The future of 135

[FlySmiley]

In light of the recent upswing in regional hiring at extraordinarily low flight times, what do you think the future holds for 135 operators?

I work for a 135 cargo operation. For those that don't know the mins are 1200TT (plus some other stuff) and those are non-negotiable for PIC's. Given the option to fly a jet at 500TT/50ME or waiting until you have 1200TT to get a 135 freight job seems like a simple choice these days. I realize that there is still a small percentage of pilots with no desire to fly for a regional, but they may be the exception.

In my opinion, pay scales for 135 operations will need to be raised significantly to attract new pilots. I also think that since this raise in pay is not likely to happen, that many smaller 135 operations (and possibly even large ones) will go the way of the dinosaur.

The FAA is not in a position to lower time requirements for such demanding flying (single pilot) when accidents still happen on a regular basis with the current time requirements.

What do you guys think? What can a 135 operator offer besides $$ to attract pilots meeting their minimums, or encourage younger pilots to flight instruct longer until they meet the time requirements rather than going to a regional?

 

[jtrain609]

Flight Express has got to the point of hiring 500 hour VFR guys and paying them upwards of $50,000 a year.

 

[meritflyer]

Flight Express has got to the point of hiring 500 hour VFR guys and paying them upwards of $50,000 a year.

Serious?

 

[FlySmiley]

Flight Express has got to the point of hiring 500 hour VFR guys and paying them upwards of $50,000 a year.

Are they the rule, or the exception though? I'm an airnet guy myself and would love to see 50k, or 40, or even mid 30's.

 

[fly22]

Not all of us want to fly for regionals.

I do think pay will have to adjust.

 

[jtrain609]

Serious?

Very

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

I realize that there is still a small percentage of pilots with no desire to fly for a regional, but they may be the exception.

I be one of them exceptional guys. I have no desire to be a disrespected chauffeur to hundreds of people a day (and no offense to those that are regional or mainline pilots). I've spent quite a bit of time at the airport here (HXD) and see firsthand the relationship that the NetJets and Citation Shares guys have with their passengers. I want to be a part of that some day.

 

[MikeOH58]

Flight Express has got to the point of hiring 500 hour VFR guys and paying them upwards of $50,000 a year.

Pilots are required to have the Part 135 IFR PIC minimums per 135.243(c):

• Commercial Single-Engine certificate with an instrument rating
• 1200 Hours Total
• 500 Hours Cross Country - point to point
• 100 Hours Night
• 75 Hours Instrument total - up to 25 in a simulator allowed
• 50 Hours Instrument in FLIGHT - simulated (hood) or actual

Upon transition to the Beechcraft Baron we require the applicant possess a commercial multi-engine certificate with instrument privileges. We do not have second in command, aircraft loader or flight engineer positions.


Maybe they raised mins?

 

[jtrain609]

That's out of date. They're using 135 VFR minimums right now.

 

[Foxcow]

That's out of date. They're using 135 VFR minimums right now.

I hear that its only for FL though.

 

[Ian_J]

Here's what attracts me to part 135 freight:

- You get to fly by yourself, single pilot IFR, at night
- You get decent pay and benefits compared to a 1st year regional job
- The opportunity to fly well-maintained, high performance, piston twins or turbine singes, or turbine twins
- Home every night (or day, whatever)
- Opportunity, depending on the company, to build TPIC
- No uniforms (depending on the company)
- The opportunity to gain flying experience outside the ordinary way of doing things

I'm sure there are more, but that's my short list.

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

I'm sure there are more, but that's my short list.

Boxes, pee cups, and depleted uranium (all things I've heard freight dawgs here mention carrying) don't stand up in the aisle before the captain has brought the airplane to a stop at the gate and turned off the fasten seatbelt sign.

 

[SIUav8er]

Here's what attracts me to part 135 freight:

- You get to fly by yourself, single pilot IFR, at night
- You get decent pay and benefits compared to a 1st year regional job
- The opportunity to fly well-maintained, high performance, piston twins or turbine singes, or turbine twins
- Home every night (or day, whatever)
- Opportunity, depending on the company, to build TPIC
- No uniforms (depending on the company)
- The opportunity to gain flying experience outside the ordinary way of doing things

I'm sure there are more, but that's my short list.

word. im happy instructing right now, so im seriously considering waiting it out till i get the magic 1200.

 

[kellwolf]

Boxes, pee cups, and depleted uranium (all things I've heard freight dawgs here mention carrying) don't stand up in the aisle before the captain has brought the airplane to a stop at the gate and turned off the fasten seatbelt sign.

Passengers don't stand up........for long.


<ding>
Me: "Wassup"
FA: "They're getting up to get their bags. Are we close to the gate."
Me: "Uh, it's DTW and we landed on THAT runway. It's gonna be a bit."
FA: "Can you make an annoucement or something."
Me: "How about or something."

Tell the CA what's going on......BRRRAAAAKKKKKEEESS.

Me over the PA "Sorry, folks. A fox ran out in front of us on the taxiiway, and it can be a handful to stop a 47,000 lbs airplane. Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened."

 

[EatSleepFly]

I do think pay will have to adjust.

No doubt about it. The bottom of the barrel of people who actually WANT to do this kind of flying, AND are qualified/capable of making it through training, is being scraped hard. Don't know what's going to happen, but if these types of companies don't do SOMETHING to attract people (and keep at least some of the ones they have), it won't be good. Time will tell, I suppose.

 

[PanJet]

I'm trying as hard as I can to get to the magic 1,200 by the time I get my B.S. degree in June of next year. I'd really like to be able to walk into a 135 job, and I've already got 54 multi just in the last couple of months, so that won't be a problem by the end of next year. I'm about halfway to 1,200, but the problem is I'm a full time student along with flight instructing, so it's going to be close!

 

[BajtheJino]

Flight Express has got to the point of hiring 500 hour VFR guys and paying them upwards of $50,000 a year.

You personally know someone who is making that kind of scratch there? I do know people and trust me, they are not making that kind of money.

 

[flyingator]

a former instructor of mine just got on with them f exp. this month, after a yr of cfi'ing, and is getting 39k. hand flying an old c-210, m-f. he says they have yet to ask him to fly through any bad weather, and he finds it satisfying work, but i think he feels the pull of better equipment.

 

[jtrain609]

I think Lloyd is pullin' down some bank. $50,000 is the max you could make, the base pay is $24,000 a year.

No clue how their runs are split up.

 

[jml2992]

Boxes, pee cups, and depleted uranium (all things I've heard freight dawgs here mention carrying) don't stand up in the aisle before the captain has brought the airplane to a stop at the gate and turned off the fasten seatbelt sign.

Don't forget Chickens!!! I'm sure there has to be somebody else out there that can verify the USPS is down with hauling poultry. I hauled three back from Kauai today and I believe that brings my total to 22 chickens off of Kauai but it hasn't quieted down at the crew house while I am trying to sleep.