Is on demand cargo dead?

[landlover]

Lawn-chairs and straps for seats, engine plugs for first class, cargo net for business and I guess you will just have to ******************** in the tool bag. Not much room for a lav with the cargo setup! Sounds first class to me!

good luck with those flight times.

 

[RedGuy]

How many hours a year have on demand freight pilots been flying lately? I had about 400 hours in 2007 and I should end up around 350-375 hours for 2008.

Last year about 1,200, this year some where around 800. We're still flying, they're making sure they get our garauntee out of us, but rarely much more.

I have hardly been flying any auto parts the last few months, more aircraft parts for the airlines, mechanics, and parts for various other manufactures.

 

[woog315]

The amount of on-demand cargo seems to be dropping drastically, but so does the amount of on-demand lift, so it's starting to balance out I think. I doubt it will ever be what it was though

 

[QOL_is_great:)]

question is will UAV technology come of age in cargo planes?

I only wonder how the rapid development of UAV technology in the military will affect civil applications.
UAVs travel half-way around the world, work on station of half a day then return to home station. The equipment/weapons doesn't care how they get to the battle so why would boxes care? The old standing joke has been boxes don't complain, right?
I can honestly see the same technology being used in planes to carry cargo. I don't see it in the pax moving side of the house in my lifetime, but in the future? Who really knows.
It's used in rotors and fixed wing aircraft now on smaller airframes so why not on the larger aircraft?
Time will only tell and the clock is running in fast mode.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I've put some thought into this.

First, the laws are changing to integrate UAV's into the air traffic system. Even with maximum effort, the change will take 5-10 years.
The technology is progressing faster than the laws. There are already purpose built UAV's and a few 'upgrade' kits available for existing manned air craft. Old F-4's have been used as missile targets for years. I've also seen an unmanned A-10, and optionally piloted C-208 and AH-64's. There are even plans for unmanned B747's and C-5's for trans pacific routes.

That said, you can still expect 5-10 years for any large scale deployment in the civilian market and 5-10 more for general acceptance.

 

[Way2Broke]

Thread drift, but here it goes.

What difference does it make if the plane is carrying cargo or pax. What I mean by this is, the plane is occupying the same airspace as the pax planes.

I don't think we will see a wide application of unmanned aircraft anytime in the near future. Now remotely controlled aircraft with a operator at a station is a completely different thing. But that isn't really unmanned is it?

I know one thing is for sure, you will never see me in a plane without a pilot up front. All you have to do is look at the line of people getting their computers fixed at best buy every day to know why that is.

 

[phr8dawg]

I saw a Challenger freighter in Juarez, Mx the other day. It didn't appear to have a door mod, but all the covered-over pax windows were visible. The paint was new with Mexican registration. I guess its running bank paper. I'll try to get a picture.

 

[OzBushWhacker]

I'm beginning to think its flat-lining. January has been zilch, nada, nothing.

 

[pilotyip]

flat line?

I'm beginning to think its flat-lining. January has been zilch, nada, nothing.

must be a bottom it is only upward and onward from here.

 

[landlover]

i've flown about 30 hours this month so far. not great but better then last january.