Air Japan (AJX) B767

[Fratemate]

Mackey,

As you have the 757/767 on your licence you are considered type-rated. IF they can pair you up with another type-rated pilot then the course is very slightly shorter as you don't need to do the 767 groundschool (although you will still do performance etc) and you don't need to do the type-rating test in the sim. You'll still do all the same air law, radio, emergency stuff etc. In total you may save approximately one month if you're lucky but if there's no other type-rated pilot to partner you then you'll be along for his ride and just twiddle your thumbs while they do groundschool.

[Pinxo]

Air japan Ops and Maintenance

Good evening everyone,

First of all I’d like to thank everyone that has been posting such useful information on this thread, very informative and above all, polite and professional. I’ve been following it for quite a while and I recently decided to pull the trigger on the pre-screening process through CREW.

I’ve read pretty much every post and discussion on the topic and I feel like a have a good grasp on what to expect, nonetheless I’d like to hear from some of the more “senior” guys on here about their thoughts on AJX operations, reliability and maintenance.

Is safety really number one priority for management or is it influenced by performance goals? How are the airplanes? I know it’s 70’s technology, but is half the plane gonna be deferred when we show up or are they good about fixing/maintaining things?

What’s the mentality of most of the pilots you fly with, regarding SOP compliance and safety? How about CA/FO culture? Is it gonna be like some other Asian carriers where you don’t touch anything till you’re told to or is it based on CRM?

Well, I hope y’all get the idea of what I’m asking, I really appreciate everyone’s time and responses on here. Thanks in advance and Merry Xmas to you all.

[The Dominican]

Is safety really number one priority for management or is it influenced by performance goals? How are the airplanes? I know it’s 70’s technology, but is half the plane gonna be deferred when we show up or are they good about fixing/maintaining things?

It is doubtful that you will find better maintained airplanes anywhere! You will come across an MEL mostly on seats or cargo locks etc, but an operational MEL not that often. To give you an idea, I've been here for 12 years and I've encountered a differed APU twice. They also give you plenty of fuel, they put a second alternate without requiring it, besides that, If you request a change of route or request more fuel, they just go off and do it, there is no arguing about it with some dispatcher.

What’s the mentality of most of the pilots you fly with, regarding SOP compliance and safety? How about CA/FO culture? Is it gonna be like some other Asian carriers where you don’t touch anything till you’re told to or is it based on CRM?

The pilot group for the most part are pretty standard as far as SOP's are concerned, CA/FO culture is pretty relaxed, we have our 5% of names that are the protagonists in 85% of the stories but that is in every pilot group. Good group of people to fly with.

The issues here are not with the operation nor the pilot group, now there are some company culture issues that are annoying and some people seem to be given a harder time than others, some folks are given preference on trips and being able to leave on the last day of duty for example, some pilots are given the hardest trips sometimes twice within a roster and others almost never get those harder trips, things like that that just tend to pissoff people without any logic or necessity!

[mike1985]

Hi everyone and happy new year! Thanks for all the great information on this thread over the years!

I am considering applying to AJX and EK as an FO. I have been through every single page of this thread as well as the various EK threads on Pprune and am curious to know peoples opinion on which of the 2 is a better option at the moment.

I am not overly concerned about time to command, nor am I overly concerned about the salary or aircraft type. My main concern after flying a brutal narrow body schedule for the past few years is lifestyle. Wherever I go next will simply be a choice as to which will give me the most time off, and the least fatigue. If I am not mistaken AJX and EK days off over the course of a year (including leave) are more or less the same, just that at AJX they are consecutive. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy landings

[jrmyl]

Originally Posted by mike1985

Hi everyone and happy new year! Thanks for all the great information on this thread over the years!

I am considering applying to AJX and EK as an FO. I have been through every single page of this thread as well as the various EK threads on Pprune and am curious to know peoples opinion on which of the 2 is a better option at the moment.

I am not overly concerned about time to command, nor am I overly concerned about the salary or aircraft type. My main concern after flying a brutal narrow body schedule for the past few years is lifestyle. Wherever I go next will simply be a choice as to which will give me the most time off, and the least fatigue. If I am not mistaken AJX and EK days off over the course of a year (including leave) are more or less the same, just that at AJX they are consecutive. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy landings

Do you like to fly 50 hours a month or 90? Do you like varied temperatures or the heat?

I have no personal experience at EK, just what I hear from others and those who have left EK to come to AJX.

[heavydane]

Same,

Do You want to to relocate to the desert or live at home?
For me this is by far the better job, but each to his own.

Regards
HD

[Moony123]

I'm leaving the airline down the road from EK for a March course with AJX. I can tell you that while i've (mostly!) enjoyed it here - it's not home, and for most people never will be.

And Dom, Frate, jrmyl, HD, gt and the rest - Thanks for the answers to some of my Q's a while back, and all the other invaluable feedback you guys post here. I'll buy the first round.

[mike1985]

Thanks for the responses.

1 last question please.......

I read that you do a medical as part of the screening process and then another one at some point during the training period. Is this second medical to a higher standard or can you be comfortable that having passed the screening medical you should be able to pass the second one? And if you did fail the second one for something that’s correctable do you think they would work with you or put you out on the street?

Thanks

[jrmyl]

Originally Posted by mike1985

Thanks for the responses.

1 last question please.......

I read that you do a medical as part of the screening process and then another one at some point during the training period. Is this second medical to a higher standard or can you be comfortable that having passed the screening medical you should be able to pass the second one? And if you did fail the second one for something that’s correctable do you think they would work with you or put you out on the street?

Thanks

I don't know the exact standards, but I think the second one is the same or slightly easier than the first. I actually failed the first due to high blood pressure. Did several rechecks after returning home and they accepted my doctors results which were all normal. Guess it was just the stress of the current situation at the time.

So I would hope that if it is something that isn't too serious they would work with you. Of course you never know as some times it seems they make up the rules as they go.

[mike1985]

That’s great to hear. Thanks for taking the time to reply! All the best

[goodSK]

Just out of curiosity since requirements for FO position is pretty high.

Wondered if there are many ex-captains from other airlines applied for FO position and operating in-line?

[Fratemate]

Yes, there are quite a few FOs who have been captains in previous airlines. Most, I would say, have been regional captains on aircraft such as the CRJ but there are some who were captains for major airlines on larger aircraft. As the rules changed for DECs to have a JCAB ATPL (it didn't use to be the case), there are many pilots who have the flying time and experience as a captain but no Japanese licence.

There are some who tell you within a few seconds how they were a captain on an XYZ but most of them just do the job and wait their turn for an upgrade.

[DonVitto]

What are the realistic minimums to get a call for the assessment, or will 4500h Jet PIC minimums be enough?

Thanks in advance.

[DonVitto]

Thanks for the overwhelming amount of responses guys! ��

[Fratemate]

Depends what sort of 'jet' I would imagine. Citation etc; probably not. CRJ, Airbus, 737 etc; definitely. Or you could ask the contract companies and get a definitive answer, they'd probably be more responsive.

[777lefty]

Originally Posted by Fratemate

Depends what sort of 'jet' I would imagine. Citation etc; probably not. CRJ, Airbus, 737 etc; definitely. Or you could ask the contract companies and get a definitive answer, they'd probably be more responsive.

Captain Requirements (non-JCAB Licence holders)

• 6,000 hours Total Time
• 4,500 hours Commercial Jet PIC
• Multi-engine Jet experience in excess of 65,000kg MTOW
• Valid ATPL Jet Aircraft Command Rating (aircraft types B737/A320 equivalent or larger commercial jet)
• Must have flown within the last 12 months
• Under 55 years of age at time of commencement
• Valid ICAO Medical Certificate
• ICAO English Level 4 or higher

Captain Requirements (JCAB Licence holders)

• JCAB Licence
• 6,000 hours Total Time
• 3,000 hours Jet PIC
• minimum of 500 hours Jet PIC with a Japanese Airline
• Valid JCAB ATPL with Command Jet Type Rating
• Multi-engine Jet experience in excess of 50,000kg MTOW
• Valid ICAO Medical Certificate
• ICAO English Level 4 or higher

Regards,

Lefty

[Fratemate]

Good point. I was thinking he may have been applying for FO as there was nothing specific.

If the application is for captain then only the contract companies will give the definitive answer and anything here is just guesswork.

[DonVitto]

Thanks for the answers, Some weeks ago I crossed the 4500h PIC threshold to apply, all of these on the A32S, no PIC WB time though.

[bringbackthe80s]

I know about the requirements, but what I’d be considering well is embarking on a 767 DEC contract job in a new part of the world coming from a totally different aircraft

[The Dominican]

Originally Posted by bringbackthe80s

I know about the requirements, but what I’d be considering well is embarking on a 767 DEC contract job in a new part of the world coming from a totally different aircraft

Well, Why not? That is what the majority of us that came as DEC's did!