What is a freight carrier you would suggest?

Sprint100

Well-Known Member
I'm still on the new year's resolution kick about finishing my commercial and building hours to get a piloting gig.
What would be good freight companies to try and get in with? Besides the UPS's, FedEx's, and DHL's since they would be total long shots. I plan to finish my commercial by April and build hours after that, so I am looking at early to mid next year to start applying. Shoot, if I get lucky and build some major hours, I could start applying as soon as the end of this year.
 
Well, you don't meet the hours requirments for a single-pilot job, so somehow you'll have to get lucky getting an FO position. That means almost all jobs flying pistons are out, plus turboprops suchs as Beech 99, 1900 and Metroliner. That leaves operators that fly stuff like Shorts, DC-3s, EMB-110...etc. Find an Air Charter Guide somewhere are start copying down fax phone numbers.
 
Low time pilots are a dime a dozen. Frieght companies have a million resumes, so I suggest that you set yours apart by getting a few additional ratings, like the Flight Engineer and Dispatcher. There are several 727 freight operators who will pick up a low time pilot and put them in the Engineers seat for a couple of years. But one of the things they look for is initiative, and one way to show that is to have more ratings than the other guy, besides, they might say, that they don't need crews at the time but are desperate for a Flight Follower....could you start in the morning? You might work in the Ops dept for 6 months, and still be in the next class.

I'll say it again, you have to be lucky, but you make most of your own luck.
 
Both UPS and FedEx are both great companies. I like em both for very different reasons.

Ultimately choose which ever one hires you first
tongue.gif



Matthew
 
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Low time pilots are a dime a dozen. Frieght companies have a million resumes, so I suggest that you set yours apart by getting a few additional ratings, like the Flight Engineer and Dispatcher. There are several 727 freight operators who will pick up a low time pilot and put them in the Engineers seat for a couple of years. But one of the things they look for is initiative, and one way to show that is to have more ratings than the other guy, besides, they might say, that they don't need crews at the time but are desperate for a Flight Follower....could you start in the morning? You might work in the Ops dept for 6 months, and still be in the next class.

I'll say it again, you have to be lucky, but you make most of your own luck.

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I heard years ago from an airline pilot that Flight Engineers are being phased out with the L1011's. Is this true? Arethere still airplanes out there that need a third crew member to monitor the guages?
 
There are still a TON of 727s in the air. A lot of small 135 operators (both freight and pax charter) use them, and I THINK FedEx may still have a couple around, too. I'm not sure, but I think the DC-10 has a flight engineer, too.
 
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Arethere still airplanes out there that need a third crew member to monitor the guages?


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UPS still require F/E's on their B727, DC8 and B747.
 
The 727 is a little too big to be a 135 type aircraft. I've been part 121 my whole time as an FE. I guess that there is still at least 10+ years of work for PFE's. I'll upgrade well before then.
 
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