Future of check haulers

Inverted25

Well-Known Member
I know check 21 was passed four years ago but what are companies like Airnet and Flight Express going to do when flying cancelled checks completely dries up? Will they go away or just downsize considerably. I understand that Airnet has gotten into the medical business and some passenger charter but I can't see that making out for all the check hauling business that they will loose. Just curious what you think of the future if they have one is going to be now that Bayside Capital owns them?
 
Well like I said I know Airnet has gotten into alot of medical transplants flights. From my understanding thats why they moved to chicago because the company they do transcontinetal organ flights for in the lears is based in chicago. I know they are trying to get into on demand specalized cargo that UPS and FEDEX dont do. But more than likely I see their operation being downsized in the future most likely in the elimination of a number of their props once they loose the checks. Even though it has been 4 years since check 21 was passed and their stealing flying checks so who knows when it will all go to electrictronic. From what I understand about flight express they already do alot of on demand cargo outside of checks. They also run a very lean operation which keeps overhead costs down. Looks like out of these two which have been bought by BAYSIDE flight express seems to be in better shape in the immediate future.

I do agree that feeders are the way to go. FEDEX feeders in particular are much stable. FEDEX actually owns the aircraft that MAC and their other feeders fly. Some have argued with me about this but you can google it and find out that they do. Thats why all the caravans and ATRS end in FX. This is why MAC has never had to let go of any pilots in there past.

UPS on the otherhand doesnt own any of their feeder aircraft to my knowledge and its kinda hit or miss with them. They are constantly changing who is their feeders based on who bids the lowest each time a bid comes up. So its kinda harder to look for a UPS feeder because they change so often. But to my understanding the biggest right now is AMF.

I think there is good money to be made in alot of other part 135 jobs though. Whether it be medical transport or passenger or countless of other 135 jobs that just arent well known. I still beleive 135 is the way to go for me.
 
I've been gone from FLX for about 16 months now, but when I was there, they did NO on-demand stuff, all "scheduled non-scheduled". On the other hand, you're quite right that they run a lean operation, and from what I've seen on the bidboards, they might do really well using the 210s, especially, for smaller, slightly less time-critical stuff. I've seen a lot of bids for small packages that didn't have a protect time of "right now" dropping off the bid system and not going, presumably because the customer was unwilling to pay for "heavy iron" (relatively speaking).

Checks won't be completely gone for a while (my run is opening back up in February), but the long-foretold bloodbath certainly seems to have arrived.
 
Lets hope that where a vacuum has formed in terms of flights for the check haulers that something semi-lucrative will come along. Either way, freight dawgin will always be a way to earn some hours!
 
Im hoping freight dawging will be a way to earn a living:) I'm not anti airline I just prefer boxes in the back
 
There's something to be said for "boxes don't bitch" however, my opinion somewhat changes when I'm doing the unloading, its nice to have SLF.
 
A thought occurred to me...

Remember at the end of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory how Mr. Bucket got a job repairing the machine that replaced him at the toothpaste plant?

Maybe Airnet/FlightExpress should start up a pilot-IT department that contracts to the Fed for network troubleshooting when the ACH clearinghouses go tango uniform on a regular basis. Pilots can then pick up the checks and fix the routers on the same trips. And they'd be worth more. :D

That system has a lot more problems than you might think.
 
Doesn't hurt the job security at the Feeders that FedEx has a US Postal mail contract.
I do wish everybody else's maintenance was as good as on those puppies.
BTW, a few of their C208B's end in FE, not just FX.
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