New Cargo Company

[waspe]

Hi, I am very new to Planes, and Air freight. I was wonderin if you guys had any tips, and could possibly anwser a few questions. What is a good efficent cargo plane? I heard the MD-11 was pretty good, with good fuel efficientcy and a decent cargo hold.

We are looking for a cargo planes that has a good fuel to cargo ratio, and that can take off on a pretty short airstrip if need be (not necessary but good), also a cargo plane that can dropp goods out (with parachute).

Also, wht types of pilots should we look for? To me there really isn't a difference as long as they have the certifications.

With cargo shipping is there minimum and maximum hours a pilot can fly?

Also, we will probably try to get some very good technicians to modify the planes a bit, depending on what exactly we need.

Do most air freight companies park at an International airport, or national airport, depending on there shipping needs, or do they have there own airstrip? What is better for a starting company?

Where do freight companies get the shipping contracts? It seems it is all about networking within the air fregith business, but there is a site or something I dont' know.

How amny planes should a starting compnay have, I was thinking 1, and then work my way up, but will we be competitive with just 1, in the beginning?

How much down time is needed on a plane for repairs? I know you need to check the plane after every flight, about how long does that take? and how often do we have to put it in the hanger and do a full check up?

Whats the average shippment payout? I know it depends on what your shipping and how much of what your shipping, but please, just give me a few numbers to play with.

Thank you all for your time
Thank You

 

[justApilot]

Don CAArty is that you?

 

[waspe]

Em.. no this is Not Don Carty. However, I am interested in making a air freight company, and could use your help.

 

[TX_DFW]

I think one of the best cargo planes of any out there is the C-17. Its pretty impressive what it is capable of doing. If you could get one it would be the most versatile. Here is some additional info.

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/c17/flash.html
http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/c17.asp

 

[boxjockey]

I have a bridge for sale that may help with your upstart.

Box

 

[FearlessFreep]

Sounds like a terrorist asking questions to get some "inside" info on the air cargo business. That or were dealing with someone below the age of 12, because these are some of the most ridiculous questions I have heard from anyone that would have the resources to fund the kind of operation that is being outlined.

Sorry there waspe, but your questions are pretty uninformed even if your intent is to be a "cargo freight owner" as your profile states.

 

[waspe]

Well, I am 16. However, I have ways of getting money and stuff to finance all this, when I get old enough. However, I can see how my questions are general, but they aren't rideculous. You do need to know this stuff to be a Air Freight owner, and this stuff, isn't just on the shelves at your local public library either.

Also, I would say a terrorist would be probably more informed then I, because, he would know where to get the planes, he wouldn't need to find out where cargo planes are kept on airstrips or international airports, because he would probably get a cargo plane with a long range, and a decent size, to fill with explosives, and the long range for both gasoline to fuel the fire and because he wouldn't want to land at a International airport and get caught. He also wouldn't care about how many hours a pilot is supposed to fly, or how to make contracts, or what a sample payout is.

I want to know all this stuff because in the US you need to figure out what your going to do for the rest of your life at a young age. So i need to explore different ways to make a living. Shipping seems very very versatile. You get the normal shipping from place to place, but you can also, setup companies in conjuction with the shipping company. There is very high over head, but if your practically tripling your money with each run, I can definately see the benefits.

It will take a lot of planning on my account, and the starting cas, I am a bit worried about but, I think, I can get it, I need to take to a few kids at school about it though.

So you may think it is impossible for a 16 year old to actually do all of this, but it might work out, or it could just be a phase like all my other ideas. However, I won't give up until I find it all, so you might as well humor me =). You never know, maybe one day, I will be the biggest air freighters in the business =)

 

[FearlessFreep]

Well follow your dreams kid, but you going to have to work pretty hard. First off your going to have to learn to spell, type or a combination of both. We are all not perfect, and we all make mistakes but your basic skills definitely need improvement.

By the way, the answer to a lot of your questions IS in the library. It's called trade publications, specifically Aviation Week & Space Technology. Additionally information on different types of airplanes and their specifications is available in Jane's All The World's Aircraft. This is no big secret. When I was sixteen I was well acquainted with all of this and a whole lot more.

Anyone with a few molecules of brain matter and a desire can find this information.

Good luck kid, if that's what you are because your definitely gonna need it. You still sound like a terrorist.

 

[redline]

Now that we know more about you, I encourage you to follow your dreams. I can understand the others being doubtful, but don't ever give up. Some of the most successful people in this country never gave up.
Its not an easy road, but you'll always have questions if you don't try.
Maybe we'll read about you in one of those "Success Stories" articles in the Wall Street Journal.
Just remember that if it doesn't hsppen, your worl will still turn.
Good Luck.

 

[waspe]

I got all this from an other site:

Start by going to your local Flight Standards District Office and tell them of your plans. They will let you know what you need to start either a 14 CFR Part 135 or 121 operation. Just a few of the things you will need:

-Approved facilities for pilot training (you can contract this out, for an MD11 I would guess about $10,000 per pilot every six months, if not more)

-Maintenance facilities (I can't even imagine what a hangar and supplies cost for a large aircraft)

-A basic office

Some of the people you would need to hire (specific information about their qualifications can be found in FAR part 119)

-Director of Operations
-Chief Pilot
-Director of Maintenance
-Dispatchers
-Mechanics (more than you think you need)
-Pilots (average of ten pilots per aircraft to comply with time and duty requirements set forth by the FAA)

This isn't even the tip of the iceberg. For most people who get into the air frieght business, they start with a personally financed smaller aircraft and operate it on some one elses Air Carrier Certificate.

How much do all those people usually get paid?

And whats the rest of the iceburg?

Also any idea how much the large hanger would cost?

 

[boxjockey]

Gotta tell you guys and gals, I think we're going for a ride here. If we're not going for a ride, then good luck to ya' kid, you've got some good ambition, but maybe a little too much business sense for a 16 year old. I'm still not buying.

box

 

[waspe]

Seriously guys, I am 16 years old. I get the Wall Street Journal and Finacial Times, they were free for a certian period of time. Ever since like 9th grade (I am in 11th now), I have been thinking of ideas for businesses, with a few friends from school.

I just need some information. The best place to come to the people that know the stuff. By the way Fearless Freep, I am going to library tommarrow, but they don't have a lot of books in the libraries in Western Mass, I will probably need to do Inter Library Loan or something.

Also.. Anything I can post that wil prove I am not a terrorist, and therefore help me get some anwsers to my questions, I will gladly do. I honestly, am here to learn about how Air Freight companies work, and stuff.. so I can build my own, if It turns out I find a way to, Scouts Honor (I really am a Boy Scout).

 

[Flywrite]

I dont mean this in a demeaning way, but head on over to airliners.net. That crowd is probably more up your alley at this point. If you are a 16 year old then have fun with your business model. In time you'll grow out of it, and realise why you are getting a hard time on here, but until then enjoy your dream and you might even learn a little about the aviation business. You may find some intersting infor on Aviation Internation News' website. I dont remember their URL, but do a search, you'll find it.

If you aren't a 16 year old, then you seriously need to get a life.

 

[vortex]

Waspe,
You need to talk to CitationKid, the two of you could make a good team....you take care of the $$$, with CK as your chief pilot.

Good luck

 

[waspe]

Haha vortex, I just looked up who he was, and read a few post by him.. =)

Flywrite, I took your suggestion and went over to Airliners.net, but It seems like it really isn't that good. I rather get the really pilots here, to talk to, than those guys, they ask pretty stupid questions, that have no meaning.

I just don't get it though. I don't want to sound mean or anything...but are my questions that irrelevent, to Air Freight?

I just need to find a list of expenses and what exactly is needed, so I can figure out, how many millions it is going to cost, Then I get my team together and figure out how exactly we can defray costs, without cutting corners.

My last idea was to buy a Company, we actually could get more then enough money to buy the company, and make a profit on the first deal we would have done. Unfortunately the company seemed a tad fishy when we went to vist it. This was all legally as well.

Please, I just need the anwsers to my questions.. to get a better Idea of whats going on. Maybe one day I might hire you, and I don't even know it.

However, I aghree with Flywrite, If we can't firgure out how to get the money, It pretty much stops, or maybe we will try to scale it down, but I have an idea already to make the money, and I know if I go with like a C-17 and my own stuff, it could be upwards of 400,000,000 USD. Which will take about 3 years with idea to get that much, but my friends are good with this stuff so we might be able to cut that down.

I am going to library tomarrow anyway, so it really doesn't matter if you anwser my questions, I guess because I should anwser them all there, But it would be quite nice to get a book perspective and a Pilots perspective. Many things are different from what books say, you actually have to go out and try them out first to see what they are really like.

 

[B190Captain]

Gotta tell you guys and gals, I think we're going for a ride here. If we're not going for a ride, then good luck to ya' kid, you've got some good ambition, but maybe a little too much business sense for a 16 year old. I'm still not buying.

box

Thats what they said about Bill Gates. He discovered his interest in software and began programming computers at age 13.

Good Luck kid!!

 

[061984]

Sounds like a plan. Whats your address? I'll send ya a resume.

 

[upndsky]

I normally don't bite for this kind of stuff but the wife's at work and there's nothing on tv, so...

There are no answers to your questions, kid, at least none you are going to find here. Take the cost of a hangar. There are hundreds, if not thousands of variables that will determine that: size, location (JFK vs some backwater airport), construction materials, land lease rates, the list goes on.

And to raise $400 million takes some business acumen, of which you have none. If you did, you would know that with few exceptions aviation companies have a history of losing money. In other words, if you somehow did come up with the cash, the LAST thing you'd want to do is invest it in a brand new air freight company.

Come back when you're about 6 to 10 years older and have some real life experiences and a college degree under your belt. Right now, you need to turn off your computer and try to figure out how you're going to score with that cute chick that's in your class.

 

[waspe]

I do agree with you. Airlines definately have history of not being so good. Tourism basicly rules the industry, and without people flying Airline makers have a rough time.. thats what is happening to Boeing now. However, since the early days of the United States we have been the shippers. It started with slow huge cargo boats, then to Fast lean big clippers, there will always be things to ship, and if I do own an Air Freight company, I will probably Pray every day, to computer makers in india. They will allow me to ship lots of computer parts, and with the market constantly changing, this will allow me lots of business, shipping the newest computers. Also, I will not just work for the United states, I will be shipping things to Canada, and to other countries, there are million of things that need shipping, along with thousands of businesses that go along with the shipping aspect that can increase the value of the company and make us more economically stable. The best point would be, when my whole company can survive on every different branch of the company, and the extra special shipping generates the huge profit.

I do agree with about the passenger airplanes being not such a hot investment, because they can fluctuate so quickly, and you need fast money to keep up with the high maintence to cost ratio. I do think shipping is a suitable way to, and the United States DOES have a history of being the best and fastest shippers in the world (at least in this old book i read, about clippers).

06198, Once, I figure out my expense chart, and my group of friends finds it economically feasible, I will post the address. If we need to do modifications, we will see where it leads. It might not turn into a shipping company right away either. As mentioned before 400,000,000 USD happens to be some big bucks.

Upndsky, I know exactly what I want to majior in and everything. Next year I will start my freshamn Year of college and Senior year of High School at the same time. Then I will begin my Bachelors degree in Physics and Finance. After I recen my Bachelors degree form Umass Amherst, I will attempt to get My Masters and PHD degree in Physics and Finance from Cambridge University England. If I can't get to Cambridge, I will find another one.

About that girl in my class, I have learned to take a slow become friends first, and then move on. I am kindof glad too, this girl that was whicked hott, and was definately going for her, but I found out she does pot. I don't want, in my life. So I am still searching, Maybe I will try a Senior girl though.. there are some of those hotties in my class. So I think I will take your Advice Upndsky. =)

 

[Gulfstream 200]

wow.

When I was 16 I was standing outside package stores trying to get someone to buy me and my buddies a case of beer so we could get some chiks drunk and hopefully touch some boobies.

guess there is a reason I am working for the trillion dollar companys, not running them.....

so sad.

 

[flybrowntails]

This guy is full of sh!t---

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Why don't you look up Mr. Fred Smith in the phone book? Give hime a call and I am sure he'd love to deal with you!!
All you'll have to do is come up with a worldwide half-day delivery program! Thats right, you'd be flying the retired Concordes!

Funny thread, really!

 

[Steve]

About that girl in my class, I have learned to take a slow become friends first, and then move on. I am kindof glad too, this girl that was whicked hott, and was definately going for her, but I found out she does pot. I don't want, in my life. So I am still searching, Maybe I will try a Senior girl though.. there are some of those hotties in my class. So I think I will take your Advice Upndsky. =)

First off, only squares call it pot. Second, if weed is what makes her happy.......

 

[TonyC]

Upndsky, I know exactly what I want to majior in and everything. Next year I will start my freshamn Year of college and Senior year of High School at the same time. Then I will begin my Bachelors degree in Physics and Finance. After I recen my Bachelors degree form Umass Amherst, I will attempt to get My Masters and PHD degree in Physics and Finance from Cambridge University England. If I can't get to Cambridge, I will find another one.

I don't know about your High School, but Amherst has standards of admission.

Applying to Amherst

We take great care to review every application thoroughly. Each is read by at least two admission deans before being presented to the Admission Committee for discussion. We pay closest attention to your:

* secondary school transcript;
* standardized tests: the SAT I and three SAT II exams OR simply the ACT;
* teacher and counselor recommendations;
* quality of writing as demonstrated in your essays, testing and recommendations;
* extra- and co-curricular involvements and talents.

As one might expect, Cambridge also has entrance standards. (By the way, most Americans don't realize Cambridge is not really a university in the sense that we usually expect. Rather, it is loose confederation of faculties, Colleges (31 in total), and other bodies that happen to be located in the town of Cambridge. )

Cambridge Graduate Studies Entry Requirements

All applicants are normally expected to hold or to be about to achieve:

* at least a 2i honours degree from a UK university
* an equivalent standard from an overseas university (in the US system a CGPA of at least 3.5/4 is normally required)
* a fluent command of the English Language (see below)
* completion of any current training or education course
* release from your current institution for the duration of your study (if you are coming to Cambridge as a visitor).

Some faculties and departments may require you to take other tests such as the GRE. Where this is required it will be stated clearly in the application information for each course.

Good luck.

 

[WrightAvia]

All your packages belong to us

If you start an air cargo business, UPS and FedEx will squash you like a bug. The market share for cargo is already being handled by some pretty big players and they are BORG. You will be assimilated.

 

[waspe]

Tony C, Say for instance I went to a in state community college before hand, and did my freshman year, and got all a's and B's, would that hold a lot more weight then the tests. Also, You mean I have to take 1 SAT test and 3 SAT II tests?

WrightAvia, I understand , and that actually worries me. However, I think I have away around it. Also, Prices rule, If I can lower my prices to be lower or match fedex and UPS and still make a profit, I have a chance. I am not sure about Concordes or anything, but Half day shipping could be edg, if you can fix Concordes to be Freight instead of passenger.

However, you are right, But the only there would be no competion like that is if I created a whole new product, or modified the product just enough to get the markets interest.

I definately take this into deep consideration. There are probably still contracts to be made though, and if worst comes to worst, I can get hired to work my planes for Fed EX and Ups, until I get enough reputation and money to fly solo.

 

[TX_DFW]

I agree with WrightAvia. Kid best of luck but you won't be able to start a company and compete with the big boys.[ I.e. UPS, FEDEX, DHL] They will put you out of buisness like walmart has done to all of the mom and pop stores. Your best bet is to find a new niche in the market or just invest your money and donate some to poor pilots like myself.

 

[TonyC]

Tony C, Say for instance I went to a in state community college before hand, and did my freshman year, and got all a's and B's, would that hold a lot more weight then the tests. Also, You mean I have to take 1 SAT test and 3 SAT II tests?

waspe,

In the first place, and to answer your question directly, NO. The admission standards at a quality university such as Amherst will not be relaxed because you are able to do well at a community college. (Yikes. Did I just say "well"? I dare say, a "B" at a community college would scarcely be considered "doing well" in the eyes of Amherst.)

In the second place, if you are really about to begin your senior year in high school, and you have aspirations of attending a college, you shouldn't have to seek advice on admissions from THIS forum.

In the third place, and to be less subtle in making the point I attempted to make in my previous post, you need to learn our language to be taken seriously. Yes, you have to learn to spell. Yes, you have to learn and apply the conventions of grammar and punctuation. If the quality of your essays and tests are anything like the quality of your posts, you should expect to never progress beyond that community college. Your posts are replete with spelling and grammar errors, and I really don't have the time or inclination to point them out. Suffice it to say, you need to forget about cargo for a while and work on English.

 

[Sig]

I have a business model that simply bypasses the entire cargo system.

We all become agrarian syndicates, and shun the burdensome allure* of worldly goods and services... thereby rendering all cargo business models moot. I feel that you should give me the $400,000,000 e13 for this idea, which is a sum that apparently is attainable via a bake sale on your planet.

Concordes?

Seriously- if you really want to break into the game, you can't play by the big boys' rules- you have to well and truly change something fundamentally. For example, price-wars are self limiting; they are more of a short term gimmick than a contingency for a business model. You'll have to come up with a genuinely fresh paradigm.

*I spelled this "alllure" originally. I'm a 'tard.

 

[TxPilot0878]

Couple of Questions?

Waspe,

Somebody with pockets as deep as yours would never consult a bunch of guys foaming at the mouth for "perverbial carrot," you are offering/advertising.
Secondly how did you find this site? And what were your first 2 choices, because I know this wasn't #1...if it was then you will never make it.
Pilot's view very seldom coincide with Upper Level Managements....we will work with you,...but c'mon; if you want advice....I figure a minutes worth of your time is worth around $1,500-$3,000 bucks! Why not conspire with a specialized, gung ho penny pinching group that will make you Fred Smith wettest dream 25 years down the line.
I really don't think anyone buys this line of BS....if they do their penny was definitely wasted!
Guys I would never bash somebody that was obviously oblivious to certain aspects...and truly trying to understand and become somewhat competent about this industry...but some part of our pathetic managing buttons...barely keeping current lives has to scream out..."Something doesn't add up!"

Skeptic