GFT Flight Training

shamrock104 · Post by **shamrock104** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:43 pm

Whats with these guys looking for more Instructors?
Has anyone worked there and made it onto the 1900 as shown in their ad? How are they to work for?
All replies appreciated.

Justwannafly · Post by **Justwannafly** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:06 pm

Ive talk'd to a couple guys who work there or USE to work there....So far havn't heard anything good....BUT keep in mind this is NOT first hand info....maybe the guys I talk'd to just wouldnt' be happy anywhere....but I did notice a trend. Big promises & lil action

classified · Post by **classified** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:13 pm

They're looking for more instructors because they don't have enough to handle the current student load. International students, Cadets, all the domestic students. And yes instructors have made it onto the 1900 in the past.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:34 pm

Is Pat still planning on blasting off from Botwood to Ireland this coming Thursday?

classified · Post by **classified** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 5:39 pm

Yes last I heard that was still the plan, long flight in the Canso from what I hear

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:38 pm

Yes last I heard that was still the plan, long flight in the Canso from what I hear

In a Canso any flight is a long flight, they cruise at around 115 knots.

I think I remember the distance for the trip they are going to be flying is around 2000 N.M.

classified · Post by **classified** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:05 pm

yeah I hear it's going to take about 14 hours or more

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:59 pm

yeah I hear it's going to take about 14 hours or more

It is possible to get that ground speed east bound with the prevaling westerly winds.....it all depends on the weather systems..

The higest average ground speed I ever got in a PBY take off to landing was 152 knots from Keflivik Iceland to Narsarsauaq Greenland by flying the pressure pattern on the north of a low.

I wish Pat clear skys and good tailwinds on his trip.

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:11 pm

So they have this plan...

"Graduation Succession Plan
GFT is a proud supporter of its students and staff. That is why we have developed and published our Graduation Succession Plan for students and Flight Instructors alike. GFT offers the opportunity for its pilots to climb the ladder of success with in our company. As you are aware we have a Beech 1900D operating as a Tier Three carrier for Air Canada. We also use a King Air A100 for Medevac and Charter operations. GFT and its sister company EVAS Air will give you the opportunity thrive in your aviation career. All you have to do is show that you want it! Hard work and dedication will get you there. Outlined below is the plan. Please remember this is a guide and some conditions may apply.

# Hours Milestone Reward
0 Enter as student at GFT Beginning a successful career as a pilot
207 Successfully complete PPL, CPL, Multi and IFR Overall Student Evaluation Required Accomplished commercial goal
237 Successfully complete Instructor Rating
Interview Required for position Accepted as a GFT Instructor Class 4
337 Graduate to a Class three Instructor
Performance evaluation and appraisal Remuneration Increase and on to next step in plan
737 Graduate to Class Two Instructor/Check Instructor
Performance evaluation and appraisal Remuneration increase. Check instructor training provided and enter into Multi/IFR Instructing
737+
100
MIFR Graduate to Multi
IFR Instructor upon achieving 50 hours ME
Performance evaluation and appraisal King Air A100 Ground School
737+250 Complete 250 hours Multi
Complete Class One Instructor Rating
Performance evaluation and appraisal Remuneration Increase
Beech 1900 Ground School
1000+ Successfully Complete Performance evaluation and appraisal for Air A100 FO position King Air A100 FO Training: Part time instructing as required Charter pilot with EVAS Air When position becomes available
1500+ Graduate from flight school to 704 Beech 1900 FO
Successfully complete interview for position Beech 1900 FO training: Part time instructing available
Line Pilot with EVAS Air when position becomes available
After eighteen months as line pilot with EVAS Air, GFT will actively support and make contacts for employment closer to ones home province Our domestic and international affiliated team of active airline captains will give assistance for employment opportunities."

...and I hear they've recently hired an FO from outside with 400 hours onto the 1900 while the instructors there are more qualified.

LegoMan · Post by **LegoMan** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:15 pm

I heard, she said, he said. if there is no evidence to support this claim its rubbish. I heard AC will be hiring Seneca grads directly on the 777... really? No......

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:06 pm

I don't mean "I live in B.C. and heard this", I go to school there and know the situation. They also hired back a former instructor that quit suddenly and now they have him hired back as a King Air FO. Loyaly to the guys who stayed there...

LegoMan · Post by **LegoMan** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:44 pm

well then dont you think it would have been wise to state that you are a student there in your first post rather than say "I heard" and not supply any facts?

btw. Do you enjoy training at GFT? i was offered a job there and offered help to make the move.

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:02 pm

Yeah I enjoy training there. I don't really know the new instructors very well as they've only been there about a month and are teaching cadets right now. I do like the instructors that have been there for the past year and have been teaching me. Management is management...but the instructors make it fun. Business is definately increasing especially with the international contract so they do need instructors.

Justwannafly · Post by **Justwannafly** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:54 am

LegoMan wrote:btw. Do you enjoy training at GFT? i was offered a job there and offered help to make the move.

Hehe so was I....Sorta, they sent a recruitment fax to our WORK trying to get/steal unhappy Instructors....We all pass'd it around & laughed & then off to the trash it went. I'm not a big fan of those kind of recruitment methods

niwre · Post by **niwre** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:37 pm

I would be careful if I were you Blackout. Pat and Gord have ways of finding out who you are (if you are a GFT student).

I valued the experience I gained flying in area but I will never go back. Since Ive come home Ive logged twice the hours in half the time. My individual style of teaching is being respected and have yet had a student fail a flight test. So maybe my outlandish Prairie Boy (Prairie Dog for those of you at GFT who remember my short visit) methods do work. I have lots of respect for Pat and what he has there. He has worked really hard and deserves all the credit.

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:48 am

Be careful?? I don't think I actually said anything bad about the place. All I mean by saying that management is management is that they have a job to do just like everyone else and they do it. Just like most places I have worked people sometimes complain about management without really understanding that they are just doing their job just like everyone else. I just hear some of the other students complain and don't think they really understand that part. I also have lots of respect for those guys and think they have done and are doing alot to improve the place. Updating the facilities and attracting lots of new students. Unfortunatly for them there seems to be an instructor shortage across the country and they need more instructors to match the increasing student population at GFT.

niwre · Post by **niwre** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:03 am

But at the end of the day its about the all might dollar and working conditions. I earn more now than I did at GFT and work less hours.

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:17 pm

You might work less hours but I don't see how you can work less. lol. Like Rick said in a previous post....haha j/k

niwre · Post by **niwre** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:32 pm

Blackout wrote:You might work less hours but I don't see how you can work less. lol. Like Rick said in a previous post....haha j/k

I work less because I have clearly defined duties and nothing else gets forced on me. I am always on the clock and make money. Even if the weather is crap I make money. I have a better diet now than I did in Gander. I am a step above the KD crowd now.

Like I said before I will value the experience I gained at GFT but I am a prairie boy and need my sunshine.

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:44 pm

Jokes always did go over your head lol. Guess you missed that part of the post

niwre · Post by **niwre** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:49 pm

Blackout wrote:Jokes always did go over your head lol. Guess you missed that part of the post

Never understood the newfie humor :p "newfie jokes" I get but not their humor. But Pat is always good for an analogy

Stan_Cooper · Post by **Stan_Cooper** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:12 am

Blackout wrote:...and I hear they've recently hired an FO from outside with 400 hours onto the 1900 while the instructors there are more qualified.

Whoa, you must be the first person on avcanada to ever suggest that a flight instructor is more qualified than a twin turbine F/O.

LegoMan wrote:I heard, she said, he said. if there is no evidence to support this claim its rubbish. I heard AC will be hiring Seneca grads directly on the 777... really? No......

Yeah, this one's true.

palmpilot · Post by **palmpilot** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:34 am

Blackout wrote:
...and I hear they've recently hired an FO from outside with 400 hours onto the 1900 while the instructors there are more qualified.

None of the instructors are qualified to fly that airplane. Out of the 6 instructors only 3 have an instrument rating and 3 have only started instructing a month ago. Also, no one has any turbine experience and I am pretty sure no one has an Iatra which is required as well. So, more qualified how? I am sure if someone was "more qualified" and wanted the position, the position would have been offered to them and rightly so.

You should get your facts straight before you go starting gossip.

niwre · Post by **niwre** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:00 am

I hope they work out the winter ops a little better for you guys/gals. Having to lug all the aircraft into the hangar after the 1900 is out was not my idea of fun. Being there 2 hours before sun rise rides on some people. They do have nice aircraft and maintain them very well from what I saw and used.

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:20 pm

Actually Palmpilot, only one of the instructors does not have an instrument rating. 2 of them have expired ratings which, correct me if i'm wrong, (as I know many will) will be renewed by doing a PPC ride as is required on the 1900. This was not really the point of my post though, I know some of my wording has not been the best and i'm sorry for that. My point was that they tell students and instructors that they need 1000 hours for the king air and 1500 for the 1900 and then hire a 400 hours pilot to the 1900. These requirements are posted on the website. The real reason for this recent hiring and not moving instructors up is that it is too hard to replace the instructors they are losing and would rather hire low time pilots for the king air and 1900 from outside because of this.