Anyone enjoy being in the pit?
- Thread starter groundguy
- Start date
denverpilot
Well-Known Member
Did it for a few years when I was a young man. Was fun. Made good money for my age group doing it.
Would do it again at that age. Not now.
And it did leave me with some permanent back problems. Minor, but they're directly traceable to throwing bags.
Would do it again at that age. Not now.
And it did leave me with some permanent back problems. Minor, but they're directly traceable to throwing bags.
groundguy
New Member
I could understand that. When there's so many things going on too it seems all thought of good ergonomics goes out the window lol
777_max
Active Member
We get a handful of charter 737s/ MD-80s/ A320s from time to time too. I personally don't mind it every now and then. On the other hand, I despise doing freight. A few boxes or small pallets on a learjet or metro aren't too bad but I cringe when the DC-9s and 727s with the huge automotive freight roll up. Also really hate the falcon 20s that have had their single point fueling removed by the freight company (i'm lookin' right at you, USA Jet ;] ) to save weight. The caps are pressurized and will blow up right in your face if you're not careful.
groundguy
New Member
Never had a freighter come in but I wouldn't favor that either. Do they have the line guys do the unloading? Seems tough if you didn't have more than a forklift, perhaps a Kloader? Lol
RetiredATLATC
Well-Known Member
Wait till your over 50
Did 2 yrs in BOS, prior to doing my 30 in the FAA, for the old Frank Lorenzo Continental and crawling around DC-9/88 holds used to suck bad enough at 20......now I'm paying the price. Good times though.
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777_max
Active Member
Unfortunately, yes, onloading and offloading. If you get a Kalitta aircraft in, the crew will help but we're on our own for pretty much all the others. And no, we don't have any fancy equipment to do it with either, just a couple forklifts and a ramp for getting the stuff into semi trailers. No magic carpet floor; gotta use a pallet jack and j-bar... it sucks. Thankfully we don't get a ton of it. Usually it's car parts going to a Ford plant which is about 30 mins away.
denverpilot
Well-Known Member
Wait till your over 50
Did 2 yrs in BOS, prior to doing my 30 in the FAA, for the old Frank Lorenzo Continental and crawling around DC-9/88 holds used to suck bad enough at 20......now I'm paying the price. Good times though.
Ironically I blame my back problems mentioned, on the same airline and the same aircraft at around the same age. Ha. I still have a bit more time until 50 when it all starts falling apart though. Just barely. Ha.
There was just no way to do anything but literally throw things from a kneeling position in the Mad Dogs. Everything else, a human could actually work in, but the MD was a low and long tube, and you twisted at the waist with each toss. There literally wasn't any other way to do it.
And by throw, I mean throw. Those bins were super long. I'm sure you remember.
I generally don't mind it as long I work with someone who alternates between throwing and stacking. For me there are aircraft I like to stack in vs others, I like the MD-88/90, 717 (wish the bin was bigger though to make loads more tail heavy), and the 319/320. Absolutely hate the embraers though, hate hitting my head on the fire suppression cover.
ozziecat35
4 out of 5 great lakes prefer Michigan.
Spent 5 years working for US Airways in PHX. I started at Mesa loading B1900's and CRJ's, moved over to mainline and I've stacked every single aisle Boeing and Airbus there is...You haven't lived until you've maxed out an A319 front bin with 120 bags. I couldn't do it again, my neck and back are really screwed up, but man, out of all the jobs I've held in my life, that was easily top 2.