Reality?

[cstewart6]

Lga is not a us airways hub so lga reserves tend to get called last after all the philly and dc reserves. As far as pay, there is a minimum monthly guarantee. That said, us airways is losing some gates in lga and it remains to be seen if air wisconsin will shrink or close its lga base

 

[Boris Badenov]

Air ambo will have you home every night with reasonable pay and great QOL. But unless you wanna fly whirlygigs, you're not going to be anywhere near NYC.

 

[jspeed87]

I think they are a few Air Ambo at teterbarrow. You could also check out Airnet at TEB.

 

[Galaitoto]

I also live in NYC area. If you want to make 135 career check out Feeders like Wiggins and Mountain Air they have many EWR runs flying Cessna 208. Pay starts off at 30s and tops off at 55. Mon-Fri weekends off lots of free time to work a second job or side busniess. I have researched this well

When I'm flying those caravans, my side dream business would be to get my class A license and drive a bad ass Semi truck up and down the coast ! Those two jobs are all I want ever.

 

[jspeed87]

When I'm flying those caravans, my side dream business would be to get my class A license and drive a bad ass Semi truck up and down the coast ! Those two jobs are all I want ever.

Although I never been in a Class A Truck, they do sound like fun. I see lots of ads looking for part time work.. so maybe you could do both?

 

[Galaitoto]

quote="jspeed87, post: 2231307, member: 7433"]Although I never been in a Class A Truck, they do sound like fun. I see lots of ads looking for part time work.. so maybe you could do both?[/quote]
This is my dilemma, I would like to hear your input if possible. I will hopefully get my cfi ticket in a few months, then I will remain working at fedex part time as a driver, then head to the flight school around 1130 when I get off work, and teach the rest of the day. Once I get in a rhythm, I will put in for a ramp transport driver at fedex and drive the big trucks. It's a early shift, I start at 4AM currently but I heard the AM ramp drivers start around 2 AM. That's early, but I'll make it work because I have always wanted to drive a semi truck, and I have 10 years with fedex currently. They have good benefits so I would like to keep that going. IF I could make that schedule work then I will be a happy man working both jobs for the long haul. The dilemma is if I get hired with westair flying the caravans (which I want to do greatly), I will have to quit fedex altogether because it's a completely different company and the schedules won't work. On the other hand I enjoy fedex and really want to drive the semi, so that would require me to remain a cfi and not move on to the caravans. I know only I can make this decision but it's always good to hear advise from like minded folks. I already know I will enjoy instructing, that's not a factor for me. I'll figure it out, things always end up working out somehow. I really enjoy working in the freight/transportation industry. Sorry this was a bit long.

 

[eightballfreight]

Maybe you'll get that semi driving out of your blood by the time you hit 1200, maybe not, got time on your side.

 

[Galaitoto]

Maybe you'll get that semi driving out of your blood by the time you hit 1200, maybe not, got time on your side.

Good point, thanks for that.

 

[jspeed87]

quote="jspeed87, post: 2231307, member: 7433"]Although I never been in a Class A Truck, they do sound like fun. I see lots of ads looking for part time work.. so maybe you could do both?

This is my dilemma, I would like to hear your input if possible. I will hopefully get my cfi ticket in a few months, then I will remain working at fedex part time as a driver, then head to the flight school around 1130 when I get off work, and teach the rest of the day. Once I get in a rhythm, I will put in for a ramp transport driver at fedex and drive the big trucks. It's a early shift, I start at 4AM currently but I heard the AM ramp drivers start around 2 AM. That's early, but I'll make it work because I have always wanted to drive a semi truck, and I have 10 years with fedex currently. They have good benefits so I would like to keep that going. IF I could make that schedule work then I will be a happy man working both jobs for the long haul. The dilemma is if I get hired with westair flying the caravans (which I want to do greatly), I will have to quit fedex altogether because it's a completely different company and the schedules won't work. On the other hand I enjoy fedex and really want to drive the semi, so that would require me to remain a cfi and not move on to the caravans. I know only I can make this decision but it's always good to hear advise from like minded folks. I already know I will enjoy instructing, that's not a factor for me. I'll figure it out, things always end up working out somehow. I really enjoy working in the freight/transportation industry. Sorry this was a bit long.[/quote]

Sounds like a good plan, but most feeders perfer working 135 before going to them. I would just stick with FedEx, you get weekends off to Flight Instruct. I would try to grab as much instrument time as possible so get the CFII too. The thing with Driving a semi as a newbie, you have to work weekends and OTR. How about you buy a route? It's high start up cost but could go well once you make it to the feeders. BTW, do you know how I could get a job loading or unloading the FedEx caravans? I know I see them here in EWR, but I have no idea.. If your ever in the NYC area PM me I'm always looking to fly.

 

[Galaitoto]

This is my dilemma, I would like to hear your input if possible. I will hopefully get my cfi ticket in a few months, then I will remain working at fedex part time as a driver, then head to the flight school around 1130 when I get off work, and teach the rest of the day. Once I get in a rhythm, I will put in for a ramp transport driver at fedex and drive the big trucks. It's a early shift, I start at 4AM currently but I heard the AM ramp drivers start around 2 AM. That's early, but I'll make it work because I have always wanted to drive a semi truck, and I have 10 years with fedex currently. They have good benefits so I would like to keep that going. IF I could make that schedule work then I will be a happy man working both jobs for the long haul. The dilemma is if I get hired with westair flying the caravans (which I want to do greatly), I will have to quit fedex altogether because it's a completely different company and the schedules won't work. On the other hand I enjoy fedex and really want to drive the semi, so that would require me to remain a cfi and not move on to the caravans. I know only I can make this decision but it's always good to hear advise from like minded folks. I already know I will enjoy instructing, that's not a factor for me. I'll figure it out, things always end up working out somehow. I really enjoy working in the freight/transportation industry. Sorry this was a bit long.

Sounds like a good plan, but most feeders perfer working 135 before going to them. I would just stick with FedEx, you get weekends off to Flight Instruct. I would try to grab as much instrument time as possible so get the CFII too. The thing with Driving a semi as a newbie, you have to work weekends and OTR. How about you buy a route? It's high start up cost but could go well once you make it to the feeders. BTW, do you know how I could get a job loading or unloading the FedEx caravans? I know I see them here in EWR, but I have no idea.. If your ever in the NYC area PM me I'm always looking to fly.[/quote]


I'm pretty sure at least with westair previous 135 is not required, but it could help. I'll deal with that once I get my hours from instructing if I go that route. About the semi truck position since I work at express, I would only drive the truck to the station from the airport. So luckily no OTR operations. Just local hops is what it requires. Also at express we can't buy a route, that's what FDX ground does, they are owner operator. I remember you mentioned you worked at FDX , was it express or ground ? If it's express you want to work at the ramp which is the actual airport location. The position would be material handler I'm pretty sure. I will double check for you but I think that's the one. I actually bid on a position at the onta ramp for a handler position because I'm hoping I'll get a chance to network with the feeder guys. But I still might turn down the position because my current schedule is from 4am-12pm as a driver, then I'll have the rest of the day to instruct. I think ill try that schedule for 2 years and when I have enough hours I'll get in with westair. I think I just solved my original dilemma. Let me know if I can better direct you with the unloading the caravans question. And unfortunately I live in California but I will pm you if I ever get out that direction, thanks for the offer.

 

[tbmpilot]

from 4am-12pm as a driver, then I'll have the rest of the day to instruct.

Flight instruction after working 8 hours from 4am might not be the ideal scenario...

 

[Galaitoto]

Flight instruction after working 8 hours from 4am might not be the ideal scenario...

It will be rough, if it becomes a problem I can cut my hours back so ill be off around 1030. The beauty is my driving job is very flexible so i'll have better options when the time arrives.

 

[jspeed87]

I searched on FedEx website but only found material handler(non DOT). Not sure if that's it but I guess I will apply or ask in person about the exact position. Paying our dues that's the hard part lol BTW I would love to live in socal. Are the caravan pilots paid more for cost of living in california. I couldn't find any info on APC. Goodluck sounds like a plan.

 

[elmetal]

I searched on FedEx website but only found material handler(non DOT). Not sure if that's it but I guess I will apply or ask in person about the exact position. Paying our dues that's the hard part lol BTW I would love to live in socal. Are the caravan pilots paid more for cost of living in california. I couldn't find any info on APC. Goodluck sounds like a plan.

http://www.westair.net/routemap.html

They're the feeder that runs the california area for the most part.

You can find info on them if you google around, there's a route map for an idea

 

[Galaitoto]

The best thing to do is if you do in fact work for fedex (express) , go on JCATS and look for "material handler" as you previously mentioned. Once on JCATS, call the hiring manager that posted that position and ask them if the position is responsible for the feeders. So what I mean is, not all material handlers work with the feeders, that's why you need to call the manager that posted that position. And as for pay I am not sure, sorry about that. I assume at least 36k per year per the mountain air cargo website. Just enough money for me to buy my motor home (house) and live the simple live. Good luck to you as well, it has always seemed to me that we are living very similar lives !

I searched on FedEx website but only found material handler(non DOT). Not sure if that's it but I guess I will apply or ask in person about the exact position. Paying our dues that's the hard part lol BTW I would love to live in socal. Are the caravan pilots paid more for cost of living in california. I couldn't find any info on APC. Goodluck sounds like a plan.

 

[wheelsup]

Commuter reserve is not like reserve at a major. If you want to be home a LOT live in domicile and stay on reserve at a major. For reference, I was on reserve at Air Wisconsin and worked a high of 168 credit and a low of 142 credit in 4 months. Reserves at commuters are the whipping boys. Expect to work a lot of your reserve days.

Reserves at the majors? Maybe 4-8 days a month for the better carriers.

To get the QOL and pay you (most likely) desire, it's going to take time, you don't just walk into that at a 121 carrier.

For 91 stuff look into Quest Diagnostics out of Allentown, they have a fairly large fleet and do part 91 freight. Nice thing is they go to FBO's so you can at least do a little networking on the corporate side.

 

[skydisaster]

I don't believe that Quest is 91 anymore. I also don't believe that they are ever on the ground long enough to do any networking.

 

[wheelsup]

I don't believe that Quest is 91 anymore. I also don't believe that they are ever on the ground long enough to do any networking.

Used to vary on the run. Sometimes it was turn and burn other times they had some time to waste.

That's interesting they are no longer 91, wonder what happened.

 

[Roger Roger]

Used to vary on the run. Sometimes it was turn and burn other times they had some time to waste.

That's interesting they are no longer 91, wonder what happened.

I seem to recall reading an NTSB report that implied that the NTSB thought that their operation would be safer under 135 rules.