Any Atlas guys that can give some insight into the job?
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Eastern Pennsylvania
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Any Atlas guys that can give some insight into the job?
I'm currently with another ACMI carrier on the 75/76 and am looking for some inside perspective about day to day flying at Atlas. I'm in the hiring pool but still haven't decided if it's the right place for me. I'm used to flying long-haul charters and being away for 17 days at a stint. I'm more interested in how "happy" the pilot group is as a whole and how the the pilot-management relationship is. The interview process was pretty impressive with a few senior captains telling us how it's a pretty good place. I just don't want to give up a decent job without being fairly sure I'm going making the right move.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: USA
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My perspective...
You may find past posts by many of us here describing the "life".
Probably not much different that any other place. Although.....
Schedule changes ALL the time, hours lost, then gained, then lost again. Wait a minute, can you fly this leg ( your the only one available? ), so hours gained back, maybe, cause they put someone else on, and now your only DH. Hahhaha.
Hotels are nice, although would be nicer if when you checked in, the room reservation was for THAT day, and not tomorrow, and hence no room available. Sometimes happens with travel reservations as well. But what else to expect with all the changes. I would pull my hair out if I were employed in Atlas as a travel or hotel coordinator. Planes ARE nice, although somewhat crowded at times with DH crew. You can always stretch out in the Lav
Crews are great, nice bunch of guys. Soon to integrate flying with Polar crews. A non-event. Soon to get a NEW contract, improvements in many places. Don't expect the improvements to be the focus of conversations.......
I think life here is what you make it, and if your are not happy where your at, you'll probably find reasons not to be happy here as well. Maybe an oversimplification of airline life, maybe not. Atlas has a lot to offer, but you WILL be giving them a pound of flesh for it.
Probably not much different that any other place. Although.....
Schedule changes ALL the time, hours lost, then gained, then lost again. Wait a minute, can you fly this leg ( your the only one available? ), so hours gained back, maybe, cause they put someone else on, and now your only DH. Hahhaha.
Hotels are nice, although would be nicer if when you checked in, the room reservation was for THAT day, and not tomorrow, and hence no room available. Sometimes happens with travel reservations as well. But what else to expect with all the changes. I would pull my hair out if I were employed in Atlas as a travel or hotel coordinator. Planes ARE nice, although somewhat crowded at times with DH crew. You can always stretch out in the Lav
Crews are great, nice bunch of guys. Soon to integrate flying with Polar crews. A non-event. Soon to get a NEW contract, improvements in many places. Don't expect the improvements to be the focus of conversations.......I think life here is what you make it, and if your are not happy where your at, you'll probably find reasons not to be happy here as well. Maybe an oversimplification of airline life, maybe not. Atlas has a lot to offer, but you WILL be giving them a pound of flesh for it.
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Well said, First Step. I'll just add that it's a very good fit for me. I very much enjoy wandering the planet and the changing schedule just adds to the adventure. This place is the brass ring. It's not a fit for everyone but if you love this kind of thing then there's no place better.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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If you currently have a decent job, are you going to be happy sitting as a FO for at least 7 years, and only getting one or two landings per month? Management relationship is ok. Pilot group is as happy as any groups merging can be, with guys going on 11 years as FO and still looking at a couple more to upgrade. But the real problem for anyone joining now is the demographic of the pilot group. There is really no attrition until guys born in 1955 or afterward start to retire, so even with a decent amount of projected growth, there will not be a heck of a lot of career advancement. New contract seems to have some minor improvements, but not what I was hoping for.
Last edited by bigduke6; 14th Jun 2011 at 03:47.
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Most of the folks that I speak with are happy here. Some wouldn't be happy anywhere. It is all what you make of it. I will be in 400 upgrade on my 12th year anniversary with Atlas, but I think the pace will pick up dramatically in the next year.
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Question for you Atlas guys - Do you think I would have any shot at getting on with Atlas as FO , with my 4000 total time, 3500 PIC, 2500 turbine with Falcon 2000 and Super King Air 350 PIC types? Or would my CV end up in the circular file? 
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1Wingnut: The short answer is Yes!
The application is free, do it online, you don't even pay for postage.
Atlas Air, Inc.
Just do it.
Good luck.
The application is free, do it online, you don't even pay for postage.
Atlas Air, Inc.
Just do it.
Good luck.
