Regionals to 135 Cargo?

[molson247]

Anyone ever go from the Regionals to 135 Cargo? All I do flying the ERJ is punch buttons and watch it fly....really kind of boring. Just curious....

 

[rickair7777]

I'm sure you could...but pay, benefits, and QOL will probably be poor compared to most regionals, and 135 single-pilot PIC is not as attractive to the majors as 121 time.

 

[cybourg10]

Anyone ever go from the Regionals to 135 Cargo? All I do flying the ERJ is punch buttons and watch it fly....really kind of boring. Just curious....

Its not as much fun as the recruiters at Riddle told you it would be?

 

[molson247]

Its not as much fun as the recruiters at Riddle told you it would be?

hahah....good one....but i've been operating commercially in the part 91 side and have had a blast. Kind of disappointed by the regionals.

 

[Tug Driver]

135 sucks

i came to the regionals from flying both single pilot 135 cargo as well as on demand jet cargo and let me tell you...stay where you are.

whereas i am happy to have had the experience of risking my life every night, I am only really happy to have done that because I can reassure myself everyday how much the regionals rock, comparatively. Ive seen 3 coworkers at 2 different companies die in 18 months time. its rough. yes the money is great, but i am all about living.

flying on the back side of the clock is not for everyone, nor is flying broken POS airplanes in the worst wx imaginable...

you can pm me if you want any other details.

 

[cybourg10]

hahah....good one....but i've been operating commercially in the part 91 side and have had a blast. Kind of disappointed by the regionals.

which regional?

 

[Papps]

Stay at the regionals. The first day in a frieight company they hand you a pager, and it doesn't stop going off 24/7 365 until you quit. The flying is fun, but you are giving up all your friends and family. The regionals are better than freight and most 135 charter operators, if your looking to make some crazy power move, go to Part 91 private owners and corporate. It can be very very fun. You actually have more than 8 hours in a city to try to get laid, you have a few days. Its cool.

 

[Boris Badenov]

135 single pilot stuff is a lot of fun, but it pretty much is your entire life. How dangerous it is is a function of how careful you are and how good your maintenance is. I'm lucky enough to work for a company which takes maintenance seriously, and I've never felt seriously endangered by anything but my own stupidity. It does have the advantage of relatively high pay and, for check haulers, a fixed schedule with weekends off. PM if you want a more thorough discussion of the piston check hauler area.

 

[texarkana]

I flew 135 freight up until a few months ago. I had stuff I complained about, but I had alot of fun while I was there. Compared to the regionals, I think I liked the laid back attitudes of pilots better, and the environment of a small company. I knew everybody by name and everybody knew me. Also, you cant beat flying around the country in a led zeppelin t-shirt, this shirt-and-tie gig is kind of lame.

On the plus side, the airplane I fly is awesome, and having a contract and a schedule is alot easier. I don't think you can go wrong at either, it all depends on what YOU want to do. If you find a good 135 company in an area you want to live in, go for it. Flying should be an adventure, not a job!

 

[Metro752]

Here's a picture of both my girlfriends..... yes I can handle both of them!

http://www.microspace.com/services/fmfm_pager.jpg

 

[Guitar Guy]

...but i've been operating commercially in the part 91 side...

That's kind of interesting. How did you do that?

 

[Windsor]

Stick with the regionals. If you want to fly more instead of punch buttons, hand fly. 135 on demand cargo isnt for everyone. Its hard flying, hard living. regionals are easy. I just left 135 for the regionals and like it a lot more.

 

[Papps]

That's kind of interesting. How did you do that?

Who wants to explain it to him?

 

[Metro752]

Who wants to explain it to him?

I think you should Popps!! <3

 

[Papps]

ok. I've been out of 91 flying for a while, maybe the regs have changed because of the fractionals. He probably meant that he's flying right seat for some private owner in a citation or something on his days off.

 

[I Hate Freight]

hahah....good one....but i've been operating commercially in the part 91 side and have had a blast. Kind of disappointed by the regionals.

Flight Express is hiring!

 

[willNOTfly4free]

...if your looking to make some crazy power move, go to Part 91 private owners and corporate. It can be very very fun. You actually have more than 8 hours in a city to try to get laid, you have a few days. Its cool.

Ain't that the truth! Overnights are so much better with a rental car and a company expense card/account.

Some of the best overnights I've had were as a contract guy flying for a single owner operation.
I spent 9 days in Vegas with all expenses, including beer, paid for. Try doing that at your regional.

 

[Papps]

Part 91 flying is more like traveling than working.

 

[time builder]

Not all cargo is of the fly all night sort. Fly for a feeder in the west, and you're likely to fly two hours a day, mostly mornings and evenings.

Then again, part 135 operators are struggling to find 1200 hour pilots. Look for them to consolidate routes and add legs to existing flights to compensate for less pilots. Some cargo companies have their pilots on salary and won't pay any more for the extra work, which stinks.

On the other hand, a few years ago, a 1400 hour pilot would be stuck in a Lance or a C206, now days they can get type rated in a turboprop with the same amount of time.

 

[JSky26]

What's your ultimate goal in flying? How about the fractionals?

I know a few people that went to Airnet (probably one of the most legit 135s out there), spent a year in the Baron, a year and a half on the Van, a year as a Lear FO and then upgraded to skipper in less than two. Got the trubine PIC and went on to NetJets, etc...

 

[freightrash]

Please stay where you are now! I used to fly freight too(single pilot in all wx all times). it's not fun. it's not matter of scheduling nor equipment! it's a matter of survive or killed! I won't go back =(

 

[70-SS]

Anyone ever go from the Regionals to 135 Cargo? All I do flying the ERJ is punch buttons and watch it fly....really kind of boring. Just curious....

Would you rather stand in the unemployment line or push buttons. Let me know.

 

[baune]

DO NOT DO IT! Do no get stuck at a crappy 135 cargo job. They promise better pay than the regionals, which might be true sometimes, but when you consider all the sacrifices you will make because of it, it is not worth it.

Most of those companies require a contract for a reason, they can't keep pilots employed. They also pay salary so they can work you to the maximum duty time and not pay a cent extra. You will have to move to some po-dunk town too small for the the big freighters; that's why you're there though. No commercial air service into/out of the airport. Work the back side of the clock 5 days a week which equals about 1.5 days off on the weekend. Flying broken planes all the time in the crappiest weather, praying your HSI or and radios will work for that approach down to mins. I've aged 10 years in 1.5 years. Girlfriend left because I never see her, always in a pissy mood, and look like sh*T all the time.

The bottom line, it's just not worth it. People say the best passengers are boxes, but I'd gladly deal with bitchy people who will forget you in 5 minutes, in order to stay alive and have a halfway decent schedule. Hope this helps!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

There are 2-pilot freight operations like USA Jet (which is PAX also) and IFL, to name some of the better ones-might check those out. The pay is much better than most regionals.

cliff
YIP

 

[pianoman]

Turn the autopilot off and fly a visual approach. If you really want excitement, turn off the FD. That's about as much excitement as I need in my life.