Recommendations for Cargo companies ANYONE?!

[coffeepilot]

HI!

I am desperately looking to get on cargo outfits! Almost any ACMI carrier works!

I work for corporate aviation so I don't really no anyone inside cargo world to give me recommendation or walk my stuff in!

Well beer is on me if someone can help!

I got almost 6500 total time, lots of PIC multi and Jet time!


Thanks

KM

 

[Master Shake]

I can tell you where not to go... Air Tahoma.

I have a friend at USAJet and it seems to suit him well. Also, you may want to look at Evergreen. They have the potential to be stable since being awarded the Boeing 747LCF contract...unlike when I worked there (non-flying). Best wishes is your search!

 

[landlover]

gemini
world
atlas
polar
kalitta
usajet
ameristar
360 cargo
southern
ifl group
amerijet


your welcome, now wheres my beer?

 

[Showtime]

Try Kalitta Air.

Not just a job, an adventure!

Fast upgrade, heavy Intl time...

Lots of training right now.

 

[gear_yanker]

You should definitely cross Southern off the list as well as any other scumbag outfit that asks you to sign a training bond.

 

[khsgt]

Focus is running another class in October.
I'm a newhire, and so far, so good

www.focusaircargo.com

 

[landlover]

add murray and ATI to the list, the original poster said he wanted a job. didnt say he wanted a good one.

 

[spitfire1500]

No one mentioned Evergreen. I'm sure they are hiring with the current attrition.

Beware of one thing with ACMI carriers...a lot of them have a good part of their business tied up with the military and when things slow in the Gulf I see a slow down with these carriers. Try to pick one that has more civilian work than military.

 

[Caboclo]

Right at this moment, I think Kalitta is the best place to be. They are stable, expanding, and hiring. Also they just signed a new contract. By comparison, Atlas/Polar is still trying to sort out their merger, with all the problems that brings. Also, all new hires there start in London. However, they do pay the most, and things seem to be improving, in that they now pay your ticket to London and back. Evergreen is a fascinating company, but they pay the least of all. World is currently a decent company, but they just got sold. You'll want to do some research and find out what the new owner knows about running an airline. Could be a very good deal, but approach with caution. Also, I think World historically keeps their pilots on the road even longer than everyone else. Cargo 360 just merged themselves into Southern, and no one here has anything good to say about Southern. Focus is a fairly new company with only 3 planes. Haven't heard a lot good about them, but if they make it in the long run and expand significantly, then their current employees will suddenly have a lot of seniority. Gemini, ATI and Murray are all smaller companies; I think they'll be hurting most anytime there's a slowdown. The previous are all worldwide operators. USAJet and Amerijet run smaller planes, serving the US, northern Latin America, and maybe Canada. In that category are also Capitol Air Cargo, Kitty Hawk, and Custom Air Transport. I've heard some good comments about USAJet and Capitol, but not Amerijet or Custom. Kitty Hawk seems to be a roller coaster ride; they are the first US operator of cargo 737s but they can't seem to get ahead.

 

[landlover]

CAT has nine lives, word on the street is someone bought the certificate and the owner just threw in a few 72s cause they are worthless. same guy bought the old hooters air ticket as well. no idea what the plans are but you believe this info is legit!

 

[vindiesel]

Give Gemini a call, I went there from a corporate/ fractional backgroung and spent 3 years circling the globe on the 10 and 11. Not sure on advancement opportunities, but you will get the experience of a lifetime.
Remember, it never hurts to send out your application!
Good luck...

 

[Thedude]

same guy bought the old hooters air ticket as well. no idea what the plans are but you believe this info is legit!

How could he bu the Hooters certificate when it belongs to PACE and as far as I know they are still operating

 

[Thedude]

One word about ACMI, they are all $hitbag operators so just pick your flavor of $hit

 

[Sawmill]

Question: What is ACMI? Thanks

 

[Master Shake]

Question: What is ACMI? Thanks

Aircraft
Crew
Maintenance
Insurance

 

[pilotyip]

USA Jet is the finest DA-20 operator in the business. We feel our training program is good enough to train anyone who has basic flying skills. USA Jet does all of its training under Part 121 N & O; the DA-20 has 5 weeks of full time ground school prior to starting sim training, which runs one week and 25 hours for F/O's. All DA-20 F/O's receive 25 hours of supervised IOE prior to being released to line operations, we observe 100 min time in seat for pairing restrictions and in the past have turned down trips because of only low time pairs available. We have not hired a Captain off the street since 1998. Our safety record speaks for it self and is the standard for the industry. No training is done in airplanes on ride along legs. We have had pilots go to major airlines and tell us, except for fancy bells and whistles, the USA Jet training was as good as they got at their major. No USA Jet pilot has failed training at his next job. At an unnamed national passenger operator, 50% of the new hire pilots washed out of DC-9 training, USA Jet pilots had a 100% pass rate based upon their USA Jet Training. Some pilots hired by a large player in the business waived all testing and sim evals for USA Jet pilots, because of the known quality of their USA Jet Training. While in full time ground school you are paid full pay of $34 K per year to start? We have program on track for 6-figure pay in 6 years for all Captains. 10 hard days off every 28 day bid period. While in a duty status, you have to live in the immediate YIP area. Pilots are expected to assist in loading and unloading cargo. Benefits are good with a Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan you would be eligible for after 90 days. Pay goes up for F/O’s $2/hr in the 3rd year. Captain could be as early as a year, depends upon turnover and growth. Company covers all hotel costs on the road and gives the pilots $1.83 per hour pre-diem while away from YIP to cover meals. Time away from home is the luck of the draw, one guy’s fly’s 80 hours and is gone from home 6 days, and the next guy flies 45 hours and is gone 12 days. Some guys spend one night a month in a hotel way from home, but fly many night time round trips. It is a non-sked, hence no schedule.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Never, ever, sign a training bond. You'll wake up six months into your new "adventurous" job and ask yourself, "how the ******************** did I get myself into this mess?"

-- former ACMI'er :smash:

Make sure you know what you want, and what you don't want.

Oh yeah, and never, ever sign a training bond.

 

[MD11Drvr]

Never, ever, sign a training bond. You'll wake up six months into your new "adventurous" job and ask yourself, "how the ******************** did I get myself into this mess?"

-- former ACMI'er :smash:

Make sure you know what you want, and what you don't want.

Oh yeah, and never, ever sign a training bond.

I hear you, but it really is the only defense an ACMI'er has to try and keep people from jumping around from one to another and if going to a legacy carrier or someone like FedEx or UPS is worth it then pay it back and be glad you got the wide body time that may have helped get the legacy job. I have heard several complaining about paying back thier bond but no one had a gun to your head when you signed it. The only exception I feel is for the guy furloughed from a carrier and needs the job. In that case what are you going to do but to sign it. But the guy that leaves a job looking to fill another box on his resum'e to end up at a legacy carrier should be happy to pay it back. Especially if it was the time at the ACMI that put his app on top.

 

[GogglesPisano]

I hear you, but it really is the only defense an ACMI'er has to try and keep people from jumping around from one to another and if going to a legacy carrier or someone like FedEx or UPS is worth it then pay it back and be glad you got the wide body time that may have helped get the legacy job.

Or they could just improve the pay and QOL. The training contract is just an easier -- and cheaper -- way of trying to stop attrition.

I parked myself at World while waiting for my "dream job." I signed on the dotted line, and paid them when the letter came in the mail. World is, in my opinion, the best ACMI carrier to work for and has a very talented pilot group and offers decent QOL.

But people need to realize that they have no idea before they take a job -- especially in the exotic world that is ACMI -- whether they will be happy or miserable on those 18 day trips or 10-hr legs in the middle seat in coach with a tight connection in FRA. They need to talk to people who have been there for a while and realize what they are getting themselves into. Just like joining the Marines.

Forewarned is forearmed.

 

[coastinout]

Had a friend get hired recently at Gemini who knew noone(so he said). Had a lot of regional exp. Even took a few years off and got back into it with another regional and got hired about 1 year into it.
Coastinout