FedEx Feeder Info?

[Sledge]

Hi everybody,

Just joined here. Seems like a great resource! I've already seen some great info so far. I'm currently a CFI, and I'm looking for a better gig, as I don't have a degree. This will be my next course of action. My thought process has been that landing a job with a Fedex feeder (Mountain Air Cargo, Encore, Etc) would be a good balance between descent enough money and schedule. Flight instructing simply doesn't make the $$ - plus, I figure that I could benefit from some turbine time.

Anyone here that has some feeder experience and would like to weigh in? I'd love some feedback regarding schedule, qualifications, aircraft choice, etc. I've read somewhere that Caravan flying can be a bit better than ATR?

Thanks

 

[durind]

Hey, not sure if you are mostly thinking about just working the fedex side of the feeder market. Ameriflight is hiring for a number of positions, depending on experience, 99 chieftain, even a 1900/Metro isn't out of the realm of possibility. Pay is pretty good as we have had 2 raises recently, starts at 44k, I am earning substantially more then that flying here, but the schedule isn't great. I work Monday AM through Saturday PM- by choice for extra pay, I spend all day away from home about 5am to 9pm at a crew house or hotel, but it isn't all bad, I bring an xbox to the outstation and play some with the wife in the day, and I work with a great bunch of people at my base. I know that quality of life can vary a lot base by base, so YMMV. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[jspeed87]

Still a sub 500 hour Pilot here, but I also wish to fly for the FedEx Feeders. I heard the gig is so good, many just stay put and top off making 80k flying a Caravan(after 30 years of service of course). Mountain Air Cargo seems to focus on the east coast to as far south to Puerto Rico, but not west of Indiana I believe. Empire, WestAir, and Baron are usually Midwest and West Runs. Mountain Air Cargo Increased starting pay to 40k and lowered their hiring minimums to 1200 135 IFR. Mountain Air Cargo also is unique in that you can be based from a major City near your home and flown in to where the AC is located. Schedule is Mostly Monday evening to Friday Morning with weekends and major holidays off. Also as a home based floater, you get off every 4th week, but you can work that week for double pay if you wish. I have also heard you can transition from the Caravan to the ATR and still keep your C208 Captain Salary instead of ATR FO salary. The C208 runs are short usually 1-1.4 out and overnight at a hotel then fly back in the morning.

 

[Sledge]

Hey, not sure if you are mostly thinking about just working the fedex side of the feeder market. Ameriflight is hiring for a number of positions, depending on experience, 99 chieftain, even a 1900/Metro isn't out of the realm of possibility. Pay is pretty good as we have had 2 raises recently, starts at 44k, I am earning substantially more then that flying here, but the schedule isn't great. I work Monday AM through Saturday PM- by choice for extra pay, I spend all day away from home about 5am to 9pm at a crew house or hotel, but it isn't all bad, I bring an xbox to the outstation and play some with the wife in the day, and I work with a great bunch of people at my base. I know that quality of life can vary a lot base by base, so YMMV. Let me know if you have any other questions.

How did you get in with your current job? I've seen the minimums for such jobs, but will they hire a new guy with only small airplane experience?

 

[durind]

How did you get in with your current job? I've seen the minimums for such jobs, but will they hire a new guy with only small airplane experience?

I was a flight instructor before I got hired at Ameriflight, right at part 135 minimums- 1200 hours, and if I recall right around 50 hours of multi. I was hoping to get the chieftain, but was instead offered the 99, which I spent 4 months in before upgrading to the 1900, right at 1500 hours. This was my second job, so I had only flight instructor experience before coming here, the biggest plane I had flown was a Seminole, or Apache. They definitely are willing to hire people with only small plane experience.

 

[A150K]

I was a flight instructor before I got hired at Ameriflight, right at part 135 minimums- 1200 hours, and if I recall right around 50 hours of multi. I was hoping to get the chieftain, but was instead offered the 99, which I spent 4 months in before upgrading to the 1900, right at 1500 hours. This was my second job, so I had only flight instructor experience before coming here, the biggest plane I had flown was a Seminole, or Apache. They definitely are willing to hire people with only small plane experience.

I got hired at AMF into the Chieftain with around 9 hours of Multi time and 1800 total mostly instructing and a little bit of corporate in a 182 and 210, so they'll definitely look at people with mostly small plane experience.

 

[Sledge]

I got hired at AMF into the Chieftain with around 9 hours of Multi time and 1800 total mostly instructing and a little bit of corporate in a 182 and 210, so they'll definitely look at people with mostly small plane experience.

How's the pay for FO's there?

 

[A150K]

How's the pay for FO's there?

I think it's around 31,000 per year for EMB120 FO's.

 

[Apophis]

Still a sub 500 hour Pilot here, but I also wish to fly for the FedEx Feeders. I heard the gig is so good, many just stay put and top off making 80k flying a Caravan(after 30 years of service of course). Mountain Air Cargo seems to focus on the east coast to as far south to Puerto Rico, but not west of Indiana I believe. Empire, WestAir, and Baron are usually Midwest and West Runs. Mountain Air Cargo Increased starting pay to 40k and lowered their hiring minimums to 1200 135 IFR. Mountain Air Cargo also is unique in that you can be based from a major City near your home and flown in to where the AC is located. Schedule is Mostly Monday evening to Friday Morning with weekends and major holidays off. Also as a home based floater, you get off every 4th week, but you can work that week for double pay if you wish. I have also heard you can transition from the Caravan to the ATR and still keep your C208 Captain Salary instead of ATR FO salary. The C208 runs are short usually 1-1.4 out and overnight at a hotel then fly back in the morning.

I work for MAC. Floaters actually get every 5th week off on the Caravan. ATR Captains get every 4th week off, and ATR FO's get every 6th week off. You'll be on reserve usually one of the weeks before PTO as well, so still plenty of time at home if you're a floater.

Most routes are short, however there are a few exceptions. DHN-MEM is the longest run in the Caravan (domestic, not Caribbean), but it's filled by a based pilot now, so you won't see this run as a floater unless he uses vacation/off time. EWR-IAD isn't exactly short either in such a slow aircraft.

It's a pretty good job overall though.

 

[MD-11Loader]

I work for MAC. Floaters actually get every 5th week off on the Caravan. ATR Captains get every 4th week off, and ATR FO's get every 6th week off. You'll be on reserve usually one of the weeks before PTO as well, so still plenty of time at home if you're a floater.

Most routes are short, however there are a few exceptions. DHN-MEM is the longest run in the Caravan (domestic, not Caribbean), but it's filled by a based pilot now, so you won't see this run as a floater unless he uses vacation/off time. EWR-IAD isn't exactly short either in such a slow aircraft.

It's a pretty good job overall though.

How is MAC overall? I had a Skype interview the other day and have been asked to come to NC for the in person interview. What can I realistically expect to make year one as a caravan floater?

 

[Apophis]

How is MAC overall? I had a Skype interview the other day and have been asked to come to NC for the in person interview. What can I realistically expect to make year one as a caravan floater?

It is a pretty good job overall. I've had a LOT of time off this year as well, so I can't complain. Starting pay is 40k/year. The total pay depends on which runs you do ( you get paid an extra day's pay for working on a Saturday...but there aren't very many Saturday runs for floaters) and also 35.00/day per-diem. You can also "sell" your PTO week off for double pay. You can make over 50K easily first year especially if you work a couple of your PTO weeks. I haven't done this as I value my time off more than a little extra pay.

You can always PM me if you have more questions as well.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

It's a pretty good job but a pretty crapper career. I have over 2000 hours in the caravan from UPS and FedEx feeders and I wouldn't really recommend it unless you have additional benefits such as you live in base.

The pay gap between the feeders and UPS outfits like Amflight isn't as great these days and the experience you gain with them is far more marketable, and believe me when I say with my 2000 hours of Caravan TPIC time... that and five bucks will get me a medium latte. I happened to luck onto one of the few jobs you might want to retire from that also appreciates Caravan time, believe me most do not.

 

[Tommay85]

No pay gap anymore. 44k starting in the Chieftain and 99. If that is all you want to do, all things considered, slight pay gap between AMF and Empire/Mountain Air. More realistically, you're wanting a type and ATP ASAP, and the turn over and demand is high enough that you can upgrade quickly. 50k is more likely your first year pay. For me, if I did the same path again with training captain in the 99, then Metro, then E120 and management, it would have been 52k, 82k, and 102k for the 3 years I've been at AMF. It was 38, 53, 102 in all actuality, but the pay has changed 3 time since I've been here. AMF operates FedEx flights in BQN and MIA by the way...

 

[BravoHotel]

Are the Sub category hours "hard." XC, night, instrument?

 

[Helodriver27]

Are the Sub category hours "hard." XC, night, instrument?

135.243


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[walljer]

I work at Empire airlines. If you are considering anything on the west coast, PM and I can answer any questions you have.

 

[Galaitoto]

Still a sub 500 hour Pilot here, but I also wish to fly for the FedEx Feeders. I heard the gig is so good, many just stay put and top off making 80k flying a Caravan(after 30 years of service of course). Mountain Air Cargo seems to focus on the east coast to as far south to Puerto Rico, but not west of Indiana I believe. Empire, WestAir, and Baron are usually Midwest and West Runs. Mountain Air Cargo Increased starting pay to 40k and lowered their hiring minimums to 1200 135 IFR. Mountain Air Cargo also is unique in that you can be based from a major City near your home and flown in to where the AC is located. Schedule is Mostly Monday evening to Friday Morning with weekends and major holidays off. Also as a home based floater, you get off every 4th week, but you can work that week for double pay if you wish. I have also heard you can transition from the Caravan to the ATR and still keep your C208 Captain Salary instead of ATR FO salary. The C208 runs are short usually 1-1.4 out and overnight at a hotel then fly back in the morning.

You still working on your blog? And PM me for better contact if you still want that feeder job when you're ready. I'm sure I can help you out

 

[jspeed87]

You still working on your blog? And PM me for better contact if you still want that feeder job when you're ready. I'm sure I can help you out

Thanks. I'm doing Aerial Survey now, and it's fun actually. It could be a while before I get to IFR minimums. I'd like to stay on the east coast, so I'm going to look into Wiggins. They have a run that has you back at EWR around 18:00-17:00. Meh, my blog has been slow lately. Hopefully I can update it soon.

 

[Baselegbob1]

Mountain Air Cargo Hiring

Mountain Air Cargo is hiring FO's and Street Captains for multiple bases in the FedEx system!

MEM ATL MOT
IND BUF
MIA CLT
SYR

These are salary based positions with opportunities to earn additional money.

ATR first officers start at $38,000
ATR captains start at $57,000

Two types of position:
Floater... Pilots either fly a local run, float out to a FedEx plane base, or sit reserve.
Based... pilots fly the local run

Floater ATR PIC fly 3 weeks then get a paid week off. This equates to about 13 weeks per year.
Floater ATR SIC fly 5 weeks then get a paid week off. This equates to about 7 weeks per year.
Based ATR PIC fly 3 weeks then get paid week off.
Based ATR SIC fly 5 weeks then get a paid week off.

Soft money description
*If you work your PTO it's at 200% pay. (this applies for PIC or SIC positions)
*If you are on duty (traveling to airplane or operating) on a Sat or Sun 125% pay
*Per Diem $35.00/day.

Most of our runs are 4 day out and backs. There are a few 5 day runs that cover FedEx Saturday AM delivery schedule.
You leave Sunday evening or Monday morning and are typically back home by Friday afternoon.

Travel is positive space paid for by the company.
Hotels are paid for by the company.
Rental cars are paid for by the company.

SYR, BUF, and MOT
offer a $20,000/year recurring bonus

Example:

MOT ATR FO

Salary $38,000
Bonus $20,000

Possible Soft Money for working PTO's $14,000

Estimated total Pay working PTO's before tax $72,000



MOT ATR PIC
Salary $57,000
Bonus $20,000

Possible Soft Money for working PTO's $20,000

Estimated total Pay working PTO's before tax $97,000





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