I was just wondering the usual stuff about Skylink.

Pay, hrs/year, days off, schedule, upgrade times and morale.

Pms are great if you're not comfortable posting here.

Great company, above average pay, family atmoshpere, one of the few cargo gigs I could have retired with.

Leo are you kidding?

Absolute bottom feeder. They couldn't pay you enough to work there. Below sketch maintenance. No one that's seen a good operation stays there for long.

those are two opposite ends of the evaluation spectrum. The truth actually falls somewhere in the middle, from my first hand experience. "Sketch maintenance" is not accurate. The maintenance is good...maybe not excellent, but the machines they are dispatching are safe and well maintained, at least up until about a year or so ago....don't know why it would have changed in a year.

Pay is probably industry average for a cargo gig. Caravan drier makes about 36K plus per diems. 1900 captains make 45K or so. I think 1900 FO is around 30K. These numbers may have changed with the recent difficulties of finding crews over the last year or 2.

Schedule is (well was the last time I was in touch with folks there...over a year and half ago) 14 hour days, 3 days per week, then a couple days on call for pop up charters. This compares with 14 hour days, scheduled M-F for many cargo operators.

Organizationally, it can be it a bit of a cluster, but honestly, it's a good place to be, with great people on the front lines, get some time, not get totally rat-bagged tired, actually have a bit of a life, and get some good experience....at least as far as I know up until about a year and a half ago.

Wally were you operating out of YYZ, YHM or somewhere else? Maybe it's base dependent for the maintenance issues, because some of the things there don't just "pop up" in the last year or so.

I agree with wallypilot.

"Absolute bottom feeder" & "Below sketch maintenance" is a bit much I think (and I'm referring to YHM/YYZ).

wallypilot wrote:those are two opposite ends of the evaluation spectrum. The truth actually falls somewhere in the middle, from my first hand experience. "Sketch maintenance" is not accurate. The maintenance is good...maybe not excellent, but the machines they are dispatching are safe and well maintained, at least up until about a year or so ago....don't know why it would have changed in a year.

Pay is probably industry average for a cargo gig. Caravan drier makes about 36K plus per diems. 1900 captains make 45K or so. I think 1900 FO is around 30K. These numbers may have changed with the recent difficulties of finding crews over the last year or 2.

Schedule is (well was the last time I was in touch with folks there...over a year and half ago) 14 hour days, 3 days per week, then a couple days on call for pop up charters. This compares with 14 hour days, scheduled M-F for many cargo operators.

Organizationally, it can be it a bit of a cluster, but honestly, it's a good place to be, with great people on the front lines, get some time, not get totally rat-bagged tired, actually have a bit of a life, and get some good experience....at least as far as I know up until about a year and a half ago.

I can't argue with too much there...things have changed, only slightly.

1900 F/O - 30k
1900 Captain - 60(ish)
Captain C208 - 35-40k
No per diems, no benefits...so make sure you fit that into your financial equation.

Schedule has been 4-5 days on lately, and for some unlucky souls (look before you leap), 6 on. We're short staffed and this has gone pretty much unrectified. You only get your schedule on the Friday before the upcoming week (odd, yes because its always the same runs ). You can count on anywhere from 35-65 hours per month, 65 is rare, I think 40-45 is a better average. You are on a pretty long leash and I never have met the management in person. No one looks over your shoulder, so you just show up, keep your nose clean, keep everything managed and you shouldn't have to talk to the Wizard of Oz (look behind the curtain, Dorothy!). The contracts are in place, you fly them...easy peasy japaneasy.
Bases, YYZ, YHM, YEG, YUL/YMX, YHZ. Chances are, typically you are home every night and can count on most weekends off.

Maintenance is good, easy group to deal with, seem to listen to the pilots, the aircraft are utilitarian, so not pretty but I have yet to have a flight cancelled due to a mx concern. Good people to work with, but the industry is scooping them up at a high rate.

There are many minor headaches too numerous, but still too insignificant to mention and if they could be cleaned up a bit, I could stay for a pretty long time. Perhaps they don't want that though, this industry does hate loyalty as I have found.

I heard a rumour that the whole Skylink operation was up for sale.
Anyone heard anything on that?

everything is for sale

including the employees?

I ain't cheap.

BBB

BBB are you going back to your "Man-whoring" YFB ways

Man-Whore is such an ugly and archaic term.

I prefer capitalistic-sexuality.

BBB

Ya u suked at Poker most nites in wite roe...thats why the Gunsinger boys liked u so much

So are you guys an item?

Jealous?

I am jealous of BBB...

I am Skylink wrote:I am jealous of BBB...

You are spending too much time in Bahstun!

Changes in Latitudes wrote:...easy peasy japaneasy.

They fly to Japan now!? I love sushi. Nothing like a cold wet fish across your face every morning.

I've met a lot of the Skylink Express pilots and I know they are ALL down to earth great bunch of guys and maybe the most cohesive group I have ever met in this industry and they ALL watch each others back and not stab it. A rare thing in this industry...

I once met a captain from there named Scott Sager that may be the nicest person in this industry I have ever met. I hear nothing but "awesome" things about his ability in the flightdeck AND his ability to lead, and yet remain humble about it. I wish there were more like him in the industry.

Does Scott still work there? Whom ever hired him after Skylink has an "awesome" asset in their employee portfolio.

Sounds pretty standard for cargo ops and not too bad a place to work, though I make pretty much the same money flogging Navajo's on the west coast. It probably helps that it's a little cheaper to live in Ontario...
I fly cargo now five days a week, starting work at 5am and often not home till 8 or 9pm, so hours don't scare me.
No per diems though? Really?
Training bond?
Any comments on the Hamilton base?
What's the story with upgrade times?
Thinking of applying as FO with fresh IATRA, 1000 total, 250 PIC, 850 multi?

Looking to relocate back to Toronto area and exploring options...

Get in and get out is all anybody does there and should do.

Great place for getting PIC experience.

Some good front line people.

Retire I dont think so, eh.

...you're right BBB. I do spend too much time in Bahstun.

ps....Birddog for Prime Minister.

How about Birddog for CP?

I might consider coming back for that!

BBB

Ya, Dog. How about it? You could do it just fine. Might cramp your style though. What do you think?

Thanks for all the info!!

Be very weary of Skylink. Best to stay away. Problems getting your last pay, management non-existant, no vacation pay, no stat holiday pay and no overtime pay.

As for the pilots, they are top notch. You won't find a better group. Unfortunately all the other headaches aren't worth it.