Question for 121 freight pilots

[futurepilot1]

I believe I have this correct...large freight companies like UPS and FedEx operate under part 121.

I have a question about tours/scheduling. Do you guys/gals just fly from the hub out to another airport full, then deadhead(empty) back? The reason I ask is that one of my hobies is perusing flightaware, and I noticed that FedEx(for example) only has scheduled departures from KMEM, KLAX, and ANC...but there are no departures shceduled from the other airports they fly to.

Just curious

Thanks

 

[KLB]

I believe I have this correct...large freight companies like UPS and FedEx operate under part 121.

I have a question about tours/scheduling. Do you guys/gals just fly from the hub out to another airport full, then deadhead(empty) back? The reason I ask is that one of my hobies is perusing flightaware, and I noticed that FedEx(for example) only has scheduled departures from KMEM, KLAX, and ANC...but there are no departures shceduled from the other airports they fly to.

Just curious

Thanks

My company does 135 feeder flying for both of those operators and I can tell you that I highly doubt that they'd be flying too many empty legs. They fly freight back inbound out of those cities back to the hubs.

 

[ppragman]

I believe I have this correct...large freight companies like UPS and FedEx operate under part 121.

I have a question about tours/scheduling. Do you guys/gals just fly from the hub out to another airport full, then deadhead(empty) back? The reason I ask is that one of my hobies is perusing flightaware, and I noticed that FedEx(for example) only has scheduled departures from KMEM, KLAX, and ANC...but there are no departures shceduled from the other airports they fly to.

Just curious

Thanks

Backhaul is the key to making money. I've heard that in freight the only way to make money is to pay for the trip out with the freight you've got, and have the backhaul be gravy.

 

[cmill]

Backhaul is the key to making money. I've heard that in freight the only way to make money is to pay for the trip out with the freight you've got, and have the backhaul be gravy.

Thats the key. Not a lot of people might be shipping something FROM kbfe, but theres prolly plenty of packages going TO kbfe. Thats why a feeder might carry 50 pounds from an out stations, and 500 pounds to an out station.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

On an interesting note, at least for UPS, the "backhaul" is how you, and how UPS, gauges the relative health of a center (outstation.) That center only "makes money" on the packages that they send out... so if you have a lot of packages going from the hub to the outstation but not many from the outstation to the hub then that center isn't making UPS any money.

 

[cmill]

On an interesting note, at least for UPS, the "backhaul" is how you, and how UPS, gauges the relative health of a center (outstation.) That center only "makes money" on the packages that they send out... so if you have a lot of packages going from the hub to the outstation but not many from the outstation to the hub then that center isn't making UPS any money.

Then how do places like KGUY stay open?

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

Then how do places like KGUY stay open?

Trying to explain why UPS does something or doesn't do something is an effort in futility. But probably because they still receive a lot of packages... even though receiving packages to deliver doesn't make a center any money, it still has to be done. I bet you'd see a lot of Managers come and go in GUY or places with very few packages sent out in the evening.

 

[cmill]

Trying to explain why UPS does something or doesn't do something is an effort in futility. But probably because they still receive a lot of packages... even though receiving packages to deliver doesn't make a center any money, it still has to be done. I bet you'd see a lot of Managers come and go in GUY or places with very few packages sent out in the evening.

Yeah, i always chalked it up to the cost of doing business. I think places with huge volume basically subsidize the smaller markets. Part of being a "Global commerce leader" is delivering EVERYWHERE.

 

[avi8tor1983]

At KGUY It really varies. In 5 weeks here I've been hauling on average about 300lbs out of here. One day I had 1000. The backhaul into kguy is normally around 450lbs. The place I wonder about is WWR. I never have over 100lbs leaving and never take back more than 200 out of okc. Kwdg on the run is the big one. Normally 700lbs out but I don't return there in the morning except on Saturday. The only way I can really see why guy stays open is there is nothing at all out there. You can't even next day from the post office. The best they can do is 2 day and that's to very few places. More and more the ups drivers in WWR have been really worried everytime I come in or leave because I have so little for them.

 

[hrjet]

I believe I have this correct...large freight companies like UPS and FedEx operate under part 121.

I have a question about tours/scheduling. Do you guys/gals just fly from the hub out to another airport full, then deadhead(empty) back? The reason I ask is that one of my hobies is perusing flightaware, and I noticed that FedEx(for example) only has scheduled departures from KMEM, KLAX, and ANC...but there are no departures shceduled from the other airports they fly to.

Just curious

Thanks

i'm pretty sure at Fedex they get in the morning, spend the day getting massages at the Hilton and fly back that day or the next day.