Cargo(UPs) vs. People...lifestyle issues

[Airbum]

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Main question I'm trying to get answered is.....Is it really that crappy flying at night, like I hear from some people....the money is great, but is it worth it? Theres tons of UPS/FedEx pilots who obviously think so, I know....just trying to gather some info...
Thanks
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maybe try living the work schedule of a Fedx/ups pilot on your vacation/days off? The international stuff might be hard to copy with the time zone factor but the sort stuff is easy to duplicate.

This should give you an idea what its like and if this is to hard to do ....... well that should be your answer.

 

[ptarmigan]

[
Main question I'm trying to get answered is.....Is it really that crappy flying at night, like I hear from some people....the money is great, but is it worth it? Theres tons of UPS/FedEx pilots who obviously think so, I know....just trying to gather some info...
Thanks

Really depends on your body. To me, getting up at 5am (or earlier) to fly a day trip is harder than staying up until 5am. Also, do you fall asleep easily knowing you have to wake by a certain time? The nice part of the night flying is not having to set an alarm when you go to bed, at least for my sleep patterns. Also, International flying is just all over the map. If you want to ever do that, then prepare to do some flying at night. No way around it!

 

[wolfbayne]

Thanks for the help, I'm just not sure if I am in fact prepared to get up at 3am night after night for years and years, so I'm trying to gather info on how difficult it is. I am a night person, I've thought, but for me that consists of staying up til 2am and sleeping til 10am. Thanks though, all this is helpful. Though I'm sure I'm being presumptuious at this point, as I haven't even got an interview or the hours yet as PIC, just doing some homework.

 

[Drill Sgt. Dad]

I flew frieght for three years in Senecas and Navajos before venturing into the Part 121 world. I wish I had my 1000 PIC, I'd be banging down UPS doors right now. My personal prefernce. I am a night owl, always have and always will be. I enjoy flying the back end of the clock. I miss the middle of the night flying. I am going to get back into it whenever I can obtain that majical 1000 PIC turbine

 

[FDXer]

Thanks for the help, I'm just not sure if I am in fact prepared to get up at 3am night after night for years and years, so I'm trying to gather info on how difficult it is.

Get up at 3am? If you have early morning departures at most airlines, you will be getting up at 3am so you can fly the 6am departures. Cargo pilots don't get up at 3am--we're already halfway through our night. We get up at 5pm and back to bed at 7am. I'll see you around dinner.

 

[ptarmigan]

Thanks for the help, I'm just not sure if I am in fact prepared to get up at 3am night after night for years and years, so I'm trying to gather info on how difficult it is. I am a night person, I've thought, but for me that consists of staying up til 2am and sleeping til 10am. Thanks though, all this is helpful. Though I'm sure I'm being presumptuious at this point, as I haven't even got an interview or the hours yet as PIC, just doing some homework.

Certainly wouldn't be "for years" at FedEx, unless you chose that, and it wouldn't be like that anyway, as has been noted!

 

[myq2u]

"I'm a Regional Captain considering a move to Air Tran vs. UPS. For the money, I know its a no-brainer. I've been trying to gather info on exactly how hard the night flying is."

I have two close friends at UPS (Md11 FO 3+ years @ UPS and B757/767 CA 10+ years) – both are laid back guys and definitely “people persons” (there goes the ‘peoples persons work only at SWA’ - theory). Also, they are definitely no kool-aid drinkers. They seem to be pretty happy where they are and as far as night flying, they said you get used to it quickly because the international flying is so diverse, you might be flying nights, you might be flying days, and there are many different kinds of trips so once you get better seniority you can bid what you like the most. What they like the best (besides their bank accounts ) is the seemingly bright future for cargo guys (seemingly because obviously you just never know).

My Airtran friend (737 CA 5+ years @ AT) likes it as far as the people he’s working with. Also, they are growing fast so his seniority keeps improving. However, he doesn’t think his airline will be around 5 years from now! I was surprised to hear that but he honestly believes that his airline will be either bought out by someone, merge with someone, or even merge with more than one airline. Of course, he used to work for a legacy airline before he was furloughed so he might be slightly paranoid, who knows? Either way, when I called him he said that if UPS or Fedex “called me today, I'd be gone yesterday!” …And remember he likes it there. He said: “The stability is the most important thing to me and my family – I learned it the hard way..” By the way, another friend of mine at Jetblue feels the same way - he’s trying to go to Fedex or UPS and he even tried to attend several job fairs hoping for an interview.

Regarding night flying you said: “I've seen quotes that it takes 10 years off your life, etc.”

Yet maybe the real question is:

How many years off your life does a furlough, merger, bankruptcy, etc. take???

Also, my AT friend said that he misses international flying a whole lot - there’s only so much one can do in Akron, OH! (well, I'm sure he also misses the international override pay, the international per-diem, etc) Either way, both airlines are great companies to work for but based on my friends' opinions I’d lean toward UPS.

Btw, the MD11 FO at UPS said that when he was doing recurrent not too long ago, one of the recruiters was asked about the 1000PIC rule and his answer was something like:” we might change many things in the future but we’ll never waive the 1000 turbine PIC requirement” So based on what you said earlier, you might not have a choice anyway; whatever you decide, good luck to you.

 

[Pilot Doc]

I've seen quotes that it takes 10 years off your life, etc.

I'm aware of no evidence that working nights shortens your life expectancy, but if it does, the effect is certainly much less than 10 years. Smoking causes that magnitude of an effect - I doubt night flying compares.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Either way you go, I would not ever go to Airtran until you have at least 1500-2000 PIC turbine. I think Airtran mins are 500 PIC but just in case, it's good to have around 1500-2000 before you leave the left seat job, IMO.

 

[Motive Flow]

Either way you go, I would not ever go to Airtran until you have at least 1500-2000 PIC turbine. I think Airtran mins are 500 PIC but just in case, it's good to have around 1500-2000 before you leave the left seat job, IMO.

Exactly. It's nice to have a cushion of Turbine PIC time just in case. That's for any Major job (not just AirTran).