Staying Cargo whole career?

[SMcC]

I highly enjoyed my days at AirNet. I actually regretted leaving for a long time. It was much better pay, QOL and fun than I ever had at a regional.

I agree... FUN
And less bull, more aviating.

 

[cfi on the fly]

I highly enjoyed my days at AirNet. I actually regretted leaving for a long time. It was much better pay, QOL and fun than I ever had at a regional.

Havn't been in the cargo forums for a while, but I just gotta say something about comments like these just in case there are cargo guys looking into something else.

I know the general attitude amongst cargo guys towards the regionals, I too believed all this when I was flying cargo.

But my experience has been a total 180 from what I've seen posted here. I guess it depends on the regional you get hired on with,-avoid the mesas and colgans for sure. But I am with one of the better ones and have been for 4 years. Yep, Im still a FO, but so what? There is not much movement anywhere and Im enjoying 16-17 days off a month, commutable trips-no crash pads and havn't had one ever, and 40 to 50 grand a year. Yeah the pay isn't anything to excited about, but if beats what I was doin flying checks around all night long.

The regionals are cake compared to cargo, and I get a chuckle when I here guys at my work complain about their jobs. And contrary to popular belief, the barbie jets will kill you just as fast as anything out there. I find the flying to be just as challenging and rewarding, I just dont have to worry about the plane falling apart all the time now.

Only Cargo I would leave my current job for these days would be with Fedex or UPS

 

[27 driver]

Freight has its benefits, but research the effects of carcadiam rhythm disruptions. It is hell on your body and immune system. I did freight for 8 years and was always tired. Most freight moves at night. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Getter]

Havn't been in the cargo forums for a while, but I just gotta say something about comments like these just in case there are cargo guys looking into something else.

I know the general attitude amongst cargo guys towards the regionals, I too believed all this when I was flying cargo.

But my experience has been a total 180 from what I've seen posted here. I guess it depends on the regional you get hired on with,-avoid the mesas and colgans for sure. But I am with one of the better ones and have been for 4 years. Yep, Im still a FO, but so what? There is not much movement anywhere and Im enjoying 16-17 days off a month, commutable trips-no crash pads and havn't had one ever, and 40 to 50 grand a year. Yeah the pay isn't anything to excited about, but if beats what I was doin flying checks around all night long.

The regionals are cake compared to cargo, and I get a chuckle when I here guys at my work complain about their jobs. And contrary to popular belief, the barbie jets will kill you just as fast as anything out there. I find the flying to be just as challenging and rewarding, I just dont have to worry about the plane falling apart all the time now.

Only Cargo I would leave my current job for these days would be with Fedex or UPS

Well... I was specifically talking about AirNet. It was called U.S. Check when I was there. I flew Monday through Thursday with every bank holiday off with pay. That job was "cake" compared to the regional I went to work for (QX) so I could get on with my legacy carrier of choice and then get furloughed.

So right now... I have fond memories of AirNet.

 

[fokkers&beer]

My experience with Cargo is different than most people. I agree you have to be flexible with you're career goals.
As I said earlier I always expected to fly for a Passenger Hauler for my career, but always ended up getting a job moving boxes. My last experience with this was interviewing for an Alaska job and they kept questioning me on why I've always flown freight and not people. I kept trying to explain that the Cargo was never a goal and that I just bumbled my way through my career advancing when I was ready and it always seemed to lead me to a Cargo job.
They didn't buy it and I was called for an interview with Big Brown and it was a perfect match for me.
I remember talking to my Mentor in Aviation in the late 90's telling him I was thinking about Cargo for my career. He told me I was crazy that no one wants to stay in Cargo their career. He was a NW Captain. When I was hired here we had 4 NW guys in my class. Funny how the industry changes.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Another vote for "don't hem yourself in". I was freight to the bone but due to market conditions wound up in land of IcePapersCoffee...and it's not bad at all. In fact, the objective quality of life is better than any (small aircraft) freight job I ever had. Now, if Atlas or Polar calls in a year or two, I'll have to think pretty hard, but for the time being, I'm pretty happy being one of those nancy limo drivers...