Caribbean Cargo Jobs

I know that a few 135 cargo operators such as Mountain Air and Ameriflight have flights into and around the Caribbean, but was wondering if "mainlanders" bid for those slots or if they are staffed by local pilots that have gotten on-board with the company. If anyone flies for a company with routes down there could shed some light on the QOL, seniority needed etc, that would be great. Thanks!

The Mountain is weird about that. They only try to hire pilots from Puerto Rico. They claim it has to do with the need of the pilot to speak Spanish. I bid on the ATR down there and the first question dude asked me was "Do you speak fluent Spanish?". Don't know too much about the Caravan. I do know that most of those guys have been around a long time, same as the guys in Florida.
Theres some personnel changes going on at the Mtn. so that requirement may change this fall. Doubt it, though.

AMF prefers locals down there. However, SJC seems to almost always be in need of pilots. There have been a couple bids down there recently. You typically need about a year of seniority to get to SJC. The last bid has someone with only 8 months of seniority. QOL depends on the run and customer.

And no real turbine. The problem is getting locals through AMF SA227 Training I think. It'd be pretty hard to fly a metro single pilot plus learn how ameriflight wants you to fly.

It can be done. I know a guy that just passed Metro training. I will admit that knowing the "AMF way" does help.

Depending on where they're coming from, I could see that being near impossible. My impression is there's not a lot of standardization in Caribbean flying. I've heard stories. haha Which is not a knock against them at all necessarily, but going from unstandardized *do what you want* to standardized can be a daunting task.

Why is the metro training so arduous? I have a little time in a Merlin (granted right seat, but the left seater was a old hillbilly and had me do everything on my legs. 'How else you gonna learn, boy??') and it wasn't all that much different from any other plane. Just have to think what am I supposed to do next? What comes next? But again, that is similar to most planes.

If AMF has a high washout rate on SA227 initial perhaps something is wrong with their training program, because Flight Safety in Seattle rarely has a problem getting peeps through.

I had a friend that went to SJU with AMF he was there for only about 6 months I think and is now back in the states captaining a Bro. Seemed to like most of it and wasn't attached to the states.

Would this friend now be based in Texas?

Money says Amarillo.

Like, Middlesomething Texas haha

I believe I have had breakfast with this friend of yours twice. Good guy.

If it is TB he is a great guy! We were in the same class in flight school and he was the only one to finish all the ratings before me. He had time before though haha. Oh man do I miss partying and playing beer pong with him and riding in his Caddy haha.

The goal of contract vendor training is to get everyone through as much as ethically possible. Not saying Flight Safety/SimuFlite etc are bad programs in the slightest...but an AMF check airman doesn't have to worry about upsetting a long-time customer if an applicant isn't meeting standards.

Translation: Amflight doesn't have to train you a thing, they'll be plenty of warm bodies to jump in and fly if you can't teach yourself.

A high washout rate is a side effect of a poor training program.

That's not what I was really saying...

I've gone through 135 freight, 121, and contract vendor training and taught groundschools for 2+ years at arguably an extremely reputable place. I ultimately feel it's incumbant upon you in any training environment to be responsible for your own learning.
From my own experience, it's very hard to care greatly about your student's success and ethically hold the line. Ultimately you fail them 100% of the time if they cannot demonstrate standards, but up until that point it's your responsibility to do everything in your power to help them pass.

As someone who has been through Flight Safety a few times now, I've never seen a FS check airman or instructor who seemed to care one bit about possibly failing someone. If anything, that just means more money for them

AMF Metro training arduous? It's no more intense than other type rating programs, but AMF is not going to cut someone loose in that airplane that is going to fall apart single pilot when the chips are down.

I've known several FS instructors fail/not sign off people for rides.
They share in the liability just like everyone else.