Air Sprint Questions - Need Info

helinas · Post by **helinas** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:30 am

Hi guys,

What type of a schedule do Air sprint pilots have? Are they always on call 24/7? Do they give you a day notice, etc? Any info would be appreciated. What is the average working month for sprint pilots?

thanks guys and looking forward to some replies.

helinas

teacher · Post by **teacher** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:30 am

They're on a 12 and 4 schedule and get usually a minimum 24 hours notice of flights. There is the rare last minute call in if a last minute trip comes up or a pilot gets sick but it's not that common at all. I think they fly or are away about 14-16 days a month give or take on the month, busier some months, slower others.

helinas · Post by **helinas** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:36 am

thanks teacher for the info. Do they do alot of overnighters? How many per month? Again thanks for the info and looking for some more if you have any on the above question.

thanks again

helinas

teacher · Post by **teacher** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:42 am

As fo overnights as far as I've seen and heard again it varies, some times all the trips are overnights, sometimes all day trips. Best way to put it is say 50/50, some months being more others less. I think it can depend on what base too whether it's Calgary or Kitchener. From those I've spoken to at Air Sprint that seems to be the case.

helinas · Post by **helinas** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:03 am

thanks again teacher for the info.

I guess my question one more time, If the flight begins in the afternoon and it is an overnighter the guys would be back sometime in the late morning.

thanks

Bill Lumberg · Post by **Bill Lumberg** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:28 pm

Thanks for all of the previous replies. I am still hopeful that someone can give us a better view of what life is like on the line in the Pilatus. What is the Pilatus like to fly? How do you handle the longer flights? What destinations are more "typical" than others for the PC12 crews? Do you tend to stay in nice hotels? What is the normal progression at Air Sprint - how long from PC12 FO to Excel FO would you estimate?

Serious replies please. Thanks in advance.

helinas · Post by **helinas** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:45 am

Do they hire guys in their 40's as FOs on the Pilatus?

thanks

bob sacamano · Post by **bob sacamano** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:10 am

Helinas, I'm afraid you ask questions that people can't answer.

Best thing to do, is to apply, and see if they hire 'your friend' or not. Then, you can come and tell us the answer.

Also, you're asking about the routes, it's all different and depends on different factors. Like you're asking the times they go and come back, dude, it's not a scheduled airline. So it would differ.

If they feel like having a second cup of coffee, they will.

If they feel like having one more go with the mistress, they will.

So times always will change.

helinas · Post by **helinas** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:10 pm

actually bob sacamano I am enquiring about myself and not "my friend". Hey I just asked a simple question and I maybe hoped that somebody in their 40's read this post and maybe answered my question.
So bob I will apply soon and find out for myself, thanks for the info by the way.

helinas

bob sacamano · Post by **bob sacamano** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:36 pm

helinas wrote:actually bob sacamano I am enquiring about myself and not "my friend". Hey I just asked a simple question and I maybe hoped that somebody in their 40's read this post and maybe answered my question.
So bob I will apply soon and find out for myself, thanks for the info by the way.

helinas

Good luck on the application.

pinkus · Post by **pinkus** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:44 pm

Bill Lumberg wrote:Thanks for all of the previous replies. I am still hopeful that someone can give us a better view of what life is like on the line in the Pilatus. What is the Pilatus like to fly? How do you handle the longer flights? What destinations are more "typical" than others for the PC12 crews? Do you tend to stay in nice hotels? What is the normal progression at Air Sprint - how long from PC12 FO to Excel FO would you estimate?

Serious replies please. Thanks in advance.

Pilatus life has gotten slightly less glorious since the inception of the Excel. You will still see excellent and crappy destinations in it. I remember doing gravel one day, and Palm Springs the next. You will go anywhere and everywhere that has a 3000 foot strip.

Pilatus's are quite draining on long days. With the advent of RVSM, and the restriction to 280 or less you are going to have about a 9000 foot cabin if you are doing anything over an hour. The long haul days can be very hard on the body. The seats in the bird are nice, as they sprung for the sheepskin covers, but there is a complete lack of lumbar support. I found the longer flights good, but with 6 hours endurance after leveling off, somedays I just leaned my head against the dash board, flipped on the AM radio and dreamed of better days.

I have not flown there in awhile, but your destinations are completely varied. The have two daily flights to Mac Dirty out of Edmonton all week. The do vacations to the coast, crusie the interior and praries on both personal and business flights. Eastern flying was much more fun for me as you ended up on the eastern seaboard more often.

Hotels were always a touchy subject at Sprintus. For a long time you were bunked with your mate for every night but the last. This ended awhile ago. For now , I hear mixed reviews. The main basis for ongoing accomodation problems is that it is a fractional company. As a fractional, your clients pay both a fixed monthly and an hourly variable rate for the AC. They do not pay direct expenses for hotels and meals like in the charter world. This being said, it is in AirSprints best interest to keep their costs down with hotels, as this is money in the pocket for them. I have horror stories, but these are years old. I imagine it is comfortable, but nothing special. The tough kicker was always the battle over getting a rental car over longer layovers. The fact that they are often on their way after dropping a client to get the next means that they are now spending less time at destinations to accomodate other clients. You can see them slowly moulding to operations similar to the American Fractionals.

Progression will change with the introduction of the Piaggio. If that actually happens. Likely PC12, Piaggio, Excel. The have typically wanted 2500 for the PC 12 command, and 4000 for the Excel. The piaggio should fall in between. I will give them credit for their ability to look past hours and upgrade on both merit and seniority. They do not follow the Contrail requirements.

As for the PC 12, it has been posted above. Theirs are the nicest you will find anywhere. They even dropped in TAWS units last year. The next version has a cockpit that would wet anyones pants. Truly a pilots aircraft. The cockpit is quite pilot friendly. It is still my favorite aircraft. It can tank up, drop into 3000 feet or less and go direct from Calgary to Texas.

I hope this helps.

Pinky

pinkus · Post by **pinkus** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:45 pm

Bill Lumberg wrote:Thanks for all of the previous replies. I am still hopeful that someone can give us a better view of what life is like on the line in the Pilatus. What is the Pilatus like to fly? How do you handle the longer flights? What destinations are more "typical" than others for the PC12 crews? Do you tend to stay in nice hotels? What is the normal progression at Air Sprint - how long from PC12 FO to Excel FO would you estimate?

Serious replies please. Thanks in advance.

Pilatus life has gotten slightly less glorious since the inception of the Excel. You will still see excellent and crappy destinations in it. I remember doing gravel one day, and Palm Springs the next. You will go anywhere and everywhere that has a 3000 foot strip.

Pilatus's are quite draining on long days. With the advent of RVSM, and the restriction to 280 or less you are going to have about a 9000 foot cabin if you are doing anything over an hour. The long haul days can be very hard on the body. The seats in the bird are nice, as they sprung for the sheepskin covers, but there is a complete lack of lumbar support. I found the longer flights good, but with 6 hours endurance after leveling off, somedays I just leaned my head against the dash board, flipped on the AM radio and dreamed of better days.

I have not flown there in awhile, but your destinations are completely varied. The have two daily flights to Mac Dirty out of Edmonton all week. The do vacations to the coast, crusie the interior and praries on both personal and business flights. Eastern flying was much more fun for me as you ended up on the eastern seaboard more often.

Hotels were always a touchy subject at Sprintus. For a long time you were bunked with your mate for every night but the last. This ended awhile ago. For now , I hear mixed reviews. The main basis for ongoing accomodation problems is that it is a fractional company. As a fractional, your clients pay both a fixed monthly and an hourly variable rate for the AC. They do not pay direct expenses for hotels and meals like in the charter world. This being said, it is in AirSprints best interest to keep their costs down with hotels, as this is money in the pocket for them. I have horror stories, but these are years old. I imagine it is comfortable, but nothing special. The tough kicker was always the battle over getting a rental car over longer layovers. The fact that they are often on their way after dropping a client to get the next means that they are now spending less time at destinations to accomodate other clients. You can see them slowly moulding to operations similar to the American Fractionals.

Progression will change with the introduction of the Piaggio. If that actually happens. Likely PC12, Piaggio, Excel. The have typically wanted 2500 for the PC 12 command, and 4000 for the Excel. The piaggio should fall in between. I will give them credit for their ability to look past hours and upgrade on both merit and seniority. They do not follow the Contrail requirements.

As for the PC 12, it has been posted above. Theirs are the nicest you will find anywhere. They even dropped in TAWS units last year. The next version has a cockpit that would wet anyones pants. Truly a pilots aircraft. The cockpit is quite pilot friendly. It is still my favorite aircraft. It can tank up, drop into 3000 feet or less and go direct from Calgary to Texas.

I hope this helps.

Pinky

pinkus · Post by **pinkus** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:45 pm

Bill Lumberg wrote:Thanks for all of the previous replies. I am still hopeful that someone can give us a better view of what life is like on the line in the Pilatus. What is the Pilatus like to fly? How do you handle the longer flights? What destinations are more "typical" than others for the PC12 crews? Do you tend to stay in nice hotels? What is the normal progression at Air Sprint - how long from PC12 FO to Excel FO would you estimate?

Serious replies please. Thanks in advance.

Pilatus life has gotten slightly less glorious since the inception of the Excel. You will still see excellent and crappy destinations in it. I remember doing gravel one day, and Palm Springs the next. You will go anywhere and everywhere that has a 3000 foot strip.

Pilatus's are quite draining on long days. With the advent of RVSM, and the restriction to 280 or less you are going to have about a 9000 foot cabin if you are doing anything over an hour. The long haul days can be very hard on the body. The seats in the bird are nice, as they sprung for the sheepskin covers, but there is a complete lack of lumbar support. I found the longer flights good, but with 6 hours endurance after leveling off, somedays I just leaned my head against the dash board, flipped on the AM radio and dreamed of better days.

I have not flown there in awhile, but your destinations are completely varied. The have two daily flights to Mac Dirty out of Edmonton all week. The do vacations to the coast, crusie the interior and praries on both personal and business flights. Eastern flying was much more fun for me as you ended up on the eastern seaboard more often.

Hotels were always a touchy subject at Sprintus. For a long time you were bunked with your mate for every night but the last. This ended awhile ago. For now , I hear mixed reviews. The main basis for ongoing accomodation problems is that it is a fractional company. As a fractional, your clients pay both a fixed monthly and an hourly variable rate for the AC. They do not pay direct expenses for hotels and meals like in the charter world. This being said, it is in AirSprints best interest to keep their costs down with hotels, as this is money in the pocket for them. I have horror stories, but these are years old. I imagine it is comfortable, but nothing special. The tough kicker was always the battle over getting a rental car over longer layovers. The fact that they are often on their way after dropping a client to get the next means that they are now spending less time at destinations to accomodate other clients. You can see them slowly moulding to operations similar to the American Fractionals.

Progression will change with the introduction of the Piaggio. If that actually happens. Likely PC12, Piaggio, Excel. The have typically wanted 2500 for the PC 12 command, and 4000 for the Excel. The piaggio should fall in between. I will give them credit for their ability to look past hours and upgrade on both merit and seniority. They do not follow the Contrail requirements.

As for the PC 12, it has been posted above. Theirs are the nicest you will find anywhere. They even dropped in TAWS units last year. The next version has a cockpit that would wet anyones pants. Truly a pilots aircraft. The cockpit is quite pilot friendly. It is still my favorite aircraft. It can tank up, drop into 3000 feet or less and go direct from Calgary to Texas.

I hope this helps.

Pinky