cargo jobs

[BoDEAN]

If you're short on total time, you need to try and get a right seat on anything(prefferably turboprop) and build time that way.

Easier said then done =P

 

[Xfr8dog]

the huge difference is the 20 hours a month you'll get in that King Air making nothing to the 70-80 hours a month you'll get teaching II students making nothing.... In the long run the total time will get you the interview.

my two quarters.

 

[WrightAvia]

If you're short on total time, you need to try and get a right seat on anything(prefferably turboprop) and build time that way. Instructing time is gonna get you instructing jobs.

Ever notice how one 135 job is paying real money and the planes are well maintained and the other 135 job pays squat and their pilots actually live in the plane. It's because some people have the resume, to be able to negotiate better jobs.

You cannot negotiate a better job, with SIC time.

I worked a good paying blue collar job, monday thru friday, flew jumpers on wednesdays and weekends, free lance flight instructed, organized myself on pilot services trips and bought a twin cessna with partners to build multi time.

I was able to call my shots, because I took the bull by the horns during a bad economy and worked a job where I was trained in skills other than flying and then used the money to provide stability, while working on aviation goals. I eventually worked into a situation where I could get re embursed 200.00 bucks an hour for the use of my twin, plus get paid wages to fly it.

When the market opened a bit, I had three 135 job offers. They all had their best points, but I picked the one that let me live where I wanted to live and PAID the most.

One 135 job interview was in NILES MI...didn't like the town, so I cancelled the interview. Biggest thing they had there was a navajo, anyway.

The other 135 job interview was in OWENSBORO, KY. Got a job offer there, through a friend. They had three diamond jets, three king airs. A senica and navajo. They also got two Jetsream 32's, after I turned down the interview. But, they paid squat and the best part about the whole thing was, you get to live in OWENSBORO!

The third job was in Wisconsin, an hour and a half's drive from where I was living. I took this job and I flew 6 place piston twins on 135, starting at 32,000 a year. This was my first 135 JOB and I PICKED IT...not IT picking me. I eventually was put on the 135 certificate for pic in 6 different piston twins and 135 FO in the citation.

Later, I switched jobs (16,000 a year 121 fo) and that didn't work out. But I had no worries, because with 1,700 multi pic and 4,500 total time, I was able to pick between 3 135 jobs again. In fact I wasn't in a hurry, since I wasn't desparate.

I turned down a part 91/135 job in a construction company's citation, to fly turbo props as pic at a freight operation.

This citation job paid 25,000 a year, required an ATP and the aircraft was on lease back to executive jet management, which meant pagers and moving to freaking illinois. Plus, it really weirded me out, that the chief pilot started talking religion on the phone, during the initial phone interview. I cancelled the personal interview the morning of and never looked back.

The 2nd interview offer, would have lead to my hiring as an off the street captain, for Air Cargo Carriers. I turned down this interview, when I got the call for the caravan job.

The job I took, started at 32,750. It was only caravans, but the schedule was only 10 days ON a month. No RON's! Home every night, weekends off, holidays off, perdiem.

Then next thing you know, it's september 11th, 2001 and I am sitting in my little caravan and hear the news on the ADF. It wasn't long after that, that I realized I was in a good spot.

I should be starting my first classes at University Of Phoenix online in less than 10 days...taking advantage of the time off my 135 job provides, to pursue a Bachelors degree. I figure by the time I'm done, the more upscale operations should be starting to hire again.

I know that's a long winded post, but if you have nothing but SIC time in your log book, you won't meet 135 mins to get in the PIC seat of a piston twin. Without PIC time, you cannot negotiate a good paying job in 135. Your situation in life will be determined by the low end crap outfits that make you pay to build time or let you ride in the plane for free, to log time.

Even looking back on it, I would have rather worked my blue collar wrench turning job, than sit right seat in some junky check hauling plane, begging for a few hours of stick time.

 

[labbats]

Longwinded but well said. I think you summed up a lot in that answer.

 

[Cargoboy]

I've been freight dogging for a year and a half now. Probably some of the best experience you can obtain. Lots of regionals love people who come from 135 backgrounds since you are single pilot IFR and hopefully building multi time. Flight instructors are hired cause they can shape and mold you into what they want and as with most Regionals the pay sucks but it is more than you were making instructing. Both have positive sides to them.

Cargo ~ Long hours and a lot of hurry up and wait.

Intructing ~ Students who are trying to kill you.

Just keep looking there is always a lot of 135 jobs out there and we are seeing now some movement to regionals even in our company. I myself am hoping for that interview, but I am more picky about which regional I take. I was instructing and working and it is hard to get that Cross County time complete so I did it myself on my own money. It hurts but start asking your friends to take some flights with you to cut costs.

Even if you are short on hours start applying with 135 places. Heard of a guy who snuck on a VFR 135 job and is now flying Metros. All Trubine time and that great PIC. He will write his ticket to where he wants soon once he gets a few more hours and can bypass Regional pay scales. It is all what you put into it and what you are willing to do to (as we call it) suffer for a few years but hope toi survive long enough to see the lite at the end of the tunnel in 5 years or so.

One thing with regs. There is no way to interpret the exact meaning of them until you are in a court of law. They are written by lawyers to be exactly that SHADY and interpreted in different ways. If you read 135 regs or 121 they always have a sub paragragh on how to find away around it or delay it or make it so you are not breaking them. Just watch what you say to the FAA anytime.....

Don't expect pay to be much better than instructing (maybe) or for sure not better than the regionals. Not unless you plan on making a career out of flying cargo.

Good luck on your job search and I am sure you will be freght dogging soon.