Pretend to pay me and I will pretend to work

[Plectron]

This is what the world of Professional Aircrew salaries has become:
Friday 7 January, 2011

Dear Fellow Crewmember-

It is with great pleasure that Paramount announces vacancies for MD-11 crews for a pending contract. We will need 5 Captains and 5 First Officers.

Training for all crewmembers will be provided. The anticipated start date for training is 1 February, 2011.

Crews will be based in Helsinki, Finland flying MD-11F aircraft to HKG, ICN, and JFK. The rotation will be 20 days on and 10 days off in a continuous block.

Contract term will be one (1) year renewable

Compensation:

Per diem: $ 55 U.S. per day (for days spent away from home)
Captains: $ 8,846.16 U.S. per month
First Officers: $ 6,538.48 U.S. per month

Salaries are fixed: no overtime (expected average flight time to be 65-70 hours per month)

Hotel will be provided in Helsinki and at all layovers.

Requirements are as follows:

Captains:

Total Flight Time: 5000 hours,
MD-11 PIC: 500 hours,
English Proficiency: ICAO Level IV,
Maximum Age: 64
ICAO Air Transport Pilot Certificate with MD-11 type rating,
Current First Class Medical Certificate,
Current Passport,
No Criminal History,
No History of Incidents or Accidents

First Officers:

Total Flight Time: 2,000 hours,
Turbine Time: 500 hours,
English Proficiency: ICAO Level IV,
Maximum Age: 64
ICAO Air Transport Pilot or Commercial Pilot Certificate,
Current First Class Medical Certificate,
Current Passport,
No Criminal History,
No History of Incidents or Accidents.

We are sending this announcement out to all members of our databse due to the fact that First Officer candidates do NOT need to have a MD-11 type rating.

[punk666]

So whats the point of this post? Except the fact it seems to be an opportunity to be based in Europe.

[click]

Come back in a year and this post will be hilarious!

[Bealzebub]

I am a bit confused as to why you would be applying, if it was your intention to "pretend to work"?

I can fully understand why somebody might read this and think, "not for me!" But it is also just as likely that there will people who will want to apply, with every intention of being as disciplined and professional as they normally are.

Whatever you or I might think about the offer, it seems a waste of time to even contemplate it, if you are not satisfied.

[dynamite dean]

9000US ( sounds (is it)tax free?) in which case that is pretty good £110,000 year grossing up. ...mmm ok my names in the hat!

[d105]

A tax free income does not exist. If you're not paying tax you're breaking the law somewhere. It's up to you.

So how about it guys? Where's the bashing now another airline tries to pay the same amount to their captains as mine does to their FO's

[Sodastream]

Doesn't sound that bad a deal to me. I could use a job like that. Anyone have a link for the details?

[Clandestino]

Hotel will be provided in Helsinki and at all layovers.

How considerate. Really, has crew accommodation became optional or the person writing the ad has no idea about the way things work in the wonderful world of cargo aviation? Perhaps it's a subtle hint that possessing a crash pad near JFK or ICN will not be considered an advantage when applying as hotel is paid for, anyway.

[747JJ]

Dear Clandestino

You would be surprised how many companies, mainly the lowocos have you pay for your own upkeep and transportation to and from the base airport. Not the best arrangement unless you happen to be from the particular city you get based in.

I would not take accomodation for granted anymore, but one can always say NO to shait contracts.

[captainsuperstorm]

fake...

why no type rating?
many guys here are type rated. this come from Nigeria?

[411A]

A tax free income does not exist.

Not so...it entirely depends on the location.
The twenty days on results in $9946/mo or thereabouts.
Not great, but reasonable.
An MD-11 is quite a nice airplane, so...what's the beef?

[overun]

How does that tax free income work then ? Please tell.

[411A]

How does that tax free income work then ? Please tell.

It works for a US citizen, and is regulated for that person under section 911of the US Internal Revenue code.
If I work in SaudiArabia or the UAE (just for two examples) the income I receive is free of any local tax, and...free of US income tax, with certain limitations.
The UK has similar procedures for their citizens, based overseas in a tax-free country.
Now, I do not know about the specific MD-11 contract mentioned, so...one would have to ask when applying.

[3 Holer]

If you're not paying tax you're breaking the law somewhere.

Not so. I worked in Bahrain for 3 years and paid no tax. I checked it out with the Australian Tax office and no problems. I agree with 411A, there may be some limitations, but there are tax free countries all around the world where you are not breaking the law if you don't pay tax.

[dynamite dean]

thanks 3 holer/411

[ATP_Al]

Anyone got a link for this advert?

[lesserweevil]

it's a much nicer salary they're offering there than what I earn at the moment!

However I'm happy not going to Finland

[BitMoreRightRudder]

Still waiting for Plectron to come back and tell us the catch. From the details provided for an F/O it certainly seems a reasonable deal, you get typed on an MD11 and get paid a reasonable salary on a fixed term contract. All they ask is for 500hrs turbine and 2000hrs TT.

There are, sadly, a multitude of far worse deals out there, I'm suprised this one has been highlighted!

[Damianik]

The catch is that now that they got many applications are actually telling "the operator request wide body international experience, sorry"

got email this morning.
D

[411A]

... they got many applications are actually telling "the operator request wide body international experience, sorry"

Not surprising, considering the present situation in the job market.
However, having said this, I personally have found that when an operator desires crew on a longer term basis, it is many times desirable, from a personnel standpoint to hire slightly less experienced folks, and train them to your company procedures and policies...rather than get (for example) some know-it-all senior First Officer who is chomping at the bit to move to the LHS and tries to tell the company management at every opportunity that the Captains they have hired should be replaced with themselves and/or...the company is doing-it-all-wrong.

EK, just as a perfect example, is an airline that aptly demonstrates this slight problem with some of their First Officers.
This is generally called the bit*hing and moaning crowd....and should be avoided at all costs.