Ram Air Freight - Selling Aircraft

[aveator]

i use to know a guy named chad ? he was there in the mid 90`s,,any one know him or keep in touch with him? thanks

 

[BigLebowski]

I used to work at Ram Air. It's shocking they are down to 14 pilots...how did you find that out? When I left I want to say there was around 30 or so on the seniority list.

I have to agree it was a stepping stone, but I had a BLAST flying there. I tell people all the time...flying cancelled checks is when I learned how to fly. I actually felt like a pilot when I worked there, now I feel like a systems manager.

I can always tell when I have an old 135 guy flying next to me, they're sharp as a razor when it comes to knowledge and we have so many stories to compare this and that.

I truly feel that check flying is an essential step in the road to the airlines. Those of you that didn't get the opportunity to do it...missed out.

 

[aewanabe]

Former Ramex here. Had a GREAT time, kept in touch with several bubbas after I made my way into the 121 world. Don't miss the low pay, or loading proof bags in the sleet/90 degree weather, or dealing with some of the 3-toothed bank couriers, but the flying was mostly a blast.

Did they "encourage" us to get the job done no matter what? A little, but far less than what I've heard about from other check-hauler veterans. I put my foot down a few times about weather or mx issues I was not comfortable with and was never punished. I fully agree with a previous poster; we had darned good mechanics with experience from Midway, the Air Force, and Corpex, among others. I always felt like they did what they could with 25-year old piston twins flying 100+ hours/month. Plus we had IFR GPS with current databases in every plane, something I'm told was a real luxury in that segment.

I've been wondering what they were gonna do come Check-21; we had 30-ish guys when I was there and am sorry to hear if they are really down to 14 or so guys. My short time there was the most fun I've had making a living in aviation and all these kids going CFI to RJ have no idea what they've missed.

 

[Buddy1958]

I too flew a RAMEX call sign (singles and twins) at a couple of WAY outbases - and can tell you from first-hand experience that Ram Air may not be for every one. Push you, yes. But like others have said, if you stuck to your decision (and backed it up with sound knowledge of the regs and company manuals, etc.), you were supported. It's those who weren't confident in their abilities and judgment who, more often than not, quit or got taken off the schedule. Gotta tell you, my stick & rudder skills improved 1000% while at Ram Air - and my love for flying and flying safely - increased immeasurably. Since leaving Ram over 5 years ago (and staying in the 135-world), I can't tell you how many big talkers (mostly coming from right or left seats in RJs) we've washed out or who simply didn't show for the next training flight. There is DEFINITELY a place for safety-minded light cargo haulers. Read history (i.e., Fate is the Hunter), some of the best and longest lived pilots started their career in a smelly, dinged-up old freight-dog airplane. I sure hope Ram Air isn't another victim of this friggin economic downturn. I will always smile when I think of some of the "learning" I got while single-pilot in an old smelly, drafty, dirty Seneca or Lance.

 

[momalley81]

Another satisfied former Ramex'er here. Enjoyed my time there, one of the most fun flying jobs I ever had. Yeah, the planes were a little tired looking, and yeah they broke sometimes. I was there for over a year, and learned a lot. Did dispatch try and push you? Sometimes. Other times they put the brakes on for you, too. But if you put your foot down, it was respected.

What I DID see often times, were guys that didn't want to work, or didn't want to fly, causing others to have to pickup the slack. They didn't last long. They either quit or were taken off the schedule.

I was outbased, and wrote up many planes when it was called for. I even remember a few times breaking down at some of the remotest outbases. My judgment was never questioned. It would be a shame to see it go; I keep in contact with more than a few former coworkers, last I heard they had sold the last of the 402's. The end of an era, I fear.

Just hope they can survive the current downturn and find a way to reorganize their business.

 

[bailey3083]

I was at Ram Air back in the 90's. At that time we had no dispatchers just canned flight plans. It was up to us to check the weather,fuel plan, etc. At that time they had more Cheetah's then anything else and it was a privilege to get into the Baron. We were pushed to fly around storms but never thru one. The few times I did take off into bad weather it was because I did not want to spend the night somewhere because I was broke. In the 2 years I was there we lost no pilots and at that point there had been no lost pilots at all. MX did a great job keeping those planes flying and if I wrote a plane up(regardless of where) it was fixed.
I went from there to BankAir for almost 4 years. Again no dispatchers just canned flight plans. BankAir pushed you to fly also but never made it a requirement, if you said no then they stop bugging you. The planes were kept in good shape by MX but showed their age. From my knowledge BankAir during its History lost only 4 people with 3 of those in a training accident when a C172 took off at a LR35 doing a practice single circling without making a single announcement.
Both companies taught me alot which has stayed with me since then. While at the airlines/Fractionals I saw a HUGE difference between us Freight Dogs and everyone
else. When you are stuck in the soup by yourself on a dark night shooting an approach to mins with no autopilot and only your skill you become a good pilot.
I hate to hear that RamAir might shut down but it will join a list of other companies that now only provide memories.

 

[bushrat]

I used to work at Ram Air. It's shocking they are down to 14 pilots...how did you find that out? When I left I want to say there was around 30 or so on the seniority list.

I have to agree it was a stepping stone, but I had a BLAST flying there. I tell people all the time...flying cancelled checks is when I learned how to fly. I actually felt like a pilot when I worked there, now I feel like a systems manager.

I can always tell when I have an old 135 guy flying next to me, they're sharp as a razor when it comes to knowledge and we have so many stories to compare this and that.

I truly feel that check flying is an essential step in the road to the airlines. Those of you that didn't get the opportunity to do it...missed out.

From one former check hauler to another:

That's a pretty arrogant statement you made, so here goes.

Those of you check haulers that didn't get the opportunity to fly for hire in Alaska couldn't hold a candle.

 

[acpilot]

When you are stuck in the soup by yourself on a dark night shooting an approach to mins with no autopilot and only your skill you become a good pilot.

Too bad it doesn't pay what it should pay. That job requires a pilot to be a PILOT!

 

[sleddriver71]

From one former check hauler to another:

That's a pretty arrogant statement you made, so here goes.

Those of you check haulers that didn't get the opportunity to fly for hire in Alaska couldn't hold a candle.

Hmmm, I don't think anyone cares Mr. Alaska.

 

[BGSM]

Ram Air

I flew for Ram ... yes the planes were ugly but maintained, they did push about flying in weather but if you said No! that was the end of it. I was outbased, only pilot there great schedule take off 930 home by 1830 till the bases closed. Most fun flying I have ever done Ram was an awesome experience.