I'm in the same situation, some guys recived an email from DPI, they need two Capts for October. :confused:

Sorry to resurrect this, but they're still hunting pilots...

Anyone have any hot tips on 757/767 roster structure / layovers? I understand ex-pats are the bottom of the barrel, but what does that actually mean?

maddness
 

im sure you just read the last posts here and don't read whats gone on before.
clearly Astana whilst paying a good salary is one of the worst jobs going, not the worst contract, but then for them the contract is just a carrot to get you there and then to abuse you they neither honour or abide by it. Just ask when you go to interview for a couple of names for expats FO's working there and ask for the name of an expat fo that has been upgraded. they can't give them to you because they know you will not go and the fo doesn't exist, because when it comes right down to it the best discription for it can be summed up in one word. "RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH"
ok so it's one word three times but the truth nothing less and any body else that gives a glowing picture is either management or that muppet in rostering who's name illudes me thank god.
i would just like to add that i have read pprune for some 15 years and never before have i been even tempted to write anything let alone anything bad about a company i have worked for, my grandad always said if you can't say anything good about a person or position then say nothing at all, but this needs the truth to come out.

Upgrades
 

My mate started this post in the fall of 2006. betwix the two of us, we have only seen or heard of one expat upgrade that worked out. That was many years ago. There was such an uproar that Astana vowed to never do it again. They did train a little expat weasle from the F50 to the Bus and the Boeing because he was in training dept, but his incompetence ran him out of town real quick.
There were a series of Dutch pilots that were upgraded from NG capt to 67 capt until the Atyrau incident. But they were temp guys anyway.

Then there was a scandle with a few yanks that were being sent to the States for Instructor training on the Bus. Mid way through, the Kaz got wind that the lads were not going to come back. They had planned on taking there new TRI's and going elsewhere with them. One is now hidden in the FAA dungeons, and the other is have a go at Being an Airbus rep in Miami, though not to successful.

So the the KAZ have been raped a few times and are not likely to go for it again. If your'e counting on an upgrade, best get it upfront, cause the KAZ have seen it all before.

Also heard talk that Capt Tom would give the Bus training a go. But don't think he did. Shame he didn't ....great chap to work with. Yanks pretty much did him in.

Though the thread seems to have died down, those who still come here looking for answers should read the thread: "Air Astana contracts are not worth the paper they are written on".
Just come here and get the ride of your life. I have never before seen such a big expat group where everyone is just looking to get out of Air Astana / Kazakhstan ASAP... Now think about that :ugh:

it's actually a good cotract!
 

Actually it's not all bad here - not at all!! I like it! Ok we have no beach but we have beautiful mountains in Almaty and good nature....
Yes it's true, many expat left - specially on the 75/76.... Not everybody liked the wintere here and will like it - and there were opportunities in Mauritius as far as I remember.... probably also not a bad contract.

On the Airbus fleet I can recall that most pilots that I talked to are very satisfied with their contract!! Some stayed here even for several years and others returned because the grass was not greener at neighbours garden. If you are based in Almaty than you will see that the city has a lot to offer and it's easy to live here (except the smog over the city and fumes in the winter and also the slow traffic in the city and the bad public transportation system is an issue...).
And for sure the police is another big surprise here. Everybody can tell you a story about this - and you always end up giving them a "present" - or they will just take it from your valet!!!! yes it's the truth!!! ;)) because when they stop you they will find something that you did wrong. That's the other side of Kazakhstan.... also lokals don't like this.

The rest is ok here - I can not tell that the company is that bad. Many pilots even returned for x-mas this winter and case by case (probably depending on your past requests...??) for example I even got my birthday OFF. Of cause things could be better like a good requesting system etc but keep in mind, we are just contract workers here..... we are just filling the gap until they have trained enough locals.

Yes we have to be stabilized by 1500/1000' but also other airlines have similar strict stabilization requirements as far as I remember.... I think as a pilot you should be able to handle such requirements - yes we will be using more fuel because nobody will request a vis. app etc. but on the other hand, what is the problem guys????
And everybody knows that the airline is strict about this - and those who want to take chances like maybe being stabilized by 1510 maybe should not fly in Kazakhstan. Set your "gates" right and all will be easy.... They are not looking for cowboy pilots here - which is good that they will be filtered out!!!

On the Airbus we do not have so many layovers because mostly the lokals get them. I prefere this because comparing to other airlines during layover there is rarely any "crew-life" here. In general everybody goes it's own way after check in - which is a bit unfortunate.... Also in general we do not arrive together or leave the airplane as a crew - which was strange at the beginning but you get used to everything. So expect very fast check out after the flight....
Currently the airline is searching for pilots on the Boing and Embraer fleet.
Hope my post helps...... Good luck with your applications - - :ok:

YOU SUCK D--K TOO?

it's actually a good contract!
 

Hi again just wanted to add a further update to my previous post and address some of the statements above.
i was talking to a few of my friends in Astana over the last couple of weeks and they were telling me that the contacts have changed again, now they are open in flaunting their disregard for the origional contract. The Ass that was the rosterer has now apparently moved up in management and now is compounding his hate for pilots from a greater height; I wander if the pilot that was humping his missus will ever quite know the damage to this man since he found out.
Anyway sorry i digress i asked one guy, now that the contract has changed was he happier to be working there and his reply was and i quote.
"No it's still **** just a different stick thats all"
With regard to the statements made above. The Airbus guys and by this i mean FO's that i am talking to say they are thoroughly sick of it but they can't get jobs elsewhere because of the situation in europe at the moment.
And as for filtering out the cowboys unfortunately they aren't filtering out the right people as the expats are mainly, as i saw it a good professional bunch, it's the cowboy locals that they can't do anything about as they have that corrupt union thing going on as i understand.
So you have local captains that bought the english level 4 in russia and clearly can't speak it. you have local FO's that wear 4 bars cos they were captain of something resembling the size and class of a piper cub in the long distant past and they want everyone to know they are better than the expats, the only way they can cos they bought their level 4's to.
now don't get me wrong there is a few core really professional Locals but not enough to sway the situation i think

anyway enough i'll finish

http://i.qkme.me/35cfpm.jpg

Someone had to do it.

Hello Flytopsi,

Do you have some informations about opportunity of line training among Air Astana company.
I have send an e-mail to Air Astana with no answer.
I am a young Pilot A320 Type Rated With 205 total hours.
Do you think if it's possible to deal with they a line traing?
Can you send me a mail or phone if you have company contact?
Thank you!!

Best Reagrds.

Phil

Current Information
 

Any current info on Air Astana? Particularly looking for things like salary breakdown and benefits etc. I saw the ad on the PARC website, but pay wasn't even mentioned. The info on this site is a little old as well.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Assuming 20 duty days per month, that works out to 5000 Euros, or ~$6300 USD. Not very attractive. Is that net or gross income?

Air Astana
 

That is definitely gross pay!

On another note, I just heard that the current VP OPS, GO, has been fired and that the scheduler who is now Director of Not Sure What, is pressing REALLY hard to become the next VP OPS. Now, to the best of my knowledge, his guy doesn't have pilots license but was a navigator or something like that in South Africa. I was always under the impression, perhaps wrongly so, that an airline VP OPS had to be a pilot ( as in having an ATPL WITH considerable experience)! I have also been told that he stands a very good chance of succeeding which will be very bad news indeed ( as if it could get worse) for the flight crews but, unfortunately, just another example of the wondrous workings of Air Astana ex-pat management. I am very surprised that the "locals" put up with it! Oh well!

aybody knows for 757/767 openings for non-typre rated FO's . I have currently 1000 hours on 737ng

Anything new in Air Astana?
 

Hi, I am reviving the thread hoping to hear some news about Air Astana. They are looking for 767-TR pilots through a few agencies.

Can anyone shed some light as to how good the company is at present and any insight on whether it's worth applying for as an FO?

Thanks.

Captains on B767/757
 

Hi guys, yes Astana is looking for expat CPT on all his fleet B757/767, A319/320/321 and Embrair. The pay is 6.500€ + 175€ + 50€ per diem for every day you are on Contract, net. This means that commuting 6/2 the 50€ you'll get it on the 6 weeks ON and not while you're in the 2 weeks OFF.
Flying Hours on Airbus are an average from 60 to 70 per month.
If you can choose Astana instead of Almaty, is colder but there's no pollution and is faster to go back home. They provide confirmed business class tickets when going home

Can anyone advise latest Net Captain salary for a Boeing pilot please?
Thank you in advance.

I keep seeing adverts for DEC for these guys. Any more up to date info?

The latest is that pilots prefer China instead.