airline pilot vs cargo pilot?

[intern_mike]

If you are serious, and I mean you love flying so much you could do it for the rest of your professional life serious, then you only need to ask yourself these questions:

1. Can I afford the high cost of flight training?

2. Am I willing to work as a CFI for at least two years to get my 1500 hrs?

3. Am I willing to live the lifestyle that is required in order to advance in the industry.

If you really want to fly and are willing to work for a position at FedEX or UPS or anywhere that will pay you a decent amount of money, you need to consider all that is involved with such an undertaking. It's definitely not impossible, and the juice is definitely worth the squeeze.

 

[seagull]

Which one prefers military? I remember reading a post some time back that either Fed Ex or UPS favor hiring military jet time.

FedEx probably leans more military between the two.

 

[seagull]

hm thanks guys for all your replys. But anybody know how much the cargo pilots earn yearly? just estimate guess even. Also is it a same route I will be taking as if I was going to airliner route during the process of training, but just will be applying for like fedex or ups?

FedEx first year would be around $50k, and we currently have pilots making north of $400k. Not a large number in the latter group, though!

 

[popaviator]

VS.

 

[Boris Badenov]

They all like military, but AFAICS, you need a squadron ring to get a job at FedEx. UPS it just helps.

Oh, and the cargo pilot totally wins...first round KO.

 

[Hacker15e]

AFAICS, you need a squadron ring to get a job at FedEx.

What's a squadron ring?

 

[kiloalpha]

Oh, and the cargo pilot totally wins...first round KO.

Amen, brosuff!

Love the fact I can do what I want, when I want to, how I want to and not have to answer to some nancy nambly-pambly "wanna-be" captain that just upgraded 2 weeks ago. I'm sure some of you jet-jocks will take offense to that, but really I don't care. My QOL is much higher than at many airlines. Home every night or day, easy (to some) work schedule, and the best experience a pilot can get (rain or shine, them boxes move. Which I'm sure will offend the rest of the jet-jocks that I didn't offend earlier.)

The only people I have to worry about is management, and well, they're the enemy of all pilots .

 

[Boris Badenov]

What's a squadron ring?

I meant sekrit handshake. Or, wait, hey, this is a trick, isn't it?

 

[jspeed87]

Girls dig Regional Airline Pilots because they are young and wear hair gel. Cargo Pilot don't see much because they fly when all the girls are sleeping. Flying drugs in a single engine cessna to the USA is very lucrative, but it's also illegal. Aviation has it's pro's and cons, do it only if nothing else makes you happy.

 

[Hacker15e]

Aviation has it's pro's and cons, do it only if nothing else makes you happy.

Pretty funny. Aviation is a 'last chance' career, only if there's absolutely nothing else in the world that you can do!

 

[Timbo]

If there's nothing else you can do? That's not what he said, he said if nothing else makes you happy.

We can all do something else. The question is, will you be "happy" doing it?

 

[n57flyguy]

If there's nothing else you can do? That's not what he said, he said if nothing else makes you happy.

We can all do something else. The question is, will you be "happy" doing it?

Yeah if I was smart enough to figure out what else I would be good at :laff:

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

My dream is to fly rubber dog poo out of Hong Kong.

 

[jspeed87]

My dream is to fly rubber dog poo out of Hong Kong.

What's the number for that truck driving school... :yup:

 

[Gonzo]

Amen, brosuff!

Love the fact I can do what I want, when I want to, how I want to and not have to answer to some nancy nambly-pambly "wanna-be" captain that just upgraded 2 weeks ago.(Wow I didn't know Key Lime didn't have a SOP and I am flying with a CA that is on his 1st trip off IOE on the jet. I will tell him, you think he is a wanna-be captain. At what point is he not a wanna-be captain because at 11K TT and 5K PIC I think he knows how to be a captain but then again I am just a RJ FO.) I'm sure some of you jet-jocks will take offense to that, but really I don't care. My QOL is much higher than at many airlines. Home every night or day, easy (to some) work schedule, and the best experience a pilot can get (rain or shine, them boxes move. Which I'm sure will offend the rest of the jet-jocks that I didn't offend earlier.)(Wow, I don't have to fly in rain? I had no clue. You don't want to play the QOL game with me I will win almost every time. I work the system better then any one at Eagle)

 

[kiloalpha]

We can sit here all day and aurgue about QOL, pay, blah blah blah. In the end though it remains the same. It depends on a person's preference. I will never go to a commuter airline now since I'll be taking a 50% pay cut at a minimum, be the lowest on the seniority (get crappy bases, reserve, schedule) and still have to answer to that Nancy of a captain. And I've seen cockpit footage of crews doing recurrent in the sim where the captain is not making any decisions, is pushing everything off on the FO and just not taking any responsibility. While I realize not every captain is like that, they are out there. Just something I don't have to deal with at this stage in my career.

Maybe you can work the system like none other at Eagle, I'm not doubting you, but how many new hires at Colgan or Pinnicle can work their system with the same egress and ease as you do? How many years does one have to work at a company before "paying of dues" is done? In the end it just depends.

 

[jwp_145]

Pay is all over the place in both pax and cargo. If you are doing it for the money alone you will not last long enough to make it too descent pay. I never made above 50k for the first 7 years of my career and 6 of those years were in the mid 20's and I flew both pax and boxes during that time. After 11 years in the Biz and finally making it to the left seat I am finally making reasonable money.

And if your avatar is any indication, you are flying the most manly airplane in the sky!

 

[Callador]

We can sit here all day and aurgue about QOL, pay, blah blah blah. In the end though it remains the same. It depends on a person's preference. I will never go to a commuter airline now since I'll be taking a 50% pay cut at a minimum, be the lowest on the seniority (get crappy bases, reserve, schedule) and still have to answer to that Nancy of a captain. And I've seen cockpit footage of crews doing recurrent in the sim where the captain is not making any decisions, is pushing everything off on the FO and just not taking any responsibility. While I realize not every captain is like that, they are out there. Just something I don't have to deal with at this stage in my career.

Maybe you can work the system like none other at Eagle, I'm not doubting you, but how many new hires at Colgan or Pinnicle can work their system with the same egress and ease as you do? How many years does one have to work at a company before "paying of dues" is done? In the end it just depends.

Did Key Lime really up the pay a lot? I haven't look at it in a while, just wondering.

Thanks.

 

[kiloalpha]

Did Key Lime really up the pay a lot? I haven't look at it in a while, just wondering.

Thanks.

You may be thinking of Navajo pay which could be seen as a little low. The Metro captain pay is substantially higher. Let's just say that the yearly raises and yearly retention bonuses do work.

 

[Bumblebee]

You may be thinking of Navajo pay which could be seen as a little low. The Metro captain pay is substantially higher. Let's just say that the yearly raises and yearly retention bonuses do work.

Do they still sell seats to FO's and expect the captains to train them for no extra pay?