Aircare Crew Staffing FAQ’s
FOR CONTRACTORS:
HOW DO I BECOME A CORPORATE FLIGHT ATTENDANT?
We highly recommend that you do your research. Ask several aviation crew staffing companies what training and qualifications their clients require. After training, you will be able to register with multiple staffing companies, but be prepared to also market yourself and knock on flight department doors. Attending corporate aviation networking events hosted through your NBAA regional group is also a wonderful way to meet people in the industry and to gain exposure to flight departments in your area. It also helps to gain service-related experience in other employment opportunities like high-end food service, food preparation and/or bartending while you look for an opportunity as a flight attendant. Colorful, but accurate, presentation of your experience outside of aviation will lead you to opportunities within the industry, and problem-solving is a key to success as an FA. Experience is a huge factor in this industry, so do what you can to gain it.
WHAT ARE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN AIRCARE AS A CONTRACT FLIGHT ATTENDANT?
Emergency Procedures training through either Aircare FACTS® Training or Flight Safety International (within the last twelve months), food safety handling certification, a current passport and being legal to work within the United States. These training programs are the standard that our customers present as a minimum for employment within their flight operations. Many, if not all, of our customers also require a background check and current drug screenings as well.
WHAT ARE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN AIRCARE AS A CONTRACT PILOT?
ATP, simulator training completed within the last twelve months, emergency procedures training, current first class medical, FAA restricted radio operator permit are what are required by all of Aircare staffing clients for pilot engagements. Many, if not all, of our customers also require a background check and current drug screenings as well.
WHY WASN’T MY TRAINING ACCEPTED?
Our minimum requirements are inline with the industry standards. However, most of our clients set their own, which can often be more than the industry standard. If your training was not accepted, it is because it did not meet the minimum requirements set by the crew staffing customer base. Aircare FACTS Training is always accepted by our staffing customers—it is one of the reasons they look to us to provide proficient crewmembers.
DOES AIRCARE OFFER ANY DISCOUNTS FOR AIRCARE FACTS EMERGENCY TRAINING?
For qualifying individuals, we do offer incentive programs. If a contractor works two days within a calendar year with Aircare, they qualify for discounted Aircare FACTS emergency training recurrent the following year. For Flight Attendants who have worked 24 days or more within a calendar year, they earn free FACTS recurrent the following year! Pilots earn their free FACTS One Day Pilot Emergency Training by working 12 days with Aircare.
If you’re currently contracting directly with an operator or with an agency that doesn’t provide you these benefits, ask your operator if you can bill through Aircare International. Combining your days worked for multiple operators under Aircare greatly helps you move toward free training.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO AFTER REGISTERING WITH AIRCARE?
Please keep us updated with your availability and records. If your training records on file are not current, your profile will deactivate making you ineligible for active trips or client roster additions as requested. It is important to keep all of the staffing agencies you are working with up to date on your current status. This also allows you to touch base with some regularity with regard to your employment profile. This is part of the effort toward marketing yourself that will lead to opportunity.
HOW DO I GET ASSIGNED TRIPS AS A CONTRACTOR FOR AIRCARE ONCE REGISTERED?
We are always combing through our active database to fulfill trip requests, so make sure that your best profile is the one Aircare has on file. We look within a designated region and match client requirements in terms of experience and qualifications to achieve a good fit for both the crewmember and the flight operation.
WHAT CRITERIA DO YOU USE TO MATCH A CONTRACTOR WITH A CLIENT?
There are several factors considered in making the connection. Qualifying criteria varies per flight department, but customer requirements may generally include specific skills, experience and base location. Some specific skills examples are: ability to speak certain languages, certain travel visas, international travel experience, EMT training, culinary skills or food and wine pairing as examples.
HOW AND WHEN DO I GET PAID AND EXPENSES REIMBURSED?
We offer direct deposit for wages and those post on the 5th & 20th of each month, with some variation for bank holidays or closures. Expense checks are mailed on the 5th and 20th of each month, again with a few variations due to holidays. We have bimonthly payroll and expense submission cut off dates to meet each pay cycle. A calendar of exact cut off dates and pay dates will be provided to you when your registration is complete. This is an important distinction among staffing companies. It is important for you to do your diligence on the staffing companies you work for. You want to get paid in a timely fashion for the great service you provide.
FOR OPERATORS:
MY FLIGHT DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO UTILIZE CONTRACTORS THROUGH AIRCARE FOR AN UPCOMING TRIP. WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO GET SET UP?
We are available 24/7 and want to ensure that your flight department has the staffing coverage it needs. Please contact us through the information request section of this website, or call (888) 541-9226 to discuss your flight department’s staffing needs. It takes little to start working with Aircare—in most cases we will begin working on placement with a completed client profile and personnel placement agreement. Our team will be able to immediately begin working on providing qualified candidates to you for review and assignment. If your flight department coverage needs are not immediate, having the personnel placement agreement in place is a wonderful safety net for last-minute emergency coverage in the future, and there is no obligation to use Aircare’s crew staffing services if none arises.
WHAT SETS AIRCARE APART FROM OTHER STAFFING PROVIDERS?
Operators using Aircare’s customized crew staffing can be confident in our personnel based on nearly 25 years of experience and a vast array of placements. Crewmembers are handpicked and carefully vetted through a sound qualification process. Aircare staffing personnel are dispatched with the benefit of aviation-specific insurance, telemedical support through Aircare’s emergency telemedicine services, and have met all crew staffing training requirements. Personnel who meet eligibility requirements can be also dispatched with the support of an Aircare corporate credit card to cover any mission-related incidental expenses as well.
WHY USE A STAFFING PROVIDER INSTEAD OF HIRING FULL-TIME?
Operators using Aircare to utilize contract employees will benefit from reduced administrative, recruiting and dispatch burdens, avoid certainty of employment issues and benefit from familiarity with its temporary or flex crew members. It also allows for flight departments to staff into heavy use or absentee situations with familiar faces. The Aircare crew staffing team knows its deep roster of pilots and flight attendants well, so much of the burden faced with recruiting can be alleviated by working with us. Aircare assumes all employer responsibilities, including but not limited to: certainty of employment and tax withholding via W-2 (Aircare withholds tax for all its crewmembers, which avoids any tax conflict surrounding employment), pre-employment screening and selection, scheduling and dispatch, non-owned aircraft and auto insurance coverage, and payroll/expense reimbursement. Aircare also deals with any unpleasantness that comes separating from a crewmember who is not a good fit—these are our employees to manage if they don’t work out for you.
Find Out More
At Aircare International our goal is to serve a flight department that aims to propel ideals to practice.
The degree of our guidance and engagement within your company comes down to your specific operational needs. Aircare aims to add value to a flight operation by providing customizable and robust products in training, emergency preparedness, telemedicine, and crew staffing while working within the framework already established within a flight department. Our focus is to actively serve your business with consistency, experience, and mentorship. We serve the best in the industry and want to share those best practices with you and your team.
Contact us via web form or by telephone. We look forward to hearing from you!
