W Weasel

Cheez:

Not too good. A couple of us are old military guys (even a Canadian Herk guy) got on, a few of us centerline thrust only too BUT, the company does demand guys with 320 (330, 340 etc) time and type for Captains. What the shortage will bring - your guess is as good as mine. But combat in 105s does not count.

Burners and Out

NoJoke

Mr W,

I am trying to contact Vince Kehoe, he works for AA as an FO i believe. I tried to PM you but it seems to be blocked. Please PM or help. PS when in the RAF I had no burners ........

W Weasel

Oh those Brits - always short changing you on good stuff Before the drop it is a reason, after it is an excuse

Sure I know Vinnie. Brought him back from Sanna last week on the jumpseat. Crazy guy went to buy some honey.

PM me again and I will forward you info to him

B&O

NIK_

Hi,

I have an interview and screening as FO with Air Arabia in the next few weeks.I am type rated on A320 including 1000hrs on type.

i was reading already a lot of great and useful infromation about the company and to be honest, I am impressed.

But I would appreciate any information about the interview e.g. is there any techn. quiz, how many people will be from AA in the interview, how long is it going, is there anything that i can prepare (history of AA)?

Also, some details about the screening. in my last screening I had 5 ! Captains in the sim, so what can I expect (suppose some dual failures,raw data approach...?)

Thank you

greendotspeed

Any dats yet for the January interviews?

pezetaroi

Some Captains and F/Os came for money. Pay is much higher here than in their native country. This group consists mainly of the South Americans (including Mexicans)

Regarding the "Mexicans" most of them are from Mexican LCC's. But the few that have left Aeromexico or Mexicana, have done it to get the left side, not because of the salary...

cameltoe2006

Which means....MORE MONEY! Get the logic?

pezetaroi

What I meant was that the mexican LCC pilots are the ones who are moving out because of money, not the case in Aeromexico (1) or Mexicana (5) which are doing it basically to get the left seat...

W Weasel

I can't argue but the guys I fly with say otherwise. Not LCC but mainline Mexicana!

I mean no disrespect to any carrier - most of us are other carriers at some time - whether retired or not; but the facts are the facts. Cash is king in most parts of the world and from what they say, it was cash in one form or another (upgrade is cash.)

B&O

W Weasel

Hey has1440:

I'd say you have a very good chance. Not that I am anyone other than a line guy, but from what you said your shot seems good. Once again that simply comes from a line type that has been here a long, long, long, long, long, long, long time. You can never tell what bug has been where on any given day during interviews

Big bus is good. I came from the big bus myself and the baby bus is pretty much the same (PRMs are replaced with ELAC, FACs etc) but mostly the same.

As for your question on housing - yes it is paid. Captains get 12,000 a month (about $3,300 US.) You can take it all at once (144K) or included monthly in your salary.

You also get transportation allowance - 1,000 a month ($275 US.) This is oil country so fuel is cheap if you are from NA or EU. No Taxes.

Housing cost is fairly close to Kai Tak - maybe a little cheaper (haven't been there in a few years so I may be out of touch.) Heck you changed the checker board on me

Hope this answered your ?

B&O

PS I did not answer your basic question. Yes, with you time in type, command time in type and total time - I'd say you are well qualified for a DEC position. Nothing beats a trial but a failure. Try - you have nothing to loose now do you.

But as Dennis Miller says: "But then again I could be wrong!"

W Weasel

Hey hevlad:

You ask some hard questions but I will try to answer
them as best I can. Please be assured this is only my
personal opinion.

Let me answer your question as best I can. Your time
is right in line with most of the F/Os hired by the
company, but you know all too well that getting hired
is more than just flight time and ratings. That part
is completely up to you and how much you want the job.

As for the aircraft purchases, you are right. I am
not sure on the numbers (for I have heard different
numbers) but it is somewhere between 34 and 45 planes.
I believe the book values at the Dubai air show was
about $3.5 billion US – google it and find out for
sure. Opportunities abound in the sand pit!

As for upgrading in the first year! Well let me say
this, and once again it is simply opinion – everyone
has one like a butt. Don’t go into an interview with
that attitude for I am sure you will not get into the
door. Surely we all want to get that left seat, but
management does not want to hear that – trust me for
that is 20,000+ hours jet time and 32 years experience
in the airline business (not including Air Force
time.)

But the answer – well not much in this part of the
world is seniority based, but at ABY that is the
exception. You will be upgraded, or checked for an
upgrade, when you have the seniority. It’s your time!
That assumes you have the licenses and time, which
from what you said you do, but you will have to wait
your turn. Now with the planes coming that may not be
too long!

Normal upgrades are going faster than they did years
ago – at least that is the way it appears now. I take
a plane from a captain that, it seems, last week he
was flying right seat. But then again the fall of the
Soviet Union seems like yesterday to a fart like me.

Realistically, it seems like it is about 1.5 to 2
years to upgrade. The good part is that it does
happen. A very large part of our Captains flew with
me “yesterday” as F/Os.

Now your statement on housing allowance – is it
enough? You are a pilot and you should know by now it
is never enough! If it is, give me your next raise
for I have a teenage daughter (yes the sperm count is
still high) that can spend it for you. Look back on
my previous posts and you will see information on my
place. It’s over 450 sq meters (5,000 sq feet) of
family home with a separate 3 bedroom, 2 baths and
kitchen for servants – I only have 2.

You will hear that our allowance is not even in the
ball park of what it costs. What do you want? I live
in a nice upper middle class area, quiet with all the
amenities right next door. What do you want? For me,
and that is just for me, it is fine. I am a Captain
and an F/O’s housing allowance would leave me with
extra cash in my pocket, not alone my allowance. But
then again I have that teenage daughter.

As for the ATPL, you will need a GCAA license. If you
have an FAA, CAA or JAA license it will transfer
automatically, but you will have to take a local Air
Law exam – no sweat.

Hope this helps.

Burners and Out

W Weasel

Greendot:

I have no info on the hiring process. Couldn't begin to answer what questions are asked etc, BUT I can tell you the interview dates. I am a Captain and we know all that info. Well that is what I tell my wife

Next date is the 28th - 29th of Jan. You can find all the dates on the web site. http://www.airarabia.com/careers.html Good Luck!

B&O

W Weasel

It hasn't been two hours and I'm already received incoming. I figured I would get some flack on the housing opinion, but I stand by what I said. Several of our guys PMed me and disagreed. But here is what I say. I put it publicly for what I said before was also public.

I was accused of not fully disclosing myself. Well I felt every pilot at ABY knows who I am – at least those on the board.

OK for full disclosure to the rest of you. I retired from one of the largest airlines in the USA. I get a nice retirement check (deferred for USA tax purposes,) but I DO NOT SUBSIDIZE MY LIVING HERE WITH ANYTHING! I did work next door (EK,) before ABY, until we S-canned each other. They did not like me, my attitude and I was not going to put up with their BS - I worked in the “real world.”

Yes, I did meet a few “locals” over the years and one is a partner in another business I have here. That business, while gaining me some access, also does not subsidize my living – I DO NOT TAKE ONE CENT FOR CURRENT PERSONAL USE!

I live exactly like every other pilot at ABY and anyone that knows me, knows I dance to a different drummer. I do not follow the party line I simply fly airplanes.

One repeated theme was my ownership of company stock. That is true I do own a lot of stock, but please understand. When I came, the company was a baby. No one knew who Air Arabia was not alone wanted to fly on them. Yes, I personally talked with the CEO and asked about stock – it was in his plan. Mr. Ali is a man of his word and has an open door policy for EVERY pilot. You may not like the answer, but you can take it to the bank, unlike most CEOs I have known over the years (as an ALPA member, I walked the line with the Continental guys in October 83 over Frank Lorenzo)

So yes, I bought stock and currently I own a lot of it. I have pilot friends at FedEx (SD) and Southwest (LF) that made a killing with stock in a company that had a good idea. I am not saying Adel Ali is a Fred Smith or Herb Kelleher, but he is pretty sharp. I simply wanted to ride his coat-tails and he gave EVERY pilot the SAME opportunity to do that.

You can take a horse (or camel) to water; but you can not make it drink the water.

The quarter of a million shares was given to every Captain and the ability to buy additional cheap shares was offered to every pilot – I simply took advantage and bought a whole lot more – I am not ashamed for it was NOT SPECIAL TREATMENT.

But please guys think about it. If my statements were based upon my portfolio, do you think, as a stockholder I would care WHO flies the planes? Do you think I would give a S about housing for pilots, skeds, benefits etc? I have been instrumental in many of the programs here at G9 in an attempt to make it better for the pilots (mostly unsuccessful but a few triumphs.)

So in full disclosure, I stand by my facts. Yes if you want to live in the high rent district of Dubai, you will loose in the housing game – heck the medium rent district today. AIR ARABIA IS BASED IN SHARJAH! No, I repeat, no airline in the world cares where you live, but where you live is directly proportional to your quality of life.

You want to live close to work, in nice areas, close to good schools where your kids don’t have to spend an hour on a bus to and from school; housing will cost you a fraction. Your choice! I know all the arguments, it does not matter. You can tell me a Romeo & Juliet is bad for my health but I LIKE CIGARS! So you can be healthy and die like Jim Fix or I can go out like George Burns.

My Argument by which I stand:

It IS FULLY POSSIBLE TO FIND A LARGE VILLA (OVER 300 SQ METERS) FOR UNDER 120K A YEAR! (120 is a high number for they exist – new units – under a 100 but you have to look. Not where every one else from your country is living, but they exist. Think outside the box guys – well I guess we do drive a bus – TCAS below! WHY at 260?

You have the lead

Burners and Out

cameltoe2006

W Weasel,

The beer is freezing cold! Cheers buddy!

Camel

greendotspeed

I would like to know how many people will get called for the interview. Hope I am one.
Good luck to all.

W Weasel

I got tons of PMs and will try to answer all of you in the next few days. This is ABY and we have little time to chat Well if we have family and all that other stuff airlines don't think we need.

For my friend at Cathy, I will give you my opinion ASAP for I fully understand your situation.

GTG

B&O

W Weasel

Hey guys I am really sorry for taking so long to get back with you. Let me address your issues as best I can.

Golgaholic:

First things first: Pitch and Put 11 minutes from SHJ airport. 18 holes (opening in 2009) 3 minutes from my place - yeah!

Ok on to your questions.

1.) Is Sharjah a good place to live in terms of shopping, amenities,
cinemas, schools and driving to work?”


“I do not know what exactly you are asking. Is SHJ a DXB, then the answer is a resounding NO! Is it better that Pueblo Colorado, then the answer is a resounding YES!

You mentioned your family (I purposely left that out.) I have 4 kids ranging in age from 16 to 7. OK I robbed the cradle and my wife is a lot younger than me but I don’t shoot any blanks.

You will get a lot of different opinions on SHJ but for me it quite fine I will say. But then I dance to a different drummer. Everything you mention; shopping cinemas, schools is all right here and some of the best you will find.


“2.) I know ABY works you hard there (not a problem because they work me
hard here too but I feel they aren't paying me the industry standard.)
But will I find time to see my kids grow up during my days off or
standby days?”


OK ABY is not the airline you are use too. You will be home every night but you will fly every day. It is as close to an 8-5 job as you can find in the airline industry. Having said that it is not 8-5 but more like 6-9!

You will have plenty of time off if you use it wisely. You go on a BAH or KWI you will leave at 7:30 AM and be home at noon. Plan it wisely and you have the rest of that day to do what you want. If you fly LONG trips (10-12 hour duty days) – well you will get your time in quick in a month and then have more days off that month. It is all up to you.

The great thing about ABY (for me) is that there is no lost productivity. That said you “strap on an airplane” and when you un-strap you go home. No wasted time sitting waiting for a connecting plane, etc. Your duty time will be very close to your flight time (excluding check in and check out.) You fly (block) 8 hours, your duty time is less than 9 (excluding check in and out.) Including those 2 you got 10:15.

When I say you go to work at 7AM and get home at noon you just blocked 3.5 hours and got paid for 4.




3.) What are the rents like for a 4-bedroom apartment at Buheira/
Corniche or is there really a 4 bedroom villa in Sharjah that the allowance
can cover? Do you know of a website I can find for rentals in Sharjah?

Talk the cornice - you are talking high rent district. I am not a good source for the rents there for there are guys on the sight who live there and can give you much better info.

I can talk about my place and it is 5 minutes from the airport – traffic or not. 6 bedrooms, 7 bath, plus 3 maid’s rooms about 5000 sq ft. on a half acre lot! Bells and whistles included and it is 95K a year. Corniche I believe you might get 2 bedrooms for that?



4.) With regards to the flying pay, if I work 80 hours flat for a
month(240dirhams per hour) and the average credit pay of 110 hours, am I
right to say that I would earn AED26400(240 times 110)? Or am I
calculating this wrong?


YOU ARE CALCULATING IT WRONG! The pay for Capt’s (flight pay that is) 30,60,120,240 for 0,25,50,75 hours. In other words you get 30 Dhm for each hour below 25, 60 Dhm for each hour between 25-50, etc. So it you fly 100 hours you get 11,250. (750 first 25, 1500, 2nd 25; 3000 3rd 25 & 6000 last 25.) Now the new pay scale has things moved. It is scheduled hours not actual. In other words if a two sector flight is scheduled for 5 hours 10 minutes you get paid 6 hours. Do it in 4 hours and 45 minutes you still get 6 hours (differences for holding, diversions etc.) But in order to fly 100 hours NOW, you will get paid very well – very well.

Of course you get basic which is 40K plus for a Captain (those of us around a while we get seniority pay which adds several thousand dirham to our base.)

So a ball park figure for a new DEC, flying 80 hours block for 100 pay, is about 53,000 AED (or $15,000 US.) You got kids the school allowance went up too.
TAX FREE!

5.) Is Air Arabia really (in your own view) the 'Southwest of the
Middle-East' because if they are, I’d love to work for a great airline like
that?


Capt Lou Freeman and Capt Sam Davis (both retired like me) have been friends for over 35 years. Lou is SWA class of 74 while Sam is FedEx class of 76. I can not tell whether the career my friends had is what one can expect at ABY, but what I can say is I received my pilots license October 9, 1967 and I have been earning my living flying airplanes since I got my Air Force command wings in 1971.

I believe ABY has a good business plan and if they do not screw it up, then they have a good future. I will say this pure and simple. I am retired and I got a check other than ABY. Let the CEO and DO leave – Burners and Out for this boy!



Hope that helps!





"shiny_shoes

What is it like living out in the ME all year round, lifestyle etc


Well it is hot as a fart in an old man’s pants in the summer and cold as the hairs on a polar bear’s ass in the winter!

Now lifestyle – well what is your lifestyle. Guys that is a question that is like pimples on a teenager’s face – each one is different but they all are white. You got everything you can imagine here.

There is one simple saying that hits it right on the head. You know you have lived in the Middle East too long when you think everyone’s first name is “AL.”




”and how easy is it for wives to settle into the new country? “


OK are you asking how easy is it for wives or how easy for YOUR WIFE? I’m married to a Russian 20++++ years younger than me and you want to ask me about wives. You know why there is abuse with women – THEY JUST DON’T LISTEN!

We had a New Years party in our home with over 100 folks. A live band, catered food and a whole lot of fun. Many folks from work but an equal amount from SHJ. My wife got drunk, did the Russian wolf dance along with one of our Captains, I hugged his wife and my daughter ran off with their son – where are they anyway?

We had a great time and it was fully western. A full service bar, food, dancing and all – SHJ is what you make of it and it is what your wife makes of it.






greendotspeed

Man I have no idea how many they call for interview nor how many get picked out of a class. The numbers are simple. 43 airplanes coming in about 6 years. Currently short of pilots every day. Block time will be 900 a year (meaning pay about 1100 a year +/-) Upgrades – dam I can’t see how fast they are happening. Every time I take a plane from someone, the Captain flew F/O for me only a few months ago. I don’t know the exact numbers but about 30-40% of Captains were F/Os in the company (and we have only been around 4 years.) Some Captains (on this board) have been in the left seat 2+ years.

chiggii

P.O. Box 132 Sharjah, UAE
Captain Nabeel (sp), Yasser or Mohamed Ahmed are the bosses (check the spelling on the names for I just say it I don’t write it.)



"Pluto's gone

Pluto I will respect you desire to remain – unknown, but let me say this – it will not help you in the business. Remember we work with gears, pulleys, round dials – ok then FMGCs, MCDU – BUT my point is the squeaky wheel gets the grease. From what you say – go do it! “Nothing beats a trial but a failure.” Don’t ask, don’t get.” A bush pilot – oh god I remember when I was young enough to be a real bush pilot – blond bush, red bush, bla—oh yes: that time was great. Get the ATR but ask now. If you have to ask again – then do what you have to do and ask again – it is that simple.

Remember, most major airline pilots on this planet were someone’s rejection. Well that is unless daddy or their government gave them the job.




has1440

I will write to you privately, but hang in their buddy. You got far too much for anyone here and we need to talk about well you know what.

You got the lead,

Weasel is Burners and Out

greendotspeed

Did anyone go to AA interview on the 28th Jan 08 If yes what did they ask in the interview and the written test?

W Weasel

Hey Guys and Gals:

“What did ABY ask in the interview?”

I can’t answer this question but I can say what I know about the company. For those of you worried about “what are the questions” and “what do they want to know” – I will say this pure and simple. I’m a company stick and rudder guy, but I am not a numbers guy. Those that know me know I can care less “what kind of hair is the hair that is between the speed brake lever.” As for me it was the hair of my last girl friend – course, sweet and really wet!

I don’t care if you can tell me about what ever; I care it you can fly a plane. What the company wants – well know about my girl friend’s hair! Technical knowledge is a really big thing here. I may not agree with it but if you want the job you better know it – you are competing with guys and gals that do!

The questions you should be asking is “what do you want of me?” ABY is a low cost airline and they get the most out of all of us. That’s ok since some of us are (BIG SMILE) stock holders. As the phrase says –you want a piece of this – well please the bosses and the old grumpy Captains flying the line and you'll do fine

You got the lead;

B&O

greendotspeed

Thanks W.W.

I was told by someone that the January interviews was off. Is that correct?
Does the company mind if someone walks in and present himself for employemnt?
I am typed rated, hold a (UAE ATPL) and FAA ATP with the A320 type rating. No time on type but 4500 hrs total. I need a job asap.
What should I do?
W.W may you pm me I tried to pm you and did not get through.