Thanks Frat ! So,how are the rosters generally constructed ? I know you have blank days (days free from duty but subject to change - correct ?) that they put in between trips for legality. Therefore, as such, how do the patterns look like ? 7 on - blank - 6 on - blank. Basically what I'm trying to figure out is how many blank days do you normally get in your 18 day rotation and how many days in a row do you fly between blank days.

You will get something like 3 BD's and 2 STBY days within that rotation. 56 hours flight time give or take. A mix of anywhere from 60% to 90% freight and the rest pax trips! as FM said. There will be a couple of 3 to 6 day freighter trips with 2 to 3 pax trips within a rotation.

Haven said that......! We don't know how AJX will be utilized going forward, the trend is downwards thus far... ! Meaning that the way the line looks today, might not be the way it looks a year from now after the interview process and training:ugh:

Thanks Dom ! Hopefully, somehow things will turn for the better soon ! With a fairly significant pilot shortage facing the Asian market and China starting to offer some serious cash and various commuting options, the last thing I would think is they would want to f:mad: things up for the pilot group. I remember back in the '07, '08 this was a top contract around and its a pity to see it slide.

Anyone recently gone through screening and received a start date? Jan/Mar?

Not me.
Did you go through screening?
If so, how was it?
How long after,did you get called?

general qs
 

Just wondering of there is much opportunity to practice hand flying/raw data etc?

Do fos taxi? From looking at ana cockpit pics on airliners it seems there are normally two tillers

With the number of destinations that Air Japan fly is it still interesting or does it really matter?

Cheers

Just wondering of there is much opportunity to practice hand flying/raw data etc?
I'm guessing that you are asking during regular line operations? Sure..! Most guys do hand fly from time to time, challenging ATC environments, WX, or tired in the middle of the night being the exceptions.

Do fos taxi? From looking at ana cockpit pics on airliners it seems there are normally two tillers
F/O's do taxi on their sectors on passenger flights, the freighters only have a tiller on the left side.

With the number of destinations that Air Japan fly is it still interesting or does it really matter? We have a couple of pretty interesting destinations but with the shorter overnights and the constant change from night to day operations, most of the time the only interesting thing you will find is a fluffy pillow and the "do not disturb" sign:ugh:

Thanks again D

I heard from someone who passed recently that they are on the Jan course, what I found strange is that he said he is doing the sim in Seoul and that the training will take five/six months!!

Is this a new thing or is it always planned for this length but always ends up being closer to 7/8?

Any ideas where they are looking to expand etc, more routes or jet more freq or is this recruitment drive simply
Due to attrition?

Went through screening back in sep, still awaiting final outcome

he is doing the sim in Seoul and that the training will take five/six months!!

Lots of training at mainline with the addition of new frames so they are farming extra sim time elsewhere, it was at Oz for a while but my guess is that Seoul is the flavor of the month. Sorry, I meant flavour..!

Training is the same, I guess he was referring to training up to the sim ride

Any ideas where they are looking to expand etc, more routes or jet more freq or is this recruitment drive simply
Due to attrition?

Maybe someone else knows the latest and the greatest about their future plans and such. I don't even know who the office staff are these days.

Has anyone been invited to interviews lately?

Yes, going to the Sim in December, any one else going?

any DEC update ... thanks

The latest I have heard on the DEC front is they will consider you if you already hold a JCAB license. There is currently a course of 3 DEC's going through now.

Thanks ... next question is how to get a JCAB out of an FAA ATP?

join AJX as an F/o, then you will get the licence.

The way I understand it, to convert from any licence to JCAB, as an individual, is very difficult.

forgive the flippant tone.

The way things are done in Japan are very different in many ways to what a westerner would consider the norm. It generally takes a fair amount of time and exposure before a westerner can feel reasonably comfortable with this.

The recent pass rate with DEC's at AJX has not been very good,so I guess they are now looking for pilots who have had some experience flying in the JCAB environment before employing them as DEC's.

Basically, if you have not flown for another Japanese operation, the chances of a DEC position are, for now, pretty slim.

gtseraf is basically correct - if maybe a little shy.

Happy to be corrected - but there is NO WAY a paper transfer from FAA to JCAB can happen for a gaijin.
You hear enough horror stories from the young'uns who have headed to the states then come back with the FAA licence; it may work out a little cheaper overall but tons and tons of bull****.

One thing you have to understand - your "experience" may get you a position but once you lob into Japan you have NO EXPERIENCE and will be treated as such...because the only TRUE experience in the known universe is in JAPAN in a JAPANESE opertion.

Anything else is simply inferior, foreign delusion.

Get a position - get the licence as a consequence.

Cheers.

Some seem to cruise by and other have to be placed on suicide watch:ugh:
Don't really know why, it is just the way it is I guess. I particularly didn't think it was that hard, just long and repetitious........! The hardest thing I thought was to keep motivated for that long period of time, beer helped though:}

... see you at jetleg!

re-SIM from crew today
 

Any updated's from those that went last in night Vancouver? any help is appreciated....

Vancouver
 

Who is is Vancouver now? I am at the Ramada by the airport, let me know if you want to compare notes, etc
J