Flight Express Info...

[I Hate Freight]

i love the fact that i can actually talk with the pilot's of Flight Express!

Dude, you need a life.

Good Luck.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Boris, I'm just wondering, but is there still somebody doing 701 from LIT? For some reason I'm feeling nostalgic. Maybe it's because FLX was a stellar company to work for; at least in comparison to my present employer.

I'm pretty sure this guy exists, yes. I don't think I've ever met him, since I'm out at 7 and don't get back till 7, but I'm pretty sure I've heard people mention him.

PS. So are we to take it that waterski isn't quite the thing?

PPS. E62: I talked to dispatch and apparently we have an airplane based in Memphis, but not a pilot. It's a spare. It just sits there. Don't ask me how this works, but that's what they told me.

 

[Beechnut]

Flight Express has honest to goodness Dispatchers? That was always an out for the pilots, if you had a problem with weather or fuel just remind them they are office workers, NOT dispatchers.

S.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Beechnut: I've heard suggestions that things were a little more hostile a couple of years back. As it stands, I've had dispatch ask me nicely to fly only once when I didn't want to go. They had me call the chief pilot who made it very clear that if I didn't judge it safe, that was it. I waited for half an hour, took off, and never heard another word about it.

 

[ClippedWings]

They aren't dispatchers, they just play the role of dispatcher.

 

[Mason]

Crazy Bob

Is crazy Bob still flying for Flight Express? Used to hear him every night FLX690 (I believe) going into BHM.

 

[yzf6]

bob's still here! still on the same run too, i think.

 

[psysicx]

How senior is Jax?

 

[rickyrhodesii]

Route Map

This operation really has caught my interest. Is there a way the public (or i guess i should say myself) can view the routes of Flight Express?

I've checked out the sight and done the forum search...but i've only found a few of the routes listed.

By the way...thanks for all of the responses to this post! I didn't even expect half of the detailed and useful responses.

Keep up the good work and safe flying!

 

[Boris Badenov]

One could, if they were so inclined, probably go to flightaware.com and enter random three digit flight numbers. Since we're not a scheduled airline we can't publish a schedule (or this is what I was given to understand in training). I know that CPS-based flights start with a 7, for example my run is 702. If you have a question about a specific run, PM me.

P.S. I know a guy who got JAX right out of training. But again, it's pretty unpredictable.

P.P.S. Crazy Bob was on 615 not too long ago, I think. My couriers would tell me stories about "how Bob did it". They sounded exciting.

 

[millhouse21]

My run was 701. The BNA runs I think are all 300s. I think I remember a 302.

 

[headinclouds]

How is the mx at Flight Express? I have some previous 135 experience and there was always something wrong with the plane. Usually the same problem over and over.

 

[wildfreightess]

I can't speak for our other mx bases, but FLX maintenance in CPS is top-notch.

 

[headinclouds]

Here's my question. How often have you ladies/gents flown through a T-storm? I see a lot of threads from freight pilots that seem to brag about it. This goes against all the training that most pilots get while working on their ratings. I have some 135 time and flew inadvertently through a level 4 and I know that I don't need to say how the ride was. But I can say it will never happen again. How does FLEX deal with any pilots that might be delayed on a daily basis because they will not penatrate a t-storm? I have been looking at sending them an online application and was just curious. I know that flying freight is not for the weak hearted.

 

[millhouse21]

This is a fair question and the answer is that if you fly freight long enough, you'll end up in your share of T-storms. There are some fright companies out there that will fire you if you're late because of T-storm deviations. They expect you to fly straight line no matter what. Luckily FLX is not one of those. I deviated around many Thunder storms when I was there and was never given any grief about it. The thing they do expect out of is to do your best to get there despite the weather. That means that sometimes you fly into that iffy cloud (this is at night, remember) or you launch out without having seen a radar picture before you left. You don't have radar, FSS is no help, and sometimes the WX computer is down. Therefore, if you fly with an appropriate level of aggressiveness, you'll find yourself in some bad weather sometimes. At this point, basic airmanship becomes important. How good is your instrument scan? Do you have an out if things get too bad? Do you know when things are getting too bad?
Nobody flies through thunderstorms just for the heck of it unless they're crazy. I flew through some while flying checks and it was never pleasant. I never really got used to it and I think that's a good thing. A healthy leve of fear can save your butt on some nights. So, pick the right company(FLX is a good one), set your own limits on what you will accept, modify those limits as necessary, and have fun! It's a good job and you'll get some great experience! Good Luck!

Here's my question. How often have you ladies/gents flown through a T-storm? I see a lot of threads from freight pilots that seem to brag about it. This goes against all the training that most pilots get while working on their ratings. I have some 135 time and flew inadvertently through a level 4 and I know that I don't need to say how the ride was. But I can say it will never happen again. How does FLEX deal with any pilots that might be delayed on a daily basis because they will not penatrate a t-storm? I have been looking at sending them an online application and was just curious. I know that flying freight is not for the weak hearted.

 

[yzf6]

obviously you're not going to takeoff if there's a solid line of severe storms that you can't get around. you'll call dispatch (more like flight following, they ren't licensed dispatchers) and let them know when you think you'll be able to leave, so they can let the customer know. they can't "make" you leave. if they ever try to give you $hit about it, the DO will back you up.

that said, this type of situation will be rare.. so far in 7 months i've delayed on the ground once for weather (dest below mins) and most of the storms in florida are small and easy to deviate around visually or with vectors.

give gary hillyer (recruiter) a call at 407-895-0453 ext 610, i think they're running a class every 2 weeks.

 

[headinclouds]

Thanks for the responses. I have two other quick questions. First, I've noticed that FLEX has had three classes in the past month. Is that because of turnover or something else. Secondly, any idea if there is still a run out of KJQF (concord, n.c.) and if so where exactly does that run go? Thanks

 

[yzf6]

turnover and small class sizes. the majority get hired somewhere before making it to the baron. the last few classes have started with 3-4 people, and then 1-2 end up not finishing the training, probably due to IFR proficiency.

i don't think there's a run based in concord anymore.

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Is Matt H still there? He'd be one of the top 3 on the list I think. I used to fly for one of those "other" 135 outfits that is thankfully out of business now. Used to run into Matt in TLH and a few other places. My impression of FLX was always good but it's been 11 or 12 years since I was out there. I'm glad they're still around and from the sounds of things doing well.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Matt H. is the chief pilot now. Good guy.