear the apartments are in a safe area.. do you think I will need a car there? apparently CAL pick you up and drop you off from work..
Many thanks again,
Lookoutbelow
That is excellent infomation..
It sounds OK from what you say..
Not worried about the tiring flights, I am well used to those. Good to hear the apartments are in a safe area.. do you think I will need a car there? apparently CAL pick you up and drop you off from work..
Many thanks again,
Lookoutbelow
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I would definitely get a car, you might succum to cabin fever stuck in the apartment in Trincity! Sharing it between 2 or 3 guys would be cheapest. A mid size sedan will probably run you about $1200 US per month from what I can remember.
DRIVE DEFENSIVELY IN TRINIDAD!!!
Zig
DRIVE DEFENSIVELY IN TRINIDAD!!!
Zig
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Flight sim loc?
Hi guys,
First post here, I recently had an interview at CAL at which i was successful at my only problem is I need to apply for my US visa and I need some info for the visa application. I need to know where in Miami the Sim assessment is being conducted? any help in this regard would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying my best to get it from CAL's HR dep't but they have only given me info as to where I'll be staying.
First post here, I recently had an interview at CAL at which i was successful at my only problem is I need to apply for my US visa and I need some info for the visa application. I need to know where in Miami the Sim assessment is being conducted? any help in this regard would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying my best to get it from CAL's HR dep't but they have only given me info as to where I'll be staying.
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The 737's were done at Boeing's facility; this was 1 1/2 years ago. Get the visa done properly; Boeing won't let you past the front desk if your paperwork isn't right.
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So at the begining of the thread you can only apply if you have a jamaican or tt passport. Now they say they are hiring expats... Can someone clarify this ppint?? Also where to apply?? Their website??
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@ RWY_13
thanks for the info, much appreciated. I contacted them and they basically said the same thing. Once the exams are done the TTCAA licence is granted without delay.
Briko has a program geared to cover the exams and it takes approximately 2 weeks and you're all set. However, the modules are all available from the CAA for self study.
thanks for the info, much appreciated. I contacted them and they basically said the same thing. Once the exams are done the TTCAA licence is granted without delay.
Briko has a program geared to cover the exams and it takes approximately 2 weeks and you're all set. However, the modules are all available from the CAA for self study.
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The newspaper article paints a gloomy picture but as is usually the case, there's two sides to every story. Three sides if you include the truth!
The ATR's are not performing anywhere close to what was promised. They are not hauling the load, they're not climbing to efficient altitudes and they're breaking down regularly.
Therefore CAL is actively looking at replacing the whole lot with Dash 8-400's. So the reason that two ATR's are waiting to be collected in Toulouse may not be for lack of funds.
It doesn't make sense to hire and train 30 new hires on the ATR when there's the very real possibility that the airplanes will be returned.
The ATR's are not performing anywhere close to what was promised. They are not hauling the load, they're not climbing to efficient altitudes and they're breaking down regularly.
Therefore CAL is actively looking at replacing the whole lot with Dash 8-400's. So the reason that two ATR's are waiting to be collected in Toulouse may not be for lack of funds.
It doesn't make sense to hire and train 30 new hires on the ATR when there's the very real possibility that the airplanes will be returned.