ALL FRIEGHT PILOTS
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TheresaPilot
Well-Known Member
Probably not the best question to ask on the a public forum, just sayin'....
SpiraMirabilis
Possible Subversive
I fly for a FedEx feeder and I like it. I wish I was paid more and wish I was at home during then night rather than at an outstation, but other than that it's pretty nice.
DE727UPS
Well-Known Member
I fly for UPS and I ended up liking it. When I got hired over 20 years ago I assumed I'd move on to United or Alaska. I stuck with it because I moved up in seniority so fast that it didn't make sense to leave. Turned out to be a great choice. Freight is great. Flying freight isn't glamorous but I'm not a glamorous sorta guy. So it's a good fit. Every time I see people act like idiots in the terminal or on pax flights, I say "thank goodness I fly frieght".
Downsides are working at night and....working at night. That's all I can think of.
Downsides are working at night and....working at night. That's all I can think of.
Cal Goat
Prestige Worldwide™
Airline flying hasn't been glamorous since... since... deregulation? :dunno: Whatever it was, it definitely died with Pan Am.
Air Pirate
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat:
There's a reason why we don't have a high turn-over. I don't plan on being here forever, but something REALLY good is gonna have to come along for me to leave.
saria19
Well-Known Member
Recently became a freight dawg myself, and I like it a lot! Though I make about the same as I did as an instructor, it is definitely a lot more fun, something I can see myself enjoying for a while longer. For you guys in FedEx and UPS, just know this, I will be looking into those companies sooner or later, and I'd love some good tips or even contact info!
Starship
Well-Known Member
Get a type rating in the space shuttle.:insane:
Maurus
The Great Gazoo
DHL would be hard to fly for since they don't operate any aircraft on their own certificate. The entire operation seems to be a mess of outsourced contracts. Which is fine unless you work for the company they decide they no longer like (ABX).
All I know is Fedex and UPS are both great places to work. Just have to remember that no company is perfect.
All I know is Fedex and UPS are both great places to work. Just have to remember that no company is perfect.
saria19
Well-Known Member
That was actually my first career choice, but they found out that I was a little crazy, so I'm flying freight instead.
TexasFlyer
Living the Dream (well at least trying to)
I work for AirNet. Been here only a few months and love it. It's real unstable since we were based on hauling bank work and that's going away, but the company is working to restructure and get into other areas (for example, we just cancelled 5 routes and added 3 more and this seems to be the trend of restructuring/ downsizing). I hope my route survives, but if it does not I know I can always move to a new city to fly a new route if I so chose since we always seem to have an open route or two on the books. Thing is, I really enjoy living where they moved me to for my Caravan gig so I hope I get to stay here in the dirty south long term!
So the good and bad.
Here is the bad:
1) The bad is the company is unstable and that makes me nervous. Luckily I always have a plan B in my back pocket to keep me from worrying too much.
2) I work 7pm to 4am total duty day Mon through Thurs and then on Friday from 11pm to 4am. I love working nights but being a single guy this is posing a real challenge in me enjoying my usual hobbies such as seeing live music. Also is making it tough to meet a new girlfriend since I sleep all day and work all night!
3) Pay for this route is about $35k, so I feel broke (and that's pretty much what the pay will always be since yearly pay increases are marginal at best).
4) Flying the Caravan, so no multi-time which I really need
Here is the good:
1) Working 7pm to 4am is great since I love working nights. Just don't like what it does to my personal life. So it's both good and bad.
2) I am home every day/night. We do not stay at outbases. So on my day is usually 5 hours flying, 1 hour of loading/ unloading (four legs), 1 hour of waiting for cargo, and 2 hours pre/post flight tasks. So a good busy schedule overall which rocks.
3) I love where I live (which is shocking since I did not think I would enjoy it here).
4) The company treats us very well, even with its' current struggles.
5) Flying solo PIC at night is amazing experience in building flying skills and task efficiency.
So overall, I love this job. Unless they close my run or something very very good comes along (at my experience level I don't think anything great will come along anytime soon), I plan to be around for quite some time.
So the good and bad.
Here is the bad:
1) The bad is the company is unstable and that makes me nervous. Luckily I always have a plan B in my back pocket to keep me from worrying too much.
2) I work 7pm to 4am total duty day Mon through Thurs and then on Friday from 11pm to 4am. I love working nights but being a single guy this is posing a real challenge in me enjoying my usual hobbies such as seeing live music. Also is making it tough to meet a new girlfriend since I sleep all day and work all night!
3) Pay for this route is about $35k, so I feel broke (and that's pretty much what the pay will always be since yearly pay increases are marginal at best).
4) Flying the Caravan, so no multi-time which I really need
Here is the good:
1) Working 7pm to 4am is great since I love working nights. Just don't like what it does to my personal life. So it's both good and bad.
2) I am home every day/night. We do not stay at outbases. So on my day is usually 5 hours flying, 1 hour of loading/ unloading (four legs), 1 hour of waiting for cargo, and 2 hours pre/post flight tasks. So a good busy schedule overall which rocks.
3) I love where I live (which is shocking since I did not think I would enjoy it here).
4) The company treats us very well, even with its' current struggles.
5) Flying solo PIC at night is amazing experience in building flying skills and task efficiency.
So overall, I love this job. Unless they close my run or something very very good comes along (at my experience level I don't think anything great will come along anytime soon), I plan to be around for quite some time.
Blip16
Well-Known Member
THis thread should have a Poll I think.
Anyway I fly fedex for one of the feeders. QoL is awesome and like most feeders, our turnover is really low. in my base out of 12 or 13 pilots, only 4 have been with the company less than 3 years, the rest have been 10-15+ even over 20.
Anyway I fly fedex for one of the feeders. QoL is awesome and like most feeders, our turnover is really low. in my base out of 12 or 13 pilots, only 4 have been with the company less than 3 years, the rest have been 10-15+ even over 20.
Bandit_Driver
Gold Member
Freight has been good to me so far.
The only negatives are some long nights and the cab/hotel drivers don't understand WTF you are on the airport when you call for a ride to the hotel.
The plus of flying nights is as soon as the gear is the well Center is giving you direct destination that 1200+nm away. Also the radios are that busy either so its a lot more relaxing.
So far Kalitta has treated me the best of any airline I have worked for (pax or freight)
The only negatives are some long nights and the cab/hotel drivers don't understand WTF you are on the airport when you call for a ride to the hotel.
The plus of flying nights is as soon as the gear is the well Center is giving you direct destination that 1200+nm away. Also the radios are that busy either so its a lot more relaxing.
So far Kalitta has treated me the best of any airline I have worked for (pax or freight)
Boris Badenov
Fortis Leader
Flew freight for a fairly long stretch (~6 years). Flew pax for a while, now fly air ambo.
Freight vs. the rest:
1) Pretty much ironclad schedule...you know when you're going to be at work and when you're not (this, of course, does not apply to nonsched, which I did for a while, too)
2) For the most part: Act, dress, and FLY how you want. Dog doo gets there on time, nothing gets bent, no one gets violated: no one cares
3) Work with "real" people. Most of the people you work with have got the t-shirt and aren't looking to impress anyone. Very low level of political nonsense.
4) (perhaps a subset of 3): Clear rules. No one second-guessing your wx or mx decisions (for the most part). You're the first and last word, which means that you don't have to share the sense of satisfaction in getting the job done.
5) Meet and hang out with some of the worst, most fun scum in the Galaxy. Prima Donnas get weeded out most ricky-tick.
Downsides:
1) Unless you're in a jet or in line for one, it can turn in to a bit of a dead end (provided it's not what you want to do for the rest of your life...obviously does not apply to the Big Boy freight ops)
2) You're going to scare yourself sooner or later. This is actually more of a positive, I've found, but it doesn't feel like it at the time.
3) The aforementioned bizzare nomadic back-side-of-the-clock lifestyle. Freight is not a job for gregarious sorts who need a close circle of friends with which to have dinner parties, etc. Luckily I'm a sociopath.
In total, I'd probably still be doing it if there were any stability whatsoever (speaking here of 135...121 seems stable enough). But it takes a certain Type.
Freight vs. the rest:
1) Pretty much ironclad schedule...you know when you're going to be at work and when you're not (this, of course, does not apply to nonsched, which I did for a while, too)
2) For the most part: Act, dress, and FLY how you want. Dog doo gets there on time, nothing gets bent, no one gets violated: no one cares
3) Work with "real" people. Most of the people you work with have got the t-shirt and aren't looking to impress anyone. Very low level of political nonsense.
4) (perhaps a subset of 3): Clear rules. No one second-guessing your wx or mx decisions (for the most part). You're the first and last word, which means that you don't have to share the sense of satisfaction in getting the job done.
5) Meet and hang out with some of the worst, most fun scum in the Galaxy. Prima Donnas get weeded out most ricky-tick.
Downsides:
1) Unless you're in a jet or in line for one, it can turn in to a bit of a dead end (provided it's not what you want to do for the rest of your life...obviously does not apply to the Big Boy freight ops)
2) You're going to scare yourself sooner or later. This is actually more of a positive, I've found, but it doesn't feel like it at the time.
3) The aforementioned bizzare nomadic back-side-of-the-clock lifestyle. Freight is not a job for gregarious sorts who need a close circle of friends with which to have dinner parties, etc. Luckily I'm a sociopath.
In total, I'd probably still be doing it if there were any stability whatsoever (speaking here of 135...121 seems stable enough). But it takes a certain Type.
CzechAirman
Well-Known Member
Like.... Pay, Benefits, Retirement, Job security, Large blocks of time off, Mostly short flights and short duty days (nights), Private sleep rooms in sort, Minimal ATC or traffic hassles, Free uniforms and bags, No drama from passengers.
Dislike.... They won't pay me to stay at home ALL the time (sometimes the do, got displaced for an entire week recently).
Overall. I really like flying freight.
CzechAirman
Well-Known Member
You just find a way to make it work. Do whatever it takes. BTDT, not in a van, but in piston twins with not so good boots.
Blip16
Well-Known Member
CzechAirman
Well-Known Member
i fly a TKS van now
I bet that works pretty good, doesn't it?
USMCmech
Well-Known Member
208 with boots = piston anything with boots, no better no worse.
Don't fly a Caravan into anything you wouldn't fly into with a Barron or a Twin Cessna, and you'll be fine.
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