Ram Air Freight

[mbw]

I've kept my resume updated with them, and finally got a application in the mail last week. Does anybody have any info on the hiring process? Any info about the company, interview, ground school or tips will greatly appreciated...Thanks

 

[upndsky]

I work for Ram although I can't tell you much about the interview process since it's changed since I got there.

Things are starting to move again after almost a year of stagnation. We've had around 8 pilots move on in the last few months and there are others who have interviews lined up.

I think Ryan (our CP) has been sending out apps to see how many are still interested or available. A lot of pilots who have sent resumes have since found other jobs. This is probably a way to shorten the stack. So if you're really interested, definitely send in the application. To increase your chance of getting a job, be willing to move and be willing to come at a moments notice. It's not unusual for someone to get a call on Thursday or Friday for a Monday class.

As far as training, it is one week long. First day is all groundschool and a drug test. The rest of the week is a mix of ground school, flight training and ride alongs. If all goes well, you do the checkride on Friday or during the weekend. Training is pretty intense because there's a lot of stuff to learn and little time to learn it in. Be sure your flying and instrument skills are up to par. We'll work with someone up to a point but if we're going to tell you to get some more experience and try back another time. Luckily that doesn't happen very often.

Otherwise, Ram has been a pretty good place to work. The experience is awesome, maintenance is good, but the pay sucks. And you can not be afraid of weather. If low minimums, ice and thunderstorms make you nervous, good (you should be). If they make you scared, though, than this is NOT the place for you. Single pilot IFR freight flying is a whole different animal than instructing. Do a gut check before you are ready to commit to come here. But once you do, this will be the most fun flying job you'll probably ever have.

 

[mbw]

Ram Air

Thanks for the info...all sounds really good offcourse all except the pay but nothing we can do about that. Any advise as far as what to study for? FAR 91, 135, Wx?

Thanks
mbw

 

[upndsky]

Don't worry too much about the 135 stuff. It can get pretty confusing if you don't have someone there to explain it to you. They'll do that in class. Bone up on instrument procedures, most of which is in the AIM. If you haven't flown GPS approaches, read up on those. All our aircraft have Appolo GX-50 IFR-approved GPS. Although not as common as a Garmin or King, it's a good unit. I'm one of the instructor pilots and I would say that this is the one area most new-hires struggle in. If you haven't flown a GPS approach, find someone who can take you up and show you one (doesn't matter what unit). Before you come to class, you'll get a CD with a GX-50 simulator on it so you can practice on your computer. Also, if there is a Lance or a Seneca on the field, see if you can get a few hours of stick time in it or at the very least, get familiar with the cockpit layout. If you don't have much Piper time and there isn't a Lance on the field, any Cherokee type will do since the cockpits are laid out fairly similar.

Hope this helps.

 

[icefr8dawg]

single engine question

question for Ram Air Guys,
How do you deal with ice in the single engine aircraft?
I would be interested in working at Ram because cargo has almost vanished at my current gig. However, I can't imagine operating all toosucessfully during the winter in a non deiced single.
Rob

 

[upndsky]

Simple, we ground the singles and upgrade the runs for that day to a twin. If we're short planes due to maintenance, we farm the work out. Our customers know this and its written into the contract that they'll eat the extra costs. It happens rarely, though. So far this year, we've only had one day where we grounded the Lances. Last year, I think it was only four or five days. The company is pretty good about stuff like this.

 

[mbw]

ram air

upndsky...thanks for the info.

I feel pretty confident on the GPS and instrumnet skills...I just hope I get the call. Do they call you in for an interview or do you just get selected into a class?

thanks
mbw

 

[icefr8dawg]

Yea, cool, thanks for the info. We had several guys working with us up here in NJ that worked for RAM. One moved on to fly Hawkers and the other tried to scare us all with horror stories from RAM on day one of ground school. He failed an sic ride twice and was asked to leave, I think he got fired from RAM as well.

I'll send a resume down there but I don't feel like it will be well recieved since the website says not to send, fax or email. Any idea if they would entertain qualified applicants with prior 135 and hard weather experience?

Rob

 

[upndsky]

That's typical. The only former Ramairians I know who knock the company are those who have been asked to leave. Everyone else I know has had a positive experience here. Don't get me wrong, this place isn't Eden, but for a freight outfit, you could do a lot worse.

As far as getting a look, go ahead and send in a resume to the CP, regardless of what the web site says. The worse they can do is throw it out (they won't). In the past having too much time or experience would have hurt you, since the theory is that you wouldn't stick around here very long. Ryan does all the hiring decisions but he's only been our CP since summer, so I don't know what his thoughts are on it. Again, you won't know if you don't apply.

mbw, if there is an interview, it's a short one over the phone, very casual, just trying to get to know you. There's no face-to-face like you would get at an airline. If you get a call, it's to see if you're still interested and probably to offer you a class. The only way to blow it is if you come across as a complete idiot or worse, a complete a$$.

 

[Riddlebratt]

Just curious!!! where is Ram located and what are their minimums. I've just crossed the magic 1200/200 line with some Hawker time as well.

 

[YaMama]

Mostly North Carolina, but check their website for the complete list of domiciles - www.ramairfreight.com

Mins are 135 IFR - ME time doesn't matter (in fact may even hurt your chances according to the employment FAQ on the website). With 200 multi and jet time it seems like you might be in line for a better job than freight dog (ie regional).

 

[limodriver1]

there is no SIC rides on RAM AIR

Ram airs operations does not require SIC on any airplane , so the person who told you that story, is obviously full of it!

Ram air is good company to work for and build experience, I worked there few years and did not have horror stories to tell.

Usually people who fail are the ones who has stories to tell. It is known that flying freight is not for everyone, some can be a good flight instructor but **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ty pilot and one can be a great aviator but awfull flight instructor. Flying freight you need to have bigger balls than flying for regional carrier or similar or even other 135 passenger operator. Been SIC ( second in command) is not more than the person who pulls the gear handle.

Flying freight gives you excellent background for your future aviation career, and the horrow stories you make them up and let them happend. Ram Air is one of the most professional freight company out there and people are respected throughout the aviation industry. Flying small and slow airplanes, with decent equipment is what Ram Air does, maintanence works if you write those things up what is wrong. Pay is decent when you compare it to hours what you work. It is not like airnet who flies throughout the night, ramairs most lines starts around noon and ends way before midnight.

Most of the guys who got fired or let go from ram air , which is the way they like to do it, so it is not in your records , had reason to get fired or (let go) like those future hawker pilots.

Ram air people who gets work done is respected, it is ontime airfreight carrier, and company counts on you as a pilot.

If you dont want to fly single-engine lance or small twins , in weather, or other conditions , you might want to stay away from Ram Air. You do favor for company and yourself. But if you want experience and fast growing time on your logbook. I would say GO FOR IT!

 

[mbw]

ram air

Are the Lances turbo charged or super charged? Or none?
Do you fly a leg and wait couple of hrs and fly the leg back, or do you fly several legs a day?

thanks
mbw

 

[upndsky]

limodriver1, I think icefr8dawg was saying the guy failed his SIC check ride at the company in NJ, after he was let go from Ram. Probably a good thing. If he's that bad a pilot, he probably would have killed himself at Ram.

mbw, the Lances are straight-wing, normally-aspirated. The only turbos we have are the Senecas and the C-402s.

Routes depend on the run. Most leave in the early afternoon and get back between 7 and 10 p.m. and are around 3 to 5 legs. They are scheduled so that there is little or no waiting between legs. That all depends on whether the courier are on time, of course. Other runs have several hours of down time in them. Some pilots like those runs because they use the down time to take online college courses. Runs are awarded on seniority so when you first hit the line, you'll get what's left.

 

[icefr8dawg]

upndsky, you got it right. This guy failed a .297 or .299 ride at RAM, came to fly with us, was not allowed to sit left seat, had to leave and then falsified his logbook which came around to bite him quickly when his next job did a basic background check. We had a director of training that came from RAM, and before that from the flight school full of europeans (Northeast I think it's called) He was a real stand up guy and great pilot, always defended the line pilots.
R

 

[PumpkinPony]

pay scale

I have to say, I didn't think the pay was that bad at Ram Air... I'm making less flying for Horizon Air now. The schedule was great too! Only job I ever had that I got weekends and holidays off. Won't see that again in the next few years. Probably some of the most fun flying I've done too. The airlines are a different world...

 

[upndsky]

Hey pumpkinpony, have you hit the line yet at Horizon? I hope they're treating you well.

To expand on her post, runs pay between $60 to $90 per day. You get a 10% raise at six months and another 10% over base at 12 months (base + 20%). After two years, you get paid $90 + 20% regardless of what the run would normally pay.

Most, if not all, runs based outside of RDU pay $90. Pumpkinpony was RIC-based. If you get RDU, plan on making $60. The good thing is that most RDU runs are short so it's possible to work a second job in the mornings, which is what some of our pilots do.

Pay has always been a contentious issue here, especially when hiring elsewhere stopped and it looked like some of us might be here for a while. Now that things are moving again, pay may not be that big of a deal. I'll also add that maintenance here is very good (if you write it up, it'll get fixed no questions asked) and that management doesn't pressure pilots. There are other outfits like us that may pay a few dollars more, but they also ask their pilots to take much bigger risks. We've been in business for more than 20 years (a remarkable feat in the freight world) and have had only one fatality. That one was attributed to pilot error. The record speaks for itself.

 

[Snakum]

Is Ross Kennedy (ADO) still there?

Just curious ...

Minh

 

[limodriver1]

he is still there!

But not ADO anymore!

 

[mbw]

Ram

upndsky,

one last Q, do u train in a sim or aircraft?

Thanks

 

[upndsky]

Sim? What's a sim?

Everything is done in the airplane.

 

[reno]

I flew for RAF 2002-2003. Started in the Lance and moved to the Seneca after 6 months. Got hired at SkyWest after 1 year with 200 Multi time. The comments about having the nerve to fly in bad Wx are true, and to be sure it is not Eden, but my year there helped me grow tremendously! It truly was a great flying job. I credit getting my current 121 job to the experience I gained at RAF. In addition to the experience, the contacts you make last a lifetime and contacts are everything in this business. Good luck!

 

[mbw]

Ram Air

Whats the average apgrade time to the multi?

 

[upndsky]

That depends on where you'll be based. All of our non-RDU based runs, except for one, is a twin run (usually the Seneca). If you get RDU, you'll be in a Lance for a while since there are only a handful of twin runs in RDU and a bunch of senior guys who like it here and probably aren't going anywhere for a while.

We've hired people straight into the out-bases and they've been flying a twin since day one. It all depends on where the need is at the time. We had a lot of attrition in RIC (an all-Seneca base) recently, but that's slowing since that base is almost all new-hires now. RDU should see the next round of attrition as there are a bunch of us here with interviews at the airlines. Odds are that if you're hired you'll be in RDU initially. But if an out-base run opens up and you're willing to move, you'd have a good chance of bidding over to it because most of the current RDU pilots don't want to move.

The key is to be flexible.

 

[mbw]

Finally got a call and a class date!
Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[CLC]

mbw
I got a call too. I'll see you down there!!

Question for upndsky:

Where are the baron's and the 402's based out of?
Jepps or NOS?

thanks

 

[upndsky]

Plates are NOS, provided by the company. If you want to use Jepp, you have to buy them yourself.

Barons are based in RDU, with one based in JQF (Concord, NC). Right now, there's also a Baron based in Macon, Ga., but that's because the pilot flying that run used to be the Baron pilot in JQF. When he moves on, they'll probably put a Seneca there.

We have 4 C-402s. One is based in Wilmington, NC, and the other in New Bern, NC. Both are used for Airborne Express. These guys fly to RDU in the evening, sleep in the office and fly back in the mornings. Those runs are pretty locked in as both pilots have family in their respective cities. The other 402s are kept in RDU as spares and for on-call charter work, usually for UPS when one of their feeder planes breaks down or a plane is late.

Richmond is an all-Seneca base.

 

[mbw]

Any cheap living ideas in RDU area? Roomates? Rooms to rent? Apertments?

Thanks

 

[upndsky]

Stay at the Extended Stay during your week of training (or wherever they recommend these days). Once you're here, you can ask or look around. Who knows, you may not even be based at RDU.

See ya on the 1st.

 

[Cadillac]

rooms for rent in Raleigh

You can have mine when I leave in March. If you want multi time, be prepared to travel and be based anywhere but Raleigh. However, I imagine most new-hires will be based here in RDU until some out-stationed pilots move on.