Is on demand cargo dead?

[Way2Broke]

Vote and discuss.

 

[Princedietrich]

regardless of how bad things get, the mail will always have to move. And there will always be someone who absolutely positively has to have something there 5 minutes ago. The big box movers can cover a great deal of the market but they can't be everywhere at once. On demand cargo is a necessity for filling in the gaps that UPS and FedEx can't get to.

 

[dhawk41]

We all know it has been slow, but if the economy ever turns around or if the auto industry gets the bail out i think it will pick up again. The question is how many operators can stay in business until then?

 

[landlover]

regardless of how bad things get, the mail will always have to move. And there will always be someone who absolutely positively has to have something there 5 minutes ago. The big box movers can cover a great deal of the market but they can't be everywhere at once. On demand cargo is a necessity for filling in the gaps that UPS and FedEx can't get to.

what he said!

 

[goodgig]

It will never be what it once was.

I first started doing it in the mid 80's, and out by 94.
It was really cooking back then. Now, I really see very little evidence of it.

 

[SpauldingSmails]

I think there will always be a market for time critical parts. I think at the moment though most of that work is being done with a guy in a King Air or MU2 with an couple critical items rather than a Falcon 20 full of nuts and bolts.

 

[Gearmonkey]

I think there will always be a market for time critical parts. I think at the moment though most of that work is being done with a guy in a King Air or MU2 with an couple critical items rather than a Falcon 20 full of nuts and bolts.

What on earth am I going to do with all those JUS Falcons I just bought!?!?

 

[SpauldingSmails]

What on earth am I going to do with all those JUS Falcons I just bought!?!?

Start a fractional. "Bring your own seating" and offer a nice discount.

 

[Boris Badenov]

This guy in an MU2 is extremely unbusy. Not dead, but let's say "in critical condition and time to call the next of kin."

 

[timeless]

It's my week off so it should very busy until next monday.

It looks like YIP had some auto parts passing through today.

 

[Gearmonkey]

Start a fractional. "Bring your own seating" and offer a nice discount.

Yeah, I wonder if the Auto Execs and Congress would go for that? Hmmm... I know a cargo strap and a lawn chair works back there....

 

[Way2Broke]

First class includes engine plugs to sleep on.

 

[Princedietrich]

Business class involves either a hammock created from a cargo net, or a nest built out of check bags.

 

[belchfire]

Need to find us a couple of C-17's for when the military outsouces flying one pallet that can only be moved by a four-engine jet, with two tankers flying support...

 

[Capt1124]

On demand cargo is highly cyclical. When times are good everybody thinks they will last forever. When times are bad everybody thinks they will last forever. Just as the sun rises and sets there is another business cycle coming and it will happen all over again.

 

[timeless]

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.

 

[skier17]

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.

I'm up to about 300 hours so far this year. Things have definitely slowed down in the last few months, unfortunately.

 

[Gearmonkey]

I did 750 last year and I am down to 350ish for this year maybe.

That's definitely a good thing though, considering 95% of my flying is for Dover, I'm happy with less hours this year for sure.

 

[Way2Broke]

That was my concern when I spoke with the charter folks. You are paid by the mile, but if I had it my way I would never fly a mile out of Dover.

 

[cherry20's]

I'm afraid all hoping that this industry will come back are going to be in for a long painful ride...

I flew 1000 hours in '05, 800 in '06, 600 in '07 and if I had stayed the rest of this year, I wouldn't have broken 400 for sure! I'm afraid this business is dead or is going to die soon, like USA JETS Falcons... I feel for you guys still riding it out!

Hopefully I'm wrong and it gets busy but without a bailout from the Govt., get your resumes out to everyone!