Staying Cargo whole career?

[wuberoo]

Can a pilot stay in the cargo side of flying his/her whole career w/o going into the regionals or do most just crossover when their time is high enough? Do the smaller freighters take low time pilots and where would a person find these outfits?

 

[BOYCAPTAIN]

i graduated college in 1991 and flew cargo in LR35s for 3 years and have been flying cargo for FEDEX for the last 15 years...if they are lucky!!!!!!!!

 

[B747FR8DAWG]

Cargo Is Great

Going on my 12th year at Atlas.........been a fun ride and not going anywhere!

 

[OzBushWhacker]

That would be nice. Alot of us are stuck in Part 135 cargo where the work rules and general sketchy nature of the operations mean people are forced to go to the regionals to then make themselves competitive for a 121 cargo job. A regional is actually a step up from many smaller freight outfits.

Saying that, if you can crack 121 freight all the more power to you.

 

[Fly Astar Jets]

Can a pilot stay in the cargo side of flying his/her whole career w/o going into the regionals or do most just crossover when their time is high enough? Do the smaller freighters take low time pilots and where would a person find these outfits?

Back in college, I spoke to a FDX station Mgr who was a pilot but lost his medical. He spat out a statistic that 1.3 professional pilots will experience a furlough in their career except for freight. So after college and 4 years at a regional I sent out the stuff to UPS, FDX and DHL. Got a postcard back from UPS. Never heard from FDX. But I got a call from Susan Runkle with DHL (one of the nicest people in aviation Mgt I've ever met). 14 years later I got furloughed. Now I'm with a great outfit with great people, but starting all over. Go figure.

I still believe that for the money and QOL, freight is the way to go. If you're willing to go that route and work with the feeder freight companies to start out, try Mountain Air cargo http://www.airt.net/mac.html or Ameriflight http://www.ameriflight.com/

 

[wuberoo]

OK, so if you get on w/ these smaller freight guys, how do you get your ratings for the bigger aircraft because it looks like noone is flying any jets? Also, what is a typical schedule for these guys and the sliding payscale (No pun intended)? Really appreciate all the info. because this is where I would like to end up vs regionals.

Thanks

 

[BushwickBill]

OK, so if you get on w/ these smaller freight guys, how do you get your ratings for the bigger aircraft because it looks like noone is flying any jets? Also, what is a typical schedule for these guys and the sliding payscale (No pun intended)? Really appreciate all the info. because this is where I would like to end up vs regionals.

Thanks

Yes I'm wondering about this as well. Specifically if having turboprop vs. turbojet PIC time is a big deal.

I would fall under the mostly turboprop PIC with about 300hrs of turbojet PIC

I know 1000hrs seemed to be a milestone. Who knows now.

 

[jmreii]

OK, so if you get on w/ these smaller freight guys, how do you get your ratings for the bigger aircraft because it looks like noone is flying any jets? Also, what is a typical schedule for these guys and the sliding payscale (No pun intended)? Really appreciate all the info. because this is where I would like to end up vs regionals.

Thanks

Where are you looking considering the US has part 135 charter operations all over the country that utilize all types of jets for cargo/passenger operations. If you are looking at amflight and some of the fedex feeders, you will not find jets in those operations, chances are the job you will find flying jets most people will never have heard of them unless they have a need to. Look at kalitta charters and operations like those. good luck! Don't forget, you need to network for everything, especially at fedex.

 

[okcplt]

Don't do it. You'll end up looking like this by the time you're 40:

OldFreightDog

 

[Fly Astar Jets]

OK, so if you get on w/ these smaller freight guys, how do you get your ratings for the bigger aircraft because it looks like noone is flying any jets? Also, what is a typical schedule for these guys and the sliding payscale (No pun intended)? Really appreciate all the info. because this is where I would like to end up vs regionals.

Thanks

It's been awhile since I've looked at FDX & UPS hiring mins, but the big items are "XXXX total time and XXXX turbine PIC time" Turboprop time can be lumped in with turbine time. Where it would get sticky is if a prospective employer would be asking for some turbojet time in particular. Please keep in mind these are minimum times they are quoting

Yes, you would be best served if you got on with an operator with turbojet A/C. AirNet in Columbus OH, www.airnet.com is one that comes to mind. But remember the times we live in. There are THOUSANDS of over qualified, by thousands of hours, pilots right now on the street. I'm not trying to discourage you but rather to try and be realistic. Actually you sound like you're just starting on getting those qualifying times which puts you in a pretty good position timing wise. In a few years things are going to loosen up and when they do, you will be sitting pretty in the job market. The two places I mentioned in the previous post are some places I thought you might try and could get lucky with.

Good luck,

FAJ